Chub, Warks Avon

January 12th. What a week, my second child, my first son, Max is born on the 4th January at 2.15pm and the worst snow for more than two decades hits the Midlands. Even if I had wanted to get down the river it would not have been possible and the banks would have been too dangerous. More than a week after the happy event and with snow still everywhere I felt confident enough to leave the kids indoors and have a quick afternoon session locally on the Warwickshire Avon.
Arriving just after 12.00pm the car park was empty and there were no other anglers in sight. No great shock and I love having the river to myself. The half a mile walk to the swim I fancied warmed me through and with the river at normal winter level I felt confident. A cheese paste attack was launched across river just short of the overhanging Willows and I poured a brew. I did not have to wait long before the right hand rod wrapped round and I was in to the first Chub of the day. 4lb 12oz, a good fish for the Avon. Good start.
It turned out to be a false dawn and a series of frustratingly unhittable twitches followed between periods of inactivity. The next lunge on the tip of the rods came when a flock of 30 Canadian Geese did a low level display and caught the line. No harm done, reeled in, rebaited and recast. Within 20 minutes a pair of Swans did exactly the same. Swans must be very short sighted and one of them wrapped up both lines and took off upstream. I pulled for a break and freed both rods from the offending Swan so it was clear to get on it's way. Luckily one of the rigs was still intact but the other needed completely setting up again.
I checked the intact rig and recast. I then started to set up the other rod and was just about to tie the hook on when I noticed a twitch on the other rod. Upon striking there was a solid resistance and a 5lb 2oz Chub was played to the net. No more bites came in the next half hour so I packed up.

A cracking brace in sub zero temperatures and I went home a happy angler.