The last few weeks has seen me plugging away on a big fish stretch of a Thames tributary, which has been very fruitful for me this year. The last few weeks has been hard going and I have had very little to show for my efforts.

To try and cheer myself up I decided to on an early morning perch assault on a stretch of the River Loddon.  This proved a good decision as after seconds on the float hitting the water I had little chance to put the rod on the rest before it was away.  A nice perch slipped into the net.  Two hours later and I had a lovely catch to show for my morning’s efforts with fish weighing 2lb 1oz, 2lb 12oz, 2lb 14oz and 3lb 1oz.  Bites began at dawn and stopped soon after the sun began to rise in the sky.  All fish to Gudgeon live baits fished on a free running float paternoster.

I tried to repeat the process the following morning but after two pike to just under double figures which wrecked the swim I decided in the first 20 minutes and an article deadline looming I decided to call it a day.  I can’t wait to get back