Catching up on sleep at the Kennet

Richard and I enjoyed decent naps on the river Kennet.  Not together of course and always with a hand on the fishing rod, in case one of the river’s big barbel took our bait.  That didn’t happen. In fact, neither of us had a decent bite or sign of fish despite fishing with maggots and devious attractants.  I even took extra care with a camouflaged net across the swim, in case I turned  in my sleep and startled the fish.

When sleeping, I rest my head on my pack, take the rod out of the back rest and snooze with reel in hand and a finger on the line. I would hate to lose that old reel.  The camo' net is there to catch me if I get dragged in.

So, a very odd blank but not unexpected,  We have fished and failed on this stretch of river before and the fish get alot attention from many anglers.  But we have also succeeded with the barbel last year and hopefully, now the fish know that they have nothing to fear from us, we'll trick them next time. 

As ever, the red kites were a joy to watch, patrolling the fields behind us and I had many small birds twittering in th ewillows beside me - long tailed tits, goldcrest, wrens and so on.  But I wish I could go back in time when there was a big head of small friendly ish barbel on the river, instead of the few hook shy whoppers that live in the river now.