Arrival time: 08:15.
Weather: Overcast with a cooling NE gusty wind. Warming towards midday.
Tackle: Drennan 1¾ TC 12ft 'Specialist Barbel', Shimano 5000 RE baitrunner, SSG link, 8lb line to 8 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread Flake & cheese paste.
Fish: Blank

After much deliberation following yet another very hot spell I decided to return to the Offord mill stream as I felt that with some guaranteed flow the fish would be more comfortable. A cool break in the exceptionally hot weather was also a factor as I just wanted to get out on the bank. The swim I had fished a couple of weeks earlier was free so I settled there hoping for a repeat of the success I had on that occasion. But fishing isn't like that, is it?

The swim appeared much the same as it was on my earlier visit although the water level seemed to be a bit lower, as I could clearly see the gravel bottom across the width of the stream. It was also very clear.

I had brought a more powerful rod having lost two fish on the previous visit. But my approach was the same, dropping a piece of bread flake as far under the overhanging tree branches as I could such that it was taken with the flow as it sunk slowly. On this occasion though an early bite wasn't forthcoming. Instead there were taps on the rod top that suggested smaller fish were attacking the flake. When I finally hooked one it was indeed small and came off before I could see it properly.

I persevered the only change in tactics being to pinch the single shot on the main line as I thought that the sliding link might be affecting the delicate cast under the branches. But it was to no avail and in the end I decided somewhat reluctantly to move down to the bridge swim.

A swim by the bridge that last year was reached through a narrow passage through nettles and other growth had been opened out considerably. Whereas before there was just a small area to stand while fishing it was now flattened out into quite a large space. This made the fishing a lot easier of course but by removing so much cover it probably made it a far less attractive swim for stalking nervous chub. Or indeed for chub to occupy.

I had planned to stay for a while but it soon became clear that I was getting the same small fish attention and I didn't manage to tempt a decent chub to take the bait, even assuming that they were resident. Interestingly on my two visits this season I had not seen any chub when looking from the bridge, whereas the previous year they were invariably present. Perhaps by making the fishing so much easier it has caused the chub to regard the swim as dangerous.

I next moved up to the head of the stream where another angler had caught a couple of chub early in the morning - he arrived a 5am! But once again it was just taps on the rod top from small fish.

So I returned to the first swim for the last half hour or so, having decided to pack up at or around noon. Once again it was a matter of taps on the rod top until I finally hooked one on cheese paste, only to see that it was about three inches long. At this I decided that there were either only small fish down there, or if there were any larger chub they just weren't interested. So it was time to call it a day.