Arrival time: 08.30.
Weather: The beginning of a very hot spell of weather with little cloud cover.
Tackle: Korum 12ft 'Multi-feeder', Shimano ST2500FB baitrunner simple 2SSG link, 6lb line to 8 eyed hook.
Baits: Bread flake, cheese paste & prawn.
Fish: Two chub.

I had walked a number of streams the previous week before deciding on a venue for the opening day. In the end I chose Offord because it offered different types of water, although I had planned to fish the Mill Stream. My destination was the swim at the top of the stream and I was pleased to see nobody in it as I approached. My bubble was burst however when I found tackle stacked in the swim - no anglers, just tackle. Slightly annoyed I went back to a spot just upstream of the road bridge where I had seen chub the previous week. As it turned out this forced change of plan might have been fortuitous.

As I was setting up a bailiff came along and explained that the tackle I had seen belonged to anglers wading in the weir pool, and that I could fish where I had seen the tackle. I was less sure that those anglers would appreciate me being there, so I stayed where I was.

Fishing just upstream of the bridge requires a cast down towards the bridge, in a channel between two dense banks of bullrushes. That done, should a fish be hooked it is necessary to keep it out of those bullrushes, not easy as you are standing back from the water behind reeds, thus making it difficult to apply sideways pressure on the fish.

I started with bread flake, to my mind the best bait for chub, and didn't need to wait long before I hit a pull and was into my first chub. It fought hard and tried for the rushes but by keeping strong upward pressure on it I kept it out. A good start with a fish of 2lbs 9oz.

I continued for a while longer but as expected the other fish had been spooked, at least temporarily. I was also starting to get very hot in the warming sun. And bitten by flies. I decided to move to another spot on the stream where there was a bit of shade.

Another angler had arrived after me and was fishing part way along the stream. He hadn't had anything. I went a bit further along where there was shade from a tree on the opposite bank. The shade was only guaranteed for a while owning to the arc of the sun. It was a weedy swim and this was quickly demonstrated when my first cast became snagged on retrieval and I lost all my terminal tackle. Having retackled, I briefly flirted with the next swim but soon decided that more tackle loss was a strong possibility. So I decided to return to the bridge swim hoping it would have settled.

I was encouraged by missing a good pull, which assured me that the chub were still interested even though I missed the bite. A while later another bite, which in fact wasn't as positive, resulted in contact with what felt like a good fish. After a shortish but tense battle, that involved resisting its strong attempts to seek refuge in the rushes, a chunky fish almost filled my landing net. I struggled to lift it out. It was clearly a better fish although showed some scarring. An old warrior!

On the scales it registered 4lbs 5oz, its weight residing in its girth rather than length. A real lump.

I continued for a while but didn't really expect any more chub unless I were to rest the swim for a considerable time. But the heat was getting to me so that wasn't an option. Instead I decided to go back to the car park pool and find a shady spot for the remainder of the session.

Installed in a shaded swim on the car park side of the pool I spent a couple of hours legering bread flake and prawn with no interest being shown. I had tried prawn on the mill stream but again with no takers. In fact I did get a tweak on the rod top with the prawn in the pool, but it could have been a liner. There was precious little evidence of fish in the pool. No topping, no bubbles and no nibbles on my bait. Perhaps it was the heat and brightness of the day.

Despite my lack of success in the pool I packed up very happy with the two chub. They were after all my intended target.