Watch Your Step — Vipers in the Grass!

Needless to say you should always have a mobile phone on your person when you go fishing. It's a quite dangerous pastime in many ways especially fishing solo when falling in a swollen river fully-clothed wearing waders or even wellies might well cost you your life. 

There's another danger this time of year though, because adders will be basking in the sun and though they tend to flee pretty quickly it's quite possible to step on them unawares. I came within a yard of one last week whilst fishing way up in the wild upper reaches of the Saxon Mill. It shot off when it heard my footsteps coming through the scrubby grass, but if I'd not seen it in front of me (and I saw it only when it was almost too late) or suddenly sidestepped and trod on it I might have been in deep trouble because my phone had just run out of charge, and though I was fishing with Baz Peck, he was out of earshot and I didn't have a clue where he was.

However, I was wearing wellies and in this case they might have saved me from the bite if I had stepped on it. 

Adder bites can kill in extreme cases, unconsciousness in many, but the bite causes severe swelling of the bitten limb which will quickly swell to twice, even three times its size, and make it impossible to walk your way out of trouble. 

Be warned, I've seen the results first-hand and it's not pretty. It happened to a friend of mine when a teenager. He stepped on it, it bit him, we panicked and ran the half mile back to his house. By the time we got there his jeans had to be cut off him, because his leg had swollen enormously and continued to swell. He was in hospital for a few days and was fine, but it could have killed him...

If it happens, or even if you believe it might have, then immediately phone the emergency services on 999, give them your exact location, stay put and remain calm. 

Do wear wellies and have that phone fully charged. They're quite rare creatures but not so uncommon that they should be ignored as a very real danger especially in open scrubby grassland, which the Saxon Mill has in abundance in certain remote places.

Do heed this advice — the best way to avoid an adder is to watch your step!

But I wasn't watching mine...

Jeff

First of the Summer Evening Matches

Myton road hosted the first of the summer evening matches run by Warwick Portobello AC which was won with 9lb off peg 6, and second with 4lb 8oz.

Phil

Saxon Mill Madness — It's a Jungle Out There! (report by Jeff Hatt)

It was a crazy scheme. Insane really considering what we both suspected we'd find out there in the wilderness. Nevertheless, enthusiasm got the better and us thinking that low, clear water would afford the best chance of spotting fish over clean gravels in country so remote and inaccessible that the populations hardly ever see an angler's bait, off we trotted armed with very little gear, and even less idea...

Over the stile and into the woods it looked bad. And, it just got worse and worse and worse until we finally exited the woods and made our way into the top meadow where worse became worst. Nettles up to  your neck, cow parsley over your head and at the fertile soil of the river bank a continuous unbroken strip of the tallest, toughest and most impenetrable vegetation of all.

It was why came to be fair. Because we knew no-one else had. Now it was abundantly clear only a madman would...

Roach not yet showing at Hopyards

An impromptu match between some of our match guys at the weekend, again outlined the roach still haven't returned to the Hopyards. 

The roach are very late this year, as this stretch is a summer venue and usually full of them. Maybe in another week or so they will return-let's hope so as it is a great stretch especially for the roach. 

Several Hopyards bream have however decided to show themselves around the 3lb 8oz bracket along with a whopper at 8lb! Not the first in that weight range as a 9lber was caught there several seasons ago. And last season bags of 30lb+ did come out.

Phil

Saxon Mill Work Party

For members information there is a work party planned for Saxon mill on Sunday the 7th July. 

There are eight guys going up from about 8am till around midday. We will have 3 petrol strimmers on the go and scythes. I would normally ask people to help if they wanted to but there are I think, enough on this occasion. But if you do find yourself free, go for it but please dress suitably and take safety glasses. 

The council have assigned a health and safety guy to 'advise' us which has proved very interesting.

Obviously members should avoid fishing between these times so as vital work can take place.

Phil

Great Sport at The Saxon Mill

Just received a great report from a new member from Banbury who took a fantastic 25lb bag of roach and dace from the Saxon Mill. That's a tremendous day's sport from any river. Just goes to show how good our waters really are!

The Saxon Mill stretch is wild in places, so travel light! 

Phil

First Matches of the New Season — A Grueller at Hopyards

A very difficult and trying first match of the season at Hopyards with the roach conspicuous by their absence.

The match was won with 2lb 10oz of perch and bits from peg 16, second 2lb 8oz second from peg 9 and third 2lb 4oz off peg 20.

Also, the first of the summer evening matches ran by Portabello was held on Myton road, and was won with 9lb off peg 6, with second 4lb 8oz, and other good back up weights. 

Hopefully the Hopyards roach will return to their pre-spawning swims for the next fixture!

Full results to follow in the match diary

Phil