Arun action.

If I'm honest I've had a bit of a grueller this year with the mullet.My numbers are well down on what I usually manage and a run of tough trips to Christchurch,and some lean bank fishing on the Arun, had me thinking that it was time I had the boat out on the river again.I had intended to get along to the Hamble fish-in,but a change of role at work has led me back into the classroom,and I had to spend the morning finishing off an assignment.Lunchtime arrived, I'd finished my homework,and I suggested to Jan and the dog that we nip up the river with the boat for a couple of hours. Usually with such time constraints, I wouldn't bother with the boat,but as my usual bank spots seeemed a little lacking recently,i decided to make the effort. On launching at H.W first impressions weren't too favourable,the water was clearer than I'd seen it in a long while,and it took us quite a bit of motoring and time to locate any fish.But a few swirls on a sheltered bend gave the game away and within minutes of those swirls feeding on our ground bait, Jan was in to her best fish of the season with a plump 5-06.The fight in the wicked flow was nail biting to say the least,but i'm proud to say that she did a stirling job and we had this fish aboard in about ten minutes. During the battle a similar sized mullet ,obviously spooked and leaped clear of the water right over Jan's taught line.All this commotion killed the swim so we drifted down a few hundred yards,located another pocket of fish, and it was quickly my turn with a three pounder,and at the next stop a four pounder which the dog seemed less than impressed with.A nice trio of fish for the boat in double quick time. I doubt, by the time we decided to finish,that we'd actually been fishing for more than a couple of hours.In contrast to the lack of fish we'd seen motoring up river at H.W,on the way back and with the tide now well on it's way out,there were plenty showing. I've got a feeling,with the weather conditions as they were,that the fish-in on the Hamble would've thrown up some good fish!