O.K. after one weekend where it finally dared to rain I'm already fed up of people saying we've had no summer or it's all over already.
The winds aside, the rain and clouds are more than welcome and it's plenty warm enough for me plus the rivers are moving at last so does anyone else just LOVE this weather?
Where I am the rain has now been frequent enough to be soaked up by the ground (which was dry and hard making small showers just wash over it) and thus allowed water to actually pass on into the rivers, its certainly helped my fishing, these regular top ups of water have kept the swims I'd say at close to optimum for this time of year, the first lot washed in lots of new sand onto the river bed and made things less snaggy for me (so more fishing confidence) the other rains have kept a little colour in the water and perhaps oxygenated the river system enough to help allow longer feeding times for both the Chub and Barbel around the weirs, that before were sluggish and getting shallower, but not enough to send trolley's, trees and motorbikes crashing through.
Temperature is a moot point in regards to the will to fish imho, If you love winter Piking and Chubbing be not bothered about a little July breeze, dress accordingly, if its wet, wear waterproofs, if a little chilly add a hoodie and eat some ginger to get the circulation going, my only beef would be more debris in the water (willow leaf etc etc) if the rain persists and not actually wanting to climb up or down places in the actual rain as its coming down simply for safety issues, apart from that, blessed be thy rain.
