Silver Species…05/03/2013 This Anglersafloat species competition is still running for leg one and though we’ve really let the side down this time through failing to get out because of weather and failing to catch because of every excuse apart from us being rubbish anglers we had to make a final effort now the weather had cleared. I’d all but given up, Ian too and poor old Stu had only managed two. We needed points. Stu, up in the fens, was going to fish all weekend to contribute what points he could which left Ian and I with the option, having both had our pike now, of hitting the sea or river…on the former he could expect 1 maybe 2 and I could expect maybe 1 new point. On the river, with a solitary roach between us, we had a potential to raise the bar a little bit higher. That was decided then. I had a quick nap after work while he fetched maggots and got Andy up and by 10:30 we were by the quay ready to unload. Another lovely, mild day. Out we went into the bay and I flicked a maggot out by a heading; 30 seconds later and I had my first fish…a roach, but I already had that. I moved a bit and caught another one. Ian bobbed around in a corner and failed to find anything as did I when I tried another spot. We made an effort and headed up to my chub spot in the bay by the bridge. I got close enough to the bridge to be able to flick my bait into position. Ian hung back on the far bank to take advantage of the corner flows and eddies; I flicked into place and after a roach pulled out a lovely little perch – 1 point! Ian pulled in a reasonable roach for his own point and then, with the water streaming a bit quick, I left my bait with the float pulled under by some reed the hook had caught on until I saw the tug; up came a half-pound chub giving a good account of itself…3 points now. I moved on and let Ian sneak into position for the chub while I tried elsewhere for bream, gudgeon, ruffe, dace or pretty much anything that might come along. Nothing did. Ian rejoined me having added point 4 with his own perch and we headed up for Gillingham and, when the spot I wanted was seen to be occupied, Barsham which is a great spot in the summer, especially in the bay by the drain. An hour passed and nothing had happened. Neither groundbait nor maggots had attracted anything and with Andy on his way back downriver (he was out testing his newly-acquired Elite) we decided to call it a day as we both needed to be getting back…just enough time left to try for another chub by the bridge. Well, I had another perch and a couple of roach but that was it. Ian snagged up and lost his rig. It was game over. Did we feel cheated? No. another fine weather day, another reasonable paddle and another kingfisher spotted outdoing us – not to mention the duckling with a gudgeon in its beak, rubbing things in!