Targets

Each season I will be setting myself a few targets, mainly to beat my eel and pike bests. I will also be targeting other species to try and increase a few personal bests. I will update this page as I achieve these targets.

2022/23 targets - A p.b eel, a river best pike (specific river), 6lb plus chub from a specific river and a river best barbel.

2021/22 targets - A p.b eel, a river best barbel, 5lb plus chub from a specific local river and a river best pike.

5lb plus chub from a specific local river

Two chub over the 5lb mark from the target river.

 A river best barbel

Best's set for 2 rivers, one local and the trent. I beat my Trent best on 3 occasions during the spells of mild winter weather. 

A new overall p.b of 14lb 12oz

A river best pike

Two new river bests, one at the start of the pike season and one was my last fish of the season.

My first twenty from this river

Unfortunately the few eels I landed were short of my best, a familiar tale.

2020/21 targets - A p.b eel, double figure barbel from a new river, a barbel from a new river and a 6lb chub from a specific local river.

6lb chub from a specific local river

A few years in the making - 6.07lb

A difficult season for most, not much fishing done but I was more than pleased with that 6lb chub. The chub was caught from a river where I have had many 5's but could never get the 6lb fish I was aiming for. The chub came on an hours session straight from work and it added an oz to my p.b aswell.

2019/20 targets - A season focusing on barbel, aiming for an overall p.b, a first double from a local river which is proving more difficult than I thought it would be and catch a barbel from a new river.

A double figure barbel from a certain local river

Catch a barbel from a new river

Both targets achieved - a p.b equalling 11.03lb from a local river which took some doing, a lot of hard work and a lot of sessions. Barbel were caught from 2 new rivers, nothing massive, but a start with the long term aim of catching doubles from these rivers.

2018/19 targets - The same again ! A double figure barbel from a new river, a 6lb + chub from a certain local river and that 20lb + pike!

A 20lb pike !

12/11/18 - 20lb 6oz

Finally a pike over the 20lb mark! I couldn’t get near the 10lb barrier on the barbel front, 8lb 11oz was my best from the targeted river, a similar story during the chub campaign, plenty caught and a decent number over 5lb, but a seasons best of 5lb 6oz not troubling the 6lb I was aiming for.

2017/18 targets - A double figure barbel from a new river, a 6lb + chub from a certain local river and a 20lb + pike!

A double figure barbel from a new river 

23/07/17 - 11lb 1oz and 10lb 7oz (Trent)

10/10/17 - 10lb 14oz and 10lb 5oz (Trent)

I only managed 2 sessions specifically after chub from the targeted river and caught on both occasions with fish to 5lb 3oz. If I had pulled my finger out and had a few more sessions I reckon I might have broken the 6lb barrier on this river as I have access to some cracking stretches for chub.

Chasing a 20lb pike locally is difficult and the lure of my local river makes this an even harder task. I have started to target pike further afield but the idea of catching a first ‘20’ from the river I have fished since I was a boy always seems to override the slightly easier possibilities elsewhere.

2016/17 targets - 4lb + eel, over 50lb of tench and a personal best pike.

A personal best pike -

19lb 2oz

My eel and tench campaigns didn't go as planned, eels to 2lb 8oz and a total of 16lb 7oz of tench.

2015/16 targets -

Personal best eel, perch, pike and a first zander.

A personal best pike -

17lb 9oz

A first zander -

8lb 14oz

Unfortunately, I failed in my attempts to increase my eel and perch bests. My eel campaign didn't really materialise, working nights and then becoming distracted by barbel meant beating my eel best wasn't likely. I managed to catch plenty of perch to 2lb 1oz, not bad but a bit short of my best.

2014/15 targets -

Eel over 2lb - 

2lb 7oz (25th July)

2lb 15oz (21st August)

Perch over 2lb -

2lb 4oz (17th July)

P.b pike - 

15lb 14oz (19th September)

2013/14 target -

10 pike (including at least 1 double)

Due to a lack of time and very poor weather conditions, I set myself a modest target for the season. I managed to achieve the target, catching 14 pike in total with the largest going 10lb 6oz.

Largest of the season - 10lb 6oz