A couple after the heat

 23/07/22

Straight to the river after my last shift of a 60hr week, half a can of Redbull on the way, the other half for the drive home. I was parked up by 23:00hrs and fishing by 23:45hrs. A 2lb chub from the near margin hung itself on the first cast and caused some disturbance so I moved across to the far bank for the next cast. Things were very quiet until just before 01:00hrs when the rod hooped over. 

8.01lb

The fish put up a really dogged fight, I thought that it was the double I'm after from this river but it was some way off. I stuck it out until after first light but didn't get any further interest.

30/07/22

Another flying visit after work. 

I had my gear in the car for 3 days in a row but was finishing a bit too late to be heading to the river. In the past, I was happy going straight from work even if it was just for an hour of fishing but with the ridiculous price of diesel, I now have a self-imposed limit, a minimum of 3hrs fishing.

I was fishing by 22:40hrs and had 2 chub in the first 2 casts, decent fish of roughly 3.5lb & 4.5lb. Again it wasn't until roughly 01:00hrs (a key time so far on this stretch) when I got some interest from a barbel, again another solid fight to get the fish past the mid-river weed beds then a battle to keep it from finding the tree roots in the undercut bank.

A solid fish, I was sure this was a repeat capture but after checking it against previous captures it wasn't. 

9.03lb - my 3rd '9' from this stretch so this season, all different fish

 As the end of my 3 hours approached I started getting some more interest, probably chub but I had to give it another 10 minutes before leaving.... 

Just a small one this time, but every barbel from this river is a worthy capture

2 decent chub and 2 barbel from a difficult river on a short session, very pleased.

A couple before the heat

 13/07/22

A session straight from work, clocking out at 21:58hrs, a quick coffee followed by a 45-minute drive and I was fishing by 23:15hrs. Similar conditions to recent sessions, clear skies, relatively warm, with 5-6ft of moderately fast walking pace water in front of me. A bit of bait was immediately thrown into the margin and towards the far bank willows, which was left undisturbed for a while whilst I set up in the dark.

Chub knocks almost instantly, despite sitting on my hands and ignoring the rod tip for as long as possible I hooked a small (2.5lb) chub, which was a bit of a swim wrecker as I didn't get a touch for almost an hour afterwards. A barbel provided the next action, a really hard unusual fight as the barbel surfaced almost immediately and stayed on the surface for the duration of the battle. 

8.01lb of hard-fighting northern river barbel

I should have headed home straight after that fish as the commotion had almost certainly scared everything in the surrounding area off. However I had one further take as I was about to leave, a 'proper' barbel take, which turned out to be a decent chub of 4.07lb

  15/07/22

Again straight from work and fishing by 23:45hrs, it was my last shift for 3 days so I could stay for as long as I could keep myself awake. Exactly the same approach as my previous sessions (it's working, why change it?!) on this stretch, a couple of balls of soaked pellet/ crushed boilie into areas on the near and far bank, with a single rod, casting in turn to each area, every 30 mins or so.

Without warning the rod hooped round just before 01:00 and a really aggressive fight developed.

Eventually, a nice barbel of 8.11 was landed, however that was it for the night. The only knocks on the rod tip were caused by the odd bat hunting moths which were attracted to the bright isotope. After first light, I recced a few more areas for future sessions and threw all the bait I had with me in as I knew I wouldn't be fishing for a while with the forecasted temperatures looking ridiculous for the UK. 

Hat-trick

 07/07/2022

Another session straight from work, fishing like my previous sessions, a baited area in the margin and one on towards the far bank willows, with alternate casts in each area. My first cast was around 23:00hrs, with very little interest until the rod hopped over at around 01:30hrs. 

9.04lb

At 9.04lb this is my second largest from this river, a very pleasing capture. The fish fought extremely hard and it was a challenge to prevent the fish from making it to some submerged marginal roots. In fact, on checking the rig over before the next cast there was a lot of damage to the mainline. I use 12lb GR60 for most of my barbel fishing and have found it very robust and reliable, it rarely gets damaged so it must have been rubbing on something substantial. A couple of rod lengths of mainline were stripped before my next cast.

 

No interest for the next hour or so, I decided to concentrate on the far bank thinking that the barbel would be heading back toward the snags before first light. 5 minutes after casting another take.

8.11lb

Another 8lb plus fish on the bank, very pleased. This was the first time I have managed more than one barbel in a session from this river. I decided to fish on until 04:00hrs and a few minutes before the rod screamed off again.

The hat-trick fish, around the 7lb mark

A very pleasing session, I've obviously landed on a concentration of fish in this area, no doubt still grouped up post-spawning. I've had 5 barbel in my last 3 sessions, compared to 2 fish from 15 sessions previously. Hopefully, I can continue to stay in contact with the fish until I find that double I'm after!

Two in a row

A short session on the river, on the bank for just after 21:00 and off by 01:00. Similar tactics to last session, both margin and far bank cover lightly baited with boilie and soaked pellet. A 30 minute cast in one area then a cast to the other if no interest. 15 mins after the second cast in the margin the rod flew round. 

2 in a row, good going on this river

A 6lb’er was soon landed, nothing huge but any barbel is a result on this water. An hour or so later, the rod went round, again from the near bank margin.

A 4lb chub this time

I didn’t get near a barbel from this river last session so I’m very pleased with two this early in the season. Hopefully I’ll be out one night after work for a short session.

Festive sessions

Back down to earth after my last couple of sessions on the Trent, a quick Xmas eve chub session with my nephew Will and then a few hours barbel fishing on a falling river a few days after Xmas.

I’ve taken Will out about a dozen or so times and we are yet to blank, but I wasn’t so confident this time around as we only had a couple of hours and couldn’t get to my preferred stretch due to the amount of Xmas traffic.

We started getting interest in the second peg and soon had a nice 1.5lb chub in the net.

Will’s largest chub so far

The chub were a little cagey due to an otter also working the stretch and we struggled to connect with another fish.

Waterproof jacket left in car, the world noisiest carrier bag to the rescue

My barbel session was on a river I’ve had a few from this season. I had planned on a chub session but given the mild conditions I couldn’t pass the chance up. The river seemed in perfect condition 2 to 3ft up, falling and still holding a little colour.

3 pegs an hour or so in each, one pull from a chub and that was that.

Probably the last time I’ll have a go for barbel until the end of the season. I’ve got my eye on some local perch fishing, possibly p.b territory, hopefully the river conditions stay reasonable so I can have a few sessions after them.

2021 highlights

Barbel - 14lb 12oz

Bream - 6lb 8oz

Chub - 6lb 7os

Eel - Approx 2lb

Pike - 13lb 6oz

No need for a full yearly review as I hadn’t blogged until the Christmas break. The start of the year was successful for chub increasing my p.b by an ounce but more importantly catching a six pounder from a river I had been trying for one for a couple of years. 

The rest of the year I seemed to be (unintentionally) fishing for barbel, a local river best, first wye double and then 2 hectic Trent sessions resulting in 3 p.b’s to 14.12lb.

Hopefully 2022 will see no covid restrictions and plenty of time on the bank!

Winter barbel (Middle Trent Madness!)

After that last Trent trip temperatures dipped so I changed my focus to perch from my local rivers, 3 trips, 3 different rivers, 3 disappointing sessions. Nothing much to report but I'm planning a few more trips before the season ends so hopefully I can manage a few.

I had been keeping an eye on the weather and river levels daily, hoping a spell of mild weather and kind river conditions would coincide with a night I had free. It wasn't until mid December all of these factors fell into place and I was again heading down the A1 to the upper reaches of the middle Trent.

Levels were up from my last visit, which thankfully I had judged correctly and had brought my 13ft flood water rods with me. I wasn't fishing long distances or using mega heavy leads (no more than 1/3 across and up to 5oz leads) but needed the longer rods to keep as much line out of the water as possible as the debris meant recasting every 20 to 30 mins. Thankfully the barbel didn't mind the debris as I was into a fish after 30 mins. I knew it was a good fish, heavy, holding its position in the increased flow and a bit of an arm workout! 

After a good 5 min fight in the powerful flow the barbel was resting in the landing net, using the heavier rods and larger landing net than my last visit, I didn't realise how big the barbel was until I lifted the net out a few minutes later. A new personal best.

14.07lb 

Another great start with the first fish of the session being another personal best! 

The session continued in a similar manner to the previous visit and I was kept busy over the next few hours with 3 more doubles, 10.07lb, 10.14lb and an 11.13lb.

10.07lb

10.14lb

11.13lb

Madness, 4 doubles in a little more than a few hours fishing. 

The higher water levels meant fishing further up the bank than previous sessions which meant the peg was now narrower due to the trees either side of the peg. I decided to drop down to one rod to make things easier/safer if I got a take in the early hours.

90 minutes later, I was woken by a screaming run, on the rod within a few seconds and again an obviously heavy barbel had taken the bait.

It was a few minutes into the fight that I realised that I had left the headtorch on my bedchair. In the middle of nowhere with no light pollution made for an interesting fight in the pitch black. The barbel stayed deep, fought very hard in the margin and was netted as it was trying to head towards the marginal reeds.

 

14.12 - another p.b on this session

Crazy fishing, 5 barbel, 5 doubles, 2 p.b's

Things went quiet for a few hours, so after some much needed sleep I got up at 05:00 and got both rods back in, hoping for another fish before dawn. I didn't have to wait long for the action to start again.

3 more single figure fish were added before first light. For once I didn't have to rush home early so I decided to slowly pack up whilst my gear was drying, obviously the rods were last to be put away. 

10.00lb - 6th double of the session

A 3lb chub and a 10.00lb barbel were landed whilst the gear was drying.

Another crazy session - 9 barbel (14.12lb, 14.07lb, 11.13lb, 10.14lb, 10.07lb, 10.00lb, 8.08lb, 7lbish, 6lbish) plus a 3lb chub.

Coming from the north east of england, barbel fishing of this quality is alien to me, I 'm more used to scratching around for the odd fish, occasionally having multiple fish in a session and very, very rarely coming across a double.

So barbel fishing of this standard is welcomed and very much appreciated!  

Well earned - The obligatory p.b pint when I got home

Late Autumn Trent Barbel (catch-up part 6)

 A planned social session down to the Trent for a mates birthday, 3 of us stopping for some food and a beer then heading to the middle Trent in search of barbel.

Ben had the best of this session with 7 (maybe 8) barbel to 12lb.

I split my session, between barbel and pike/zander, 3 barbel to 9lb and a modest pike.

The birthday boy had a bit of a nightmare session, forgotten equipment, a barbel blank and a lost rod ! I don’t even think a birthday pint cheered him up !

A week later I was back down with Ben, a short session, turned up as it was getting dark, left at first light, just the one fish this session.

The only interest on a difficult session, far too much debris coming down a river running cold

A week or so later I had the chance for an overnight trip back down to the Trent, more favourable conditions with very mild weather, the river had dropped a bit and most importantly the barbel were on the feed.

A full 35 mins after casting in I was into a good fish, the fish didn’t pull hard, just held its ground in the powerful flow. Eventually it tired and I pulled a new p.b over the net.

12.03lb - a new p.b, a great way to start the session

That first fish was the start of a very memorable session and a very busy night!

11 takes, 9 barbel landed with 6 doubles. (12.03lb, 10.04lb, 9.11lb, 6ish, 11.06lb 10.10lb, 11.09lb, 11.08lb and 6lbish)

On some of my local rivers I fish that’s a seasons worth of barbel and a lifetimes worth of doubles!

Obviously I couldn’t wait for the next trip down the A1……

After work chub

I usually try and fit in a short session after work at least once during my 5 days on, usually arriving at the chosen river after 22:00hrs and setting off home a couple of hours later.

At this time of year chub are the only viable target on these northern rivers and a fish or two is usually on the cards even on short sessions.

Two ‘midweek’ sessions since my last post, both flying visits of 3 hours or less. 3 chub on the first with a decent 4lb fish being the best.

Out again last night, first cast 23:15hrs back in the car by 01:30hrs. 3 bites, 2 fish landed, a nice 4lb 8oz and one of about 3lb.

I really enjoy these short sessions, a couple of hours on the bank keeps me ticking over until my 3 days off when I usually get at least one longer session. 

I’m heading down to target those farm pond perch on Monday it’s been 6 weeks since my last visit, water levels should have dropped, the forecast is showing an overcast day with strong southwesterly winds blowing, hopefully it’s worth the 2 hour drive.

Summer/Autumn barbel campaign (part 3)

As October approached opportunities for time on the bank dried up, work around the house that (should of finished in the close season) needed completing before we could get new carpets fitted, so any spare time was spent decorating, fitting skirting boards etc...  I only managed two sessions throughout the whole of October both for barbel, both in flood conditions and both hard work.

First up a visit to a localish river, only my fourth visit to this stretch so am I still learning the ropes. The river was on the verge of bursting its flood banks when I arrived, loads of extra warm water, south westerlys blowing but I struggled to present a bait for more than 10 minutes at a time and blanked.

Next trip was a trip to the tidal Trent, planned well in advance and was very nearly cancelled at the last minute as the river was 10ft up on normal levels. One of the lads dropped out, but the rest of us went down, persevered with the conditions and managed a few fish between us, including a couple of p.b’s.

11.07lb

A few ounces added to my p.b, but not one of the Trent monsters I was hoping for. I’ll hopefully head down for a few visits next year to try and tempt one of the outsize barbel this river often produces.

After that last trent trip the urge to roam the banks at night after barbel subsided and my thoughts started to turn to predators.

Summer/Autumn barbel campaign (part 2)

By the beginning of August the school holidays were in full swing and although I was still fishing fairly regularly, weekends away, trips to the beach, theme parks, zoos etc... took priority over chasing barbel.

When I managed to get out the fishing was fairly consistent, blanks were rare (plenty of chub) but I was still struggling to locate the double I have been targeting. 

This season I have concentrated on 3 different stretches of the river, each offering there own individual challenges. A stretch new to me this season has tree lined banks with very tight pegs. Using my usual barbel rods on this stretch was a hindrance, meaning some lovely looking pegs had to be left unfished. A shorter rod was needed and after a bit of on line searching eventually I settled for a 8ft 2lb Korum Opportunist rod. 

Initially I was going to splash out a 9ft 1.75lb Nash Scope, but was put off by many reports of breakages and the high price. The Korum cost £43 delivered, less than a third of the Nash rod I was looking at. I wasn’t expecting much from the cheaper Korum rod, but have been very pleased with its performance so far.

Some good chub to over 5lb were caught on its first outing, which were subdued very quickly. Next outing with the rod was hard going, the river was higher than I expected and with shorter rod length it was difficult keeping enough line out of the water, but eventually I found away of keeping the rod high enough and got the barbel feeding, after a good scrap in the powerful flow a nice 7lb plus fish was landed. The Korum rod has a slim powerful blank with a decent reel fitting, full cork handle and lightweight PacBay Minima guides. I’ve used this rod 5 or 6 times so far without complaint.

The 8ft rod pairs well with a small 2500 baitrunner

So far this season the fishing has been challenging, always enjoyable and more often than not rewarding. I have really enjoyed my summer on this river, the only negative being the amount of otters and mink present in the area. 

Every session on this river this season I have seen otters, quite often multiple times during the session and sometimes more than one otter at a time. Twice I have witnessed mink dragging decent chub up the far bank and into a tree to eat. I’ve had otters surface in the margin no more than a couple of foot from me and even had an otter on the bank in the bushes behind me.

It can be quite frustrating baiting up a swim over a couple of hours, for otters to turn up 5 minutes after your first cast and ruin things. I have started questioning if I should be baiting up areas as it just feels like I’m setting the dinner table for the otters!

As frustrating as it is I am still catching, but it certainly won’t stay like this for long. I can only see the fishing getting harder, stretches becomes devoid of any large fish and anglers leaving the banks, which has happened on the river closest to my home.

Despite the having many a session ruined by the predators I was still catching during my short sessions and had a trip to the Trent to look forward to.

Mid August and my first visit to the Trent of the season. Due to family and work commitments longer sessions like this have to planned well in advance. Unfortunately this trip happened to be during the largest flood of the year, meaning the river was 8 to 10ft up depending on the tide. No scope for changing dates etc... so we went and fished anyway. The conditions gave me a chance to test out another new purchase, a pair of 13ft 2.5lb Korum barbel rods. 

My normal barbel rods are Korum Neoteric (Mk1’s) twin tips (1.75/2.2lb) and whilst I’ve used these on the to tidal Trent in the past, I would be gutted if I broke one casting heavy leads as they are hard to get hold of now. 

It was hard work presenting a bait and I struggled during the day landing only 2 small bream. Ben had a very good session during the day landing 4 barbel (including a new p.b) loads of bream to a decent size and a rouge sturgeon.

A p.b for Ben 13lb 2oz !

During the night I managed to get amongst a few barbel. The fishing was hard with lots of debris coming downstream, 8oz leads would only hold for 20 minutes, 30 if you were lucky. So it was a night of little to no sleep but ultimately worth it as I landed 3 barbel to 11lb. 

Bang on 11lb

Ben struggled during the night and didn’t catch anything else, not that I think he was bothered as I’m sure that p.b barbel will live long in the memory. Before the 2.5hr drive back home we called into a few other stretches on the tidal river for a quick recce for future sessions. The new rods performed well, Ben and I were both impressed with them, I’ll need to use them for a few more sessions before I fully make my mind up on them, but so far I’m happy with them.

Back on home turf things were slow, 3 sessions, 2 blanks, 2 chub, time for a change of scenery again. I headed to another local(ish) river that I had caught from a month or so previously, conditions were similar so I thought it would be worth a go. Plenty of interest from small bait stealing chub, but eventually the rod ripped off with a barbel.

8lb 8oz, a new best for this river

Nothing but chub on my next couple of sessions back on the normal river. I had a chance of a full day session so decided to head to somewhere new, and try and catch a first barbel from another new river. With the number of clubs I am a member of I have miles of this river to go at, lots of choice, but not a lot of info on any of the stretches. After some time on google earth I found a stretch that seemed to have everything, shallow, gravelly streamer weed choked areas, deep runs, stretches with plenty of cover.

The session was hard work but I stayed mobile, fishing 12 different pegs and managed 4 barbel by the end of the day, nothing over 7lb but a memorable first barbel session on this river.

My first barbel from this particular river.....

Larger than the first so another new river best

A break from the barbel with a short stick float session on my local river with my daughter Sophie and nephew Will. An hours fishing for 15/20 small dace and roach and then a catapult competition to finish, great fun.

My next barbel session was a bit of a nightmare, straight to the river after a 10hr shift and somehow I managed to get snagged up every cast. I was fishing a familiar stretch and never had this problem here before, the river was low, with very little flow so definitely was in need of a flush through.

Thankfully a few days later we had the first significant rainfall for a month or so, the river rose a few foot so I was straight down after work. My third cast of the night and the rod tip flew round, the fish felt reasonable and was coming in easily until I got it under the rod tip and then it powered off upstream. It took a while to gain control of the fish, I was unable to see the fish in the heavily coloured water but I knew it was a good one. The fish was netted without drama and although I knew it was a double I didn’t allow myself to get too excited until the scales confirmed it.

Well worth the wait

The Avons settled at 11lb 3oz and equalled my personal best. I was over the moon with this capture as a lot of effort has gone into catching my first double from this river. The fact I caught the fish from a stretch I had targeted all season made it more satisfying, I thought I would have to cave in and head to the more heavily fished day ticket stretches as doubles come out there slightly more frequently. 

I’ll probably continue to fish for barbel throughout October, I’ve got a weekend on the Trent to look forward to and few areas locally I would like to explore before getting the pike gear out.