Still catching on the lower Severn

October 25 2008

Anyway, the fishing session in question, before I use up all my space rambling on about nonsense. And assuming that you are still with me and not fallen asleep. The river was about normal level and had colour to it, looking quite good for barbel in fact. The recent floods are but a distant memory now, although the bankside trees still carry the colour and debris as a memorial to how far the river rose. Strong winds, plus minimal rain in the meantime has dried up the edge of the river meaning that not only was fishing more comfortable but also that I could drive to the swim and park there as well. Where you deposit your car is a big issue for anglers, and having it just a few feet away takes away a lot of concern for a vehicle that otherwise could be in a quiet spot somewhere....... click here for more

Floodwater barbel fishing on the lower Severn

October 18 2008

I think one of the factors that deters anglers from rivers that are carrying extra water is the assumption that it will be a waste of time. Well if you are considering casting a small stick float into the middle of a River Severn twelve feet up and racing through, then I agree, you may as well try an alternative venue. The first thing that you have to do is to choose your swim carefully. On the stretch of the lower Severn I fish regularly, I have walked the bank at low water and noted what lies at the water's edge, and what swims will be good when in flood....... click here for more

The first zander of the autumn

October 11 2008

There was a little colour in the river and as you will hear if you listen to the accompanying video clip, it was looking quite good for barbel. But I had laid my stall out, and was very encouraged once darkness came, to get a run on the right-hand rod that was connected to a roach deadbait positioned a couple of metres off the willow trees that ran downstream from where I sat. Striking into the fish I was a very happy angler indeed as I netted it and brought it back to the top of the bank and placed it on the unhooking mat........ click here for more

A midnight barbel on the lower Severn

October 4 2008

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, I was on a syndicate water. The very mention of the word 'syndicate' arouses all sorts of responses amongst anglers, from the extreme negative to the opposite end of the spectrum. Personally I think that the definition of a syndicate is not as clear cut as many would like to make out anyway. For example you can have some small clubs that are very difficult to get into, so although they may not use the S word, in effect they are often more closed than many syndicated waters....... click here for more

From one extreme to another

September 20 2008

As well as genuinely appreciating all fish I also enjoy the various tactics that we employ to catch them. Whether it be the excitement of watching a rod tip for barbel, the thrill of the first tremor on a pike float or the unmistakable sign of a big bream moving the hanger up and down, they all get my piscatorial juices going. And to that list I can add the thrill of casting a small spinner into a water that holds perch. From the moment the lure breaks the surface till it is finally lifted out at the very edge, the anticipation of knowing that you can get a take any second is a great feeling....... click here for more

I'm not going home till I catch one

September 13 2008

I knew that the River Dove would be rising but still within the bank. The session I made this week was at the beginning of the heavy rain spell as opposed to several days into it. There were a number of swims that I knew would be fishable but once I arrived at the water's edge, they were all taken. I ended up in a peg that I haven't fished before but as it's in an area where barbel can turn up anywhere I had no issues with swim selection. Particularly once darkness set in, and certainly on a rising river, I had every confidence that the fish would be active and so in that sense it wasn't crucial about placing a bait in a specific spot....... click here for more

No unlucky 13 for me

September 6 2008

I am happy to say hello to any angler that I pass on the way to where I want to fish and likewise if someone passes me. But I've had experiences before where people come and sit down next to you and they bed themselves in for hours. I am quite good at reading where people are coming from but some aren't and they don't pick up on the fact that you aren't really interested in all the latest gossip and chitchat. And that's why I like to put my umbrella up, even on a dry day, so that I can create a mental barrier and hopefully deter those who will see someone sitting by the riverside and take it as an invitation to join them. I don't want to give the impression that I don't want to talk to people, far from it. But when a greeting turns into an hour long monologue where all you get to hear is other anglers being verbally assassinated, that's not my cup of tea at all....... click here for more

Passing the eleven- plus on the Dove

August 30 2008

Having fished the Dove since the year 2000, I have had many a run in with a barbel that has got the better of me. However I don't buy into the idea that somehow the fish that swim the river are 'super-human' (for want of a better expression). Some anglers infer that the Dove barbel are pretty much a species in their own right. I don't believe that the fish there are any different really to those in other rivers. But because the very big fish are never far from a snag such as an overhanging tree then the moment that they are hooked they will be in there if you give them a chance........ click here for more

The eels play hard to get

August 23 2008

I do take my fishing seriously, but the context of the adverb is that I want to get the best out of my hobby for personal pleasure reasons as opposed to simply fishing for results. If I struggle for a week or two on the big fish front, as long as I am enjoying myself, that's no problem. And not having to produce the goods meant that this week I decided to do some eel fishing on a number of venues that I have been wanting to try for a while. I had no idea whether eels would be found but that was part of the excitement. I could blank - or I could catch a 5lb'er........ click here for more