Fishing for Barbel

Hi all, the Bristol Barbel Botherer is back with some news of captures, and I`m going to start this one as a bit of a tribute to my customers so far.

Many thanks to you all for your support!

And to everyone who recommends to others taking some of my coaching, you too have helped a lot.

I have been lucky enough to take out some great people who have been responsive, enthusiastic, and good fun. Thank you.

The day`s have ranged from half day “walks and talks” with a view to my approach and/or guiding on certain areas, to, a full day (and more) angling experience with (hopefully) a fish or two thrown in. As is the case with fishing, you can never be 100% sure of catching, or any other circumstances for that matter, but with this in mind, we have done very well!

• New for May and early June 2019 – “Walk, Talk, & Stalk” A chance to at least have a look and talk fishing even if you can`t wet a line! Just contact me for more details…

After a wonderful start to the season camping and fishing, catching and chatting, the weather decided to go on getting hotter and dryer than we are used to. The river levels were as low as ever and oxygen levels were down too. Fishing was put to the back burner until some cooler wetter conditions came through. I did not fish the end of June or any of July as a result of the wait for kinder conditions, and then finally chances came in August just before our holiday. I grabbed the chance to fish the Avon with both hands and as a result had a memorable fish which was not massive by any means, but fought like it had been having a siesta all summer long and was ready for me!!

After this session and a beautiful holiday I was once again riverside, the Wye this time, and a bounty of bites from pristine barbel to 10lbs. It came as quite a surprise to my guests!

I then had the very great pleasure of being the “best man” for my lifelong friend Tony. Congrats to you and Stacey mate.

August was still not done with me and I was on the river Avon again as a guest with my friend Andy, we had spoken of having a go on his private stretch for some time, and now the time had arrived! He had been down the week before and done very well with two doubles and other fish. So when i arrived I was full of optimism for a few hours with some action….

Andy was in his swim of the week before, and I was in one that had also seen a fish or two out in the preceding week…..I was not disappointed as the first cast for the downstream rod resulted in a steady pull and epic battle through cabbages, after 30 minutes or so waiting. A fish of 7lb or so was duly admired and released.

Sitting back now knowing that the next hour or so before dark was a good time, was enough for me to think another may grace my net…As the sun set the rod tip bounced into more action with a heavier fish this time pulling hard and making it`s presence felt! It was 9lb 14oz…so close to a double from a new stretch just before darkness. Speaking with Andy, he too had had a barbel “out of the blue”, and we decided to give it half hour longer before retiring to the pub for a celebratory pint.

Ten minutes before that half hour was up and, – you have guessed it – the (upstream) rod this time bounced and pulled hard for far bank cover in the semi-dark. I was in to another barbel for sure, after several runs upstream and down and a determined fight to stay low close in, I had a feeling this just might be the double in the swim (or one of a few)!

A quick call to Andy and a weigh (10lb 4oz) and a photo …..; 

 

Into September it was “back to school” time, a busy time in our house. I had also had a couple of guests on the rivers Wye, Teme and Bristol Avon, and the time was fast approaching when I was to help be a part of the tagging process of barbel from the lower Teme and Severn in a study to monitor movement. Having been looking forward to helping with this, it was with some excited enthusiasm that I headed towards Worcester… 

Heavy rain was forecast, but that discomfort may be consoled by better fishing prospects as a result….perhaps? Maybe?     Day one was tricky, Pete Reading and myself were ready bright and early, but with howling wind and driving rain conditions were difficult, and then not helped at all when I received a call from Pete asking, “whats the worst thing that could possibly happen?” I really didn’t  know as things were pretty bad as it was. Then he told me he had caught a fish of a few pound, ready for tagging, when it did a mean “flip and escape” back to freedom in it`s watery world below the pouring rain!

The electro-fishing team might be having more luck……? No! They had missing equipment, and then could not fish until the rain eased. The day was turning into a grueller, things could only get better!

Thankfully they did, the professional team had managed to catch their quota of smaller 2 to 5lb (electro-fished) barbel to be tagged, by tea time. Angler caught was still zero, until I managed a flurry of fish before dark from 5 to 7lb. 5 barbel caught and ready for tagging the following morning! There were 3 remaining tags and these would ideally be put into fish which were “angler caught”, to even up the ratio of electro to angler.

The rain was due to clear after storms over night and I suggested that fishing conditions would be “bang on” after the freshen up, with low pressure prevailing and river rising, so we agreed that I would try to catch the remaining 3 barbel next morning whilst they tagged the 5 fish tanked. The wind blew my car from side to side, the rain pelted the rooftop, and I tried to sleep safe in the knowledge that the sun would shine tomorrow…

It did! I awoke at 6ish to a new and better looking day altogether. After a fish first cast, the team agreed to meet and set up the tagging process where I was. All my kit was laid out to dry in the blustery wind and sunshine of this late summer September morning. I was fishing and breakfast was cooking, another barbel before they had arrived had put me on target for one last one when they did arrive! The fish had been up to 8lb until the last one which was the biggest coming late morning whilst setting up for tagging and pictured below.

What a day it had turned out, and just as the party left at luchtime I capped off my session with this fish of 10lb9oz….

Many thanks to Laura and the EA team for supplying these pictures, and obviously resources for the whole process! …

Bransford fishing and conservation group

I am very pleased to announce that the opportunity has arisen for some prime river Teme fishing. The area in question is Bransford and the fishery, once well known for its barbel fishing, still does hold some gems. It also has some very special chub trout perch & pike fishing.

It will be available to a limited number of anglers who wish to experience the tranquillity and beauty of this wonderful setting with private parking at the bankside and access via a private road. This is classic small river, (high banks and lots of vegetation for cover) fishing. Night fishing is permitted with prior notice given.

The fishery will also be monitored and used as a conservation resource for river studies, including some catch comparison work with the imminent removal of Powick weir.

There are a very limited number of spaces available, so please, if you are interested, do get in touch asap. Feel free to pm me or contact me here at the website www.fishingforbarbel.com which has more contact details.

Tight Lines!

Hi everyone, gee this one has been a long time coming!!

We last spoke when a winter storm of Westerly’s had broken out and got the fish feeding, well they didn`t stop then until midnight on the 14th of March! It was a wonderful way to end the season for many anglers, reports of catches were coming from rivers very rarely mentioned for Barbel…and everyone (who could) was making the most.

Well then came these Easterly`s and made the idea of “spring” a bit of a myth, but now we reliably have the April showers…even though it is May! At least the sunshine of last week has really got the fish moving and thinking of reproduction! I have been lucky enough to find them on many gravel beds doing what comes naturally, during last weeks warm spell!!

So to that last week….Early March and the rivers were lapping the banks, Barbel do like to feed in these conditions! I had moved on from river to river catching on the Severn, Wye, Teme, Warks & new rivers. Having my first double from a new stretch of the Severn and a seperate new river double too.

The last 2 days were spent on the Severn & Wye where I was lucky enough to join up with this old warrior of a fish….

This season has been a real success and challenge, I have met up with friends old and new, and caught on several new rivers. The last day though was reserved for the Wye, in a spot where only the birds and breeze can be heard throughout the day. It was perfect, after having this big Severn fish, to just enjoy the surroundings and the weather, a bite would be a bonus.

Casting a little further out from the previous chub cast, (3 rod lengths instead of 2), I didn`t have to wait too long for some interest and a bounce, before a crippling pull and one of the hardest fights of the season from a fit, perfect, (uncaught looking) fish of just “under” 8lbs! It was the best end to the last day I could think of…but I had time for one more too. A fish of just as much beauty but slightly smaller. The light was fading as the sun dropped and I was walking back to the car.

Just then it occurred to me that I was going to try and meet my friends on the Severn for a catch up before midnight! So after a cuppa, and a drive across the valley towards Worcester, I was on the bank with my buddies and I was happy to just chat, it was 9pm and took another hour before I cast out as we were having a good catch up. Finally by 10pm, I had cast a rod and was ready to wait as the others had reported a severe lack of action…..

40 minutes had passed before the rod from stationary, to full flow in 1 second flat, had curved into a Barbel bend! The fish fought hard and well and gave a good account of all of it`s 9lb frame. I was finished, what a way to end the season, and at that, my mate called to say he had one too, perfect. My other friend (very unluckily) had a hook pull moments before midnight and reckoned it to be a BIG one, typical.

So my reflection of the season was that it proved to be full of variety, and many new experiences, as well as lots of fish from new rivers. Numbers wise the best for a few years, and I can`t wait to fill the new season with memorable captures and journeys like the last!

I have also been offered the wonderful chance to represent the Barbel Society from a committee position, which I am relishing the opportunity to do. I will do my best to protect the Barbel and the environs in which it is found, this has always been a special cause to me as I have seen – first hand – what a delicate balance exists for this fish, and experienced – first hand – the joys of finding them all over the country.

Don`t forget the Barbel Society show is on Sunday 4th of June!! At Chesford Grange Hotel, for more…. click on the link on the front page to go to the BS website.

Circumstances had conspired to allow me a chance of trying a new river this February, the river Wharfe. A beautiful riffle and pool river with a few Barbel in it too, (so I had been reliably informed). The temps were rising slightly though still very cold, and rain was pouring, allowing the rivers to flow and rise on the very day I was dropping a line!

I walked with great optimism across fields to find that no other anglers shared my enthusiasm for being cold and slightly mad…..”He who dares Rodders, he who dares”. I had found the Yorkshire air to be quite dramatically colder than South of the midlands. This was after the previous evening`s reccy which saw me get soaked through all layers, and this morning had to pop into a charity shop for a new/old/”dry” jumper. Fancy travelling all this way and not packing my usual quota of spare everything!!

The fishing approach would be a searching one, roving and trying different area`s, not waiting too long in any particular one. A good smelly bait, will usually get you a bite quite quickly in these conditions, if you are near some fish! In my third swim, I found I “was” near some fish. A couple of bumps indicated life, and just as I was on the phone to my mate…the rod pulled round into a fishy curve. As I explained I was in but not sure whether Barbel or Chub, the fish lunged and took line as only the Barbel will do!

I love this type of fishing, holding the rod and feeling for any movement, second only to seeing the fish you are trying to catch, and watching them take the bait. This one had, and after a spirited fight in cold water, a very lively and cold 6lb 3oz Barbel was in the net. It was approaching the warmest part of the day, and during Winter this is often the time you will find a Barbel willing to feed.

I was over the moon, and after adding a Chub to the day, I was off to visit an elderly relative, and have a good catch up.

My next trip may well be right out of my comfort zone, trying for some crocodiles from a boat on Chew Valley Lakes, I`ll keep you posted…