After the temps last week dropping to minus five, and I think every Barbel in every river being comatose, the Westerly`s have been blowing and the temps rising and with this, all the rain too, so the rivers rising. A time to get out and have a go, unfortunately I have been unable to get out yet due to other commitments, but I will though Asap…
Well as mentioned on the predictions page, I did venture out on Sunday afternoon after Joseph`s football match. He was very excited to be going out with Dad and – for the first time – our friend Mark. The conditions were not the best for Barbel, but after some colder days and nights it looked the most likely to produce a bite if we were lucky. A bite between us would be a result today… Arriving on the Severn we had before us, a coloured river with 6 to 8 feet of extra water on, the air temps had risen today and the night before had been frost free. We then took the water temp and felt just how cold it was, 40 f!! This would not be good, so we opted for a smaller river with more chance of having had a temp rise, the Warks Avon.
Joe wanted to sit with Mark first and chat, and chat, and chat, even with the chances against us we were still optomistic of one chance before leaving. 
This was Joseph 4 hours after we started, fast asleep on the bank behind me waiting for the rod to pull over in my arm, he had just warmed up with tea and noodles and couldn`t stop the forty winks urge.
Well, low and behold, after Mark and I had covered several swims along the stretch, thirty winks later…..This little fella put in an appearance, I was very surprised as you can see in the picture. The fish was very very cold too.
Joseph awoke to see the fish, and join us for the next couple of hours star gazing. As the frost started to set in with the clear skies, we knew our chance was had, and left very pleased with the result of our efforts!!
Not sure when the next chance will come around but, I will be sure to let you know…
Having seen that certain rivers were dropping, the Bristol Avon was looking like an option. When we arrived we found the river had been all over the surrounding fields. But luckily for us, it was back in it’s banks and fishable in places.
We only had a couple of hours but knew that that was all it would take to find where, and if, the fish were feeding. Mark dropped his line in the first good looking area, and 15mins later was pulling into his first Barbel from the Bristol Avon for 2/3 years. What a result this fish of 5 1/2 lb.
So my turn in the next swim along, feeling the lead down to a boink I was confident. 2 1/2 to 3 mins later someone was knocking and this fish was the result, a cold but hungry fish….
Around the same size as Mark’s, but notice the tail damage on this poor thing!
So with confidence we both re-cast in our respective swims and waited. But after 40 minutes had passed, we opted to try one new swim each.
When I arrived at my chosen swim, I could see that the features had changed but it still looked great for the conditions, just then a voice called from right next to me…..”oh hello could you help me please, I have this fish on, and another in my net, do you think you could net this one for me??”
“Hello Mate, of course I can!” I replied.
“Shaun? What impeccable timing my friend”, was his reply.
I watched as his rod was bent right over, “that looks a good one too”! I said. It was, and fell into the net very well. The Avon`s (scales) told us 10lb 12oz and the one in the other net was 9lb 6oz.
I had the hunch for this swim, but arrived half an hour after this lucky friend of mine! (hopefully have pic`s to follow). I cannot complain as we had all had a nice couple of hours on a high river with a resulting Barbel (or two) for each of us, and the smile on his face after catching his first Bristol Avon Barbel for 6 years, was a picture indeed!
It was a textbook day for an encounter with Barbel, and as I arrived at lunch to give it a go till dark hopes were high!! The water temp and level had been rising, a good sign. After finding a clear river bed in the swim, it only took 10 minutes for a lively fish to find my smelly offering. Lots of leaves made for a big hinderance, but when I could keep the bait in long enough, the bites came and a lovely cold afternoon catching was the reward.
The fish were from 5lb to 8lb and all fit and healthy too!!
That mild spot on Tuesday was enough to make me run out and grab a chance to fish for Barbel, it did not again produce lots of bites, but did manage to get me a 5lb fish which was ever so pleasing after lots of effort and leaves and hard conditions in general. It also marked the anniversary of my river P.B. for the Warwickshire Avon of 14lb 12oz, but at that time last year temps were slightly milder and the fish were feeding well!! That`s another story..
An eel and chub complimented the evening and off to sleep and try in the morning, the morning brought lots of knocks and 10 chub!! But the water temp did not seem to rise as much as I expected and the Barbel did not oblige, home for a nice warm and look for the next chance…
It has been a lovely time to be on the bank this last week or so, the leaves on the line have caused some problems, but the colours and crispness of air, has really showed us the next season is upon us. With some beautiful sunrises and sunsets and migrations of wildlife too, its been a treat to be out whenever the chance has come. In my last post I was pretty sure of bites, almost certain, so it was a little surprising to find myself waiting a long while before getting bites on Thursday afternoon and evening. The greedy Gudgeon were obliging though, with three of them hanging themselves on my maggot feeder approach! 
As for the bigger fish, a couple of Chub made an appearance after sunset until then, – late on – and the 4th or 5th change of swim, the rod in hand was given a sure pull and we were indeed “off” with a Lovely looking 7lb 8oz Barbel!! As I was realising the batteries in my camera were flat after taking pictures of Gudgeon, (the spares were a 20 minute walk away in the car) I turned to see that my second rod (the upstream one) was being dragged around in sure Barbel style. I grabbed it and started to play the fish, as it took line the hook pulled! I was annoyed with myself, but happy to return the other fish and try for a third bite, but alas there was no other bite for the next hour and it was time to run home.
Friday afternoon then saw me on the banks of the B.A. getting ready to meet Conrad for his next attempt to catch one from this river. A front was coming down the country and we were hopeful that the mildness would affect the water temp enough to start them feeding, or at least make one turn their head. This did not happen, the water was cold and again I caught three Gudgeon on maggot feeder!! Mr Chub…
It`s now going to be very much a matter of timing, right place, right time, right method etc etc
Good luck and Tight lines to all out there and trying!!
Yes folks, if you look at the “predictions page”, it tells you all that I am optomistic that the barbel will feed over the next few days. So much so that I will be getting out myself at some point of course…Last week saw a slight change in conditions with heavy rain, and so I drove out to the river on 31st (Halloween) and got a good soaking. Managed more Chub and then just before calling time, this 7lber put in a very welcome appearance!
It was certainly not the bite fest I expected, but great as ever to catch. Wet net`s to one and all of you. Please feel free to let me know how you get on!!
School half term holiday`s are here, so I grabbed the chance (with the weather looking good for it too) to get out, before they began. Things were not as fast and furious as I was half expecting, but the fish did come and the rod`s did bend.
This fish has the typical head, showing long Barbules and a mouth to take all in! It was one of the fish from the river Severn taken into darkness. After putting a fair amount of hemp into a swim (more than I usually would) I took a stroll along the fishery with a rod in hand and dropped into several swims over an hour or so during the afternoon. I had managed to catch 2 bream during the afternoon and met another angler who had managed to catch a couple of nice barbel! Bouyed with optomism, I returned to the swim with hemp down, for the spell into dark. First cast after 25 minutes the rod tip plucked and knocked, leaving it another few minutes paid off, as the rod then dragged round for an extremely hard fighting fish of 7lb! It was not yet dark but twilight, but my camera flash makes it look like total darkness! 
After darkness, expecting the barbel to be feeding well on the bait already in the swim, I was surprised not to get another bite for an hour or so. When the bite did come it was a hard pull but not the expected barbel, instead it was a large Chub of 5lb 1oz! Not too dejected I decided to move to another swim altogether, and rove for an hour. This paid off in the end on the 3rd swim visited, the misty rain falling and visability bad, I could HEAR my rod being pulled in the long grass as I had turned to bait the other line!! “barbel on”. At 6lb 12oz a result and time to head back to the car for supper and a move to sleep at a swim I know well on the Wye!
This was one of the lovely Wye fish I caught before sleeping in the car and heading home for breakfast….
This last week has seen only a couple of Barbel fishing sessions and the conditions have been good! So you would think I have been filling my Boots?? Not so my friends, not so. Having spent some time now with Conrad, (still not catching that B.A. Barbel), I am now giving some serious consideration to new rivers. So lots of my fishing time has been spent looking for new and exotic venues to try for new fish. At the moment drawing a bit of a blank, but having different idea`s all the time, and walking a few miles too!!
Anyway as they say, “he who dares Rodney”…
My tally for last week was the one Bristol Avon Barbel which was a very nice one too, I hope to have some Autumnal barbel pic`s for you very soon!
Well its been a very eventful week for Barbel fishing in general, I have heard reports of fish to over 18lbs for friends!! Not for myself.. It`s been a week where the biggest fish are putting their weight on for Winter. My ventures have taken me to a couple of new and exciting places to try in the future and I have managed a fish or two myself.
After some struggle and a Chub or 4 I did manage to winkle this fella out of the Avon which is always a joy especially as it came so suddenly, as they often do!
Having covered lots of miles for new venues, a couple are now ready for trying, and after a good look yesterday evening but no bites, a move was required to the Severn (which was well up). A couple of fish, late on, were the reward. All is well with the World and ready for a new week!