I have owed my son a day out after barbel for a while now, so this was it, we had said adieu to the girls (my wife and two daughters) who incidentally are now owed a day out aswell, and made our way to the river. The rain was relenting slightly after pouring all of last night, the journey was a good hour long and Joseph had been very excited for the first half an hour but had got impatient and restless for the next, “are we gonna fish today dad?” Well we were hoping to fish, but when we arrived at the river it was in the fields and only fishable from a road bridge where you would normally watch the shadows of fish below. The river was angry and racing and hit the pillars of the bridge swirling as it was redirected. So it was from here we would have a go and see if the fish were sheltering from the torrent, we were told by another angler that a 12lb barbel had been caught here a couple of days earlier. With the lines in, it was with anticipation that we watched, it was a busy bridge with other anglers wanting to fish and dog walkers passing by regularly. The day was cloudy and really rather cold and after a couple of hours, the anticipation left and so did we, heading for another river and some nice duck & hen eggs from the farm shop en-route. Upon arrival all was dry and calm, speaking to a couple of other anglers things did not bode well, the river was rising, but I think the fish are fed up now in more ways than one! Anyhow, filled with the usual optimism that goes with arriving, we headed for a likely swim and launched our assault. It was only half an hour or so and Joe wanted to know when we were having tea, “lets have a cast here first and give it at least 20 minutes” I said, and 22 minutes later we were into a fish that gave a strange bite as it picked the bait up and swam towards us, it was the fish of the day at 6lb 12oz. We made our way back to the car then for tea and some food, the wind was picking up and some dark ominous clouds were coming our way…. going back to our swim Joseph carried the brolly which I might have otherwise left in the car. After half an hour the blackest sky had blown over our heads and was set to dump its load, we had the line in and and took cover as the rain came down in sheets splashing on the river in unison. At one point, just before,the drops were forming and splashing up like a paint logo! When this downpour finished the rod arched over and we had a chub of 4lb 8oz, a lovely finish as we were just about ready to head home before darkness set in. Walking back to the car the fields had sheets of surface water, it really was time to go.