7th November - Hazelford
I thought I would have a short evening session tonight before darts night and before the forecast heavy winds for the next couple of days.
On arriving at 3:30pm I found that Hobby had already netted 8 barbel from the wall swim, and Steve Brown had arrived just before me and was setting up in "the patio".
So I decided to fish just down from them( in 111) ,just before the willows.
I checked the very low foamy river, and it gave me a temperature of 10.8c. Air pressure was on the rise from 1021.
I decided to fish both of my Nash Specialist rods, one with the quarter tin of gSpam down the inside under the willows, the other with pellets out into the foam.
One or two chub knocks on the pellet rod, and a couple of twitches that didn't develope, on the inside line.
At 5:15 I started to pack away the pellet rod so that I get away by around 6pm for the journey home.
I wasn't concentrating for the touch on the other rod, so when it suddenly sprang into life with the proverbial three foot twitch, it nearly caught me on the hop.
The Avon Royal Supreme had it's noisy ratchet on, and this bought Steve and Hobby to my side to see what the commotion was. Hobby with the landing net.
After a very good tussle, it was in the net, Hobby said "it's a high 9".
Rested and weighed it came in at 10:6ozs, my first Trent double.
Steve, took the photo's and I was really chuffed...as you would expect, and can see!.
After my recovery I finished packing up and headed off along the A46, thinking what shame the darts match was tonight.
Two hours driving for less than two hours fishing, but I'm not complaining!
A few celebration pints and a good game of winning darts made the day just perfect.
Learned later from the syndicate on- line report that Hobby had 13 barbel and Steve 4.
4th December - Hazelford
Had time for a few hours again on filling coloured fast flowing river. The water temperature was 7.9c and the air pressure falling from 1010.
I fished just below the willows for an hour or so but didn't feel confident or comfortable with the river conditions. So I upped sticks and wandered to the end of the fishery.
I set myself up with the two rods and was very soon into a fish on lob worm that I lost having tangled up with my inside line Spam rod!
Nothing happening on the Spam rod, but I continued with two rods, and the worm.
As I was starting to think of giving it up as a bad job, the worm paid off again and I landed after a good tussle a barbel of 7lb9ozs.
So far my quest for a barbel a month is on target.
14thJanuary - Hazelford
A late morning start saw me at the bottom end of the fishery again, the river was coloured and falling and at 7.4c. Air pressure was rising from 990.
Once again I fished with two rods the new found method down the inside and the other out into the current, just my side of a fallen willow.
Two barbel of 7lb10oz and about 2lb.
Two hook pulls later saw me off the fishery by 3pm, with my mind telling me no point in staying on.
24th January - Hazelford
I arrived at 11am with the river pushing through and high, once again I headed to the bottom end, to find Steve Frost, MB and PW already in residence in the 2 swims above my intended spot.
No fish caught yet.
The water was at 8.7c and pressure was rapidly rising from 1024
I had decide to fish one rod with an open end feeder stuffed with damp pellet infused with
N-butyric acid!
I was very quickly into the barbel with fish of 8lb2oz and 9lb8oz and lost a very good roach.
That was about it, with the river still rising,and it felt a bit pointless carrying on,so I packed up at 4:30.
I learnt later, that about an hour into darkness MB landed an excellent roach of 2lb11ozs
7th February - Hazelford
I arrived at 11:30am to find the river running off but high and with colour.
During the session the water temperature was rising from 7c, as was the air pressure after starting to drop from 1029!
I picked a swim about half way down the fishery and used two rods with halips and gSpam.
All in all 7 barbel caught, 6 between about a pound and a bit and 8lb 2oz, and on the big Spam a record matching from the Trent, a bent backed one eyed fish of
1st,6th and 7th March - Hazelford
March arrived with me needing just the one fish to complete my barbel a month target.
The first trip found me blanking, and the second with a chub of 4lb8ozs on the quarter tin of meat!
Third time lucky, and getting near time to call an end to my quest, found me fishing next to the wall with the usual 2 rods.
Fishing from 10:30 am to 5:30pm without any sign of fish, found me getting desperate, and wondering if I could fit in another session, when a barbel of 6lb2oz decided take my pellet.
That was good enough for me.
My barbel tally 44 after 20 day trips
June 8
July 11
August 3
September 2
October 6
November 1 (10lb6ozs)
December 1
January 4
February 7 (10lb6ozs)
March 1
So, my two targets were achieved the barbel averaged around 6lb8ozs a piece.
Next season will find me part way through, editing Barbel Fisher and joining the committee of the Barbel Society.
I shall be fishing a few more locations, gradually weaning myself away from Hazelford, but beating my personal best with a barbel, and on the last knockings of the season, matching my chub personal best, both fish from the stretch.
No comments:
Post a Comment