Over the last couple of nights I've had decided that i have to get back on the river before the season end's and my withdrawal symptoms start to kick in, 3 months of no fishing on the river is not what i call a holiday. But the fish do need a break and try to re-populate as well.
Last night I decided i was going to go for a very early session this morning before work, the sun was bearly lighting up the sky by the time I was set up and ready for my first cast, my favourite tactic is to walk a chosen beat armed with my Polaroid glasses and search the water for any Barbel that may be loitering around but no such luck for about 3 hours and my only reward was a pristine Chub of about 2 and half pound, which fell to trotted meat as per usual.
So with time ebbing away i'd kept moving on up river to a nice pool that has a deep run in the middle and normally thats where the Barbel hold up if there around and appearing out of practically nowhere 2 Barbel, (1st about 4lb and the 2nd about 6lb) showed up and started to hoover up everything in sight right in front of me but just seemed to get very edgy when they would get within a foot or so from my trotted bait and after a few casts i had admitted defeat to their mind games and left them be and try to find something more obliging.
The time was approaching 9am and knowing that within half an hour roughly left I had to find something, so I was up against it but my luck was just about to change for I moved into my next swim to see a Barbel sat on a sandy patch in the middle of the river holding bottom, I had to remain calm and focused, a strike to early or late would almost guarantee me a blank here, so I crouched and baited the hook and aimed the bait about 10 feet above my intended quarry and just allowed the current to bring the bait to the fish, in a flash the Barbel moved 2 feet up river and engulfed my apparently tasty offering, I knew I was into a good fish, but how good didn't dawn on me until the normal powerful 5 minute battle was over and removed my Polaroids did i realise just how big this Barbel was when guiding it into my net.
This was a new personal best for sure and i was absolutely delighted, in fact I'm still smiling now writing this, so having landed it, I reached straight for the scales and deducted the net to zero and watched with anticipation to see the needle settle on 11lbs 12oz!!!, after all the hard work I've put in and fishing in weather that isn't fit for anyone, I had finally got my reward and got a few pictures to remember this day as I know I will and after reviving and letting her go to fight another day and hopefully create lots more little Barbel, I packed up and went off to work.
Also this Barbel is the second double I've had this season and now 9 different doubles since 2006 and one other fact is this fish also beat my P.B that has stood for almost 6 years.
Very happy days. Time to get a Pike or 2 next week on the Thames.
Last night I decided i was going to go for a very early session this morning before work, the sun was bearly lighting up the sky by the time I was set up and ready for my first cast, my favourite tactic is to walk a chosen beat armed with my Polaroid glasses and search the water for any Barbel that may be loitering around but no such luck for about 3 hours and my only reward was a pristine Chub of about 2 and half pound, which fell to trotted meat as per usual.
So with time ebbing away i'd kept moving on up river to a nice pool that has a deep run in the middle and normally thats where the Barbel hold up if there around and appearing out of practically nowhere 2 Barbel, (1st about 4lb and the 2nd about 6lb) showed up and started to hoover up everything in sight right in front of me but just seemed to get very edgy when they would get within a foot or so from my trotted bait and after a few casts i had admitted defeat to their mind games and left them be and try to find something more obliging.
The time was approaching 9am and knowing that within half an hour roughly left I had to find something, so I was up against it but my luck was just about to change for I moved into my next swim to see a Barbel sat on a sandy patch in the middle of the river holding bottom, I had to remain calm and focused, a strike to early or late would almost guarantee me a blank here, so I crouched and baited the hook and aimed the bait about 10 feet above my intended quarry and just allowed the current to bring the bait to the fish, in a flash the Barbel moved 2 feet up river and engulfed my apparently tasty offering, I knew I was into a good fish, but how good didn't dawn on me until the normal powerful 5 minute battle was over and removed my Polaroids did i realise just how big this Barbel was when guiding it into my net.
This was a new personal best for sure and i was absolutely delighted, in fact I'm still smiling now writing this, so having landed it, I reached straight for the scales and deducted the net to zero and watched with anticipation to see the needle settle on 11lbs 12oz!!!, after all the hard work I've put in and fishing in weather that isn't fit for anyone, I had finally got my reward and got a few pictures to remember this day as I know I will and after reviving and letting her go to fight another day and hopefully create lots more little Barbel, I packed up and went off to work.
Also this Barbel is the second double I've had this season and now 9 different doubles since 2006 and one other fact is this fish also beat my P.B that has stood for almost 6 years.
Very happy days. Time to get a Pike or 2 next week on the Thames.
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