As we have now amazingly crept into December already I have had a cursory glance back at what has so far been a pretty lean season in terms of fishing, Barbel included.
The first six weeks of the season I drifted between the rivers Blackwater, Nene, Bourne and Wye. Incredibly over those seven trips I only managed three Barbel with the Wye only producing one fish in what was a seriously disappointing period.
The back end of July through to early September actually proved to be even more baron where not even a single Barbel hit the back of the net, that period of the season I do often find brilliant for sight fishing but this season was poor!.
As September began I found myself back on the banks of the R.Nene for the seventh time and by the end of the day river number 25 of my challenge fell in the shape of a stunning 12lb 8oz specimen which bought closure to my time on what is a lovely river, the following day I tackled the R.Soar, a river many had told me would be a very difficult river to tackle and with good reason, but somehow I managed to unearth another nugget of luck and around 24hrs after my Nene success I had nestled in the net a rare Soar beast, she was a "dino soar"! weighing an extremely pleasing 12lb 9ozs.!
That result had me beaming from ear to ear, not that the Nene fish already had me on cloud nine.
My next two trips were to the R.Wye where I once again opted to try my luck and on the first trip I only had an afternoon's fishing where six hard fighting fish came to the net. However the following trip 4 weeks later concluded in a very different fashion! Well into darkness my rod hooped over after hours of inactivity and very quickly I knew it was a big fish. The power and determination of good Barbel in flood water is why you do have to step up the gear!
After 10 visits to the Wye equating to nearly 200hrs of angling ( mainly last winter ) I had achieved something on the Wye I hoped I would but didn't think I'd do it in 10 trips, a period of 5 years and 30-40 trips was more or less what I had assumed I'd need to achieve my target but am chuffed it came good!
The magic number had been achieved, but only just, 10lb 1oz.
Since that fish on the 3rd of October I have only been out once for Barbel and that was the other day on the Kentish Stour where the Barbel once again remained totally elusive.
The stats so far this season read....
- Mileage : 2561
- Sessions : 14
- Blanks : 8
- Barbel : 14
- Doubles : 3
Doubles % to sessions : 21.42 (so far)
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| NO 25: R.Nene - 12.08 |
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| NO 26: R.Soar - 12.09 |
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| NO 27: R.Wye - 10.01 |
Still plugging away, and some cracking fish. Shame I wasn’t there to photograph The Wye barbel - and it wasn’t daylight - but I’m sure the river is worth another visit soon.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, I think percentage wise this season so far isn't too bad, going to have a look at look at the previous 3 seasons of my challenge. Kentish Stour and Arun will be my two main targets, I have to get at least one of them chalked off, that said I still haven't stepped foot on the Arun! Need to pull my finger out.
DeleteI don't think you can complain too much James, you've had some cracking fish. Imagine what we can all achieve next year if we have some decent weather.
ReplyDeleteNo I certainly can't complain given the little time I've to fish, my fingers are crossed we get some great conditions over the Christmas period as I am taking a couple of weeks off where I will certainly be out quite a bit.
DeleteDo you have any plans for this month? I guess like me conditions will be a big factor.
It was always going to get harder as the tougher rivers remain. Keep at it.
ReplyDeleteI certainly felt that was the case, it doesn't help that this season I've opted to target some of the REALLY tough ones and although the Nene wasn't easy a double is a realistic target where as the Wye and Soar it really is a tougher proposition ( wye - wading through numbers with no guarantees and soar is not the river it was, very sparse now on the Barbel front, the one i had was clearly an old warrior which I suspect has many tales to tell ).
DeleteNext season the plan is target some of the remaining rivers where my chances are fairly good ( Y.Ouse, Swale, Dove, D.Stour for example and yes, they are by no means gimmes but they do have a fair few floating around!)
In wrong conditions or wrong location those perceptions will change.
A great account of very real conditions. It cant be helped. When I first started my blogs, I only blogged the catches, now I blog every trip. I feel its a much better reflection and like you, get the rewards when they come - never on your scale though!! keep going chap.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that's the very essence of blogging, it's not all glitz and glamour albeit we try to add some from time to time.
DeleteThat said I still think there is scope to chalk off another three rivers before the dreaded March 14th arrives, which would put me on 30 completed rivers which was my initial target before the season started. Amazing to think that 24hrs between the Nene and Soar really changed the complexion of my whole season Barbel wise. Sliding doors moments...