Tuesday, 2 June 2026

Counting Down the Days!

 

 This is without doubt my worst spring in many years on the fishing front, yes I've been busy away on holiday, working a lot and lots of family engagements, but somehow I have still managed a "meaningful" amount of time on the bank.



I like to eat well!

 Only one of those trips was for Bream which I blogged about on my last post where I lost a massive Bream, a fish I had been after for a few years now. I did hope the Tench fishing would be better! 7 trips totalling around 80hrs have been embarked upon, fishing overnight, early mornings and the last few hours of the evening and most of that time has been spent watching and waiting and hoping for action, only one trip did things go to plan and even then I wasn't able to get amongst the big Tench, plenty of 5's and a possible low 6lb fish is so far the best I have managed and with this warm weather the door is firmly closing on that too.


Also this spring the weed is much worse!


Some of the goodies from my sponsors Dynamite Baits!

 The rivers can't open soon enough, this is going to be the season that I really turn the screw, it will be ruthless, relentless and all consuming, I have very little else planned for the entire season but Barbel, the 40 rivers challenge will hopefully either be completed or nearly completed by March 2027. 

 That said, there is no timeframe on this challenge as I have eluded to in the past but feel like last season I had trod water and the Blackwater, Bristol Avon and Kentish Stour made for extremely hard work, laborious at times but also the unseen factor of cost, I spent over £1300 on fuel alone just for Barbel fishing last season for what turned out to be a great 24hrs where the only two rivers I had completed came, the rest of the trips did not yield anything close to what I wanted. 

 Maybe it'll be better this season.

8 comments:

  1. Good luck on the rivers James, but expect some weather challenges. It's going to get hot, hot, hot. But I know such things won't stop you 👍

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am certainly hoping this season is more fruitful, think I'm just going to flit around and hope something special happens early doors!

      Delete
  2. Tough going - saving your luck for those double barbel I expect..!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is bloody tough going, i just can not seem to get a head of steam nor find the bigger Tench. The rivers will hopefully be more productive.

      Delete
  3. Just wondered is the Cherwell still on your rivers challenge list ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Cherwell unfortunately is not on my list, there are other rivers I am yet to chalk off with better outlooks, I have not heard of a Cherwell Barbel for years!

      Delete
  4. At least you won the Premier League!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely brilliant, it was a great feeling and was 16 when I last followed the buses carrying a league title!

      Delete

Counting Down the Days!

   This is without doubt my worst spring in many years on the fishing front, yes I've been busy away on holiday, working a lot and lots ...