The Lower River Severn

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

It's 4:30am and I'm off for a weekend on the River Severn around Worcester, hoping to catch a barbel.

I know "Twiddler" and "Mithrandir" are already there and will be fishing for a variety of species, perhaps even a zander or two!

Watch this space!

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Good luck

[Norfolkboy]

Best of luck

[Greenheart]

Tight lines all....

[pingu]

looking forward to report allready

dave

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

Well, what a weekend that was! The Severn around Worcester is a mighty river but it was a little out of sorts being quite low and very clear, certainly not the ideal conditions for any sort of fishing really. That part of the country was hit so hard with the floods a couple of months ago and it still shows some of the damage. Where we fished, in the floods, it was 20ft to 30ft above normal. I just couldn't visualise what they they were talking about, isn't nature wonderful and breathtaking at the same time!

Anyway, this weekend was very challenging but I was lucky to find a few of my chosen species, namely barbel. After a long, long walk I finally settled in an area that looked promising and after less than an hour I landed this barbel of just under 7lb:



I was more than pleased and would have quite happily have settled for just that one. But my day was about to turn in to a really good one!

Not long after I had another one of similar size:



Both were in superb condition, fighting fit and really fought well.

I then had a third fish of around 5lb but then hooked into a much bigger one that just would not give up. When it finally came towards the net, it looked to be nudging double figures but, I'm ashamed to admit, I made a complete mess of trying to steer it to the net. It flipped over and slowly but powerfully went under some overhanging branches and the hook pulled! I went for a walk and gave myself a damn good talking to!

I then settled down again and after an hour or so I had barbel number 4! This one was 8lb 6oz and apart from a "battered" tail fin was again in superb condition:



That one was safely returned and the very next cast produced barbel number 5! This one was about 4.5lb but fought like a much bigger fish!

The day had been far better than I'd expected and turned out to be one to be remembered for a long time. This was my first visit to the Severn and the tactics were a little alien to me, but I will definately return!

The successful method was a heavy (46gm) open ended feeder packed with a "sandwich" of pellet groundbait and 3ml halibut pellets. Hookbait was 2 x 10ml halibut pellet on a simple hair rig on a long (3ft+) hooklength on 6lb flurocarbon. My first ever fish on flurocarbon and on my "barbel" rod as well (it must be for barbel because it's written on the butt!).

I'll let "Mithrandir" and "Twiddler" tell you about their exploits!

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Cracking barble and looks like the walk was well worth it

[BaggieRich]

Superb fish mate and some brilliant photo's. Glad you had such a good day.

[Norfolkboy]

Well done mate, cracking session.

[pingu]

excellant session and report there
top fishing

dave