Normal Service Resumed...and more!

Catfish Virgin (Still!) · #1 06-25-2008, 01:16 PM

After the weekends Beach Party I decided I must urgently get back on the rivers! So, I sneaked off early from work and headed down to Throop on the Dorset Stour. I arrived at about 2pm and after a stroll settled in the New Weir swim at approx 3pm.

Water levels were still a bit high for summer but all looked well. In fact later in the afternoon, the levels dropped by at least 18 inches, possibly more. I'm sure this was the result of work somewhere on an upstream weir or sluice, but as it turned out, I think it reversed the usual trend of the fish waiting till last light before feeding. Within 10 minutes I had my first fish on hair rigged pellet on a feeder, a chub of around 5lbs. Two more, a little smaller, followed very quickly. I was hoping for barbel and decided to lengthen the hooklength to about 3 feet. This produced instant results with a savage bite "on the drop" before the bait had hit bottom. Not a barbel but a new PB chub of 6lbs 10oz:

Safely returned, out with the feeder again and bang, another hard hitting bite. Another big chub which swung the scales around to an astonishing 7lbs 02oz!:

Two PB's in two casts is quite incredible!

Not suprisingly, things went a bit quiet after that but then the tip started to move again and I struck into another fish. It very soon became apparent I had hooked an eel, not my favourite species, but then I remembered the Species Hunt and was very happy to see it in the net. It was also a big eel that weighed 4lbs 13oz!:

Fortunately it was lip hooked, easily unhooked and returned. A little while later I had a second eel but as that was coming in, a long lean pike grabbed it

. It wouldn't let go and eventually both sat in the landing net. The pike was very thin and weighed 8lbs 04oz - in decent condition, it will definately be a good double!:

The water levels kept dropping and things went very quiet indeed. However, slightly downstream in the very shallow areas, I noticed a fair bit of commotion. In this next photo, my swim is on the far bank next to the weir/bridge, the activity was in the centre on the shallows.

It turned out to be several barbel very obviously spawning. I sat and watched for about an hour as more and more barbel joined in. At one stage there must have been in excess of 25 fish in the area, some of them well into double figures. Loads of bow waves, splashing and bright red fins flashing all over the place. I filmed some of the activity with my compact still camera so sorry for the poor quality, it doesn't do justice to the incredible sight of so many superb fish doing what comes naturally:

http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...elSpawning.flv

All in all quite a superb afternoons fishing and entertainment!