Otters on my local stream?

[BoldBear]

It had not been a good start on Saturday evening when I turned up all raring to go at the local stream having forgot my keys to the car park, which
meant a 20 minute journey back home again to pick them up. I had forgotten I had taken the keys indoors after the keyring had broken last Monday
evening, but I arrived back at the carpark at around 5:30pm.

I had decided to do a bit of long trotting after Chub until the light started to fade when I would change over to the link leger in the hope of some Barbel.

The swim I had chosen was a lot further along the stream than the previous week, just above a cattle drink where I had previously seen some quite
large Chub.

When I got to the swim was pleased to see that only one other angler was fishing nearbye and he had only recently arrived and had already caught a
couple of nice largish chub while trotting a stick float.


The sun was shining brightly into my eyes which made seeing my float a little awkward plus I couldn't take a decent shot of the swim however the
shot shown is of same the swim taken on another occasion showing the cattle drink downstream.

I had also forgotten to pack my cap which meant that I had to really squint to see my float. I started off with 2 or 3 maggots on a size 14 hook but
after being plagued with minnows I changed over to a size 6 hook using smallish chunks of Spicey Luncheonmeat, with the occasional peeled prawn
replacing the meat.

I had several Chub between half a pound and 3lb plus and also had a tiny minnow on a size 6 hook baited with a chunk of luncheonmeat and hooked
squarely in its lips. The minnow must have only been around twice the size of the meat. I also had my first Gudgeon from this stretch on luncheonmeat
and which was probably one of the largest I have caught in the stream for a long time. (see picture).



A strange thing then happened where the whole swim suddenly erupted with small fish of around the 15cm to 20cm size breaking the surface with
some leaping out of the water; it wasn't just a few fish in one part of the swim but it was happening all along the swim for around 20 to 30 ft, and
it continued happening for around 5 or 10 minutes.

The sun shining on the surface made it virtually impossible to see beneath the surface and at first I thought that a shoal of large-ish Perch had arrived
feeding hungrily on the smaller fish shoals, I had witnessed Perch working together herding small fish into a corner of a moat once before before,
culminating in them wading through the cornered fish to grab a meal; but not on this scale along the whole of the swim. but it then stopped as fast
as it had begun and my thoughts slowly turned to catching a Barbel and I tackled up with a link leger and put a bait out in wait for them as the light
would start fading fairly soon.

NB. I have heard this morning that some otters were recently introduced into the Stream a few miles down the river valley which made me think
back to the evening;
I had previously heard a noise in the rushes which I had thought were ducks or coots running around chasing each other but may have been an otter
or two running along the far bank. (very worrying if it's true).


My only Barbel of 8lb 7oz which had an easily recognisable dorsal fin

I was quite tired after celebrating the night before (my niece had recently got her university acceptance) and I started dozing a little while holding my
rod on my lap with a loop of line round the fingers of my other hand, I was suddenly bought back into the world of the living by a tightening of the line
and with an automatic response I lifted into my first and only Barbel of the evening which fought like a wild horse and when weighed took the needle
to 8lb 7oz.

The sun had just started to dip below the horizon but I could now see the river bed and I saw that the river was even lower than it was last week, with
only around two feet of water in front of me.

The other angler walked past me at around 8:45 having had a good evening after the Chub with a particularly large one of 5lb plus; he had not had a
Barbel that evening but he was targeting the large chub that night anyway.

Apart from a couple of small chub I didn't have any more fish and by 9pm it was time to pack up and make my way in the dark across the fields and
back to the car.

Tight lines

Keith Manger (BoldBear)

[fishypaul]

well done keith thats a super barbel

[fullcreel]

Well done, must have been fun on the 'pin.

[pingu]

another cracking session and great report
thanks
dave

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Fab report mate think one day I need to come fishing with you so you can teach me how to fish propelly

[BoldBear]

Originally Posted by Fishing Forum Admin

Fab report mate think one day I need to come fishing with you so you can teach me how to fish propelly

Nah, it's just that I am lucky to have a great stream near me, I'm no expert, and you could more than likely fish the pants off of me any day.

Thanks for your comments

Keith

[paddy2k7_red4life]

cracking barbel

[KABBYCHRIS]

nice fish shame about the otters

[liverpolcrew2020]

smashing report super barbel as well