River Severn - I am changing my forum name .

[barbelblanker]

Yep I am going to change my forum name.

I've decided this year to stop just dumping my gear in one spot and waiting for the barbel to come to me. I resolved to stay very mobile so tried that again today. This time it was chub on steak.

Before I start though , I'm realising (having had quite a break from coarse fishing and being single the last time) that with one car (SWMBO is not kean on my idea of buying one of the ex-army Harley - Amrstrong bikes) AND her needing the car to take the sprogs to the in-laws tonight to see granny (fair enough really , they need to see granny) AND her also wanting the car for my nephews ALL DAY (or so it seems ) birthday party tomorrow, to which I am not invited to keep costs down, things can get a tad complicated. So rather than fish early afternoon till dark, what with it being winter and all, I end up fishing pre-dawn till 2. I guess it's better than going stir crazy in doors though. Not ideal but that's life I guess.


So anyway back to the plot .

I do have some piccys to load , my wife has the camera so I might get round to loading them later.

Got to the BAA stretch at Hampton Loade (ferry side) and parked up on the icy car park. Got my trusty PMS rod ( I might start calling my favourite gear by names, if it weren't for the mullet this rod has caught , it's name nearly ended up as Jonah, though no whales caught either) and Okuma with 6LB line on and set up there with a straight leger to size 8 hook. Big net, small seatbag thingy and a bankstick. With a large bait bag thing (you know the ones with handles, been a good buy that), it was off we go.

The river was going fast walking pace and looked like it was carrying ,but loosing, colour. It also looked cold, need to get a thermometer and find out.
The river has slowly been dropping off from the pulse of melt water it got.

I stopped at so many swims I can't remember them all.

They were either -

Swims with water flowing slightly slower but through trees or bushes in the water.

Swims were the flow was much slower and had a crease where the main flow went along the edge of the swim .

Swims where there was slower flower AND trees .

One where it was just normal flow.

I was fishing to snags , or should I put it, IN the bl@@dy snags. I don't think I have retackled to much in years. Hey ho!

Used steak and mince as the main bait. I stuck this out as I wanted to see if it would work rather than chop and change too much.

Well it didn't, so I might just drop barbel off the front of my user name.

I was going to take two rods to fish two different baits, if I had I think this session would have been a nightmare so I'm glad I didn't.

I also got talking to one other guy there (also blanking, never sure if that's reassuring or not) and picked up what might be a good tip about the severn in general. I'll see how it pans out and if it works I'll let you know.

Ah! Well after a morning of cold, slippery banks I'm going to have a quick bath and might just have to have a pint or two as the girls aren't here.

Next time!

[BaggieRich]

Nice one BB. Unlucky about the blank, but tell me just being by the river didn't put a smile on yer face! .

Stay mobile mate, I'm sure it's gonna pay off soon.

[rob@home]

Ah dear bless mate you ought to get a few plugs,lures & spinners out & see if the pike,perch will play ball for you. Barbel are a weighty matter this time of year maybe set your sights lower as even the chub weren't having any of it down our way today let alone the barbel so predator hunting seemed a better option than sit by a rod not knowing if your going to get a bite or not besides pike do fight really good

Rob.

p.s spot on Rich yeah rivers do have a habit of doing that...so nice to be back out again

[barbelblanker]

Agree with the smiling thing. Even though I blanked I wouldn't have traded the time for a day at the office.

Pike have never really entered my mind and I can't really put my finger on why not really. I guess it's partly due to the fact that I don't know how to handle them correctly and it's not been a high enough priority to find out. Might need to rethink that though as you are right, I know the pike round here do seem to keep chomping when even the chub have switched off. They're (the pike) such amazing creatures I'd be gutted if I killed one (as I did with a jack when I was a kid) because I didn't learn to unhook them safely. Might consider it for next winter.

[rob@home]

Just get yourself some forceps & a tea towel thats all you rightly need, when you get hold of them unless its a jack of course which you can just hold as if you would a normal fish. But if you have a big one grab them under the mouth & between the gill cover. Piking can be a great fun this time of year also goes along with your 'keep mobile' approach have a few casts up & down the river then move on to the next swim. You certainly wont get cold as you would sitting by a rod freezing waiting for something to happen. I like to use big 's' type lures but this is just a matter of opinion as i've used them with great success before on other rivers. Just watch snags as it can be a costly job if your not careful! Good luck mate & tight lines

Rob.

P.s big tip here look for slack water thats not in the main flow, pike love it here....