Another day another blank, well almost.

[barbelblanker]

No tricks, there's no 10lb barbel here just two rather small gudgeon.

Went down to Hampton Loade to have a go with just maggots and "old style" float fishing.

Spent two hours patiently drowning bronze maggots.
Nothing. Spent at least another two hours scratching around.
Trouble with building a swim like this is it can take that long for the fish to turn on and show up so this is not a mobile approach.


Wind was perfect for a top and bottom float but the fish just did not want to know. Caught two gudgeon on the "I can't blank" feeder rod.

Two revelations though.

Bait aprons, why didn't I buy one years ago? OK I felt a bit like a special handshake was in the offing when I put it on but I just don't know how I've spent so many years river fishing without one.

I got topper haskins quill out and shotted it shirt button style. WOW!!!!! What a spankingly great float. I bought these when I lived in Bath a few years ago and as far as I know they are the real deal. I used them years ago but hadn't got one out for a while. Fool. Total control and cast like an exocet. I can't wait to give it another go when maybe the fish will show up.

[BaggieRich]

Unlucky mate.



I'll be in the mother land in the near future and toying with the idea of asking my uncle to take me to get a Barble. Any pointers??? Are we even in season for Barbel??

[barbelblanker]

I forgot to mention that I was ROACH and CHUB fishing so had no intention of catching barbel.

If you are coming up to this neck of the woods then I reckon calling in to Bridgnorth tackle might be a good idea. Never been there personally but I reckon the local charity shop could give you better advise than me :)

[Fishing Forum Admin]

unlucky mate

[Poisson dans la Fleuve]

You need to get back on the stour! I must tell you, me and my buddy "Kev the Fish" (called that, not because he can catch anything but because he looks like an old carp that has been hooked 100 too many times )on Saturday found this wonderful and very private short stretch of the river actually 5 minutes walk from my house in Kidderminster, never noticed it before as it's a bit hidden. Well the river is slightly wider here and has lots of natural features, so I went armed with a very light rod and 4lbs line expecting to get my usual roach and small chubb to aboput a pouind and boy was I wrong!

Spent just 6 hours there, caught 2 barbel (but only to 2.5lbs), 11 Chubb to 4lbs 3oz, about a dozen roach to almost a pound and because of the light tackle lost 3 or 4 that wer BIG, I mean one was a Chubb that looked at least 5lbs that managed to snag me 10 yards before the bank, plus I saw a couple of Pike, one was nearing double figures, after that the swims went very quiet hence us leaving mid afternoon.

I caught one Barbel on maggot, one on castor then the rest was a mix of magot, castor, luncheon meat and cheese, all in all one of the finest days I have ever had on any river, I am going back for Pike next week!

I know you are fairly close to me, I would be happy to share our little secret with you anytime m8.

[Poisson dans la Fleuve]

I have uploaded a map with some instructions to an album, you can find it here.......

http://www.fishing-forum.info/album.php?albumid=706