And still they come!

10lb and a very happy captor

Hi all!


Well, didn't think i'd have much more to write about this week if i'm honest but that's where I was left totally wrong yet again!

After the success of last week and then Monday nights fishing....and the fact that I had hardly had a wink of sleep in 3 nights through chronic insomnia.

I wasn't ready to hit the bank again until my planned guiding trip with Dan Jones on Wednesday evening! Albeit a quick offer of a trip up with Ryan on Tuesday night signaled another session at my club stretch of the Wye.

I've got to say now that I was very dubious to go as I had had so little sleep in the previous nights, that I thought it was either going to make me ill or just wasn't worth going as I thought I would probably fall asleep on the bank! I still went though!!! How can you not go fishing I thought???

I got around to Ryans and fortunately he was happy to drive, this left me with less to worry about being so tired. We got to the river as the boats were just pulling off and settled into the same swim I had fished the night prior. I was skeptical as to whether it would fish yet again but as there seemed to be plenty of fish present there what harm could it do?

Double no 4 for the season at 10lb 7oz......so pleased!

Ryan went up stream and I went down with one rod each. He started on Garlic Spam and I went straight on the River Monster. It wasn't long before the RM struck and a nice little 6lber graced my net. Then as quick as I put her back I had another of about 5lbs. Probably the two smallest i've had to date from my club stretch!

Ryan started to get some action too

My next cast resulted in another arm wrenching take and same result of a superb 7lb 7oz barbel. Ryan was reeling at the 3-0 so far and decided a change over to a pellet was in order to restore dignity! I then had another of just over 8lbs to rub salt in the wounds!!!

Of course, I gave him the usual ribbing you give mates when they're 4-0 down! The banter flew like fighting cockerels and things then slowed up a little for a short time. Ryan was then next up with a fish of about 4lbs....'Well, at least he hadn't blanked!' I told him! Then I landed a fifth! And to really add insult to injury it was my third double of the season at 10lb 7oz! A right old brute of a warrior as well. The usual line creaking and screaming run from the reel and then endless attempts to snag me up!

Dan Jones with his first ever Barbel!

After returning the big fish I thought that was more than likely it for the night and started to get packed away for the journey home. As I turned to fold up my chair, off went my rod yet again....this time it just screamed away with my line and me hanging on for grim death! Another big barbel fight ensued and as I was playing the fish Ryan spotted a few trembles on his rod tip...After deciding it wasn't my rod tip hitting his line, he struck into a fish himself.

Two fish on at once in a small swim was a giggle, I can tell you! But we managed to get both in safely and weigh, photograph and return both fish without a problem. Ryans fish going 8lb 13oz and mine being bang on 10lbs! Double no 4 for the season!

After the Tuesday night success I had to make plans for a guiding session with Dan Jones. I've known Dan through facebook for about 8 years but we had as such never met up on the bank. Dan has had a couple of trips up the Wye with other anglers and as such failed to put a barbel on the bank as yet. I was determined to help him change that and we met up late afternoon on Wednesday for the journey up to Herefordshire.

Nice PB Dan!!! 8lb 2oz barbel

We jumped into a swim I knew held a few good fish but it was a bit tight for the both of us. I managed to park both seats in tight and got about setting up two rods for Dan to use. The river had risen a good foot over night and there was some of the worst weed growth coming down that I have to date seen on the Wye! Some of it the size of small cars!

Presentation was near on impossible and the only way we could keep our leads in the water was to keep the tips as low as possible to the waters edge in front, similar to still water quivertip fishing techniques. This worked to an extent and we were able to keep the baits in the water long enough for Dan to get his first ever barbel on the bank! 6lbs on the nail! I think he was rather pleased as he did his video blog holding such a stunning prize up for the camera!

Well done Dan no3!

He then had another opportunity with a much better one of 8lb 2oz some 5 minutes later. This fish fought a lot harder and tested Dan out to the maximum! Finally after bagging his third of the evening at 7lb 6oz we had to call it a night due to the excessive weed. It really was intolerable! Next week I'm heading down south to see Stuey for a long day out on the Compound Great Weir at the Royalty Fishery, Hants Avon. Hopefully to grab a nice Avon fish or two!

Hope your all well and having a great season so far.

Keith X