Zeds, barbs and Grays!

Stunning autumn grayling

Hi all.

What wonderful weather we've enjoyed this last few weeks! It's been a rather late and dry end to the summer of 2015. The rivers have been on their knees though and certainly in need of a bit of the old wet stuff. I've been quiet all round this last week or so, just enjoying taking a bit of time out from the guiding and bait rolling that has filled the summer period. It's been a wonderful summer with clients all catching some wonderful fish from that awe inspiring venue that is the River Wye!

Mathew talked me into a quick few hours float fishing on Sunday....I'd pretty much decided I wasn't going to go out to be honest as monies been a bit tight this week due to the bills all going out and in fairness with the prospect of 48 hrs on the Severn the next day, I didn't really have the pizzazz needed to get me up and going for either event!

Needless to say, with the weather looking nice and the prospect of a grayling in the net....I decided to go along with Mat and check out how the Taff was fishing. The water was extremely cold, low and stupidly clear! We gently climbed into the shallow margins and made our way up to the area we fancied our chances in.There were small fishing jumping all over the place and it looked like it was probably going to be fairly easy to get one or two to bite.

Mike Lyddon with a cracking Severn Zed!

I was ready to cast straight away and on my first trot through on the stick float and pin, I was into a good pound fish. They scrap so well that even the little couple of ounce fish give a good account of themselves. The bites came thick and fast on the maggot and within an hour and a half i'd had no less than forty grayling to 2lbs and Mathew had managed 25 to 2lbs as well. Great sport!

We decided after such a good little session that it was time to go and try out a new venue and see what the sport there would be like. We walked back to the car and headed to the other side of Cardiff and the little River Rhymney. The stretch looked devoid of fish and very shallow and clear. With the sun up high in the sky I wasn't exactly hopeful of a fish. Well, I shouldn't have been too concerned as my second trot through produced a clonking 2 pounder! What a fish for such a small river!

9lb 2oz boom...just ten minutes into the session!

Mat really struggled to find any fish but I was lucky and spotted a couple mooching around at the bottom of a swim covered in tree growth. I started trickling in a few maggots up stream and after spending ten minutes watching the fish circling the bait as it went down, i felt it was time for a run through with the float. First run produced a stunning 2lb 2oz fish. The next couple of trots did exactly the same and before I knew it i'd had 5 beautiful 2lb fish!

We finished up at around 4pm as I had a bit of bait to knock up and obviously there was the small matter of tackle needing to be sorted for the Severn trip the next day. I woke around 6am and after the quick brekkie stop for a Macdonalds breakfast and coffee. I got on the road up to Pixham to meet Nate Green and Mike Lyddon who were coming up for the day to target the Zander and Pike.

I met the chaps in the car park shortly after 9am and with the usual level of banter flowing we headed across the field to look at some swims. The chaps settled on the area we call the flats as there was a good level of small fry in the area that we all felt would attract the predators. The boys had a plumb around and settled down to fish while I made the coffees and teas. I set my gear up for the barbel some 150 yards up stream of the guys and got all ready for the night. I put out about 30 bait droppers full of hemp, pellets and maggots before heading back down to continue being the tea bitch!

12lb 2oz! Get in....so pleased!

Mike was to draw first blood with a cracking zander of just under 6lbs. Considering the clear, low water and bright sunshine, I think that this was a great capture! Nate and Mike continued to catch a few perch, some nice Jacks and Nate had a small Zed as well by the end of the day too. My friends Chris and Ben ventured down to barbel fish on the Monday afternoon and we sat and had a good chat before Mike and Nate left.

Cracking start to the day!

I eventually got to cast out around 9.45pm and to my amazement, just ten minutes later I had my first take of the session! A proper old scrap as well! The fish fought with dogged determination before succumbing to the net in the shallows of the upper flats. At 9lb 2oz I was very great full to have banked a barbel in the tough conditions. As Chris came up to have a chat and a look at the fish, we discussed the rigs and bait aspects of my fishing. Just as I was about to recast the rod, my left hand one flew into action. This fish felt like a totally different animal and hung low and steady. Felt all the more like a much better fish. Not knowing this particular swim that well bothered me a bit as there are so many no go snag areas along that stretch that it can be difficult to play and finally land one!

Eventually I sunk the net under yet another lower Severn beauty and at 12lb 2oz it was also my second double from the Severn and a new River PB for the venue too. What a result! The night wore on and despite a few odd bream to 8lbs and a couple of fat chub....very little else occurred until 8am.
The left hand rod buzzed into action with another searing take. This was a much smaller fish of 7lb 3oz but the fight was as spirited as the others!

11lb 15oz Severn Pb for Ben....well done pal.

Ben managed to land three while he was there too including a new Severn PB of 11lb 15 and Chris I believe had a 9lb 1oz barbel as well. Great results for us all considering we thought that maybe they had shut up shop.

Tight lines all
Keith x