WHY SEVERN MATCH ANGLERS HAVE GOT IT RIGHT

AT least one genuine 2lb Thames roach has come out already this season. Fish like this fall to anglers fishing into darkness with corn, pellets and even mini-boilies.

Such ‘specialist’ tactics also apply to Severn barbel, as described by Des Taylor. Des thinks match anglers are doing it wrong, but there’s a huge difference between fishing when and where you choose and being stuck in a peg during the worst five hours for catching big fish.

I know plenty of Severn matchmen who fish pellets, as Des does, but it’s more of a hybrid method, using match tactics with pleasure/specialist baits in conjunction with a feeder.

River barbel are quite easy to catch as long as you feed them, and with an empty few pegs below, pellets loosefed downstream will draw fish up.

However, I look forward to some of the Severn barbel lads turning up on the midweek sweeps and taking the hardened matchmen’s dosh home with them. Please let me know when it happens!