HELPING PEOPLE CATCH FISH IS THE BEST!
There’s nothing like seeing the look on their faces as the rod arcs over
BEFORE I start this week I would like to say a big thank you to all concerned who worked to save Powick Weir on the River Teme.
It’s been a long battle, and special thanks have to go to my friend Lol Breakspear for getting the ball rolling. It shows that the big guns don’t always win.
Here’s how last week went for me…
THURSDAY
Took Mark Tucknott on a guiding day after he won a bid at an auction in aid of a cancer charity. Obviously these days are free of charge – it is an honour to be able to help those less fortunate in health than me.
It was a great day and the cancer fund made a few bob. Mark had a cracking day’s fishing and I felt good knowing I had done my bit. In the end he had 10 barbel, at one stage even getting two takes at once. While he was playing a barbel on one rod the other one bent over and I held on to it while he landed the first fish.
Making a living from the sport is not all about catching fish yourself. It gives me great pleasure to help other anglers catch fish that I used to dream about catching a few years ago.
It’s fantastic to see an angler’s face when he gets his first real barbel bite and then the look of amazement after being pulled all around the swim to find it’s a barbel of ‘only’ 6lb!
FRIDAY
Headed upriver to catch a few grayling on the float. The river is small here – as are the grayling – but it’s a spot I have not fished for years and I wanted to see if they were still there in numbers.
The journey was spectacular. As I looked down on the river, covered in heavy mist, it was as though I was driving above the clouds. I set up a Loafer with the shot bulked down the line so the bait would get down in the fast flow, and with two maggots on a size 16 I made my first cast. It had gone no more than a yard when the float shot under and the telltale ‘bumping’ on the rod-tip told me I was into a grayling.
Unfortunately that first one came off but about 20 others stayed on and I was so pleased the river still had a stock of grayling. Last time I’d fished here I only caught a couple and there were goosanders working the area – not the best of news for small grayling.
I was going to take one home for tea, but I could not bring myself to hit one on the head. I was just glad that they had survived.
I drove back home a happy man. There is always something nice about catching fish that you have worked for on the float. Mind you, my wrist was sore the next day from all that trotting!
MONDAY
Travelled down to Horseshoe Lake in Gloucester with Paul Garner for the Nash trade show. The journey was awful – it took us two-and-ahalf hours – but we found lots to talk about in the car.
I was impressed with the carp tackle I was shown. I am not one of those 60-year-old blokes who says there is no need for most of the modern gear. I can fish for grayling one day with very little kit, and the next day I can go on a weekend trip after carp, under a bivvie using three rods and buzzers. It’s horses for courses and don’t knock it.
There is nothing good about roughing it on the bank when there is so much good kit to make the experience a happy one.
I actually love being tucked up in my sleep system in a bivvy with the raining beating down. I have ordered a load of rig bits and will enjoy making them up in my new tackle den.
TUESDAY
Headed down to the boat to get it ready for the last barbel boat trip of the season and also spent time getting my gear and bait ready for a two-day trip to Chew Valley for big pike.
I have always caught fish at Chew, but I would like a ‘proper one’ if you know what I mean!
I really don’t know why some anglers knock Chew, saying it is too easy and that anglers who have hardly pike-fished catch monsters, but to be honest I am only bothered about what I catch. I couldn’t care less if a man who has never caught a pike in his life catches a forty at Chew.
Once you start letting things like that get to you it’s not long before you become bitter and twisted and pack up. Catching a 40lb pike will not change my life or make me a better angler, but it would put a bloody big smile on my face, that’s for sure!