I’LL DRINK TO SOME TOP RIVER SPORT
With gifts of cider and whiskey, I’m all set!
FOUR guiding sessions for me last week, as anglers wanted days out now rather than during the summer heatwave.
That meant getting up at 4.30am each morning, so to say I am tired is an understatement! Still, it was worth it with all my customers catching and enjoying their days.
Here’s how my week went…
TUESDAY
Out with Manchester United fan John Booth, talking about his team and mine – Wolverhampton Wanderers – as we sat waiting for takes.
The fishing was slow thanks to foam on the water and it was very difficult to get the fish feeding at all. In the end John had six takes and landed four barbel to 8lb 2oz.
At the end our day together he commented: “If that’s a slow day I’d love to be here on a fast one!”
I have to admit that six takes is not exactly a slow day, but it was the state of the river that made it difficult for me to accept.
When foam is on the top no fish rise, no insect life comes off the water and the fish go completely off the feed – even in a swim full of barbel.
WEDNESDAY
Wayne Russell and his two lads Ryan and Lee came out with me today. Regular visitors to the Severn, their catch rate is not what they would like, so they wanted to see how I catch barbel.
By the end of the day I think they realised how much I put into my fishing and how, over the years, I have developed methods and an understanding of the species to make consistent catches.
They certainly went home better anglers, all catching barbel, with Ryan even claiming a personal best chub weighing in over 5lb. Lads, I hope you put that knowledge to good use and phone me in the near future to report some more great catches.
THURSDAY
It was James Hargreaves’ and Martin Buckler’s turn to join in the fun, and if Carlsberg did barbel days this would be it!
They had no fewer than 22 takes, with four barbel over 9lb to a best of 9lb 14oz. They even had two rods go off at once!
Today I tried a different area of the river where the water was deeper. If it did not produce in the first two hours, my plan was to return to one of my favourite pegs but from the first cast the barbel were having it!
These guys were from Somerset, where barbel are thin on the ground, but they certainly filled their boots today. At the end of the session they gave me a four-pint container of Wilkins Somerset cider to take home, and I have to say it is the best cider I have tasted for many a year – thank you lads.
FRIDAY
Again the fish went mad, this time for Patrick Oliver and Alex Bucklers. After baiting up for an hour with my ‘pellet pudding’ we had six takes in no time before the foam appeared on the river and turned the fish off the feed. The Environment Agency knows that this foam puts the fish right off the feed, but because it does not kill them they do nothing.
This foam has been coming into the river now for over six years and the EA wonders why there is less fly life – it’s a crime
and someone should be in jail for allowing it to happen, yes, jail.
They EA has the cheek to ask me to report it every time when it has people on the payroll earning £40,000 a year who should know what it is, where it comes from and how to stop it.
I think some of it is from car washes that have no tanks to treat the water and cleaning agents used by them – they just run their waste directly into our drains.
But because they are £2 cheaper than a proper car wash I bet you use one. Next time you are sitting in one of these cheap car washes just think of the damage you are doing to our rivers.
As soon as the foam stopped we had two takes but, can you believe
it, a female otter turned up in the swim and that killed it for the rest of the session. But the lads had learned a lot and gave me a litre bottle of Powers Irish whiskey as a thank you, What with the cider and that whiskey, I’m going to sleep well this week!
SUNDAY
Soon packed, ready for Thailand and so looking forward to meeting up with John Wilson again. It’s been way too long since I last fished with him and sat and talked fishing over a large glass of red.