Dave Harrell
River masterclass
MY LATEST match saw me heading to the River Severn at Bridgnorth for a float-only event organised by Jim Burton and Bridgnorth Angling Society. The aim was to raise funds for Jim’s Prostate Screening Fund.
The Severn has changed a lot over the years, especially since 508 barbel were introduced in 1958. Barbel eventually became the dominant species and, by the 1980s, big weights of small barbel were caught from many areas.
The swimfeeder became the only method to use if you wanted
to win matches, and anglers travelled from far and wide to sample the incredible sport that the river had to offer.
However, the lifting of the closed season on stillwaters in 1994 had a big impact on river fishing and, as the 1990s went on, more and more anglers vacated the Severn and other rivers, prefering to visit the much easier commercial fisheries instead.
By the time I moved to Bewdley in 2000 turnouts had dropped but now, 19 years later, there are many anglers who want to fish competitions on running water in float-only events like the one I have just fished.
USED TO BE GOOD!
Anyway, when I pulled out peg 12 I quickly sought as much information as I could from regulars on the venue.
Advice ranged from “it used to be good” to “you’ve got no chance”, which is information you never want to hear…
Undeterred, I decided to give it my best and I actually fancied it for a few fish. Although I knew it wasn’t a match winner, there were plenty of prizes up for grabs with section payouts outside the top six.
Best rig on the day was a 3SSG Truncheon waggler on 0.18mm (5lb) Pro Match mainline and 0.16mm Pro Rig hooklength. This was used in conjunction with a 13ft Daiwa Tournament RS 13F rod. This brought me two barbel, two perch and one chub, which all fell to three maggots on a strong prototype size 14 hook.
I was pleased to learn that my weight was second in the top section. The section winner was Paul Newell, who turned on the style at peg two to finish well clear
of the field with a brilliant 83-14-0 of barbel. Paul used 7lb Pro Match line and a 2SSG No1 Alloy Avon float with a strong 13ft feeder rod and a size 14 hook to catch 19 barbel on casters over casters and hemp, and luncheon meat.
The runner up was Mark Beard, who used tactics similar to Paul’s to land 35-1-0 of chub and barbel.
SECTION PRIZE
My weight was enough to win me the section prize on a day when 22 anglers recorded double-figure weights. I honestly don’t think there would have been so many good weights if it had been a feeder match, and we certainly wouldn’t have had so many anglers fishing it.
The big winner on the day was Jim Burton’s PSF Fund, which benefited to the tune of £700. A massive ‘well done’ to all concerned on this, including Brian Preece, who sorted all the pegs out, and Rosa Bailey and Lorna Banks who made sure that the draw and presentation ran like clockwork.
We need more float-only events like this one. Hopefully we will get them in the future.