River Thames 15 sept 08

This weeks session was an evening one, both Dad and I were going to fish into dark

With the river still up, coloured, and pushing through, I decided to stick with my heavier set up as used last week.

I let Dad choose which swim he wanted first, as he still has to catch a barbel!!! He chose upstream of a large overhanging bush, so I settled in the swim below. The bush created a large slack area behind it, which I thought would be an ideal place to locate a river carp or barbel.

Rigs were exactly the same as last week, with 12lb hook lengths, and size 8 owner hooks, 3 oz leads held bottom with no problem at all in the slack margins about a rod length out. In fact, I had my lines slack from the rod tip to the 1 oz backlead. I was using the backlead so that I could keep the angle of line down, and keep the line behind the lead pinned to the bottom. This is another one of my thoughts for this year, and although in the coloured water it probably wouldn't make much difference i'm sure it will when the river clears up.

I checked the hook points while baiting up, as I had left the hooklengths attatched from last weeks session, they were fine, so on went 2 x 15 mm Spicy fresh prawn boilies on one rod, and 3 on the other.

One rod went straight out in front of me on the edge of the flow, followed by a handful of free samples slightly upstream. The second rod was positioned downstream about 20yrds, again followed by a handful of free samples.

As the sun went down, as is so usual on the Thames, the water came alive with fish surfacing all over. even out in the main flow! Most of them were behind the bush under my rod tips, probably feeding on the surface scum that had gathered. Every now and again there was a bigger swirl, which at first I thought were bigger fish feeding on the surface, but after a while I started to think that they were probably perch feeding on the smaller fish as there were some really big swirls and splashes.

After a while of this I decided to reel in the barbel rods and get the lure rod out of the car and see if I could catch one, if indeed they were perch.

whilst reeling in the downstream rod, it was now that I realised I had cast over a snag and then with the back lead pulled the line down into it!! so with not a lot of pull at all I tried to free the snagged rig and the line frayed above the rig, losing the whole lot in the process!! That will teach me, lesson learned.

The second rod also snagged slightly before coming free and bring with it a load of weed and cabbage roots.

So after around 20 minutes of casting small mepps spinners around the swim to no avail, I decided to put the barbel rods back out.

I re baited the rod which was still set up and put this straight out on the edge of the flow, followed by a handful of freebies. I then re rigged up the second rod, this time using a size 6 owner curved hook. This rod was placed upstream, away from the snag, again another handful of free bait went out over the rig.

A little while later I had a knock on the rod tip on the right hand rod, followed a minute or so later by another. Then nothing, thinking about what to do, do I reel in and rebait or leave it and wait??

About ten minutes later I decided to move the left hand rod closer in, after having recast it out into the main flow with 5 oz of lead. As I went to pick up the rod, the right hand rod shot off, grabbing it and striking I felt a weight the slack! Damn I had missed it, upon checking the rig I could clearly see why. When I had snagged the rig earlier, I had not checked the hook point, and it was as blunt as anything. In fact, whilst testing the hook, it would not even break the skin on my finger with alot of pressure. Lesson learned again!!! I cant believe that I had been so stupid to not check and replace the hook!! Still at least I know I will NEVER do it again.

In the mean time Dad had missed a whacking bite on garlic flavoured meat.

Nothing else happened during the session. Whilst I am enjoying getting out and fishing, I wish the flow would calm down to normal conditions so I can get fishing properly without needing 6 oz to hold bottom anywhere other than the margins!!

I have been given a tip about Rivermead Island in sunbury in my bid for a double figure barbel, however on my first drive past there were 4 bivvies pitched up along there, so maybe a little too busy for me. I might still give it a go though, one morning on an early session.

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River Thames 8th sept 08

Today was going to be a session with a difference, not only was I fishing a flooded river for the first time ever,
I was also fishing a stretch I have not barbel fished before.

I suppose starting on a new stretch of river is always going to be daunting, especially when its carrying extra water from all the recent rain, but its something I felt I needed to do. Alot of the spots I normally fish are very very popular, most of the time its hard enough to get a swim, day sessions, night sessions, weekend sessions, they are normally all full. Which means the fish are very much pressurised. This is confirmed by the fact that my catches have never really set the angling world alight!!!

Since starting my barbel campaign on the Thames 4 years ago, I have only caught a handful of them, with the biggest going 9.06.
Whilst this is a big fish for the river, I was still quite disappointed with my results, especially for the effort put in.
I put these results down to, not that there were no fish in my swim, as im sure there were fish present. But down to the fact that they are constantly pressured.

This in turn made me think about various aspects of my fishing -
Baits - was I using the best bait I could? was anyone else using the same bait as me?
Rigs - my standard rigs were 12lb mainling, 12lb hooklength, so was this a factor in not catching? I wasnt using backleads, was this an issue too?
Swim - too crowded? too much bait going into the swims? or possible no barbel present, as im sure they are not present in every swim!!!

Since considering the above aspects, I have paid alot more attention to my rigs, baits and where I fish this year.
I loaded my reels with 10lb mainline, instead of 12lb, I started making 8-10lb hooklengths, instead of 12-15lb. I have made aload of leadcore leaders for fishing close in so that I can pin the line down and not spook the fish.
I started thinking more about bait, instead of just using pellets and source boilies. I still use them but I have opened up and got a little more variety, fresh spicy prawn, meaty marine, tiger nut. As well as different pellets, not just halibuts.
Swim-wise I have been thinking about fishing different areas, areas that see minimal bankside disturbance. Areas that take alot of walking to. Google earth has been invaluable for searching out new water.
I have found many new spots to fish that, although they have probably been fished in past, have probably not seen anywhere near the amount of anglers that the more popular "park behind your swim" areas get.
I also wanted to get away from the deciding how and where to fish at home scenario, that I did so much. I think that to a certain degree, you need to plan for a session, but I think that its easy to over plan. Sometimes I was almost virtual fishing from home, that was the extent to which I was planning for my sessions.
So my new plan is to pick an area to fish and decide where and how to fish when I get there.

So my target for this season is to catch the same amount of barbel that I have caught in the past 4 years!! Not that hard in itself giving the amount of new water I have to go at, and of course, working shifts I can get to fish the more popular areas during the week when there are less anglers around.


So to the session itself -

It was a pretty lazy morning, and we decided to have lunch and sort Jake before leaving which mean't that we got to the river around 13:30ish
Wearrived at the chosen area, an area that I wanted to fish for a couple of reasons. Firstly, in the times that I have lure fished along here in the past I have not seen one single angler along the stretch. And secondly as the river was pushing through quite a bit, I thought that the large fallen tree would give some santuary to the fish from the flow, as it created a large slack area behind it.

I started by setting up 2 identical rigs, free running leads, on 12lb line (I was going to downgrade to 10lb, however with extra lead needed for the flow I decided to use the heavier tips and line) 12lb flouro ESP ghost hooklengths around 12inchs long to size 8 owner hooks. Hookbaits were glugged 20mm source boilies and glugged 21mm halibut pellets.

Now, reading about what my plan of action had been for this year, and then reading about how I set up for todays session might seem a bit hypocritical, I have just spent 5 minutes going on about how Im going to change my approach this year, and here I am using exactly the same rigs as last year.

But on the day, I felt heavier line would not make a difference due to the extra colour in the water. This was also the case with the baits, as I didnt introduce any free offerings due to the strength of the flow, I chose double 20mm boilies and double 21mm halibuts. Seeing as these were the only baits in the water I wanted the barbel to find them.

The heavier line was also needed as I placed a bait half way accross the river in the main flow, this required 6oz of lead to hold bottom. The other rig was placed upstream of my position right in front of the fallen tree, as close as I could get it.
There was a fair amount of colour in the river and it was probably 1ft up, however this gradually dropped through the session, by around 4 inches, judging by the water level on the tree to my left.

The session ended with a blank, I wasnt too concerned about this, after all its a new area, and the fish will take some finding.
I am going to target the area again, because it doesnt seem to get fished much, I introduced some pellets into the swim before I left, so provided the river doesnt rise again, im hoping the fish might get on the bait.

One strange thing that happened during the session, claire was casting a mepps spinner around and as I had moved the rod from the tree to the edge of the mainflow, she had a little area of slack water to cast around in. 3 or 4 casts later and she had managed to hook the half a tree that was sitting in the edge of our swim. After a bit of pulling the branch started moving, with that a fish (light coloured, carp or chub possibly??) came up tot he surface with it, it then shot off along the surface. It was a bizzarre scene and I have never seen a fish swim off like that before, it reminded me of spawning carp skimming accross the surface!!

So for next time -
Well Im not going to plan much about it, I have bait ready, I just need to hope the rain stays away and I can scale down and try my new tactics. Who knows I might actually catch some fish this year!!!

River Thames & River Ash 25 August 08

I started today buy taking claires stick to the River Ash in upper halliford whilst taking Callum and Jake to the park.

We had seen some small fish there a few days earlier, they looked like roach and bleak, however I did see a large chub of about 1lb, which for a river the size of the Ash is probably as big as the fish are gonna get, unless there is a pike or 2 in there!
When we arrived we ate lunch (Maccie D's, free glasses innit!!!) and there was a guy already fishing there, he was trotting maggots under a float about 8 inchs deep. Im not sure if it was the noise from Jake crying or that he had caught all the fish, but shortly afterwards he packed up and left!
So I set up the whip, my intention was to just freeline tiny bits of bread and just watch the bait for bites.
I had 3 mtrs of line attached to the whip, straight through to a size 18 hook.

It took a few trots through, but I soon managed to hook an immaculate chub of about 3oz, it really was in fin perfect condition, probably never having been caught before.

I was able to see the small fish attacking the BB sized bit of bread but they failed to hook themselves as they were that small!!
I had managed to get a couple of better bites which I missed, when a couple of girls came and started walking about in the river where I was fishing!! I suppose its to be expected in a park during the summer holidays, cant wait for them to all go back to school, lol

I packed up shortly after that, just as 2 young boys arrived to fish, again with maggots set about 6-8inchs under floats.
Maybe thats the going method. I didnt realise how many people fished the little river, but it will be worth another go I think with maggots and small float.

After this we decided to drive to chertsey and feed the ducks with callum, so I thought I would have a quick half hour lure fishing a few swims along there. As it turned out, when we arrived it was very busy, I suppose with it being Bank holiday Monday it was to be expected.

All the usual "Noddies" were out in force along the stretch, so we decided to go to a new bit of river which I had been eyeing up with the intention of barbel fishing it. However I only had lure rods today so I set up claires rod too and we wandered off to pastures new!

It is a stretch typical of the Thames, shallow close in, before shelving off to the deeper channel, then raising up again on the far bank. We walked probably 300yards in total. I managed a small pike of about 3lb on a spinner bait, the pike destroying the skirt on it in the process.
We walked towards the meads, however its the other way that im interested in for barbel fishing, not sure why really, im sure if the barbel are in that stretch they will be in the meads too.
I think I fancy the other bit as I have never fished that far around, whereas I have fished the meads for pike before.

Hopefully I will be out before the end of the week to try out a couple of spots I have ear marked.

River Thames 26th June 08

I met up with Ross at his house at 07.15, I was very tired as it had been an eventful few days what
with the attempted break in on sunday morning, and staying at my mother in laws all week, so i was running a
little late when I got there.

We set off for chertsey, we arrived at about 07.30 and set up in the big double swim the weir side of
the bridge.

After last weeks sessions I had brought my float rod with me to fish a stick float on a runnig line as
opposed to the whip which I had lost that big fish on! So a 5bb drennan stick float was thread onto
the line at about 6ft depth, 3lb mainline and 2.6lb hooklength to a size 20 spade end hook. I know
I had a pint and a half of red and white maggots with me, as well as a jar of Dynamite baits frenzied
 seed ( I have found this excellant when fishing for smaller fish, as well as fishing for carp and barbel
 too)
The plan was to trot maggots over seed with a few maggots going in as loose feed every few casts.

I started off at about 6foot deep. I didnt plumb but, I dont really feel the need to when fishing the
thames, as Im continually changing the depth through the day anyway, and I know that the swims
the otherside of the cabbages are around 6-8 foot.
It took a couple of trots through with feed going in before I got my first bite, right at the end of the
 run (about 15yds away) so I started feeding more upstream in a bid to get the fish a little closer to
 me. Although my feeding was fairly consistant, the areas in which I was getting bites werent, on
trot Id get a bite straight away, next would be right at the end of the trot next to the over hanging
tree.

It took around half hour before I got my first proper bite which resulted in a fish on, which turned
out to be a lovely fin perfect roach. The roach in the thames really are in perfect condition, sure
you get a few that look a bit tatty, but most are immaculate and look uncaught.

Steady feeding with seed and occasional maggots had the fish feeding now and I was getting bites
most trots through, I had now had around 8 to 10 roach, when the float shot under and another
was on its way to the net, when from the cabbages to my left I saw from the corner of my eye a
pike shoot out to grab its free meal!! I managed to lift the roach just in time, as the pike swirlled on
 the surface and went back to await the next victim to pass over his head!!

I had brought with me, my lure rod and a box of lures, as well as a couple of made up snap tackles
and a couple of small floats, for such and event as this. So I walked back to the car to get my lure
rod and set up a small livebait outfit consisting of a small fox pike float, and a trace. I set the depth
as the length of the trace (about 20 inchs) and next trot down a small roach was caught and duly
hooked onto the trace and left to work the area over the cabbages.

For about 15 minutes the little rach worked his magic, trying to become the martyr, to save his
fellow roach buddies, but the pike was obviously sulking at missing his first free meal.
So I knocked the little roach on the head and put the rod to the side (knowing the pike would be
back if I could start catching again) and I continued to trot maggots and started to catch again
after around an hour of feeding, which turned out to be a bleak, which I was happy to catch, but
didnt really want as I wanted to keep cathing the decent roach. Sure enough after a few more fish,
the pike swirled on the surface and this little roach wasnt so lucky, I played the pike for about 5
minutes before the hooklength parted!
A few casts with the wobbled bait but Ross and nothing, so I decided to have a few casts, one of
which landed right next tot he downstream overhanging tree, within seconds I could see a pike
shaking its head under the surface trying to rid 2 size 6 trebles from its mouth!  Another spirited
battle and another lean, fighting fit angry pike graced my net, about 5lb ish maybe.
I had no more trouble from pike after that, but I did continue to catch quality roach, one of which
must have been getting on for a pound.  I also added a couple of perch and a few more bleak.

I didnt end with a massive bag of fish, but I caught a few throughout the day.

Ross stuck with the feeder all day, alternating between maggot and groundbait feeder, he caught
some nice roach too, upto around a pound too.

The roach fishing on the thames produces some pristine fish that look totally uncaught.

Well baby will be here soon, so not sure how many more sessions I will get in before he arrives.
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River Thames 19th june 08

Was supposed to be working overtime today, but was cancelled at the last minute, so as Claire and
I had both been ill, we decided to have a few hours down the river to get some air after claire had
been in the house all week.
We decided to go to  a spot we have fished a few times before.

A quick trip to dads to pick up our whips, tackle box and lure rods, then via the tackle shop for a
couple of pints of maggots and we were on our way.

We arrived at the river to find a few people dotted about, but the swim we wanted next to the
bridge was free. (this was the swim that claire had her PB perch of 1lb 6oz last year)

I set up to identical rigs, for each whip, and we began fishing. I had fist bite about 5 minutes later
and a nice roach was on its way in, I had a feeling that a pike would be lurking in the cabbage weeds,
 and sure enough as I was abuot to lift the roach from the water, the water erupted in front of us,
soaking myself and claire in the face. I managed to lift the roach from the water just before the pike
 grabbed hold. One lucky roach!!

next put in resulted in a missed bite, before claire managed a similar sized roach, which was duely
whipped out of the water as quickly as the float had gone under!! Claire kept moaning that I was
putting  the roach back where the pike had swirled. She doesnt like seeing the pike attack the small
fish!!

I managed another similar sized roach, which incidently were pristine fish, before the float shot under
 and a strike was met with about 4 mtrs of elastic shooting from the end of the pole!!! Bearing in
mind im only using a number 4 elastic, 3lb mainline and 2.6lb hooklength to a 20 hook, I was a little
under gunned for this fish.
The fish just held in the flow, not really moving, I tried applying strain from above and it came up a
few feet, them it came towards me. Then it swam out into the flow abit more, holding statinary
again!! About 5 minutes past until "twang" the elastic snapped!!! I was a bit gutted, not only that I
had lost a complete rig, but that I had left a fish towing a float and a small amount of elastic.
Maybe 2.6lb hooklength is too strong with a number 4 elastic. I think ill stick to 2lb or less from now
on. Or ill up it to a number 6!!!

After that, as I couldnt repair the pole, I had to pack it away. So I only had  claires whip left set up,
so I had a few casts with a spinnerbait, which resulted in a fat, fighting fit pike of around 6lb. And
having no landing net, I had to hand land it!!

Shortly after this, we packed up as claire was feeling very hot, as neither of us had been aware how
 burnt we had became friom the sun! So a short drive later and we were enjoying a nice cold 99
with a flake!!

We then decided to have a drive to Walton and maybe a little wander with lures at the weir.
Once we arrived I set up both rods with spinnerbaits, and off we set.

Its nice to note that all of the river appears very overgrown, it so nice to see it in thsi condition
after the 3 month lay off, However give it a few weeks and the old swims will, again, become all
trampled down and open. Shame really that anglers cannot be more careful with the bankside,
after all we spend alot of time there, no one wants to sit next to the river with broken shrubs and
empty stella cans do they??

Claire decided to change her spinner bait, to a mepps spinner. All of claires gear os more focused
towards perch with smaller mepps and spinner blades. She had a real fondness for perch having
caught them to 1lb8oz, it took me years to catcha  perch bigger than a pound!

She continued to cast her spinner around, resulting in nothing, shame really, I would have liked her
to catch, plus being over 8 months pregnant, she was doing very well to be out fishing at all!!

We moved up about 2 or 3 swims and the river is a bit slower away from the weir, plus the cabbage
 weed looks so pikey along here, there is loads of the stuff. A few casts in my swim resulted in nothing.
 I chucked it upstream into claires swim and had an exsplosive take straight away, however it came
adrift just as quick, DOH!!! I thought that was my lot, however 2 casts later and I had slowed my
retrieve right down, and I saw the pike follow the lure very closely before flaring its gills and inhaling
the spinnerbait, the resulting fight was great, as another super fit river fish shook  its head to try
and escape, however with 40lb braid and 40lb wire, there was only really gonna be one winner.
Twas me, and another 6lb'er was handlanded and a quick photo taken.

We left shortly after this. I am going to return to chertsey, armed with a float rod and running line,
so I have a sporting chance of landing whatever it was that I lost!!
That is provided it stops raining!!!! British summer, lol!!!