River Report

[Felix]

Had my first visit to the river stretch on friday afternoon. Lovely piece of water, was rather suprised by the depth though - 10' under the rod tip!

Bites were rather few and very finicky, but eventually around sunset managed to get a fish on the bank, 7¾lb barbel. Great fight in the deep water.

Will deffo be back here. Does anyone fish for predators on this stretch?

[Diwrnach]

Hi there, fished the stretch a couple of times, first time for pike, but didnt manage anything.

Second time for barbel and ended up catching a few nice bream under the trees at the far end of our stretch.

Mind sharing any info on the barbel capture? what, where etc, as I have been on the hunt on and off all last year for a nice barbel and not got anywhere, so any advice would be very much appreciated.

[Felix]

It was a cleared peg in the mid twenties, can't recall the number though! Water was about the quickest I could find on the stretch with nice swirls on the surface quite close in. Fished about 1 rod length out and 1 down.

Used hair-rigged halibut flavoured meat on a paternoster, with occassional free offerings. I also fished with 4lb mainline to keep the spook factor to a minimum.

Have you walked the higher numbers? I only went from 1 to the second hut, went over the metal bridge, but couldn't see any pegs so went back. It wasn't until I came home and looked at the bank notes that I realised the stretch carried on. What are the higher number pegs like? Does the river change much at all up there?

[Diwrnach]

Thanks for the reply, and yeah further down it gets wider and slower, with alot of overhanging tree's.

Iknow the stretch has some carp in it, and I would assume thats where they will be, it looks very "carpy" if you know what I mean.

When I last fished it I roamed the whole stretch pretty much and thats where I caught, but it was all bream.

Might have to fit some hours in down there soon, barbel is one of the species I have always wanted to catch a good specimen of and never managed to.

[Felix]

Must admit been a little spoilt with barbel over my fishing "career" - first fish was a 9¾lb beauty out of the Hampshire Avon. Since then have caught plenty of 7,8,9 pounders, but haven't managed the double yet or topped my first one!

Funnily enough have only ever caught 2 out out the Warwickshire Avon, all the others were out of the Severn, Wye or Hampshire Avon.

[Diwrnach]

Thats some very nice barbel captures, very jelous

[Felix]

Another visit yesterday (30/07) - totally blanked. Don't know what it was, but just wasn't feeling it yesterday. Quite windy and cloudy, neither warm or cold, kind of felt I was wasting my time from the off.

Walked the furthest field - river is totally inaccessable due to vegetation. Couldn't make out any signs of old pegs or anything. Has it been clear down that end at any time?

[Diwrnach]

I was there last day of last season and some areas were fishable.

Not had chance yet to go this season still.