A year on The River Wye. Back to my old stomping ground, and it was a real struggle - I worked very hard for every fish! I landed a total of
60 barbel (plus 57 from The Small River), a lot of chub (which often saved a blank) and
13 Wye pike (including 6 doubles). So here's my sixteenth
season review - written monthly as I went along...
June:
Very slow start on The Wye, the fish were behind this season due to the wet, cold start to the year. There were still shad in the river (loads of them, good to see) and the barbel were still spawing. There was very little to report. Only
four barbel landed and no pike spotted since the season opened. Onward and upward - hopefully...
July:
The River Wye still hadn't come to life - I could see barbel but I struggled to catch them! Only
13 barbel landed all month, plus a few chub - for a lot of effort. And the perch fishing was even worse - not one landed yet! A couple of 2lb+ eels seemed to be the highlight of the month - let's hope there's more to report in August...
August:
The highlight of the month was three afternoons on the
Small River - great to be back - and 27 barbel, 2 chub & a small carp landed - I have missed it! Still stuggling on The Wye, lots of short sessions added
fourteen barbel to
9lb 1oz - plus plenty of chub. The summer is turning into autumn - perhaps my season will turn around now..?
September:
Started with an afternoon fishing a private stretch of The Wye with James - both landing 6 barbel. Part of a total
22 barbel to
9lb 4oz over the month. The highlight of the month, and really the only noteworthy fish of the summer, was a
19lb 4oz pike - caught while fishing for perch! Hopefully more pike over the winter season...
October:
The start of the winter season, I turned my attention to Wye pike - the main event - and I knew it was going to be tough going. Only 4 pike landed, including a scraper double - but there is nothing more exciting in fishing than watching that float come to life! A barbel and four chub (to a cracking
5lb 11oz) added some variety to the month.
November:
An absolute shocker of a month - after a nice perch and a little pike to start the month the blanks kept on coming! A lot of hours on the riverbank without a run - eventually adding a jack on a lure - before
Storm Bert flooded the river and put an end to the fishing. Roger's luck was in - landed a new PB
6lb 1½oz Wye chub - great fish!
December:
Still struggling on The Wye, there are some nice perch & chub being caught - but I was fixated on pike - only
two landed. I covered a lot of water hoping to find where they are holed up... Still searching!! A few barbel from the
Small River was a welcome break. And a three rainbow trout on the fly rounded out the year.
January:
It really has been tough going all winter (all season) but a herring deadbait lowered into a little slack produced a pike that makes all the miles and time worth while - a
19lb 10oz beauty. One of only two pike caught all month. Let's hope the weather and water levels (and fish) are kind for the last 6 weeks of the season...
February:
A real grind - mostly double dipping; one rod with a deadbait, one with a maggot feeder & worm hookbait for perch - no pike or perch, just a couple of chub for my efforts! And it was cold, cold fishing! Bit of warmer weather near the end of the month saw the barbel start to switch on - and
3 landed - at least there was something to pull back!
March:
The last two weeks - and the last two Wye pike of the season, including a double at
16lb 6oz (total 13 pike). And I took my Wye barbel total up to 60 fish. I spent the last three afternoons on the
Small River, landing 23 barbel. The final day was spent with James where we landed ten each - a fantastic way to wrap up a very tough season!
Need a bit of a rethink for next season; cast my net further afield on The Wye? Back to London? Somewhere else?
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