Splash & Faff

Another afternoon on the Small River - wandering about in the last of the summer sunshine. No rush, just scanning the river as I mooched about - ten barbel plus an ornamental koi - smashing!


7lb 3oz (top), 7lb 0oz above.


Half time...


6lb 0oz above, someone's pet koi (below)

Splashers & Dashers

Not monsters, but 10 Small River barbel - plus 2 chub. It's great to be stalking about on running water again!

Splash & Dash

It's been raining. First real rain in months. So with time against me, but the rivers refreshed, I shot down the Small River to see if the barbel were celebrating. And they were - five barbel to 7lb 10oz plus a bonus chub. Looks like Autumn is finally here!

Fully Scaled Up (FP12)

A change in the weather - finally some much needed rain! And possibly my last trip to the Farm Pond this year...


A beautiful 14lb 0oz fully scaled mirror & a common carp (ghost?) to christen my new reel - and brighten up a dull afternoon!

Carp Fishing (FP11)

I've gotten into this carp fishing. What started as floating a bit of crust about as a fishing-fix has really become my fishing summer. Pond carp have never really been my thing - but as summers get hotter and drier perhaps it's becoming a better option than the rivers.

Now I don't think I'll be sat in a bivy behind 3 rods any time soon, but I think I'll have a more serious crack at it next summer (running out of time this season). I'd like to find a fairly local water where there is a chance of a thirty - and a quick search seems to show a few options.

Ideally somewhere within an hour's drive where I can fish for 3 or 4 hours an evening. Boilies on one rod, something more traditional on the other - crust or float-fished corn. Plenty of time for more research. And a few more trips to the Farm Pond before it's time for pike...

Last Second (FP10)

Packing up the kit - leaving the rods in until the last second. Totally worth it - both away at the same time. A fully scaled mirror & a common carp in the dark - and I thought I was looking at a blank!

No Water, No Problem

I have pretty much neglected The Wye this summer - it's the lowest I've ever seen it. But I knew one fish that is always on the munch - chub!


Stick 'n' pin, half a loaf of bread & a wander about - couple of fish from each swim then move. Probably two dozen chub fell for it!


Oh, and saw a couple of skinny dippers - who seemed unfazed by my sudden appearance opposite them - the things you see when fishing!!

Reluctant Perch (FP9)

I've seen some nice perch in the Farm Pond - so had to try and bank one. Even though there were pound-plus fish in front of me I could only tempt the wasps (4 of them) - little beauties - but their big brothers didn't want to play. Perhaps a lure would sort out the bigger perch...


Nice double common carp.


Roger helped himself to a small carp.

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And he's only gone and landed double barbel number 30 of his 40 River Double Challenge - which I believe is only 2 away from the record! Sailing towards the target!! Blog post is here.

Shortening Days (FP8)

Pike time is coming, you can feel it in the air. Evenings are getting shorter and the leaves are starting to fall. But enough time for a few more trips to the Farm Pond. And three hours saw 5 carp landed (too dark to photograph the last one). Starting to get a handle on it..!

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Oh, and while we were struggling on the beach the other day I got a call from James, who'd added yet another barbel to his 40 River Challenge - fantastic! Blog post is here.

Chesil Burn

The annual trip to Chesil Beach with Steve & Dyl. A nice sunny day on the beach with some old mates from school - which was just as well because the fish didn't want to play...


If wishes were fishes...


Blank for me but Dyl managed a gurnard...


Steve had a gurnard and a little thornback smalleyed ray...


And we all got sunburnt! But we'll be back...