Thursday 18 August 2011

Lunch Break


I haven't been to the Wandte for a week now and I was starting to get withdraw symptoms. So I worked out if I got up early and worked fast I could probably fit in a 3 hour lunch break - half an hour there, 2 hours fishing, half an hour travel back.

My plan was to fish 3 or 4 swims close together for maximum fishing time. First swim, first cast, cracking bite - don't know how I missed it. I was on about my third cast in the second swim when the rod ripped round without me having time to put it in the rests - barbel on! Tough fight, including getting the fish snagged, but eventually I got the net under it - 6lb 7oz, top photo. The trip was already more than worth it!


Next swim, bite within seconds and landed the chub above, about 2lb. As with the barbel, once I'd had a fish I moved. Last swim, and the one I thought would be the best - no bites.

With only a few minutes left on the clock I headed back to the first swim, it was starting to rain but I decided to give it one cast - I'm glad I did. The bait wasn't in the water for 10 seconds before I had a bite, a fight which went right up and down the river and eventually I got the net under what I thought must be close to a double - it went 9lb 7oz, my second nine pounder from the river, what a fantastic fish.


An after a couple of quick photos and making sure the barbel swam back strongly I ran for the train, getting soaked through on route. Made it!

So that's the first half of the barbel challenge in-the-bag, 100lb of Wandte barbel. But the quest for the double continues...

<- In the rain and my haste to get the fish back, I accidentally knocked the camera onto video, shame really - I think this would have made quite a good self take!

9 comments:

  1. That was a really nice trip and capped with that 9lb+ beauty,it must have really been the cherry on top.

    You're absolutely right about the self take,it would have been a very good one,that fish looks very powerful too and you look very cheerful in the picture,rightly so,well done again.


    Kind regards
    Mark

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  2. Haha Thats a great few hours fishing, Hell of a lunch break, Great idea to go and try your luck at that time of day instead of being out till after dark, And with Barbel and chub on the bank you have my respect,
    Top Fishing,
    ,,,Paddy,,,

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  3. Lo Brian, hope you did better than me tonight? Might as well written myself a cheque, total Blankety Blank! lol.

    Stu

    p.s. Was joking bout that swim ain't been in there yet this season.

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  4. Same, blankety blank for six hours fishing!

    You do protest too much about that swim, what is in there?

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  5. Nice fish. I really like that Chub picture.
    Paulos

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  6. Truth be told, never had nothing over 7lb from their, but with all the swims adjacent to it I have left it alone this season.

    Stu

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  7. Cheers guys.

    It proves what a fickle river the Wandle is, when I only have a couple of hours I can't get the bait in the water fast enough and bites take seconds, when I've got all day/night they don't want to play at all!

    The photos were taken really quickly, so its a fluke that a couple turned out nice.

    And I had to put one frame from the video on because the rest of it was me turning to the barbel, looking it squarely in the eyes, and telling it that the f*ckin' camera hadn't worked before chucking the still filming camera into my bag - an insight into the madness of fishermen (or just me).

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  8. Hi Brian
    Wow, what a lunch break!! those Barbel are stunning. So the first half of the challenge is over, 100 lb's of Barbel from the Wandle....ok lets just stop and think ....100 lb's!!!

    Most of the Barbel lads on the (free to fish) Wensum are lucky if they get one fish in a season!! let alone 100 lb's worth!!

    That is one heck of an achievement!!

    Tight lines Brian

    Regs

    Ade

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