Season Review 2023/24

Another season in the history books. One that saw a new PB rudd, a new river double barbel, a 120lb stingray and a 20lb pike amoung the highlights. Again barbel featured heavily with 206 fish landed, and only 6 pike, but overall a lot of cracking fish to look back on. So here's the fifteenth season review, written monthly as I went along...

June: I didn't wet a line in the closed season - but the opening morning made up for it - a double figure barbel before 9am! One of 38 Small River barbel in four quick sessions. The other highlight was rudd fishing in the boat with James - love that little boat. And not one, but two 2lb+ rudd to a new PB of 2lb 10oz - monster!

July: I took my Small River barbel total to over 1,500 and added double number 28 (recapture). Floating about in the boat I landed a surprise pike while rudd fishing. And two days on the Wye saw a lot of chub, plus three little barbel. The highlight of the month was a new river, Blackwater, barbel of 8lb 0oz on a tough rainy day.

August: Started with a fantastic trip to the Lake District catching carp from an old iron pit. A few local trips added 30 barbel to my season (Small River total now 96). I spent some time exploring the chalk stream & upper river with the stick 'n' pin - loads of brown trout, plus a 1lb 2oz roach. And I bagged my first 5lb+ chub of the season!

September US: A very much anticipated week-long fishing trip to America. Fishing with Paulos we landed 23 sharks, seven red drum, 3 jacks and a massive stingray on light gear. We also enjoyed a bit of freshwater fishing; catching blue gill & some fantastic bowfin - and those swamp pike (chain pickerel) were absolutely amazing!

September UK: I bumped into blogger Adam from Fishin' Impossible & helped him find his first Small River barbel. Back from the States and off to a private stretch of The Wye with James (who was filming) - seven barbel, including two nines to 9lb 7oz landed. And my first trip to The Severn produced a fantastic 12lb 2oz barbel on a tough day.

October: Autumn was reluctant to land, so a beautiful sunny day on The Itchen chasing grayling with bloggers Keith, Danny & James. An afternoon catching gudgeon on the stick 'n' pin also resulted in 8 mini species, including 2 rare perch & 12 mini barbel. Plus I added another Small River double at 10lb 12oz - SR barbel total now 135.

November: Winter arrived abruptly and with it almost relentless rain - most of the rivers up and down the country were in flood. Only three quick trips to the Small River all month - one of which was a blank! My first barbel blank there in 8 years - it was long overdue!! With the frost starting to bite I need to head out in search of pike next month...

December: A good start with a new river, Rother, pike - not a double but a kype-nosed beauty. Conditions then turned against me but I had high hopes for the Xmas Wye. Christmas Eve saw a blank-saver barbel at 9lb 3oz - then the flood washed down and put an end to the piking! Oh, I finally managed to scrape a win at the annual Xmas fish-off!

January: First session of the year saw another double barbel on the bank, my 30th from the Small River. I had jack pike from The Kennet & The River Rother - still seaching for my new river double. A trip to The Wye for pike and barbel didn't go exactly to plan - but a stunning looking 8lb 13oz barbel saved the trip (no pike!).

February: Started with a few a few trips to the Small River and 25 barbel to 8lb 15oz. The main event was a week on The Wye with Paulos (over from the States). The water conditions were really against us - but perseverance paid off eventually. Just two pike all week - but they were crackers - 20lb 0oz & 17lb 4oz of hard-earned predators!

March: The last 2 weeks of the season. Two trips to the Small River and 9 barbel to 9lb 14oz - taking my Small River total to 185. A trip to The Wye where hopes of one last pike were dashed once again by the floods - a few small chub & barbel saved a blank and took my season total to 206 barbel. Another cracking season - roll on the next one...