Sunday 17 June 2012

Day 2: Umm... Go!


Afternoon, 6lb 3oz


Evening, long lean 7lb 5oz


Night, 5lb 9oz

Afternoon session, this time joined by Dan (who was ill yesterday). And a change of plan, instead of searching for barbel we baited a swim and waited for them to come to us. Kit was also scaled down as light as we dared - wasn't sure if they were on to me yesterday.

After about an hour I got completely distracted and was returning James' rod rest and having a chat a little way from my rod, I glanced round to see my rod hammer away - time to demonstrate the running strike! Fortune smiled on me the fish was still there and after a delicate fight on light line the first fish was in the net.

Dan held the barbel in the net while I quickly set out the unhooking mat, scales and camera. Then he hosted the net to the bank - the barbel was gone!! Fortune smiled on me once again, the barbel hadn't spat the barbless hook and was still connected, a brief fight before it was re-netted, 6lb 3oz, a cracking start!

We were listening to the football on the radio and at half time Dan decided to pop off and get some chicken and chips, while he was away I had a bite that tried to rip the rod into the water, he was back for net duties and a long skinny 7lb 5oz barbel was added to the challenge.

Next up Dan had his first rod smashing bite of the season, and hooked a fish that shot downstream and expertly transplanted the hook from its mouth to a snag... I was really hoping he wasn't going to repeat his run of bad luck from the start of last season!

We sat it out but pack-up time of 10.30 arrived (work tomorrow). Net, unhooking mat, scales and camera were packed up just in time for Dan to have another rod ripping bite, a fantastic fight and a 5lb 9oz barbel - he does seem to leave these things to the last minute...

Happy fishermen!

9 comments:

  1. And I should have mentioned, Dan guessed the weights as I weighed them:
    Guess: 6lb 0oz (3oz under)
    Guess: 7lb 6oz (1oz over)
    Guess: 5lb 8oz (1oz under)
    He's getting pretty good, I'll know who to ask if we forget the scales.

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  2. Great start Brian, the 6.3 is a beauty!

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    1. Thanks, it's nice to get a good photo in daylight. The 7.5 was a very spawned out fish, wonder what it weighed prior to spawning? They all put up cracking accounts of themselves though.

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    2. Nice fish. Bet it feels good to be back on the river bank.
      Paulos

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    3. Feels fantastic, was a very long closed season!

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  3. Three good fish keep it up. Wye dropping but not quite enough yet. Jane

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    1. I look forward to the report when it does...

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  4. Awesome blog...... your photos would look a lot better if you werent holding the fish out at arms length.

    will be ordering a book

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    1. Thank you. Read about fish photos recently on Idler's Quest, about holding them next to you, photoshopping in a nice smile etc... Not sure I agree, the fish is the most important thing in the photo (to me) and should fill the frame - the angler is just the bag of meat holding it up :)

      Hope you enjoy the book

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