PH1: Sausage Sandwiches

First things first, chuck out a couple of deadbaits and get the sausage sandwiches started! A very much anticipated, first trip of the season to Penton Hook. Dan and I were targeting the barbel and pike, Dan used luncheon meat and ledgered sprats, I used maggots and float fished livebait.


I lost a pike early on, then had a perch on float fished bleak, but the fishing was very slow. A few dace, small roach and gudgeon fell for the maggots, but the barbel didn't want to play.

Just after lunch (sausage sandwiches again) Dan hit a better fish but it escaped unseen - perhaps it was a barbel? I'd like to think so, but we'll never know.


I left Dan at base camp, traveled light and went in search of a pike but only managed to find a couple more perch. Might be a bit early for the pike.

We fished into dark but couldn't find a barbel and when we spoke to some locals we learned it has been tough all season, one guy was just finishing his fifth weekend in a row without a bite. And two others couldn't work out how many hours they'd spent for one barbel.

But we'll be back!