Jack Pyke

On Tuesday I took my barbel gear with me to The Royalty - but with pike involved was I ever going to cast out a barbel bait? Nope, just carried the unopened tin of meat about all day!

So yesterday after waiting in for a delivery - a new pair of thermal Jack Pyke wellies (it's going to be a cold wet winter by the looks of things) - I could manage just over two hours on the riverbank.

To cut a short story even shorter I landed three barbel; 6lb 4oz, 9lb 13oz and one about 3½lb plus a small chub. Unfortunately the nine was a recapture - man this fish travels - but still a cracking fight and a cracking couple of hours.