Sunshine & Pike

The plan was to head from The Wye to The Severn for a couple of days chasing the barbel and pike, but with the river bursting it's banks, strong winds and rain we rather sensibly abandoned the idea.

By Friday the weather had improved, with most of the large rivers in flood we headed for a smaller stream - a bit of wandering with a pike rod each - in the autumn sunshine - what a difference a day makes!

Action was pretty quick - James loosing a fish before we both banked a beautifully marked pike each. The day was made, and it didn't matter that we wandered about until dusk without another run!


Pike season opener, 14lb 10oz.


And James' first pike of the season, details on his blog.

To The Wye…

The postponed trip to The River Wye and me and James found less than ideal conditions! We had watched the high water roll down the river on various online guages - the river was flooded but falling when we arrived, and you've got to be in it to win it...

James fished two barbel rods, I fished one for barbel and one for pike - dawn until dark (and a bit) - and a couple of hours the following morning - for just a couple of small chub. We'll be back - but we will pick our conditions a bit more carefully next time.

We did nab a blank-saver barbel each from the Small River on the trip back to London - nice consolation prize anyway!

Got It!

Rare as rocking horse sh*t, and my new (short lived) obsession! A Small River bream, 4lb 1oz - fantastic!! Plus three little barbel, all on ledgered bread in the flooded river.

Cancer Man

All clear! Cancer free!! Words can not express how relieved I feel - as you can imagine. I was very lucky, it was caught early and there was a surgery spot open that I was eligible for. Aggressive treatment schedule but I was glad to get on with it - and get it over.

My Mum and Dad have been brilliant and my girlfriend has been absolutely fantastic - couldn't have got through it without them! I only told a handfull of friends (and you lot as I thought I wouldn't be blogging) - everyone has been great - thank you.

The Small River has been a godsend. I'm not going to lie; when I was up all night being sick and could feel my bones grinding together under my skin it took a lot of effort to drag myself to the river - but it kept me sane, and to some degree fit!

And I popped down yesterday - to get over my good news hangover... A couple of hours - and after watching the bream sniff my bait for 20 minutes - I bagged a few barbel - 6lb 12oz (above), 6lb 8oz, 4lb and 3lb - James even turned up for net and photography duties.

Lone Bream

When I was on the river last I spotted a bream - very rare on this river, in 13 years of fishing it I've only spotted one before. So armed with a tin of sweetcorn I planned to see her on the bank.

The water was pretty dirty but I cast out under a tree where she was hanging out before - and 15 minutes later the rod slammed over. A small common carp - I was convinced I'd hit my target for a second!


With the swim thrashed I decided to leave it to recover for an hour and went in search of a barbel - a wander about downstream and I found two, 5lb 2oz and 4lb 6oz - great stuff!

Back to the bream swim but the water was rising like mad - two chub found a bait before I was flooded off the river. I will be back when the water drops - and I can sight fish for her (or him).