Perchish?

There was something a bit odd about my first perch of the season; strange shape, wouldn't fit in the landing net and weighed 19lb 4oz. You won't believe me after the last blog post but I was genuinely targeting perch (little lure below) - but a new lure-caught PB and probably the longest pike I've ever caught - I'll take it! No perch.

Wye Week 13

Autumn has sunk it's teeth in; it's getting a lot colder out there and the water temperature is dropping fast - my thoughts are already turning to pike. Although, perhaps there is time for a few more barbel...

Sat 7th:	2 barbel / 15 chub / 1 eel	9 hours
Sun 8th:	8 chub	1¾ hours
Mon 9th:	1 barbel / 3 chub	1½ hours
Wed 11th:	6 barbel / 8 chub / 4 eels	7 hours
Fri 13th:	4 chub	1¾ hours

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Nature Table

These are the pharyngeal teeth of a chub, locared just inside their throat, ideal for chomping up all the crap they eat - and the reason you never put your finger too far into their mouth to retrieve your hook!

Wye Away

James is spending a couple of days on The Wye, a different stretch than the ones I've been fishing so I thought I'd join him (although I only had 7 hours, not two days). And a bit of extra water in the river - could today be the day we found a Wye double?

I'll leave his day 1 to his blog - but I got off to a good start with an 8lb 3oz barbel pretty quickly - luncheon meat doing the trick. Next up was a season best at 9lb 4oz, before a lull in the action. A feeding spell later added four more barbel to 8lb 15oz - plus 8 chub and 4 eels.

Cracking few hours fishing, over far too quickly, but I really hope they stay on the feed now. James is back today, fishing as I type this I'm sure - hopefully get a call later when he has a double in the net - on the off chance you're reading this on the riverbank - good luck mate!


9lb 4oz, best of the season so far.


8lb 15oz, nearly another nine.


8lb 3oz, six barbel, three over eight pounds - I'll take that!

Feb Five

Was pretty sure this chub was over the magic number - I even weighed her twice - but a few ounces under at 4lb 13oz. Biggest of the season so far - and I'd love to see her again in February or March. One of fifteen chub, two barbel and an eel. Cracking stuff!

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Been quite a while since I've mentioned James' 40 River Double Challenge, yeah he's still on a mission, click here to see what 107 hours on The Nene might get you - if you're lucky...

Wye Week 12

It's definately turning into autumn, the nights are closing in...


And the barbel *seem* to be starting to play...

Sat 31st:	4 barbel / 6 chub	5 hours
Sun 1st Sept:	2 barbel / 15 chub	6½ hours
Tue 3rd:	1 barbel / 2 chub	1 hour
Wed 4th:	1 barbel / 8 chub	1¾ hours
Fri 6th:	5 chub	2 hours

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Nature Table

A couple of butterfly photos before summer completely slips away...

Eat, Sleep, Fish, Repeat

Eat: Best of the season so far, 9lb 1oz...


Sleep: One of 4 barbel landed...


Fish: Plus 6 chub...


Repeat...

Wye Week 10/11

Think it might be easier to catch rubber ducks than barbel! Still tough going on The River Wye - but I'm starting to find a few - and it'll soon be time to start chucking a lure about in search of a rare Wye pike...


He doesn't fish often, but when he does Roger shows me how it's done!


Roderic release the rubber ducks..!

Tue 20th:	5 chub	2 hours
Fri 23rd:	3 barbel / 1 chub / 1 eel	1½ hours
Sat 24th:	2 barbel / 12 chub	5½ hours
Sun 25th:	2 chub	2½ hours
Mon 26th:	3 barbel / 10 chub / 2 eels	5½ hours
Tue 27th:	1 barbel / 9 chub	2 hours
Wed 28th:	1 barbel / 4 chub	1½ hours

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Nature Table

Slim pickings for the Nature Table this week - but there are plenty of Ground Beetles about (and a few new hawk moth caterpillars).

Out Chubbing

Well if the barbel won't play I'll just enjoy the chub fishing...


Five hours on the river, in the last of the summer sunshine...


Of course the barbel showed up - three of them...


And ten nice chub...


Biggest barbel so far, 7lb 12oz...


Wye beauties!

Ain’t Easy

Back roaming the riverbank, taking advantage of the extra water (it's running off quickly) - it's really not easy fishing but 12 good chub & 2 barbel - let's hope I've turned a corner on The Wye this season!

Autumnal Hope

I'm not getting my hopes up - but a quick 1½ hour mission on The Wye resulted in three barbel to 6lb 8oz, plus a chub and an eel. The conditions have turned autumnal and there is a bit of extra water in the river - they have to start feeding at some stage - don't they?

Verna Wilder (3)

Out in the bright sunshine - but the water was cold. On the Small River, floating crust was the method and again barbel were the target - but I couldn't resist stalking out a couple of chub and nearly a couple of small carp (unfortunately one came off at the net).

I wasn't in a rush - plenty of time for butterfly spotting and watching the kingfishers fishing. But when the fish you've been stalking sucks in that bread - time stops and nothing else exists. Nine barbel to 7lb 0oz, 2 chub and a beautiful little common. Followed by a bit of Deadpool!





¼lb, 7lb 0oz, 3½lb, 3lb, 1lb, (chub 3lb, 4lb 0oz), 4lb, (carp 6lb 4oz), 3½lb, 1½lb, 1½lb (5 hours)

Wye Week 9

The week on The Wye that wasn't - didn't fish it! Instead, straight to the Nature Table and some Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillars - including a green one - fantastic little (quite big) insects.

Devil Warren (2)

Another afternoon on the Small River - plenty of wandering about, plenty of getting stung & plenty of barbel. After a slow start, ten of them to 7lb 6oz - just what the doctor ordered!




3lb, 3lb, 2lb, 7lb 6oz, 5lb, 4lb, 4lb, 1lb, 3lb, 1lb (5 hours)