I think the River Wye doesn't like me; it's been low for a while (pretty perfect) and with a bit of warmer weather I journeyed down with James with high hopes of a few barbel & pike gracing the net...
A flood before we arrived but it was falling. Nowhere near as fast as we wanted (or expected) - then heavy rain, gale force winds and a cold frost (not forecast). And then the water started rising like mad again!
I did manage a beautiful barbel of 8lb 13oz, no pike (not a run) and a few chub rounded off the trip. James did better, barbel in the dark before targeting the chub - but the river doesn't like him much either!
Edit: This is my 1,500th blog post!
That. Was. Hard.!
ReplyDeleteI did hope for more action so god knows how you feel about it, tough going indeed. Maybe next time I'll finally get the chance to see the river bed.
My garden looks like a car boot sale of fishing gear!
The Wye really hasn’t been kind this year has it!? High hopes dashed by the conditions - yet again!
DeleteShould have targeted the chub when the barbel weren’t playing, looking back on it. At least I didn’t miss the best bite of the trip, rip my coat and break my scales - oh yeah, I did all of that!
It will come good I am certain of it, I also don't think it will be my last visit there this season.
DeleteThe barbel are a big average size, plus they are getting to their top weight - just need the right conditions to bag a few - hopefully with a double in the mix!
DeleteIt won't be my last Wye trip of the season, I will get back up there to hammer home that double, now is the time we want to be on it, a summer double is a far tougher proposition.
DeleteAgreed, now is the time to bag a double - especially as we’ve found bigger fish. Just need the right conditions… We do seem to keep making it more difficult for ourselves!!
DeleteThe winter Wye is always a challenge. But you both caught which is very encouraging, who knows what is around the corner.
ReplyDeleteMy brother says ‘that river has never forgiven you for leaving’… It always seems angry when I return! But yeah, who knows if we can land on some nice conditions before the season ends?
DeleteWell done on the milestone, 1500 - that's some going. At least you caught, on my tough days a blank is the most likely!
ReplyDeleteComing up on 16 years of blogging - where does the time go? A beautiful barbel (even had spots on it’s dorsal fin - never seen that before) and far better than a blank!
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