Tuesday, 30 July 2024

Slimers


So far this season I've landed 11 Wye eels, mostly over a pound, two over two pounds to 2lb 9oz (above). When people ask 'have you caught anything?' and I mention an eel in my answer they always comment 'you don't see many of those anymore'.

Perhaps they aren't being caught as much on hair-rigs and pellet - but they are certainly still there. I like eels, and once they get over a pound they are fairly easy to unhook (photographing them is a different story) - and I'd love to see a 3lb+ eel this summer...

Saturday, 27 July 2024

Wye Week 6


I quite like these weekly reports, I'll go back and count up fish and hours over my season on The Wye (if I stick with the reports).

 Sunday 21st:5 barbel / 3 chub / 1 eel6 hours
 Monday 22nd:2 barbel / 2 chub / 2 eels2 hours
 Tuesday 23rd:4 chub2 hours
 Thursday 25th:0 perch (1 chub)2 hours
 Friday 26th:1 barbel / 6 chub2 hours

And I really like the fact the barbel have started to feed - bit flaky but getting better! And who said there are no eels in The Wye?





Nature Table #6


I've seen a few Wombles scurrying about - but this one stopped long enough to get a photo - got to love Wombles!

Monday, 22 July 2024

Waking Up?


Perhaps the Wye barbel are finally starting to wake up - just in time for Adam's trip, oh, and James' first Wye trip of the season. Five barbel to 7lb 9oz, plus three chub and an eel. And as a bonus I spotted an upper-double pike. Let's hope they keep feeding...




Saturday, 20 July 2024

Wye Week 5


Well it's still not going off...

 Sunday 14th:1 barbel / 3 chub / 4 eels5 hours
 Wednesday 17th:6 chub1½ hours


Nature Table #5


Beautiful Brimstone Moth, first one I've seen (I think).


Tiny metallic alien helicopter (Banded Demoiselle).


I can see you (Slow Worm).

Saturday, 13 July 2024

Wye Week 4


This is not the new format of the blog, if and when I start catching I'll start blogging session by session again - but only one barbel again this week, still waiting for them to wake up and go on the feed!

 Saturday 6th:1 barbel / 5 chub4 hours
 Sunday 7th:4 chub4 hours
 Thursday 11th:1 chub2 hours

It's got to start happening soon - hasn't it? Still it's great being back on The Wye. Although perhaps I'd have been better off shark fishing with Paulos & Roger (with a 7' 7" lemon on Tuesday, top photo).


Reminding me what they look like, 6lb 0oz.


Plenty of chub, but not the monsters I've seen drifting about.


Nature Table #4


Identify the skull No 1: Starting with an easy one...

Saturday, 6 July 2024

Wye Week 3


When are the barbel going to start feeding? Had a small one on Sunday, then lost one about 8lb - then three wallies waded into my swim and that ended that! *Wallies with fishing rods, not anglers!!

 Sunday 30th:1 barbel / 3 chub4 hours
 Thursday 4 July:3 chub1¾ hours

Haven't put much time in this week, 2 evening were rained-off - don't mind fishing in the rain but not when the fish don't want to play... Hopefully head out later before the football - come on barbel!


Nature Table #3


Details were scarce, but back in the 1980's (possibly 90's) a monster Wye pike was caught in Lydbrook - sadly it was killed and eaten and it's head hung on a nail in a woodshed on the riverbank.

I remember the story from when I was a kid - but there's no way I could track it down - and no way it still existed. Well a bit of research, a tiny bit of B&E, and there it was, covered in sawdust and mouse sh*t.

Apparently it was 31lb, 4½ foot long, fisherman unknown. Was this the pike I dreamed of when I was a kid? I put it back on the nail. I have seen a secret video of a Wye 30 caught last year - perhaps this year..?