Squalius Cephalus

The underrated chub. Very often save a blank - and in this case six or seven of them saved a pike/barbel blank! Swans on the other hand - don't get me started on swans...

Twilight Chub

I'd love to say a break in the storm - but I got caught in it! Still a couple of River Wye chub more than made up for it!!

40 Days & 40 Nights

I need 17 more pike to hit my target of 50 for the season - with the best few weeks over February & the start of March to get them. But it hasn't stopped raining so far this year. The rivers are repeatedly flooding and have even swallowed the ponds & pits. We're running out of time.


With the elusive sun rumoured to be making an appearance I took my pike kit on a tour of the flooded ponds - without getting it out of the car! Back home I could see The Wye through the kitchen window - so I thought I'd go chuck a bit of Spam out and have a sit in the sunshine.


There was gold among the chub - a floodwater 9lb 5oz


And 8lb 1oz - not too bad for Plan B - beautiful afternoon!

Beautiful Blonds

The weather had improved so we headed out on our postponed cod fishing trip (plus I had my eye on a conger eel). Ten of us fished; a mix of carp anglers, course & fly guys - even an old piker. Great to be out on the water (Bristol Channel), and a lot of laughs.


The cod however hadn't read the script - and didn't turn up. In fact it was very slow going all day. But my luck was in - the fishing gods seemed to smile down - and managed 4 blond rays (didn't get a photo of the smallest) - these things really do fight in the strong current!




Boat: 10x blond rays, 2x (small) congers, 1x dogfish