My latest river session

[AddictedToScopex]

Just thought I would post about my last time out. Been a very long time since I did so

 

Myself and my brother decided to have a go at the usual stretch we go to when targeting the larger specimens. It is a stretch of the Ribble know for producing some very large fish.

 

We arrived at around 5pm and got our stuff sorted but I didnt rig up and instead opted to have a play with the lure gear instead. I have bought some really small 1" rubber shads to have a go for the perch. I made a few casts and then on the 4th or 5th cast I hooked into what I thought could be a pike. It went off like a train for a few seconds before darting around and pulling line occasionally. It was only when it was nearly to the net (the river was quite coloured) that I realised it was in fact a very large perch, by my standards anyway. I slipped the net under and then weighed it and it came in at 2.6lbs. A lovely fish for the river. I later moved the previous occupants nackered old chair! Shame I never took the photos as they really done do the fish justice at all.

 

 

I carried on casting after this great fish and had another perch of around 6oz. Then a few casts later I hit another biggie. It took off again and was so nice to fight on my light lure gear. I got it in and weighed it and this one went 3lb on the nose! A new pb for me. Again with the dodgy pics!!

 

 

 

I was really over the moon with this fish and decided to let my brother have a fish. He lost another large one near the net but then it went a bit quiet so I decided to sit back down and set up the barbel gear for the night. I cast in numerous pva mesh bags of pellets and then cast both rods in and sat back and enjoyed the sunset.

 

We fished for a good few hours with not even a knock. This particular swim is not one we usually sit on but we wanted to try something new. I identified a spot that had a very deep hole and cast into it with 2 mesh bags attached. I waited about an hour and then I had a very slow pull. I thought that it was weed as the current was very strong that evening and a lot of weed etc was coming down. I lifted into it and it just felt heavy. It took a minute to feel a thump and a kick and I realised I was into a fish. I knew it had to be a good size but wasn't sure what it was and the heavy flow made me think possibly it wasnt that big but was just using the current very well. I played it for a fair while and then I slipped the net under it. I lifted it up and me and my brother couldnt believe how big it looked! It was a huge barbel. I weighed it and it came in at 11.5lbs. Another new pb for me.

 

 

It felt like picking up a baby shark and I was elated with this capture. It was my second double figure barbel almost in as many weeks and after 4 years of trying. This stretch had really lived up to its reputation. in the end my brother blanked but I was really satisfied with my 4 fish. We went home around 2am as we were just shattered and we could tell it wasnt going to fish as well as we had hoped. Many had walked past us already looking beaten. Looking forward to the next time out!

 

 

[Tigger]

Some nice fish there Rick, with you fishing there I guess you let your membership go?

[AddictedToScopex]

Cheers Ian. No I still have it but my brother let his go as he couldnt afford it at the time. I have deferred it for this year as I didn't think I was going to use it much this year. I have applied to RADAC also as there is a stretch they have that both myself and my brother really want to get on.

[Tigger]

Oh right, if your not going to use it you might as well defer it. The spot you fished in this post is a cracker but it suffers from scrotes and if I fished there regularly i'd most likely get a dose of porridge for my actions .

[Martin56]

Lovely Perch & Barbel mate - My pb on both are around 1 1/2 lb & 5 lb.

 

The Actual size of the Barbel though (IMO) looks out of proportion, as is often the case - We are after all mere anglers - not professional photographers!!

 

It's very difficult to get the perspective right on camera.

 

Well done bud'. A monster in anyone's book.

 

It's not at all a criticism - just an observation.

Edited August 26, 2016 by Martin56

[lutra]

Lovely summer barbel Rick and a really cracking brace of perch for the ribble. Well done.

[AddictedToScopex]

Cheers fellas. Martin you are right that the camera never does the fish justice in either mine or my brothers hands. That barbel was an absolute brute and we were gobsmacked when it didnt go over 14lbs. I had had a double a few weeks previous that didnt look nearly as big and yet it was only one pound lighter.

 

Ian, you are right there. You do get a few rough ones but to be fair we havent had any trouble from anyone. Most just want to see how the fishing is doing.

[AddictedToScopex]

I forgot to add brian that i have found the average size of the perch in that area seems to be much larger than elsewhere. There is a small section which used to be a pebble beach which is now sand due to bank collapses that my brother calls the nursery. He has fished that but for 20 years and said it has always been stuffed with fry so i am guessing the perch hang around and grow fat on them. We were looking at some with our head torches and could definitely make out barbel fry and what looked like chub too but hard to tell at that size. We also saw tiny elvers and even a stone loach. Must be a good sign of the health of the river.

[BoldBear]

Cracking Barbel and Perch, nice one

 

Keith

Edited August 29, 2016 by BoldBear