An evening on my local stream

[BoldBear]

This season on the rivers I have not fished before 4:30pm prefering to make the most of the evening times when the Barbel seem to become less wary and feed more confidently on the streams I fish and with it being the last weekend of August it means that the nights are drawing in and the evenings are starting to get a little cooler and soon I will have to fish more during the daytime; so I decided to squeeze another evening on my local stream while I still can. In a few weeks it will be back to fishing during the day.

 

I arrived at 4pm and found the swim that I wanted to fish was empty, which was a good start. There were three other anglers fishing a few swims away.

The swim was only around 18" to 2ft deep instead of the 3 to 4ft that is normal when the river is in normal flow but there were usually some barbel underneath the tall and thick undergrowth that hung over the water on the far bank.

 

I was using a shortish 8inch link leger with a half oz flat lead (see photo) so that I could hold a bait stationary in the hole on the far bank where I had caught Barbel before. I was using round punched garlic flavoured luncheonmeat on a sharp size 8 hook.

 

Because of the shallow water I could see a couple of Barbel occasionally coming in and out of the far bank cover and mopping up the tiny halibut pellets I had fired out with my catapult so I was feeling fairly confident.

 

I had the first Barbel at around 4:45 and it took the needle to 7lb 8oz (see pic below). This is the earliest that I have had a Barbel here this season, it was still light and sunny although slightly cooler and I remember thinking that perhaps the Barbels internal clocks had already kicked in as the days had got a little shorter.

 

The second Barbel was around 4lb (see pic below)so I didn't bother weighing it.

 

The Third Barbel pulled the needle round to 8lb 9oz (see Pic below)

NB. When I posted this in the wee hours this morning I posted what I thought was a photo of the 8lb 9oz Barbel but when I had another look at this picture this morning I noticed that the photo was actually one of the other shots I had done of the 4th Barbel. I must have forgotten to photograph the 8lb 9oz one after weighing it, Damn! and sorry about that.

 

 

The Fourth Barbel pulled the needle round to 9lb 3oz (see Pic below) which is my largest one this season from this stream so I bothered one of the other anglers to take the picture below with me holding it.

 

and the last Barbel was a tiny one of around 2lb. (see pic below)

 

It turned out a lot better than I had expected considering the recent weather and the extremely low water level.

 

BoldBear

Edited August 30, 2009 by BoldBear

[wayne baker]

Some nice looking fish there boldbear. I have been working the last few nights and notice a distinct autumnal feel in the air.

Edited August 30, 2009 by wayne baker

[Guest Rabbit]

This season on the rivers I have not fished before 4:30pm prefering to make the most of the evening times when the Barbel seem to become less wary and feed more confidently on the streams I fish and with it being the last weekend of August it means that the nights are drawing in and the evenings are starting to get a little cooler and soon I will have to fish more during the daytime; so I decided to squeeze another evening on my local stream while I still can. In a few weeks it will be back to fishing during the day.

 

I arrived at 4pm and found the swim that I wanted to fish was empty, which was a good start. There were three other anglers fishing a few swims away.

The swim was only around 18" deep instead of the 3 to 4ft that is normal when the river is in normal flow but there were usually some barbel underneath the tall and thick undergrowth that hung over the water on the far bank.

 

I was using a shortish 8inch link leger with a half oz flat lead (see photo) so that I could hold a bait stationary in the hole on the far bank where I had caught Barbel before. I was using round punched garlic flavoured luncheonmeat on a sharp size 8 hook.

 

Because of the shallow water I could see a couple of Barbel occasionally coming in and out of the far bank cover and mopping up the tiny halibut pellets I had fired out with my catapult so I was feeling fairly confident.

 

I had the first Barbel at around 4:45 and it took the needle to 7lb 8oz (see pic below). This is the earliest that I have had a Barbel here this season, it was still light and sunny although slightly cooler and I remember thinking that perhaps the Barbels internal clocks had already kicked in as the days had got a little shorter.

 

The second Barbel was around 4lb (see pic below)so I didn't bother weighing it.

 

The Third Barbel pulled the needle round to 8lb 9oz (see Pic below)

 

The Fourth Barbel pulled the needle round to 9lb 3oz (see Pic below) which is my largest one this season from this stream so I bothered one of the other anglers to take the picture below with me holding it.

 

and the last Barbel was a tiny one of around 2lb. (see pic below)

 

It turned out a lot better than I had expected considering the recent weather and the extremely low water level.

 

BoldBear

Nice write up and some very good pictures too. That little stream is a bit smaller than the 'stream' I had some success a few days ago, you certainly think things through, I too rack by poor old brain cells as to the feeding habits and patterns of Mr Boris, and have come to the conclusion that I still know diddly squat!! I have revisited the same area four times and had no barbel, but a few chub, but that to me is why I love fishing, you just never know.

See you caught on meat, I was just thinking I should give it a go this evening on the Teme, fish are not exactly obliging there at the moment, so perhaps a change from pellet might work.

 

9.3!! Great fish for that stream.

[Sam318]

what and where is this stream it looks an absolute belter, my dream stalking river. looks fantastic and screams barbel.

[Anderoo]

Superb! What a fantastic session, that'll keep you going for a bit!