First barbel on the pin

[lutra]

Ive had a nice afternoon on the Ribble with tigger today.

 

With both of us having quite recently obtained center pins and keen to spend the afternoon trotting with them, thats what we did. Neither of us are new to trotting and both of us had ABU 501's for trotting with earlier in our fishing careers. With the Ribble being my local river i spent a lot of time as a young lad trotting for chub and dace on it, but over the last 25 years barbel have spread through the Ribble and i seem to have gone over to fishing ledger rigs. My rods and reels have got heavier and heavier as the barbel have got bigger and bigger, so to get back to a bit of light trotting was a breath of fresh air for me. I only remembered last night i had lent my match rod to a mate two years ago, so had to get it back ( a sad sign of road my fishing has gone down).

 

On arrival at the river it was nice to see it carrying a hint of colour and a few inch of extra water (spot on in my view). Tactics were going to be different between the two of us, as tigger had taken the trouble to stop at the tackle shop and get some maggots and i had been lazy and just called in the spar for a tin of sweet corn. After a long chat about our fishing careers Tigger choose his swim, a shallower more pacey spot at the top of a long steady glide that i had settled on some distance (100yrds) away.

 

A generous hand full of corn went in to start with (20ish bits) just to get some bait down and on the second run through the float sunk away and after a nice hard fight in the flow, followed by it trying to get its head in the over hanging bankside vegetation a nice chub slipped in the net.

 

The Ribble chub have got bigger than in my youth when a fish like this one, that must have been around the 4lb mark would have been a really good prize. A few more runs through drip feeding 2or3 bits of corn each time had produced another smaller chub(2-3lb) when the heavens opened, all out and hide under the trees for a bit ( gone light, no brollies). Report from tigger was good to, he'd had a nice chub as well.

 

Rain soon stopped and we got back to it. A few more runs through and one more chub (1lbish) and things had died, I don't think putting the chub straight back had helped (they talk you know). Anyway a couple of salmon had caught my eye and i had my spinning rod with me. I won't waste my time telling you about that as there is nothing to report and it just wasted 30 Min's of trotting time. Back to trotting which had produced another good chub (3lbish) and soon after it i hooked something with a bit more power. It stopped deep and just plodded to start with then it was off on its travels right out into the river and Luckily up stream a bit. Boy that pin was nice just slipping away under my thumb, instant drag control with just the right amount of pressure on the fish, as and when you wanted it, i soon had the fish coming back to me. A couple of Min's of tug of war and i slipped the net under my first pin barbel.

 

Not the biggest barbel (3-4lb) by Ribble standards, but a lot more fun than it would have been on my usual kit.

 

Tigger was having a move as things had slowed in his swim and i think the barbel banging around in my swim had done it no good as a good time later id only had 1 more small chub (1lb) and the rain was back. So that was that and home time was called, but i think i will be back at it soon.

 

Sorry pic's aren't great, only on my phone.

 

Brian

Edited September 3, 2008 by lutra

[fruitloopy]

I wish I could have caught the Chub not to mention that lovely Barbel!

 

Either the River Nene in Peterborough is just not producing any or (and this is much more likely) my experience of river fishing means I catch nothing. I need to find a more experienced river angler to take me out and give me a few tips.

 

Well done though, fantastic effort!

[Anderoo]

Thanks for that, a great report Sounds like a very nice day. It's always nicest when you don't know what's coming next.

[gozzer]

Nice report of what sounds like a good session Brian.

 

Oh, and welcome back to real fishing.

 

 

John.

[lutra]

Nice report of what sounds like a good session Brian.

 

Oh, and welcome back to real fishing.

 

 

John.

 

Cheers john & the rest of you, it was good so if think i will have another go soon. And i think Tigger wants revenge.

[Guest tigger]

Super report Brian and good pic's to go with it. Considering you reckon your a novice with the Pin Bri you did just about as good as anyone could. What a great day it was good fishing and even better company ...........just wish I'd hooked the Barb........ only jokin m8 well done you deserved it Baggies your swim next time

[Guest tigger]

And i think Tigger wants revenge.

 

 

Yes as they say revenge is sweet

[lutra]

Super report Brian and good pic's to go with it. Considering you reckon your a novice with the Pin Bri you did just about as good as anyone could. What a great day it was good fishing and even better company ...........just wish I'd hooked the Barb........ only jokin m8 well done you deserved it Baggies your swim next time

 

Cheers Ian

[HOPPY4]

Lutra,

Great Fishing and CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

HOPPY4

[Chris Plumb]

Nice report - I love getting barbel trotting with a pin. May not get the real biggies - but way more fun in my book!

 

 

C.