Well. That could have gone better,

[Tigger]

2 hours ago, Ken L said:

They are healthy, clean looking fish that have recovered well from spawning.

 

Yes, i'm not sure if the barbel would have been having sexy times yet as they were only small, but if they were cock fish they were most likely having a go lol.

Edited June 22, 2023 by Tigger

[Ken L]

If I'm not too shattered after working tomorrow, I'll have a short session on the stour.

[BoldBear]

Nice fishing Ian

It’s nice being able to fish a river or stream and be fairly alone especially at the start of the season.

I myself am leaving the rivers and streams alone for the first two or three weeks of the season especially if it’s going to be hot and the water levels are quite low.

I spent last week on a holiday in NorthWest Wales so didn’t get any fishing in however the next few days we will be at our holiday static so if it is not too hot I might get a few hours chasing small Carp in the on-site pond.

Keith

[Ken L]

Here in the midlands, at least, the rivers are empty - even in the first week or two of the season.

[Tigger]

 

I ventured out on Friday just gone, reason was because it was nice and overcast and felt much cooler. The spot I fanced was a couple of large pools inbetween fast water which usually hold lots of fish. It was quite a long walk/about a mile, and most of the walk was through a wood on a steep banking. I had to bash down undergrowth for a lot of the walk so I was quite sure no one else had fished the place this year.  As I came out of the wood to the top of a sheer banking the river looked like paradise, I was expecting to catch lots of barbel , however, things didn't go to plan and in the first one of the two spots I fished I only caught dace.  I even removed my float added a link leger and touch legered, got a bite instantly but it was a dace!  I had about a dozen dace touch legerring and swapped back to the float only to catch more bloody dace?

The only way to get to fish the swim below was to walk down to it in the river. Even though I walked close to the edge it was all rocks varying in size from goose stones to boulders.  It was horrible to navigate over those stones and it was made even worse because they were coated in slime/algea. My ankles are black and blue right now!

Anyhow, first trott through this glide produced a decent chub, followed by a few more of a similar size.  I also caught some gudgeon, roach, lots of chublets and guess what, lots of those bloody dace lol.

I fished for a couple of hours but the skies cleared and that blazing sun came out which was my que to make the journey back to the car.  On the way back I must have stunk of sweat and I was constantly slapping myself trying, and succeeding in swatting horse flys which were intent on sucking my juices!

I was very happy when I got back to the car !

Here's the only picture I took which had to be taken mid river due to there being no suitable banking to take it...

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by Tigger
Can't get my picture on here.

[*Ant*]

But tell me............did you catch any dace?