The next Premier Barbel River

[Neil Wayte]

The inner M25 mob as you cal them have the Kennet,ThamesLea and Wey so don't feel to badly for them.

 

[Alan Cooper]

Well said Neil! And I speak as a deeply "inside the M25 man," but it is a very long time since I fished the Thames and the Kennet and I have never fished the Wey. I wouldn't know where to start. As for the Lea - I'm still trying!

 

[DAVE COOPER]

The next big barbel is coming from the severn. I know because I'm going to catch it.

Postive waves.........

 

[Neil Wayte]

Hi Alan I'm not quite an inner M25 man myself but I spend half my life driving round it.I fished Fishersgreen yesterday(sat) and the river was well up very brown in colour and the tempreture was dropping during the day,42 degrees in the morning and just below 4o degrees in the afternoon.Not a single chub was caught but at least 9 Barbel up to 9lb 12oz but not by me I hasten to add.I will get one eventually.What does everyone make of that.I'd like to know because thats now 4 blanks and 650 miles of driving.
As some one said yesterday "now your paying for your Chub" and they aren't wrong.

 

[GrahamM]

Bloody weird at times Neil. On the Ribble a few weeks ago and it was freezing like the clappers. Couldn't get a suck from chub but caught a barbel on flake.

 

[Neil Wayte]

This was discussed yesterday the fact that in adverse conditions barbel get caught on flake,some said it was because of it's digestability but I reckon it's because nobody thinks there's a chance of a barbel so they all fish for chub with flake.As with every thing there is always a chance so when Mr Barbel sees a big lump of flake bounce past it's nose it eats it.

 

[Neil Wayte]

Alan there appears to be plenty of barbel in the RMC fishersgreen stretch of the Lea and the ticket is about ?45 so you could consider it for next year. If you have the chance to go mid week the venue is quiet so you have plenty of chance to roam around sight fishing for them. If you check out rmcangling co.uk there is plenty of information on both the site and the forum about fishersgreen. It is discussed most days with the locals give the river conditions and catch reports so you can time your trip to give you the best chance of catching.
If you don't want to join then I'm sure we can sort out a guest trip next season. It really is a great venue for an excellent price and the guys that fish it are all very friendly. Thats half the trouble, I spend half the day talking and not fishing.

 

[GrahamM]

That's a good explanation Neil, and most times you're probably right. But I often try flake deliberately for barbel but only seem to have some success when fishing it on the move under a float. And not very often at that.

Don't know why, but barbel seem to either want bread pretty desperately, or not at all.

 

[Alan Cooper]

Thanks for the advice Neil. The next time I visit it, I'm on my 7th blank at Kings Weir (8th blank in all!). I will consider RMC for next season and I'm also very seriously considering joining Reading DAA so as I can get back to that lovely river, the Kennet. And yes, it'd be good to meet up sometime for a fish - but I suspect that we will spend more time talking!

 

[Stewart Bloor]

Alan, is the latest picture of you the one where you fished in the worst snowstorm in living memory....

 

[Stewart Bloor]

Ah...you probably wonder what that last mail was all about (a picture has now appeared !!)...well, for some reason, only with Alan, all I got was a white blank. So now y'all know what I meant....

 

[GrahamM]

Can't keep away from blanks can you. Blanks on the river, blanks on the lake, white blanks...........

 

[Stewart Bloor]

I'd like to announce in public that my last trip produced 4 carp...so please don't bring me down to blankety blank level...

 

[Alan Cooper]

I thought you were referring to my light "earings" Sedge. I would post a picture of me with a fish (I promised Graham) but I have to catch one first!