trottingdowntheriver

[theartist]

Thanks Bullet I was down your way last week in the land of Devon which features in my latest blog, where I tried something new, you're never too old to learn after all

Blennies & Barbel From Rock Pool To River

 

[bullet]

Nice, those little reefs round there can be very good for Bass, surface lure or live prawn.
Much better when the water isn't too coloured, however....which isn't very often!

 

[theartist]

A few more blog posts added this October,

You may have seen this one on the big roach thread but if not here it is
Trottingdowntheriver - Trotting Pellet For Big Roach

Two trips here - Beef With The Locals and Two Flukes on the Bank Are Better than None.
Trottingdowntheriver - A Couple of River Trips, One Lucky Escape and Two Lucky Fish

Finally another eventful day, police choppers, marathon runners and even bumped into Simon aka Peter Crabtree- Hertfordshires most wanted
Trottingdowntheriver - River Chess Rickmansworth

 

[mikench]

Great posts and blogs Rob. I like the tales of the cows. I meant to read them last week and put it in my dairy.

 

[theartist]

What with work and family commitments I am unlikely to get out on the bank much so there's only one offering for November.

Good news though it's from a guest writer and probably one of the most popular characters on the bank, just a bit of fun really although this could be the most definitive guide to anglering ever.

trottingdowntheriver-It's My River By Robin Erithacus Rubecula

 

[theartist]

After not going for a while over winter there's a few new offerings from Feb/Mar, It sure feels good to be back fishing

A Week on The Grand Union Canal

A Few Nice Canal Chub

Pond Perfection

 

[mikench]

I enjoyed them all Rob as usual. Well done to you and thanks. By the way the collective noun I made up for delivery drivers is a deliverance. That for a bunch of lawyers is a boring.

 

[dalesman]

Here's my blog if anyone's interested, It's quite new and a work in progress as I basically wanted to have some new (and old) stories immortalised in print for future generations to think........What an idiot

It's Just a bit of fun and all about not taking fishing too seriously, it features some articles that you may have seen on here with added content and will feature many more in the future that'll do anyway even if it gets very few views.

trottingdowntheriver

Book marked this blog

 

[theartist]

A few more blog posts for April, there was the snow remember that? A seemingly endless northwesterly blowing down the canal, and a frost most mornings, the sun threatened to warm things up but hasn't quite managed it and the crowds going back to the shops and leaving the canal (well sort of), all in all it made for some interesting sessions.

trottingdowntheriver - Snow in April A Canal Challenge

trottingdowntheriver - Two Types of Perch

trottingdowntheriver - Little Pond, Little Fish, Big Fun

 

[mikench]

Lovely posts Rob thank you.

 

[theartist]

Ok, What can we say about May? Well it was pretty wet and for the most part flippin' cold, everything seems to be late but we had some decent days out didn't we?

Started off with more cracking chub from the canal, they weren't pretty but they were as hard as any I've caught.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com Battling Brawlers

Got in the mood for the upcoming river season by starting a series recounting some of the days I had fishing 100 rivers, in no particular order this was a trip to the River Leam a couple of years back, it's fun remembering these trips.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com Tales From The 100 - No 83 The River Leam

Back down the club pond last Tuesday, hard to believe it was so cold given this bank holiday weather but it was, the fishing was good though, especially those cru's.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com The Last Cold Day In May

 

[mikench]

Three more enjoyable reads Rob; well done and thanks.

 

[theartist]

Here's June's offerings of piscary rambling. It would appear have rambled on quite a bit this month and seemed to use the word magic alot, but hey it's fishing and most the time it's magic right?

Title says it all but two contrasting trips where anything would do, it was the start of the river season after all.
A Subtle Start To the River Season

A nice morning spent on the Thames.
River Thames Marlow

Always welcome, the first barbel of the season never seems to disappoint.
The First Barbel of the Season

Good chubby day on the Warks Avon in wonderful countryside, it doesn't really get much better.
Trotting Pellet For Chub - Warwickshire Avon Magic

A couple of blog posts from just before the river season. A nice day fishing bread that worked really well.
Magic Bread on the Match Pool

Finally, here's a fun guide to what you need for those fishing trips this summer, if there's anything I've left out please let me know. Just keep an eye out for those nuns.
An Angler's Guide To The Fishing Road Trip

 

[theartist]

July meant a heatwave and hospital appointments for Dad, limited fishing opportunities as a result but It kind of makes you treasure those days spent together on the riverbank more.

Managed an overnight trip down the Severn early in the month, timed it wrong with the weather but there's worse places to be.
Beaten By A Big Brown Severn

With barbel fishing off the agenda due to flow levels it was a chance to remember happier times with dad, when we both caught our first barbel on the float back in the day.
Tales From The 100 - No 3 The River Colne

 

[barbelboi]

Interesting read Rob - I used to spend a lot of time on that stretch of the Colne at Uxbridge from the mid 1950s - late 90s. The barbel were introduced in the early 70s, although they should have been indigenous I never caught one there until the 70's......

 

[mikench]

Lovely tales there Rob particularly the barbel fishing with your Dad. My Dad always called me son and I in turn call my boy son. Well written as usual and a pleasure to read.

 

[theartist]

So August eh? Looking back it was a cool month with not a lot, but enough rain to stop the rivers becoming their usual summer trickle in places, not the usual drought and heatwave that's for sure. The fish seemed to like it too with them being in terrific condition both physically and on the eye on both running and still water. Took a while for the first blog session of the month then things seemed to happen thick and fast.

Mid August and I found some fun and games on the club pond.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com They're Taking My Lunch

Then a day trip down a brown weedless Severn, despite this the pictures do the talking.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com A Day on The Severn In Pictures

Back on a local river for some roach and barbel fun.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com Some Nice Roach At Last

A quiet session away from the crowds, naval warfare on a vast expanse of water, well kind of, fishing is what you make of it sometimes.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com Submarines and Battleships

Now that the holidays are over I'm looking forward to more river trips before work gets crazy, I hope they continue to be as eventful as they have been this year.

 

[theartist]

September - Really hot to start with and quite cold towards the end, nothing unusual there I suppose. Ending the month with no fuel meant a welcome return to the canal.

Started off on a mini break away, whilst you guys were at Boddington I was on a tiny river near my digs for the weekend.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com - River Alne Warwickshire

The following two days was hard fishing on The Avon, still fun though.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com - Child's Play On The Avon

Back local I had the river to myself and even went on the lead to get a barbel, shhhh.
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com - Changing Tactics For Barbel Save The Day

The usual crazy goings on from last week on the canal
trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com A Funny Old Day On The Canal

 

[theartist]

I notice this blog section is lacking content so a quick update for the three people that read mine

Been some great trips since starting fishing again in Jan including the joys of wetting a line after having covid, trouble with the yout' down the canal, almost blanking, succeeding in blanking, it's sure been an adventure almost every time.

The fishing has been good, the first grayling trip for ages, barbel over 9lb, a 2lb roach yesterday and er.....a mighty perch on the canal

trottingdowntheriver.blogspot.com

 

[mikench]

Lovely posts as usual Rob. Cheers.

Note to mods. Call them blogs/ articles/ posts or whatever, they deserve to be at the top of the page and not almost lost at the very bottom. Often I don't scroll that far down so am late at reading these excellent posts by Rob. As we are about to lose 3 feature writers , might i suggest Robs efforts and those of others replace them as features. They certainly deserve a more prominent position.