When I mentioned to Gary Knowles (Barney Ribble), our resident superstar specialist angler, the problems of getting rods to Canada for my upcoming carp fishing holiday, he offered to loan me his hard carry-case for the trip. So we arranged to meet up and have a session on the Ribble when I picked up the case. 
As Gary had booked me a guest ticket on one of the more exclusive stretches of the river, I combed my hair, brushed my teeth and polished my tackle (oo-err) and we met at the river.
Those of you who remember Gary’s account of our fly fishing trip (see link below) may recall that we fished in the rain all evening. Anyhow, a similar prospect looked on the cards as we drove through the seven check points and 12 locked gates to get to car park.
As we walked along the river Gary was telling me how the most productive swims were located at the top of the fishery, although most of the swims looked promising compared to the more featureless water I’m used to fishing downstream.
We passed one swim about which Gary remarked, ‘that’s where I had the 10lb fish that’s featured in the Times this week, but we won’t fish here we’ll go further upstream.’
‘Oh, all right, we’ll leave that one for you next week.’ I reply. Gary looked sheepish and marched on.
The ‘chosen’ swims looked very promising, so we set up and proceeded to get some feed into our swims. ‘Gary the specialist’ hooked up a giant spod to one of his lovely new £ 170 rods and started to blast about two truck loads of hemp into the river. 
I asked about the spod, remarking that in his AT article he extolled the virtues of using a feeder to put his feed in. ‘I’ve left them all in the garage.’ Muttered Barney and continued his barrage.
Oh well, when in Rome, I thought, and dug out a spod and got on with feeding.
After feeding ‘Gary the Specialist’ asks, ‘Thomo, got any leads?’
‘Yes, haven’t you?’ I reply.
‘They’re with my swim-feeders.’ He admits. ‘But look, I’ve got some sunscreen.’
‘Great Gary, that’s really great.’ I reply, looking skywards at the continuing downpour.
To cut a long story short, I had one bite all night which on striking, I felt a fish before everything went solid. ‘Lots of snags in here.’ Smirks Gary, who then in short order pulled out a chub of 4lb 2oz and a few small chub and a small barbel.
At around ten thirty (after a phone call to my girlfriend, during which Gary ensured me that I’ll see some bedroom action sometime next year – if ever again) we decided to start packing up.
Whilst packing up ‘Gary the specialist’ saw a delicate little knock on the tip of his left hand rod. He crouched and on the next delicate nod of the rod struck into a good fish.
Right mate, that’s a fiver you owe me for telling it like that – now here’s what really happened. 
Whilst packing up his sun cream and blusher into his vanity case ‘Gary the specialist’ heard a funny scraping sound and swung round to find his rod three quarters of the way into the river – only his reel getting caught in the ‘V’ of his rod-rest saving him and his rod from a swim. On snatching his rod up he found he was into a good fish. A good scrap later he slid the net under a barbel of 7lb 6oz. After a quick round of photos, a very smug Barney and a very wet Thomo set off back to the car park.
As we got into the cars (after walking round half of Lancashire to findthe path back to the car park) ‘Gary the Specialist’ told me where I had gone wrong.
‘It’s all in the bite detection – you see.’ He explained.
‘I’ll try and bear that in mind, thanks a lot Barney.’ I replied.
Anyway we had a good night and hopefully I’ll see a few more fish in Canada – that’s if I keep my eye out for those shy subtle bites just like ‘Gary the Specialist’.
‘Right where did I put the sun cream?’
