|
|
| |
He is also a very keen angler, having come back to the sport in 1995 following a break of several years. In this regular column he will tell us about his progress as an angler – his thoughts about the sport, what he learns, the fishing trips he makes, the anguish, the humour, in fact everything he experiences as his angling career develops.
Pilgrim’s Progress – read it everyThursday!
The Severn Bursts Its Banks…But The Barbel Still Came Out To Play
As fishermen we are truly affected by the weather. Like many of usI take more than just a passing interest in the conditions, and theweather updates on TV mean more than ogling Sian Lloyd, Isobel Laingor Michael Fish (if you’re that way inclined). So when the big redtriangle and the words ‘Flood alert’ come up on the screen it spellsdoom and gloom to many anglers but, to me, it means one thing – headfor the lower Severn and fish for barbel.
|
|
| |
Rivers are like people, they have their own character, and responddifferently to the elements. There are some rivers I fish, forexample the Mease, that I wouldn’t bother tackling unless they’re lowand clear (ish). This is not just due to the species present(although that is a big factor), but simply that some rivers respondbetter to those conditions.
However, there are other waterways that not only hold their own,as far as floods are concerned, but they actually rise to theoccasion (pun intended!). The River Severn, and in particular thelower reaches, certainly fulfil the criteria necessary for a river tobe considered as a viable fishing option when the rains come.
Recently, it has definitely been a case of deja vu, as the wholecountry has been deluged with rain, which would have had even Noahworking overtime to get his ark completed. The weather gurus tell usthat we should get used to this state of affairs, as this is the waythat things are going to be in the future. It seems that the extremeweather of last winter is going to be the norm, rather than theexception.
The ‘Severn Below Worcester’
As October petered out I managed to do a couple of late afternoonsessions on the ‘Severn below Worcester’, which is getting to be aspopular a saying as the ‘Ouse above Bedford’. Fishing as I did, afterthe clocks had gone back, it meant that it was starting to get darkafter 4.00 pm. One thing I like about this time of year is the factthat one can fish for several hours into dark, and still be back homeat a reasonable time. The down side, of course, is that you need tobe at the water’s edge a lot earlier than you can get away with insummer, which is not always possible with work commitments.
On arriving at the Severn for the first session the river was welland truly up. Although it hadn’t rained for a day or so the water wasinto the meadow, which meant the river was at least twelve foot abovenormal summer levels. There would have been a time when, faced withconditions like that, I’d have turned the car round and headed forthe nearest stillwater. But not any longer, as I’ve found that floodscan produce.
Safety is THE factor!
As I do most of my fishing mid-week, I usually end up having thevenue to myself. However, on a stretch of water such as the lowerSevern, swim choice isn’t the be-all and end-all it is on otherplaces. Therefore, seeing cars on the car park doesn’t deter me, as Iknow there is always a swim that I can drop into that will offer anexcellent chance of getting amongst the fish. But in floodconditions, choosing the right swim is more important than normal onthe lower Severn. Certainly, as far as the fishing is concerned, it’scrucial to get into the right area. But, when the river is in flood,safety also becomes an important factor. In fact, it must become THEfactor.
It is important to give all rivers respect, particularly whenthey’re in flood. But having a sheer drop in front of you of morethan twenty feet, means that care and attention need to becomeparamount in the mind of the angler. Bearing in mind that the banksare usually muddy and slippery, one cannot be careful enough.Although I’ve been in the Dove a couple of times this summer aftersnagged fish, it is a totally different ball game to being knee tothigh deep in a clear, slow running river that one is familiar with,compared to the lower Severn (even when it’s not in flood).
And Knowledge of the River is Another
Another factor that’s important as far as flood fishing isconcerned is a knowledge of the river. If I’m fishing a stretch ofriver in high water I prefer to have an idea of what is underneaththe surface. Something as simple as that can save lots of losttackle, not to mention wasted time. The discerning angler will make anote of what the river and bankside vegetation is like during thesummer, so that come winter he isn’t casting into a bush.
|
|
| |
On this first session I blanked. But that is the lower Severn.Whilst the middle reaches have the quantity, if it’s quality one islooking for, then below Worcester (it’s that phrase again!) is whereto head for. It’s a simple choice, quality or quantity, as to wherethe angler decides to fish.
I’ve been writing a column in the newly launched Midland Angler,and have been getting a lot of e-mails concerning the Severn. Myadvice time and time again, has been that if one wants the chance ofa biggie, head south on the M5. (Or north, depending on where youlive, of course). But be prepared to have a low catch rate persession compared to the ‘barbel alley’ at venues such as HamptonLoade.
The Baitdropper
You can’t keep a good man down, however, and I was back on thelower Severn the very next day. The river had dropped about 4ft andwas now in its banks. This is when one has to be extra careful, asthe banks are now extremely slippery. The fact that the level waslower meant that the steep sides had to be treated with the utmostrespect. Choosing a safe swim, I started off by putting bait out viaa bait dropper. To the experienced barbel angler a bait dropper is afamiliar weapon in the armoury. But there are no doubt many beginnersreading this who are thinking, ‘What on earth is a bait dropper?’.
|
|
| |
There are a couple of photos with this article that illustratewhat a bait dropper looks like. It is basically a very effective wayof getting loose feed to the bottom of the river, particularly whenit’s deep and pacy, and loose feed would simply be swept away in thecurrent. The dropper itself is a very simple piece of tackle, thatcan be tied directly to the line. I use a separate rod, a 2.5 lb testcurve one, which means I can keep the made-up barbel rods intactwithout having to cut the line to tie the dropper on.
The loose feed (in this case, trout pellets, hemp, corn and meat)is put into the dropper and then the lid is closed and held in placeby pulling on the lead weight, which in turn then brings the hookedend down that keeps the contents intact. When casting out, thedropper sinks quickly to the bottom, and as the lead weight hits theriver bed, the hooked end is then dislodged and the bait isdeposited.
It’s certainly not something I use every time I go barbel fishing.If it’s at all possible I would prefer to deposit my feed by hand orby catapult. But there are times when one can’t do that, it’s thenthat a baitdropper gives confidence, knowing that the feed hassettled in exactly the place you intended it to be.
The Taliban Barbel Militia
Back to the session in question though. I fished with 10 lb line, and leads which were just right to hold the current, a 2 oz down theside and a 3 oz out into the main river. I was certainly a brave manfishing two rods for barbel on the lower Severn. If my tales from theDove about the Barbel Police make them sound harsh and unforgiving,believe me, the ones on the lower Severn are members of the TBM – theTaliban Barbel Militia. Some of these guys do not believe inmodernity and anyone found fishing with boilies, bite alarms or hairrigs should be beaten on the spot with a wooden rod. (Split cane ofcourse).
|
|
| |
On this occasion I fished with two of the above three deadly sins,boilies and hair rigs, but with no TBM around I was safe this time.The fish were obliging though. I hooked three and landed two. Thefirst was 5 lb 9 oz and the second was exactly 3 lb heavier at 8 lb 9oz. Not big by the standards of the lower Severn, but neverthelessvery welcome, particularly as I have had a bit of a lean spelllately.
So, when the floods come, as the weather experts are telling usthey will, don’t necessarily be deterred from barbel fishing a highriver. Do your homework, check that the river responds to floodfishing, take into account other factors such as temperature (crucialto winter barbel fishing), choose your bait carefully (big, smellybaits are a good starting point), but above all let safety take aprecedence in all your planning. Then, get out and see if the barbelwill come out to play, as they did for me when I visited the Severn.
The Reverend Stewart R Bloor
Sedgley International Christian Ministries
PO Box 1216, Dudley. DY3 1GW.
Telephone : 01384 – 828033
Web site : www.sicm.org
e-mail : missionscentre@sicm.org
