A frantic nights fishing

Little did I know what I was in store for as I packed the gear in to Panto's car and headed to the river.

Tonight was one of those nights that you can only dream of (Well for me at least)

Once again I was to find the river in low conditions, though I have to say now that previous catch results haven't left me worried when I'm greeted by the river running lacking water.

I was to have my rod bent over in no less than 14 occasions tonight. I managed to land 9 of them. The ones that got away unfortunately made good use of a snag that has appeared in my favoured swim. A passing tree moved on by the previous floods perhaps? Nevertheless it's a bugger of a snag and once the fish has found it, it's nigh on impossible to retrieve it out of there.

I broke two PB's again. My new Barbel PB is 9lb 8oz and I also have a new Chub PB of 5lb 7oz. To say I was pleased with tonight's fishing would be an understatement.

In comparison Panto had a wretched night's fishing. Indeed he only managed to land the one Barbel. The fish god's were not favouring him on this session. I'm sure he will turn it around next time ;)

I'm still chasing that double, but I'm not bothered that it hasn't come yet, as by the crikey I'm having some great fun looking for it.

The one that started it all off

The new PB Barbel 9lb 8oz

9lb

8lb
A new Pb Chub, but not for long

5lb 7oz Chub the new PB

Panto's catch!

Sharing the spoils

Myself and Allan once again made our pilgrimage to the river. The river was low and not carrying much water.

It was a nice warm August night and the conditions felt right. I had a feeling that we would bag up and that's exactly what happened. Twelve Barbel to 9lb were landed and we shared the spoils by landing 6 fish each.

I managed to beat my Barbel PB by an ounce. So my new record currently stands at 9lb.]

A great nights fishing and I wouldn't argue if we had more like that

Allan gets amongst the fish

My new PB Barbel 9lb

I seem to be enjoying myself

The 45 minute feeding window

Allan and I once again made our way to the river. I was expecting the water to be low, too low in fact. I was wrong. It was starting to rise and was up around a foot since our visit a couple of days previously.

The rising river soon started to cause us problems. As the water started to rise it lifted a large bed of weed that would inconveniently find our lines with ease.

There was only one thing for it. We had to move, a bit of a hassle, but it had to be done.

Darkness was approaching and there hadn't been so much as a beep on the alarms. Suddenly Allan was in! I was left with the honours of netting his fish. I'd just readied the net in the water when his other rod was off. Oh dear! A dilemma. There was no other option than me having to take the rod.. A good fish ans I was into a hard fighting Barbel of around 8lb. Allan's other fish... a Barbel of around 4lb. Oooops! :D

The heavens decided to open, and I mean open, it absolutely lashed it down. I was seeking refuge in my day shelter when I caught sight of Allan with another Barbel. The bastid! This was technically his third fish. Due to the fact that it was still raining and heavily at that, we didn't bother with a photo. Where was my action? Was I looking at a blank? I did what any angler in my situation would do. I started to sulk and indeed question what the hell I was doing on a bank side in the middle of the night in monsoon like weather?

When I got a take and suddenly I loved fishing all over again, and being out in the rain was fun.

I had a good bend in the rod, so I knew I had a Barbel at the other end. A fish of around 7lb was photographed (just so there was something to look at on the blog) and released back to where it came from.

...and that was that. The rain got heavier and heavier and neither of us could muster another take. The feeding window tonight lasted less than 45 minutes, and was a little later than normal.

The blank saver!