Recent content by Neil Smart

My local Warks Avon has had less barbel caught of late than the time I have fished it, seasoned anglers are still barbleless in November. But you live in hope and when you do catch it really is special. Never fished the Trent, and to think as a young RAF recruit I did my square bashing at...

Just as well Mike😉

Then come down to the Warks Avon and see how you do. Not crammed full of Barbel like the over stocked Trent. But it is what it is, you can only catch them if they are there.

Yes very much a WA thing too.

I do know that sometimes little plucks can indicate barbel activity, and they might be just ignoring the hookbait, and a change to meat had in the past resulted in a fish. My sentiment was they wanted the main course not the starter. So yes very much so, those little plucks can be barbel.

Downstream always for me.

Warks Avon

It seems to be a Severn thing whereby fry in the margins do not show on the lower. Hopefully up stream they do.

For me river records are fine as a gauge as to what any river can sustain as to larger fish stocks. But just how many fish are returned without weighing and any thoughts of publicity? There are some weird folk out there that are hell bent on ruining not only your hot peg.

Very true Luke, and of course the real advantage of a longer rod is mending the line, but that frankly has never been that much of an issue with a 13ft or my 14 ft rod, and as you say the task of netting a fish or 'to hand' is a lot easier with a shorter rod. Still if it keeps us lot shelling...

Of course the 13ft rod is the template and is the choice of many for the reasons of ease of use and in the right hands will be as good as anything else.

Why put the welfare of fish at risk with braid? So much evidence that supports braid as being harmful to fish. The benefit of using the stuff is so minimal imo, it's just not worth taking the risk.

All my old stomping grounds Etienne, yes there were barbel stocked in Keynsham, probably found their way into the Avon, well certainly I would say, upper Chew too shallow imo. I am old as dirt, and used to fish Shepherds Boat House weir Keynsham before Barbel were a thing, trout and even the...

True...I also fished the BA and Chew, mainly Keynsham and c. Pensford for mainly trout.