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Anglers mail article

Bob Edwards said:
I bumped into Pete Reading earlier.I asked him if he was staying late and he laughed.
I ve upset a few people haven’t i I think were his next words.Brilliant factual article Pete but some of the language and criticism mate.I think is what I said.He admits that some of the wording was provocative and told the Editor who apparently left it all in.So make of that what you want.
To be fair he was trying to get across that he didn’t agree with night fishing on smaller rivers like the Kennet ,Loddon etc especially in high summer when oxygen levels are at their lowest in the middle of the night and therefore leaving a captured Barbel at its most vulnerable.
Also releasing the fish at this time of day was leaving them vulnerable to predation.
I mentioned that a lot of people have no choice but to fish into dark because of limited time etc and he agreed that he used to fish a bit later himself when his time was more limited or if hed travelled a fair way.
Personally ive got a lot time for the bloke, given me a few pointers.
Anyway this is Bob Edwards signing off for BFW news

Joe regarding the Stef Horak confusion ive managed to find the article he did about the Severn it was in CAT October 2001 issue 2 where he states I quote “Then after we had baited up,we could then go back for the rest of our gear.This I believe was the start of the bait and wait tactics that I now use for my barbel .Like a lot of good methods it was discovered by chance.”
He also says at the end.”All these fish were caught in the early nineties”
The guy he was fishing with was Pete Kettel.
I remember when I read it thinking well I know people who were doing it earlier .Just found it not to necessarily prove me right but I was starting to think id imagined it .Also looking at the photos if it had been the late seventies early eighties he would look a lot younger.
Whatever happened to Stef anyway maybe he got that modelling contract he always wanted.Probably on a yacht in St Tropez giving David Gandy posing tips.

Miss the old CAT mags Stefs articles were the mutts along with Phil smith and the occasional one by Pete Reading

Love the old photos Neil great stuff

By the way the first session that I described we used feeders that day to get a bed down but it wasn’t long after that I started using a dropper.
34 years later and counting still using them

As for Martin Hooper Graham yeah he was a character I knew Dave Grafham who was the guy that helped him out when he had that disagreement with the canoeists. Apparently when the police turned up they looked at them and asked Martin what weapon hed used and he held out his fists and said “These”

Brilliant
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It's a bit rich of Pete Reading to use the vulnerability to predation to support his opposition to night fishing. He was writing articles condemning it when otters were still as rare as dodos.
 
David Chant said:
It was interesting to read that he uses 4 pints of maggots or casters and 4 pints of hemp. Swimfeeds it into a small area and waits for 4 hours until he sees a barbel fin and then another 4 until he introduces his bait! I know barbel anglers are supposed to have deep pockets and infinite patience, but that style of angling is not for me.
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This almost the exact same method I eventually employed on the BA from about 1981-85, with huge success. After moving to Bath in 78 I discovered the BA was a somewhat different animal from the WA at Tewkesbury, and I had to relearn the art of angling all over again. I was 23.
Initially I was fishing with standard link leger, with corn, meat or lob worm. Then discovered the amazing power of hemp introduced into the swim. A successful day would have been three or four barbel, plus a few chub, prech, bream or roach.
Of course I read the Anglers Mail, and always went through the match results printed in the back of the paper and was pretty much gobsmacked at the weights of barbel and chub attained in matches on the Severn. Right, this swimfeeder method would have to be given a shot on the BA I thought. I gleamed much useful info from the ever wonderful and informed Steve Curtis at Fish And Shoot in Bath. A bonus of being a regular there was the coffee and great banter. In addition, I met the extremely affable Pons. Hello Pons if your in here!
So now I was equipped with knowledge, bait (3 pints of hemp, 3 pints of casters and half of red maggot) and the required tackle, so off I trotted to one of the hot spots, which was the weirpool at Lipmley Stoke. Fishing at the tail of the pool where it shallowed up to the gravels before the bridge I catapulted in a pint of casters and a pint of hemp. I set up my rod (nobody fished the rivers with two rods then), cast in and proceeded to bag up like I had never had done. The flood gates had opened.
If I caught less than four barbel (along with a wealth of other species) over the course of a day's fishing, I could almost call it a naff day. So to this day, I can say that given the right swim and population of fish in it, ie not stuffed with small silvers, it will out fish any other method I have since employed.
And as for cost. Personally I wouldn't say that spending £15 quid on bait (4 pints of casters and 4 of home cooked hemp, max) for a days excellent fishing isn't overly expensive. In fact I would say that's excellent value.
I employed the same method on the HA to limited effect and the D. Stour at Throop with great effect. But here on my local Gt. Ouse generally it just don't do the same damage, as the population of silvers is so much greater.
Apologies for going slightly off piste from the lead subject. :)
 
Alex Gowney said:
Yes it is the owners sometimes who want no night fishing Phil, but more often it's a match orientated club committee who make the rules. BAA own a lot of their waters, Wasperton for example, and have no reason to impose a night ban other than because the committee members don't want to night fish nobody else can either. There is never any common sense or compromise with these people. Fishing could be allowed until midnight in the summer and 8 o'clock in winter. Nobody is on the water overnight and people get o fish the first couple of hours of dark.
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I think you've got it very wrong there Alex. Firstly I don't agree that BAA is a 'match orientated club' any longer ... in the 70's, 80's, and 90's yes, but now? Secondly, the BAA does not have a blanket ban on night fishing ... on some stretches it is allowed.
Besides complaints from local residents there are two obvious reasons why there are restrictions on night fishing though. It's true that the owners of those stretches that aren't owned by the BAA have often refused to allow night fishing, but a bigger problem is bailiffing. BAA bailiffs get enough grief during daylight hours, let alone what they get from the lager louts up Arley way etc. You must have heard them shouting and bawling ...would you fancy telling them, alone, in the dark, to pack up and go?
 
Chris Guy said:
This almost the exact same method I eventually employed on the BA from about 1981-85, with huge success. After moving to Bath in 78 I discovered the BA was a somewhat different animal from the WA at Tewkesbury, and I had to relearn the art of angling all over again. I was 23.
Initially I was fishing with standard link leger, with corn, meat or lob worm. Then discovered the amazing power of hemp introduced into the swim. A successful day would have been three or four barbel, plus a few chub, prech, bream or roach.
Of course I read the Anglers Mail, and always went through the match results printed in the back of the paper and was pretty much gobsmacked at the weights of barbel and chub attained in matches on the Severn. Right, this swimfeeder method would have to be given a shot on the BA I thought. I gleamed much useful info from the ever wonderful and informed Steve Curtis at Fish And Shoot in Bath. A bonus of being a regular there was the coffee and great banter. In addition, I met the extremely affable Pons. Hello Pons if your in here!
So now I was equipped with knowledge, bait (3 pints of hemp, 3 pints of casters and half of red maggot) and the required tackle, so off I trotted to one of the hot spots, which was the weirpool at Lipmley Stoke. Fishing at the tail of the pool where it shallowed up to the gravels before the bridge I catapulted in a pint of casters and a pint of hemp. I set up my rod (nobody fished the rivers with two rods then), cast in and proceeded to bag up like I had never had done. The flood gates had opened.
If I caught less than four barbel (along with a wealth of other species) over the course of a day's fishing, I could almost call it a naff day. So to this day, I can say that given the right swim and population of fish in it, ie not stuffed with small silvers, it will out fish any other method I have since employed.
And as for cost. Personally I wouldn't say that spending £15 quid on bait (4 pints of casters and 4 of home cooked hemp, max) for a days excellent fishing isn't overly expensive. In fact I would say that's excellent value.
I employed the same method on the HA to limited effect and the D. Stour at Throop with great effect. But here on my local Gt. Ouse generally it just don't do the same damage, as the population of silvers is so much greater.
Apologies for going slightly off piste from the lead subject. :)
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Chris, I don't disagree that Pete Reading's method catches barbel (in the right place at the right time). I will also concede that, compared with other activities £15 (or £20) isn't overly expensive. It maybe just that my boredom level is low and I wouldn't be able to wait for eight hours before I put my bait in the water
 
Alex Gowney said:
Yes it is the owners sometimes who want no night fishing Phil, but more often it's a match orientated club committee who make the rules. BAA own a lot of their waters, Wasperton for example, and have no reason to impose a night ban other than because the committee members don't want to night fish nobody else can either. There is never any common sense or compromise with these people. Fishing could be allowed until midnight in the summer and 8 o'clock in winter. Nobody is on the water overnight and people get o fish the first couple of hours of dark.
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Correct Alex, on a lot of our river sections members can fish (with night permit) until 23-30 until end of October and 22-00 from 1st November until end of season, some stretches can be night fished. You are correct in that it depends how the committee is made up, I like to think that Ringwoods is made up of different disciplines, until this season we had a match secretary on the committee but as the match members make up a tiny proportion of our members this is no longer the case.
 
David Chant said:
Chris, I don't disagree that Pete Reading's method catches barbel (in the right place at the right time). I will also concede that, compared with other activities £15 (or £20) isn't overly expensive. It maybe just that my boredom level is low and I wouldn't be able to wait for eight hours before I put my bait in the water
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I certainly didn't wait hours to put my bait in the water. I baited up, tackled up, poured a coffee and cast in. So probably half an hour between baiting and casting in.
 
Terry Harman said:
Don’t think there is anything special about bait and wait ..carp anglers have been doing it since the beginning of time ..It’s just observation fishing .. i fish to whatever I think the conditions command if I can see barbel I will stalk them. Fishing the upper lea recently I noticed the bigger fish would come close in just before dark so I started fishing 6” from the bank it was very successful it’s just a case of observation .. the bait and wait approach really needs a good head of barbel in the river would like to see how Pete would get on with that approach on the gt ouse
I take it it’s acceptable to fish into dark in the winter when it’s been pissing down with rain all day... people have been fishing nights since fishing began I’ve never read so much drivel in my life (apart from the Hampshire Avon study) as long as you are fishing safe no one should be dictating to other anglers how and when they fish
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Bait and wait is the only way on th gt Ouse nowadays 💪👍
 
Terry Simner said:
I think you've got it very wrong there Alex. Firstly I don't agree that BAA is a 'match orientated club' any longer ... in the 70's, 80's, and 90's yes, but now? Secondly, the BAA does not have a blanket ban on night fishing ... on some stretches it is allowed.
Besides complaints from local residents there are two obvious reasons why there are restrictions on night fishing though. It's true that the owners of those stretches that aren't owned by the BAA have often refused to allow night fishing, but a bigger problem is bailiffing. BAA bailiffs get enough grief during daylight hours, let alone what they get from the lager louts up Arley way etc. You must have heard them shouting and bawling ...would you fancy telling them, alone, in the dark, to pack up and go?
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I know it allows night fishing on some stretches which sort of contradicts many of your points Terry. If bailiffing is a problem, then why is it allowed on some stretches and not others? A reason I was once given is that the committee did not feel they could guarantee anglers safety while night fishing. But when it was put to them that guaranteeing safety as a concern had to surely apply everywhere, (i.e. including Fladbbury etc) there was no explanation. The rules are arbitrary, and the night ban is because a majority on the committee (and God of course) do not want it.

I wasn't aware of BAA bailiffs getting grief anywhere, not to say they don't, but I haven't ever heard of that used an excuse to ban night fishing on waters that do allow it. So in view of your points, a blanket ban would at least make some sort of sense if the reasons you put are valid. Over the country as a whole, how often do we hear of loutish behaviour being associated with people night fishing?
 
I know that if the BAA had twice as many bailiffs, their average age wasn't over 60, and many of them were willing to patrol at night (on their usual unpaid, voluntary basis) then several more stretches of river could/would become available for night fishing.
That said .... I do agree about 'the word of god' 😂
N.b.. how often is this matter raised, proposed, seconded at BAA meetings? It ain't.
 
Terry Simner said:
I know that if the BAA had twice as many bailiffs, their average age wasn't over 60, and many of them were willing to patrol at night (on their usual unpaid, voluntary basis) then several more stretches of river could/would become available for night fishing.
That said .... I do agree about 'the word of god' 😂
N.b.. how often is this matter raised, proposed, seconded at BAA meetings? It ain't.
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Good last point Terry, I am guilty of not attending those meetings either. But I have had a few phone conversations that strongly suggest such an effort would be a complete waste of time. Might be worth considering though.

I tend to fish Leamington waters more now and they also operate a night ban and what is deemed night fishing seems to be at the discretion of individual bailiffs. Last June 17th I was advised to be off the water by 10 pm. The sun had barely set, and it was "off the water" not "stop fishing". I know this is not the clubs official policy and again it would make more sense to have set times so there is no grey area between fading light and night. I may look to attend the AGM for this club.
 
I tend to fish Leamington waters more now and they also operate a night ban and what is deemed night fishing seems to be at the discretion of individual bailiffs. Last June 17th I was advised to be off the water by 10 pm. The sun had barely set, and it was "off the water" not "stop fishing". I know this is not the clubs official policy and again it would make more sense to have set times so there is no grey area between fading light and night. I may look to attend the AGM for this club.
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It's very frustrating with this huge grey area. I don't ever fish through the night (is it ever worth it?) but, I do really like to fish a couple of hours after dark. So in winter this could mean until say 7pm and in summer until midnight.
As previously mentioned, who's going to bailiff it after dark? I certainly wouldn't fancy it.
 
Terry Simner said:
I know that if the BAA had twice as many bailiffs, their average age wasn't over 60, and many of them were willing to patrol at night (on their usual unpaid, voluntary basis) then several more stretches of river could/would become available for night fishing.
That said .... I do agree about 'the word of god' 😂
N.b.. how often is this matter raised, proposed, seconded at BAA meetings? It ain't.
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Hi Terry.
It appears the BAA are pretty 'flush' at the moment, something the Secretary posted, so they are content in his words they must be doing something right. Of course Covid and people with much more spare time is a factor in increased subs. The general attitude is to bulk against change, but the complaints they have had regarding the state of pegs and tracks to fisheries is becoming such they can no longer ignore it. So, they are seeking contractors to manage all these issues, maybe they might consider factoring out the bailiff duties too?

If it has become as bad as you say, then it might be best served with a professional company, with all the protection and experience that brings. After all BAA controls some of the more 'colourful' areas, so it might be worth while, if it stops poaching too, would be well worthwhile. The unpaid volunteer effort works well with the National Trust, and the local Library, but we attract some of societies less obliging individuals on our waters.

Personally, I am not in favour of night fishing, and it does sound like a contradiction to allow it on some venues when others not. Certain considerations should be given to toilet facilities and waste bins where night fishing is allowed imo. However that touches on being a commercial fishery, so it might be best to scrap all night fishing and have some set summer /winter times to avoid confusion.
ATB mate.
 
Let us not forget the two issues that caused so much contention and response in Mr Readings article:

1. He accused night barbel anglers as being mindless, lazy, unthinking, monotonous, irresponsible, greedy, desperate to catch a fish and the act of actual of night fishing to lackluster (?).

2. He also stated that a fit healthy barbel would be unlikely to be taken by an otter or damaged by an otter, how insensitive is that, most us know a river whose barbel population that has been decimated by the otter .

In both cases he is talking absolute tripe, however his article on daytime sight fishing was informative and would help anglers new to barbel fishing, if somewhat repetitive from his past articles, but his natrual pomposity came through in the end.

I would like to know what he describes as night fishing, its it an hour or two into dark, or maybe an hour or two before daybreak, before work perhaps, or is it from dusk till dawn?

We were using the bait and wait approach on the lower Severn back in the late 80's and early 90's, this involved droppering in a few pints of hemp and a tin of corn into the swim, with a few hook samples and then waiting a couple of hours for things to settle down, we then hoped barbel would have moved into the swim as the luxury of fish spotting wasnt there in 12ft of water, however this was mostly done in the evening where we would fish till midnight perhaps. On the lower Severn it was more like"bait and hope" than "bait and wait"

No, Mr Reading did wrong here on a few counts, at best he could be described as pompous, rude, insulting and out of touch, at worse he is a deluded fantasist that has little to offer now to a barbel world that is in a continual state of change due to predation, environmental pollution and not forgetting the pressures of modern life on barbel anglers themselves, familys, kids, wives etc. all can erode into fishing time, you take what you can get.

Note to Mr Reading....."Show a little more empathy to those anglers who can't fish the crystal clear waters of the Hampshire Avon 7 days a week for the same fish, whose numbers have been significantly reduced by the murdering ubiquitous otter ..."
 
I think your last sentence sums it up Lol. There's many ways one can express a point of view, but if respect for others' view (and situation) isn't appreciated, and shown, then you deserve any negative responses you may get.
 
Lawrence Breakspear said:
Let us not forget the two issues that caused so much contention and response in Mr Readings article:

1. He accused night barbel anglers as being mindless, lazy, unthinking, monotonous, irresponsible, greedy, desperate to catch a fish and the act of actual of night fishing to lackluster (?).

2. He also stated that a fit healthy barbel would be unlikely to be taken by an otter or damaged by an otter, how insensitive is that, most us know a river whose barbel population that has been decimated by the otter .

In both cases he is talking absolute tripe, however his article on daytime sight fishing was informative and would help anglers new to barbel fishing, if somewhat repetitive from his past articles, but his natrual pomposity came through in the end.

I would like to know what he describes as night fishing, its it an hour or two into dark, or maybe an hour or two before daybreak, before work perhaps, or is it from dusk till dawn?

We were using the bait and wait approach on the lower Severn back in the late 80's and early 90's, this involved droppering in a few pints of hemp and a tin of corn into the swim, with a few hook samples and then waiting a couple of hours for things to settle down, we then hoped barbel would have moved into the swim as the luxury of fish spotting wasnt there in 12ft of water, however this was mostly done in the evening where we would fish till midnight perhaps. On the lower Severn it was more like"bait and hope" than "bait and wait"

No, Mr Reading did wrong here on a few counts, at best he could be described as pompous, rude, insulting and out of touch, at worse he is a deluded fantasist that has little to offer now to a barbel world that is in a continual state of change due to predation, environmental pollution and not forgetting the pressures of modern life on barbel anglers themselves, familys, kids, wives etc. all can erode into fishing time, you take what you can get.

Note to Mr Reading....."Show a little more empathy to those anglers who can't fish the crystal clear waters of the Hampshire Avon 7 days a week for the same fish, whose numbers have been significantly reduced by the murdering ubiquitous otter ..."
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Thanks for the refresh. What a pompous ass. :rolleyes:
 
Neil Smart said:
Pete Reading has done a lot for Barbel fishing and Barbel conservation, just feel we should cut him some slack here, it's his opinions of which he is entitled to voice without being condemned.
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He is Neil, but by constantly having such a negative attitude to how so many anglers wish to fish he is inviting condemnation.
 
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