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Anthony Pearson

Anthony Pearson

Senior Member
I've recently geared myself up to do some fly fishing and it's gone very well on a stillwater I have access to. However, today was my first sortie onto the River Nidd for trout and despite a tough day, with only one out-of-season grayling gracing the net, I did find several very promising features whilst wading in the water that previously were unknown to me.

Obviously fly fishing doesn't have to be undertaken to wade a river and not all rivers are shallow enough to be able to do this. However, if you do get the opportunity to walk in the flow, you will learn more than you would from any book or YouTube clip you might peruse. I did this a few years ago on a different stretch and the feature I found led to the capture of a barbel, that was at the time, only 9 oz off the then river record.

Good luck if you venture out but do take the usual precautions for your safety and well-being.
 
I'm flogging the Hants. Avon to death in hope of a big Spring Salmon. A 48" fish went over the Royalty weir into Winkton about 10 days ago, that's 36lb on the length to weight scale. Spring tide Saturday, I'm there.
Fly only at the moment, which is a challenge to say the least. Spinning from 15th May, shrimp from 16th June. So busy until 31st August with the Salmon. Got 3 last year.
Might get in a wrecking Conger/ Pollack/ Ling trip.
Sea Trout May-Sept, flyfishing at night.
Got a new bit of river to try October - March, produces 3lb Roach and 4lb Grayling most years apparently.
Might even get some Barbel fishing in.
 
Hi men,

Off to France a couple of times , looking forward to the reception with brexit going on :p . France is truely a fantasy land for anglers , and totally untapped for barbel anglers . A carte de perche gives you a years fishing on all public waters / rivers , im going to a lake in October and having a couple of days on the river Vienne on a holiday carte which costs €30 for the week , absolute bargain , and full of barbel ( carp for me )

I had 5 days on a big public lake in Normandy last October, 150 acres , and on the last 24 hours was the only one on it , all for €30 . With the ferry it was just like going to Cornwall for a break which can take the same amount of driving /time . Obviously France is full of the french , its so wasted on them :D:D

Hatter
 
I don't know if it's just that they aren't really fished for, but other than comizo barbel in Spain, all the pics of other European barbel I've seen look small and pale in comparison to English barbel.
You would think there would be plenty of lumps about considering most other similar species tend grow bigger.
 
Hi men,

A Vienne barbel , caught by some i know carp fishing , looks a minter to me , and almost certainly never been caught before . Iv not done much research on barbel , but they crop up all the time when chatting on carp forums , so would not take much to find great stretches . The area around Limoges is fantastic , im looking in a couple of weeks , and fishing in October so i will ask around and take pics , but the bits iv seen are to die for .

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A Vienne fish to someone i know carping .

Hatter
 
Mark Anderson said:
Hi men,

Off to France a couple of times , looking forward to the reception with brexit going on :p . France is truely a fantasy land for anglers , and totally untapped for barbel anglers . A carte de perche gives you a years fishing on all public waters / rivers , im going to a lake in October and having a couple of days on the river Vienne on a holiday carte which costs €30 for the week , absolute bargain , and full of barbel ( carp for me )

I had 5 days on a big public lake in Normandy last October, 150 acres , and on the last 24 hours was the only one on it , all for €30 . With the ferry it was just like going to Cornwall for a break which can take the same amount of driving /time . Obviously France is full of the french , its so wasted on them :D:D

Hatter
Click to expand...

I doubt you’ll get any grief about Brexit the French have thier own concerns. I drove from Calais to Brest in December and apart from a little chaos where the wife looked at me and said “get us the #%^* our of here” as the Yellow jackets blocked the road and set fire to a roundabout the 7 hour journey was uneventful, just road tolls, no cats eyes, thick fog and endless empty pitch black roads. Even the little one was well behaved.
Don’t forget your essential carry items including the HiViz.
 
Hi men ,

Seems I was a bit eager to get to the lake :p . To be fair the amount of times iv been blasting down there over the years iv done well.

20190403_103503.jpg


Hatter
 
Hatter, they must be having a purge, my brother just got two parking tickets from a trip in July last year !
 
Hi men,

Cliff , lots going on forums about it , im not moaning , i was speeding apparently, so iv paid up on their government app downloaded on my phone , that way i can pay next time strait away :eek:

Hatter
 
Mark Anderson said:
Hi men,

Cliff , lots going on forums about it , im not moaning , i was speeding apparently, so iv paid up on their government app downloaded on my phone , that way i can pay next time strait away :eek:

Hatter
Click to expand...
Just got a fine from last september. Paid on line.

Just been over for a weeks carping which turned into a (blanking) camping trip. No brexit issues whatsoever.
 
Just realised that not only is the closed season already half gone at noon tomorrow (April 30th), but in all likelihood it's less time till I land my next barbel than it is since I caught my last one. Good excuse for another glass of wine that is, even on a Monday evening.

Cheers everyone!
 
Really keen to hear more from the French trips.
Being in north Devon like I am im very limited to barbel fishing to a few 3-4 trips a season. However I've really been enjoying finding Stafford moor for some of their lumps. Got them up in the water in April and had an unbelievable day. My arm was wrecked by the end of the day. Fantastic sport not everyone's cup of tea. Also loved some of the 3ft red twitches I've had whilst finishing lead and pellet as close to barbel takes as anything.
Finally excited about fishing a pellet waggler next time I go. I have never finished one but really excited about a new method of fishing even after all these years. After that I'll be looking to get some tench somewhere haven't caught them for years.
 
Jon
Some years ago I lived in Devon, before I realised Barbel were a viable target. As you say Devon along with Cornwall is devoid of them. So Tench were my passion. I lived in Newton Abbott and spent some time fishing Rackerhayes ponds in the Town. Lovely venue, and some good Tench.

Along with my mate we we went shares on a 14ft boat to fish Dartmouth, fine until we ventured out of Torquay one day and were stranded after the outboard fell off!!! Much waving to the harbour resulted in the tourists (grockles) waving back, eventually we got a tow from the harbour patrol, and a telling off.

However the best times were fishing for Mullet off some rocky utterly dangerous mark with bread underneath a big float.Still probably my best most exciting thing in fishing.
 
Thanks Neil yes I've fished for mullet around here more on the fly though. They unfortunately don't shoal up like they do in other places and estuaries much more nomadic. Bass on the fly are more the go here hope to get it this season plus fly off the kayak. Newton abbot is a fair way from here 1.5 hours although I'll look the lakes up thanks for the heads up. I also plan to fish the river tone this season to and really looking forward to it.
 
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