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Naming stretches.

My nephew caught a massive fish on the thames last season and took a picture in the dark,went back couple of times later same week and it was always occupied, ffs
Probably fishing in a hot swim to start with.
I know swims on some stretches of the Thames that I can hide myself away for Days on end and not see another Human being including boat traffic.Bliss
 
Ben, what was wrong with your back and how did you sort it ? I’m still suffering with mine and unlikely to be out barbel fishing for some time ☹
Look up 'McKenzie exercises' ... it's what my physio recommended to me after I had spinal surgery. Has sorted me out, and many others I know, on many occasions.
ATB
 
Now gentlemen, please. The season is not yet upon us. I wish you both a fantastic season and the very best of luck if you're fishing tomorrow (and if the river's within its banks). :)

What makes me laugh is that there's a Lee (Lea) thread running concurrently with this in the Barbel Talk forum that gives detailed swim info. A prime example (if there ever was one) of a conversation better done on the River Reports.

No one’s giving anything away in that conversation.
 
Agree with the general idea that many stretches on many rivers are pressured and do not need any peg-snaffling vultures "gegging in" (as they say where I come from), so names are generally best not named.

Just to point out though that some are not pressured, and need more fishing. So whereas i keep it secret where I fish on the Wharfe, I don't on the Nidd, as the NIdd is a fabulous river full of small-to-medium barbel that don't see enough bait for miles, especially not when you get more than 20 minutes walk from the parking, where the vegetation could also do with some trampling by anglers' boots, please.
 
The upper Lea thread is about very well baillifed club waters and club members are not at all secretive and almost always very forthcoming with information on club waters. That they are very productive stretches is not a secret.

It may not be a secret, Paul, however there are varying degrees of secrecy I'm sure you'll agree? I just don't see the logic in not posting this info in the river report, that's not available to non-subscribers. I have no vested interest in the Lea as I live in the NW. Tight lines.
 
To me it's indicative of the internal conflict in individuals. What ultimately is of greater importance in announcing a capture is the massaging of the ego, as opposed to the personal pleasure in catching such animals.
I have to say that such characteristics were quite a disappointment to witness in my final fishing years as the stretches and individual fish became commodities traded in exchange for someone's self inflation.
It really soured what I once enjoyed dearly.
 
It may not be a secret, Paul, however there are varying degrees of secrecy I'm sure you'll agree? I just don't see the logic in not posting this info in the river report, that's not available to non-subscribers. I have no vested interest in the Lea as I live in the NW. Tight lines.
The club has in excess of 2000 members, the Hot swims are regularly featured in the weekly comics. It's no secret that a lot of Barbel or Chub can be caught there. All you need is a membership and the ability to get up early in time to take part in the morning draw.
Not for me but I doubt any club members would be upset at what I've written, it's no secret.
Hopefully I've given a new club member some useful information. Any serious angler will fish the hot swims maybe twice and then go on to some more challenging fishing.
It's a bit like a commercial Carp fishery except with Barbel.
The real challenge is avoiding the Barbel and targeting the Roach and Dace.
 
To me it's indicative of the internal conflict in individuals. What ultimately is of greater importance in announcing a capture is the massaging of the ego, as opposed to the personal pleasure in catching such animals.
I have to say that such characteristics were quite a disappointment to witness in my final fishing years as the stretches and individual fish became commodities traded in exchange for someone's self inflation.
It really soured what I once enjoyed dearly.
You appear to have failed in your quest to "Retain the mind like that of a child" (Lao Tzu), Grasshopper.
 
You appear to have failed in your quest to "Retain the mind like that of a child" (Lao Tzu), Grasshopper.
Perhaps so, but it was disappointing to have experienced fishing the Avon when your typical holiday-maker could leave the wife and kids on the beach for a day, roll up with his flowery deck chair and catch some barbel. Similarly with some of the old boys (salmon anglers passed). It was a river that invited all types of anglers to experience it's pleasures. It became one that just suited the monochrome specialist, that just so happened to have 8×5 pictures of their last conquests.
 
Perhaps so, but it was disappointing to have experienced fishing the Avon when your typical holiday-maker could leave the wife and kids on the beach for a day, roll up with his flowery deck chair and catch some barbel. Similarly with some of the old boys (salmon anglers passed). It was a river that invited all types of anglers to experience it's pleasures. It became one that just suited the monochrome specialist, that just so happened to have 8×5 pictures of their last conquests.

Damian,.. I get your drift but many of those I’ve seen on the banks of the Avon this past week have been enjoying the beautiful Avon valley surroundings and regard a good fish as a bonus.
Like many of them I rarely put up pics of fish nowadays but would rather capture the ‘whole package ‘ as it were, in a pic.
I feel sorry for some who think Facebook is the shortcut to fame when they’re always asking to be put in the banker swim as they seem reluctant to put in the hours or footwork. It remains a fantastic river for those who appreciate it.
A bit more ‘monochrome ‘

843F44BB-2C14-4057-B221-998085AEAC80.jpeg
 
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