New Beginnings, Pt 1
Spring 2002, and a move to pastures new was in the offing. With my wife Jane, and 3year old son, George, I upped sticks and moved east to west, landing in Hereford.
The decision was taken carefully, and involved, jobs, houses, congestion, etc, etc as valid reasons for doing so, but also fishing. I had been lucky enough to fish at places like Adams Mill, and other stretches of the Gt.Ouse, but couldn’t see the attraction lasting. Having grown up in Bedfordshire, I knew the river well, but after spending the whole of my adult life travelling with the forces, I knew this was not the place to settle down in.
Herefordshire, on the other hand seemed almost perfect, cheaper everything, glorious countryside, no real congestion, close to the in laws (nothings perfect eh?), but most of all, it is situated in a barbel triangle.
The rivers Teme, Severn, and Wye, all within easy reach, and more besides. Even before we moved, I knew it was the right choice, and now I know it definitely was.
Since I caught my first barbel, on the Teme, at Cotheridge, in 1993, there was no looking back. I continued fishing for other species and branched out into carping, when the going got tough at places like the mill. To say, I was unsuccessful, is an understatement.
After the Teme, came the Swale, the Lea, and the Severn and two sessions on the Wye at Bredwardine. But I never really got into any sort of stride and my barbelling suffered as a result. Up until the start of the 2002 season, I had gone nearly two years
without a barbel!! My last fish being a PB of 9lb 6oz, taken on corn at Radwell , on the Gt.Ouse, on a wet October night. Always easy to remember your last fish, even if it was four seasons ago….
So, time for a change, and time to get sorted out and catch some fish. Previously I had always taken a fairly lacsidasical approach to all my fishing, but now I was ready to concentrate on doing things right, and that meant putting in the effort.
I began the new season on the Teme, exploring the BAA stretches, and generally finding the going hard. Despite of, or perhaps because of, trying different tactics on each outing, the fish weren’t reading my script, and I blanked through June.
Come July, and I found some fish. I had spent all day in a ‘beach’ swim fishing two rods in the deep water against the far bank on the bend. After yet another frustrating day, during which I had a couple of liners, but learnt next to nothing, I moved to a very snaggy swim just before the bend in the river. I decided to put a very light lead on and using boilies as bait, swung the bait into the main flow, and let the current take the tackle right underneath the snag. Within 30 seconds, the rod bent double, and the butt cracked me on the elbow. Shortly after I landed a barbel of about 5lbs, and managed to repeat the feat twice more, before dark.
I was elated, and left the river feeling very relieved, and realised I had learnt some very valuable lessons about bait placement, rig choices and more importantly, about thinking through a problem. What’s more, I had finally caught a barbel after such a long time of trying, that I got the bug again. This time though, it was serious…
I continued catching on the Teme, sporadically, as the water levels gradually lowered, and the fishing started to suffer. Although I didn’t seem to be helping by adopting my standard chuck it and chance it techniques!
I then had the sense to give the Wye a try (again), as although the glorious 16th was spent on the Wye at Breinton, it was an auspicious start, which lead to many lost feeders, in the rocks, and the discovery that the waders I bought in the spring, were no longer waterproof. So I contacted Dave Burr, and a gentleman called Ray Ellis, both of whom know the Wye very well. These contacts took place on the Internet. Dave through the society, and Ray on Barbel Fishing World. I arranged to meet Ray for a day’s barbelling at Bredwardine, and Dave promised to come along for a chat and to show me round.
Despite only taking a chub, that day, and Ray blanking, and with Dave rubbing our noses well and truly in it, by taking a barbel of around 8lbs shortly after arriving (well he should really as he practically lives on the river up there!!), that day set the scene for the season. It dawned on me that I should be concentrating on ‘my’ local river first and foremost, and that I could keep the Teme on the backburner. This way, I would really be able to get to know the river, as I could visit it almost every day, just to spend some time there, even if not fishing. Breinton Springs is 10 minutes away in the car, and has now become a regular jaunt with the family along that part of the Wye valley walk.
I received an invite from Ray, to fish lower down the river at Symonds Yat, with him, and due to an illness, I found myself beginning long term sick leave from work, I was presented with the ideal opportunity to establish myself on the river.
The stretch is fishable on a day ticket, and I joined Ray, and Steve on a gorgeous looking piece of river, which just screamed barbel. Just that morning, I had taken delivery of a new rod, a 12’ 1 & 3/4lb Insight RB. I purchased this to replace the Gt.Ouse specialist that I felt wasn’t up to the job of big casting and big weights.
I coupled the rod with the obligatory Shimano 5000 Baitrunner, loaded with 10lb mainline.
Ray gave me a few hints about where to find the fish, and I settled into a swim a few yards downstream from him and Steve.
Before long, we were all into fish. Steve had taken a barbel of eight pounds just as I arrived at the river, and along with Ray continued to feed and catch fish. This was Steve’s first proper barbel session, and he was understandably very, very happy.
After catching a couple of barbel to about 5lbs, the rod tip flew round, and I found myself attached to a heavy fish. Initially it stayed deep, and virtually stopped in front of me in the deeper water. It was just summoning up some strength though, as it then started to plough up and downstream, whilst I held on feeling very nervous indeed.
Ray, and Steve joined me, and we eventually netted the barbel. Big grins all round, as this huge barbel lay in the folds of the net. The scales stopped at 9lbs 8ozs, and I was a very happy bunny indeed. A new personal best, on a brand new rod, on my first time at this particular stretch of river. I am indebted to Ray for that barbel. He went out of his way to introduce me to the river at Symonds Yat, and to put me onto the fish, at the expense of his own fishing. He had already done likewise for Steve, and made two men very happy that day. Since then, I have become firm friends with both Ray, and Steve, and know that the generosity shown to us by Ray, that day is typical of him.
The swim was very productive indeed, and I fished it many times over the coming weeks, always catching barbel, most of which were in the seven to eight pounds bracket. I also caught the majority of my fish on boilies. A fact which Ray found very interesting, as he was unaware of anyone else catching barbel on boilies along this stretch of the Wye.
Then one sunny day in September, with water levels at their lowest for 25 years, I had another red letter day, catching fourteen barbel to eight pounds, and two chub. The latter stages of this day were witnessed by a chef from the local hotel. ‘Frank’, hails from Zimbabwe and up until then had no idea what a barbel looked like in the flesh. He sat patiently on the bank, and didn’t have to wait too long before, I had yet another fish. Despite the usual round of questions, regarding why the fish go back in the river and not on the plate, he was in awe of the beautiful creature I placed in his hands, and gently returned back to its home.
I continued to catch well from the river, and again took another PB. This time a chub of five and a half pounds. I was also on hand to witness a chub of six and a half pounds landed by a lady angler from Yorkshire, which came as part of a momentous haul of barbel taken that day by five anglers.
At last I had found the special place that had escaped me for a long time. I’ve learnt countless lessons this season. Some have been the wisdom passed down from others, like Ray Ellis. Others, I have learnt for myself, and my barbelling has changed for the better.
After an interminably long dry summer, the rains finally arrived, and October has brought with it the first autumnal floods on the Wye. Using my new found confidence, and knowledge, (I won’t use the word wisdom, as this inevitably translates to old age, sorry Dave, and Ray!!), I tackled the Wye in the first stages of flood, and after a couple of blanks before the river coloured up, I fished a swim at the deeper end of the stretch. Trickling, some bait behind a large rock, one rod length out, and dropping the hook bait into the tail of the crease caused by the obstruction, I caught three barbel in quick succession. The largest was six and a half pounds, but for me, the size doesn’t matter. It’s the approach that I adopted, that caught the fish. Rather than staying blinkered, I’ve opened my eyes and adapted my style when necessary, and have not been afraid to do something different. As a result, my fishing has improved, and I’m enjoying my barbelling more and more with each trip to the river.
All that glistens is not gold, as they say, though. The last few outings on the river, has seen it in many different moods, with the levels changing, dramatically in some cases. During this period, I have suffered the inevitable blanks, whilst others around me have been catching barbel. I wouldn’t mind so much, but fish are coming out of the swims I fish, and on the same baits I use. I suppose it would be boring if it was too simple though!
In a few months, the Wye has become very special to me, and I have started to understand her moods. Just like a good woman, I suppose, if you are patient and persist, then the rewards will be worth the effort. (That’ll earn a clang round the ear from the wife no doubt.) I suppose though, that like most women, I’ll never get to figure her out completely..
In the next instalment, I’ll continue to relate the rest of the season, and let you share in the ups, and downs of my new beginnings.