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What to do?

Andrew Richardson

Senior Member & Supporter
Right I'm determined to go fishing Thursday as I haven't been for about 4 weeks and can't go for another 2 week. But where to go is my question to you. My options are....
A. Middle Trent which is about 3 to 4ft up at the moment and will probably start dropping tomorrow (wednesday). Hopefully river temps rising.
B. River don which is also up 3 to 4ft but will be near on normal level by thursday. Hopefully with a bit of colour still and rising river temps.

Other thing to consider is the don is 20 minutes away and the Trent is an hour, but the Trent has a much bigger head of barbel so more chance to catch one or two on the feed. More than likely blank anyway.....but i'll not catch owt sat at home.
 
If you have a peg in mind Andrew go for the one that will fish best in the conditions. Failing that next week will be good. Full moon. Partial lunar eclipse and blur moon on Tuesday.
 
6.8 c water temps on the don today and had another mornings worth of rain in it. Anybody know what the middle Trent's like (temps, condition)
 
River Don Ferry.jpg
I hear the fishing on the Don has improved since I used to cross it with my mother on the old hand pulled ferry. In those days it ran black with pollution from the steel works and coking plant/slag heaps. I bet that weir in the background now produces Barbel as opposed to old boots and tin cans!

Good luck whichever river you choose.

Regards

Greg
 
From memory it is looking downstream towards Denaby and Conisborough, with Mexborough (Ferry Boat lane, with the Ferry Boat Pub) on the left bank and Old Denaby on the right . In those days (early 60's) to get from Old Denaby (where we lived) to the Mexborough shops, meant we had to cross 5 or 6 sets of rail tracks (on foot), then take the hand pulled ferry across the Don, and then have the lock keeper swing the lock gates so you could walk across (all replaced with bridges later in the 60's. It looks and sounds very 'Dickensian' and at 58 I don't feel that old!!! Well my joints do!
 
Christ Greg i thought that photo was from the 1900s. Ive walked all down that area (where accessible) and across the footbridge thats there now but i cant recall a weir. i ended up on the don today but no luck.
 
Andrew, I don't know the date of the photo (I found it on Google) but I would guess 1940/50's. I was born in Conisborough and we moved to Old Denaby in about 1962 (the ferry was the last hand pulled one in England). As a 3 to 5 year old I remember the ferry very clearly. In 1968 we moved to Bournemouth, so instead of 'Bolton Brick ponds' and 'Barnby Dun', it was Bisterne, Burgate and Broadlands! You're in good company, when conditions have been good I've fished about 5 sessions each on both the Stour and Avon for Barbel and my landing net and weigh sling are still dry.

Regards

Greg.
 
i bet they didnt know what hit em when your mob moved down there ;). as tha still got thee accent?
 
It was a culture shock for all concerned, down in Bornemouth Hampshire they made us read "Kes" at school, just to show how 'grim' it was up t north, they even took us to see the film. I said "ay op I wus born on that council estate", "it wurnt like that...it was much rougher". Times change as did I (got a Poole accent now), but I didn't turn into a 'Southern Softy', no offence leveled at anyone born south of 'Gods Country'.
 
"brian glover what a legend"

"Casper stop swinging on those goal posts!"

I think we've gone off topic!

Good luck next time out on the Don, Dearne or mighty Trent.
 
If you have a peg in mind Andrew go for the one that will fish best in the conditions. Failing that next week will be good. Full moon. Partial lunar eclipse and blur moon on Tuesday.
Do you think the moon phases affect barbel fishing as much as they are reputed to affect carping for example? I do both and have never really looked much into it against results to have a personal view
 
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