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You have had a few days to start thinking it through so.....

Andy Thatcher

Andy Thatcher

Administrator
Staff member
You have had a few days to start thinking it through so the question is what did you learn last season ?

I used to love the few weeks after the season finished as it gave me time to go through what I learned from the season and start to go through ideas for the next one, that and start roach fishing.

Sitting here in Florida in 80 degrees with hummingbirds twittering around my feeders makes that time seem rather distant but make no mistake I am still hatching plans and wondering how this bait or that presentation would work out. Even finding swims that I spent years walking past that are now irresistible, but that is hopefully in the future.

My present is still mainly work, family and those brief stolen moments actually fishing which means about 5 or 6 trips a year it seems. Still have this urge to catch a tarpon from a local beach. Maybe this year, those that know me will know if it was easy I wouldn't actually be attempting it.

So did you discover a new swim, stretch or river that changed your season ?

Doubt it but was there any new bait or tackle that was a game changer ?

What was the highlight of the season ? Doesn't really have to be catching fish you know. The absolute highlight of my last season at home was watching a family off moorhens trying to get into a tree to roost. Had me in tears of laughter watching them fail epically to find a branch to grab on to as they launched themselves into the tree that overhung the river again and again. This in the knowledge my bait was 2 feet under where they were splashing down after missing said branches in a area I had spent 3 days prebaiting. Blanked but worth it.
 
I learned just how hard the Kennet can be and how rare it is to ever see any fish activity. Also learned to be wary of buying expensive syndicate tickets for a venue 65 miles away with todays spiralling fuel costs!
 
Really did most of the same things as I normally do ....blank, but did manage a pb barbel at a modest 12.14, and then next cast a 10.2 that was a red letter evening. But I am excited the Warwickshire Avon seems to be getting back to form and hope for bigger things next season.
The most exciting feature of last season was to fish a new water, the Arrow, I still havn't walked all the stretch but will in the closed season, and mark some likely looking spots.
Gotta keep the wheels turning.
 
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I hit upon a few methods that eventually worked well for me after months of failed experiments and at times doubting myself to ever catch a barbel again.

I re-discovered the joys of fishing with breadflake and had some clonking chub, roach and tench on said bait. So much so that it is now my favoured bait for big pit tench.

By last week I finally realised that I had failed miserably with all the pre-season plans of new venues that I was going to try after hours searching for them on Google earth.

Finally, after a late evening on the Yorkshire Derwent I was educated in recognising the differing calls of the owls in the vicinity, cheers Conrad!
 
i've learnt that catching a nidd barbel is hard work, after catching a smaal one on my first attempt in june didn't catch another all season, (maybe it's just me!).
but wherever i go to fish, just being out there in the peace, hardly ever seeing another angler is enough, if i manage a barbel then that is just a bonus
cheers, leon
 
Alex Gowney said:
12.14 is a pretty respectable PB Neil, I'd be very pleased with a PB that big
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Yep I guess it would be on the Cherwell Alex, now that's another nice River, I used to fish it many years ago Nr Kings Sutton, my in laws used to live right by the River so visits were always a pleasant experience:)
 
Found some good / nice swims, met some good anglers / friends along the way:D Caught a pb barbel, not has big has Neils 12lber - 10lb 12oz really chuffed. A new common pb 38lb 12oz:eek: Looking forward to next season, cant wait.
 
Hi men ,

Funny really , the same as Alex first post:rolleyes: .

Also dog friendly clubs are thin on the ground .

Also Richard Money can't pick his nose , let alone a good football team :eek:

Also don't do the London to Brighton bike ride / move to a new cottage and think it won't bite into your limited fishing time :(


Hatter
 
Strange year for me did a 11lb 6 oz of the middle severn but not too well after a big eel I wanted to catch already making plans and do my first night next month afer eels again.
 
One of my highlights this year was a kingfisher landing on my rod and sitting there for what felt like hours (probably about 5 seconds) whilst I was stood holding it (trotting)!! It then dived into the water and took a minnow from beneath my rod before landing on a nearby brand and knocking it back.

Absolutely breathtaking :)
 
My first season Barbel fishing and went for it from September onwards, this and setting up a company didn't have a chance to go as much as I would have liked.

What I achieved and learnt

Caught my first Barbel after an off relationship with fishing for 25 years and caught a few more after....nothing to grace the front page yet!...but thanks for the tips and advice everyone.

To not always sit behind a rod/rods but work at rigs, presentation and baits.

Try and get out a bit more on the bank and balance work, wife and kids.

Hummingbirds nothing quite as exotic but saw some great tits today
 
I learnt to trust my intuition, always follow a hunch (as the fellow said to me outside NotreDame cathedral). Self doubt costs you more fish than you could imagine. I stuck with my initial thoughts on swim selection and bait and tactics and was rewarded with chub to mid sevens and barbel to mid teens from the Thames, a tough nut to crack at the best of times.

Mic
 
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I've also learnt how hard the Kennet can be, and on the rare occasion of me hooking a Barbel not trying to drag it 30yrds upstream through fast water when i could have followed it downstream. I lost that fish which would have smashed my pb and i'm still kicking myself:mad::mad:. Roll on the 16th:):)
Mark
 
I learnt that not everyone on Bfw is helpful. That local advice is important, peg 40 on the kdaa water in Bewdley is good,and always take maggots to the Severn.
 
ive learned not to get to bothered how many fish i catch how big they are or how many and just relax and enjoy myself
 
I've learned the truth in something Lord Alfred Douglas very nearly wrote and Oscar Wilde learned to his cost:

"Floatfishing - the love that dare not speak its name"
 
My season was a bit average and, to be honest, it started to get to me.
Sometimes, it seems to be that the more you know, the less chance you have of catching. Sadly, the rivers I fish vary from being extremely difficult to impossible.
I love hearing stories of people catching "mug" barbel by the dozen, but, for me, sometimes, that's a good season.
My point has already been made by some. Enjoy the view and don't forget to smell the flowers along the way. It doesn't matter who else is catching what. Just get on and enjoy it for all it's worth.
Good luck to everyone for next season.

Jeff
 
Well said Jeff, it's what i have been saying for years, fishing is for fun, once the fun is gone it's time to pack it in.
Brian.
 
Jeff Edisbury said:
My season was a bit average and, to be honest, it started to get to me.
Sometimes, it seems to be that the more you know, the less chance you have of catching. Sadly, the rivers I fish vary from being extremely difficult to impossible.
I love hearing stories of people catching "mug" barbel by the dozen, but, for me, sometimes, that's a good season.
My point has already been made by some. Enjoy the view and don't forget to smell the flowers along the way. It doesn't matter who else is catching what. Just get on and enjoy it for all it's worth.
Good luck to everyone for next season.

Jeff
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Hear Hear clap clap clap clap
 
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