January

"My Fishy Tales January 2004"

by Malcolm Clarke

'This is part 8 of my diary that I kept of my fishing season 2003/2004'

01/01/04

Well being New Years Day and the usual amount of wine drank last night , that being far too much, along with the fact that exams are looming so won't be out for a while after today, (well that's the excuse I've given the wife).
Thought it would be nice to get out for a few hours and clear the head. Even though conditions are far from perfect.Decided I would have a few hours fishing the feeder that runs into the Taff, just for fun, where there's still the chance of a small Barbel or 2.
But thought I'd call in on the river on the way to the feeder just to see what conditions were like,
was pleasantly surprised to find the levels not too bad and the temps for the time of year could have been worst.
With no one else on the river just couldn't resist having a go so once again the feeder would have to wait as I'd been promising myself to have a go there for a while now.

Did on more than one occasion wonder about my sanity as even though the river conditions remained much the same for the 5 hours that I was there, the weather did take a turn for the worst and on more than one occasion I found myself holding on to my brolly and doing my best to shelter from the hail and sleet showers, that were now becoming more frequent.
As darkness approached did think, that maybe the feeder would have been the better option as I'd not had a touch on either rod.

Packing the one rod away, the wife phoned to check what time I was coming home, having told her I'm on my way, just packing up, knew my chances of a New Years Day Boris had gone.

Or had they!

Just as I'm about to put the second rod away around it flew and I'm into what felt a good Barbel, was not prepared for this as it was now completely dark and my head torch was in my bag, somehow I managed to hold onto the rod and fumble around in my bag for my torch.
By now though the fish had got itself into the faster water out in front of me, so this led to a tremendous scrap with neither Boris or myself wanting to give anything away.
Eventually the net was slipped under what proved to be one of the Taff's porkies, as although the fish had no length whatsoever she did go the other side of 8lb.

Now came the awkward part, having chatted to Ray and Silk this morning I'd promised them a picture of a N Y D's Boris, so decided to use the remote control that came with my camera for the first time, this will take a bit more practice I think, as the only way I could get it to fire was by using my mouth to activate it.

Still not too bad for a first attempt.

On leaving the river today couldn't help thinking that somehow this fish went someway towards making up for the disappointment of Christmas eve, although not the same size as the monster that I lost, the way I seen it, not just shouldn't I had been on the river today, but I had no right in catching in such crap conditions, but then some you do win.

10/01/04
Well with the exams behind me and 9 days of inactivity on the fishing front, was going fishing today regardless of conditions.
Gave Ray a ring at 7 am just to let him know that I was going fishing today whatever the weather, having had a number of blank sessions himself whilst I was busy, took no persuasion from me for him to agree to meeting me at the river around 9 am.

On getting to the river was pleased to find that the conditions were difficult but at least the river was fishable, but with the extra water once again we were restricted on choice of swim.
However we were helped by the fact we were the only two on the river, after 6 hours without a touch between us think we understood why this was.
Around 4 o-clock had what was probably the fourth heavy no torrential shower of the day and was getting to that stage where we admit defeat, when Boris came calling.

Luckily this was to me and not Ray, did my best though to let him have a sniff of it as with the extra water in the river, just could not stop her from making her way downstream and into Ray's swim.
Eventually I got her back upstream and to the waiting net, but even then it was proving difficult with the extra flow to get her safely in the net. Once again it was one of the rivers shorter Boris, but like the one on New Year's day this fish still went the better side of 7lb.

I moved down by Ray to release this fish as the flow where I was, meant I would have had no chance of holding the fish if she needed time to recover. As it happened this was not a problem, but the fish did sit in the calm water just below Ray's feet, so Ray thought this would make a nice picture after several attempts he just could not understand why he was having no luck.
Then just as Boris swam away I noticed he had the lens cap still on the camera, told him maybe next season we should consider joining a camera club.

This fish did have the usual effect on our decision about packing in, so we stayed for a few hours longer than expected, but could not manage anymore.

14/01/04
Was hoping to get up the Bib's today but with the conditions crap and Ray's Barbel Bus knackered decided to give it a miss, so instead thought I'd have a few hours on the Taff. Where I likewise found the conditions to be far from perfect.

So this meant I gave the wife a shock as for the first time this season I actually got home earlier than intended, did try a few different swims but with the extra water and the amount of rubbish coming down the river, found the fishing to be next to useless. Hope weather and conditions improve before too long.

19/01/04
At last conditions seem to be on the up, so was quite confident on getting to the river today, with levels back to normal for winter although not a great deal of colour in the river, it still looked the part. This was confirmed within 10 minutes of starting fishing, having put one rod out and in the middle of setting up the second rod, had one of those un-missable bites as line started screaming off the reel.
After what turned out to be a great scrap brought what looked every bit a double to the net, this was not to be as the scales stopped at 9lb 9oz, still being the first cast of the day did expect a few more.

Was somewhat shocked and disappointed that this was to be my only fish of the day as the way the conditions were it did look like I was in for a red letter day, still have the opportunity to get out again tomorrow so might do better then.

20/01/04
On the river today by 8 am, with conditions much the same as yesterday was hoping to get amongst them. Wasn't long before I was as some 40 minutes after starting had my first bite of the day, what a little scrapper this fish turned out to be, as on more than one occasion he had line pealing off the reel. Was shocked when I eventually netted this fish to find it was only about 4lb in weight, hope to meet up with him again when he's a bit bigger.

Just as I had returned this fish to the water the other rod whacked round and I'm into my second Barbel of the day, this fish proved to be a bit smaller at no more than about 3lb, but just as with any Barbel, was more than happy to have it on the bank.

With this being my third Barbel in two days and in the month of January, which more often or not is the most difficult one to catch in, knew my luck just could not hold out.
Sure enough it didn't, as it wasn't long before I'm into a much better fish altogether, having seen the fish roll on the surface knew this was going to be a good double. But never did get the fish to the net as my hook-length came into contact with one of the rocks that Boris had tried to seek sanctuary in, and sure enough twang! and say goodbye to Boris.

Still with me due away on Holiday tomorrow was more than pleased to have got amongst them the last few outings, hope this luck of mine carries on while I'm away.
Never know might just get me an out of season Marlin in Lanzarote (now where have I heard that before).

by Malcolm Clarke

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