Feedback & Reports

Had heavenly storm????

2 Barbel

Hard work but wiggled some out near woods gate

5 Barbel

Arrived early in order to ready myself for a wet trudge over Heart Attack Hill to be met with a pleasant surprise  - a farmer was offering free lifts on the back of his quad bike, along with a 5 litre bottle of local scrumpy and a bacon sandwich!

Only kidding. 

Serious question though  - why does the directions make you go a far longer, far harder way to the beat AND through some poor blokes garden when there's a legitimate waaay quicker and far less dangerous route?

By the time I'd done the short cut over the hill and settled into a peg with some nice slack water, I was soaked.

Turned into a tough day, with a howling wind and occasional sideways rain. One bite resulted in a kinky* barbel of around 6 pounds.

Love this beat but it may be next season until I brave it again. Unless they put in an escalator.

(* kinky as in damage to the spine)

1 Barbel

2 Barbel

Arrived at first light and was into the barbel immediately. 3 nice ones around the 9 pound mark and one smaller around 7. All chub the usual 3 to 4 pounders. River was very coloured and rising. Had to leave by midday as river became un-fishable. When trees and dead sheep were getting washed downstream I thought enough was enough.

4 Barbel, 3 Chub, 1 Other

Day 2 … very blustery, overcast and heavy rain was forecast for the afternoon. Fished two of the swims downstream of the woods - challenged by the wind and constant stream of leaves hooking up on my feeder line. Stuck with same tactics of feeder with mixed pellets, ground bait and meat or boilee as the hookbait.

Absolutely nothing all day until literally my very last cast - saved from a blank by a stonking 9lb 5oz barbel. By the time I’d taken a photo and let the fish recover, the light was fading fast. Had a bit of a nightmare packing up… it was raining, a swan crawled up the bank and was sticking it’s head into my gear, the brolly pole wouldn’t unscrew from the tilt mechanism and all this whilst trying to walk up an increasingly slippery bank from all the rain… ended up walking back to the car with a half open brolly … I was quite warm by the time I got back. A most memorable finish to my trip.

…I will return

1 Barbel

As we all know…. It’s fishing not catching. Can’t really think of excuses.. bad angling.
Blankety blank ..blankety blank!!!!!

Fished the swim directly in front of you as you walk down the hill downstream of the woods. Nicely sheltered from a blustery wind. River had lost its colour, but it was mild for October, overcast and I was feeling optimistic.

The walk over the hill really isn’t a big deal - takes about 15 mins from the car park - just take it steady.

Barbel 4th cast at about 10:00 a.m. to feeder / meat. Then got snapped off shortly after by another fish. Went dead, so had a walk into the woods but I didn’t personally like the look of some of the fishable spots - just too tight and snaggy for my liking - definitely looked like holding points for fish.

Ended the day with a 5 lb pike which picked up a double fish meal boilee. Hung on until dusk, but sadly no barbel showed up.

1 barbel and 1 pike

1 Barbel, 1 Pike

Mild cloudy day, colour dropped out and caught most of the fish in the last hour on pellet and meat legering

4 Barbel, 8 Chub

A hard days fishing in a lovely spot. one chub caught on meat. Will be back next year.

1 Chub