Feedback & Reports

Tough day again following on from previous day but had a rather bizarre occurrence. Rained non-stop from first light until about 1300 hrs then turned into T-shirt weather until the sun went down. Started in Fallen Tree but moved to Meadow mid-morning. Hooked a slow moving powerful barbel first cast in meadow (snag swim) which unfortunately found a rock and my hook-link parted. Felt like a very good fish so wasn't best pleased. Moved to swim next to waterworks mid-afternoon (on Don's advice). Hooked a barbel on third cast and made sure it didn't find any underwater obstructions this time. When I went to unhook it there were two hooks in its bottom lip, one of them attached to my severed hooklink from the morning! It was mine beyond any doubt (I even counted the number of turns on my knotless knot as a final check). How amazing was that? I was using barbless hooks in case anyone is wondering so was surprised it hadn't dropped out. Two bites all day and both from the same fish. Took away the frustration of losing it. Was fairly convinced I had lost a double but I hadn't as it went 8 lbs 5 ozs. PS left my rod rests in the snag swim!

1 Barbel

A disappointing day. Arrived early and as it got light so the rain started and it hammered down for next six or seven hours. The River was low and did rise a faction but didn't really change a great deal. I tried numerous different methods and locations but nothing forthcoming. I baited some areas and fished a static bait and also tried rolling meat. My first blank.

Very little fishing done in the morning due to awful rain and debris pushing through, not allowing us to keep a bait out for any longer than a few minutes. Fished Lower Courtfield in the afternoon as Woods and Legg Meadow seem to have seen a lot of pressure so far this season. Fished maggot feeder resulting in 12 chub which were all between 3.5lbs and 5.11lbs. Really don't understand why this section of the beat is so under fished and don't see why barbel would not be there when conditions are right. Half of an eel on the bank above willow bush, I'm guessing was the work of the resident mink.

12 Chub

A tough day on Courtfield with only one of us catching. The first couple of hours of the day were spent in the Meadow for no result. A move to the woods produced a barbel of 7lb 6oz at lunchtime and another of 9lb 10oz just on dusk.

In addition to SE from Waterlooville's report.
He left just before dusk and I fished on until the last minute. Just as I reached for my rod to reel in and pack up the tip pulled round resulting in a 3lbs 9ozs chub. My only bite of the day.

1 Chub

We arrived on a very wet day, river was very low. We fished in the woods until Don came and told us we were fishing the wrong place My partner moved to where Don said and had 2 chub around 4lbs. I stayed in the wood due to restricted mobility, lots of line bites and nothing until 6pm when the reel just went off. I am glad the baitrunner was engaged, 10 minutes later I landed a immaculate 8.5 to 9lbs Barbel. Very hard day, fish very elusive. The access to most pegs is hard, travel light mostly on wet conditions.

1 Barbel, 2 Chub

Didn't arrive until mid-afternoon so missed the worst of the rain. Fished last two hours of the day in Fallen Tree swim and had a 5lbs 15ozs barbel on dusk. Looked comfortably bigger than a barbel of comparable weight so was surprised by reading on my scales. Nice to get one in such a short session.

1 Barbel

Enjoyable day with loads of small chub around but nothing big. Highlight of the day was my son getting a new pb chub. Then it rained, and rained, and rained...

10 Chub

3pm to 6.30pm, rain ceased. Wading and trotting maggot on Lower Courtfield just below little willow. 3 chub in the 2 to 3lb range and at dusk a further chub weighed at 5lb 10oz. Thats 3 chub this season from that swim just short of my target 6lb. Disturbed a smelly dog fox with one of this years release of pheasant in its jaws that hampered its flight up the steel steps. With black mink in area I will put back the electric on fence around our chickens and ducks!

4 Chub

Slow start with the first fish not caught until 1.30pm. Last 15 minutes of the day produced the best barbel of 10lbs 8ozs and the best chub of 4lbs 14ozs.

3 Barbel, 3 Chub