The Thick End

Whilst the bacon cooked we tackled up, me Mike and (newly retired) Pete were sharing a day on the delightful river Wylye that runs through the Wiltshire water meadows on its way to join the Hampshire Avon. Its been a while and I felt quite rusty as I sorted my self out. I kept hearing Mike shout "The thick end!" and eventually cottoned on. Its been so long since I've fished I was holding the rod the wrong way around.

Anyway, with a belly full of bacon butties we set off to a new section (for me) and I settled into a glide above a sluice. It looked spot on but my trotted bread and maggots failed to get a response. Its the problem with grayling at this time of the year, they are often tightly shoaled and can be hard to find but, once located, they are dead easy to catch. Pete was beyond the sluice in a little pool and his rod seemed permanently bent.

I leap frogged past Mike who had found a few good grayling but my wanderings were rewarded by a solitary trout and the sole falling off my wader boot.

A couple of hours later we moved and I returned to a tiny pool on a tributary where I had a score to settle. Last time I fished it, a couple of years ago, I lost a good fish so I wanted a rematch and this time I came armed with those superb grayling hooks - the Guru QM1's.

Mike trickled a few maggots in and suggested that I fish close in rather than the attractive main flow. I took his local knowledge on board and tucked the float right against the nearside rushes in a little back eddy. First go and I had a small trout. Next 'trot' and I had what I had come for, a proper grayling. It looked all of 2lbs in the water but in the net I estimated it at about one and a half. It may have gone bigger but I didn't bring scales, they don't seem relevant some days.

More grayling and trout followed over the next half an hour before we had a tea and cake break. We then moved to the bottom of the fishery where a few coarse fish are on the cards. It looked really nice and I couldn't wait to run a small piece of flake through a slightly deeper section I had found. I only had one bite but it came from a beautiful roach that may have reached a pound in weight. To be honest, I was satisfied and went for a chat with Mike and Adrian, the river keeper. When I got back to my swim I knew I'd had enough, I ached from the exertions of the other day and a three hour drive separated me from a hot bath and a glass of wine so, rather than fish into dusk, I bade farewell and drove home fully sated.

Danny Glover

You know him, the black bloke in the Lethal Weapon films who played alongside the anti Semitic drunk one. Well, his catch phrase was always "I'm too old for this shit" and yesterday I had my Danny Glover moment.

Nicky and I were driving in Leominster when two yobs ran out in front of us carrying large bouquets of flowers. Their speed, an alarm and the shop assistant in hot pursuit were all indications that they had not fulfilled the standard prerequisite purchasing procedure.

They legged it down an alley so we had a drive around the other side and saw them disappear into some derelict buildings. By now I had reverted to my old instincts and after first checking they had not come around the other side, went to see if I could find them. I did and it was then that I realised I had made something of a schoolboy error. I didn't have a clue as to the name of the street or how to describe my location to someone sat in front of a computer screen in Birmingham. Whoops!

I bluffed it out and, when they reaised I wasn't going to leave them alone, one legged it whilst the other tried to vault a wall. Well, he was easy to grab but the momentum of him coming off the wall at a rate of knots was enough to make me tumble. I was then running like a fat lunatic after two chavs. Nicky had blocked their exit and gamely grabbed the tallest - exchanged a few pleasantries - but could not stop him from getting away. Seeing dearly beloved in the clutches of another man - on Valentines day - I increased my wobbly speed but before I could get there I fell ass over tit in the most spectacular way. They both escaped.

Police arrived, we found the shop where the theft had occurred and were greeted with the underwhelming response of "Oh, I never fawt we'd get them back". They even looked a little disappointed that I had bled on the ribbons.

One of the baddies gave himself up at the local nick and will have a 'Community Resolution' which basically means that he will have to apologise to the shop keeper - big bloody deal. Whatever happened to the stocks I say.

So here I am this morning, I've lost skin and gained bruises to my hands, knees and side and last evening my left elbow was the size of a cricket ball! Was it worth it? Yes. Little shits that commit what are deemed 'petty' crimes should be hammered as, in my opinion, the little crimes that go unpunished are the ones that effect society the most. Would I do it again? In a heart beat but and I really mean BUT, next time I'll stand back and let the current police officers do the difficult bits because I really am way, way too old for this shit.

Plans

I had some bad news in a phone call the other day. Paul Ashton rang to say that there had been a fish kill on one of my old carp waters. It is suspected that the prolonged ice lid on the pool had lowered the oxygen level to a fatal level and carp, bloated with gas, had popped up to the surface all around the water. To see those enigmatic fish distorted by death was sad and one wonders how long a water like that will take to recover. Still, its given the otters plenty of easy meat.

It has happened all over the country of course and this last winter will remain in our memories for a long time to come.

Still haven't been out. The river has had that green tinge which means tough fishing and the lakes are still pretty dire. My self imposed angling break will continue for a bit yet.

That doesn't mean that I'm not thinking about my fishing. I've been pouring my laptop and have been deep in preparation for the coming year. I have plans aplenty and they have been kick started by a visit to my new syndicate water. Now, unfortunately, there is a total publicity ban on this water so I will not be able to report from there. This is a pity as it is a venue that will inspire many words, it is quite simply stunning and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to fish there. So, if the blog gets a bit thin (again) in the summer, there's a reason and you'll just have to guess at the joy I'm experiencing ;-)

I've booked a trip to Castle de Tonio in sunny Spain for April. Nicky and I are going to mix a bit of sightseeing and fishing for a week, I only hope that its a bit more productive than last year when I was put in all the bad swims. I am extremely grateful to Senor Rocca for the use of his Iberian abode and promise not to treat it in the same manner that he treats his hire cars.

Castle de Tonio

May will see me in France for a bash at the rivers and I've bought a set of Harrison Chimera 3.25 tc rods for just such an occasion. Phil, Bunny and I are making up the party and are aiming for the Seine, well, you may as well go big and there's no bigger river in the country. I'm doing my homework and have picked out a few areas that look right for our needs. We will, however, travel with an open mind and should conditions require a rethink due to high water or whatever, then its just a case of driving on to plan b, c, or wherever feels right.

June is set aside for a trip with Nicky back to France. We intend touring and sussing out a few more venues for future exploration. I'll have a couple of rods in the car at all times ;-)

As you can see, I have been busy without actually wetting a line and there will be much to report on later.

For now, I'm looking at getting off my ass and wetting a line this week. I fancy a dabble for perch but I've got a horrible feeling that most of them have perished but there's only one way to find out. I'll also take some maggots along and try for some roach.

Seaside

I haven't wet a line in over two months! I'm beginning to think that I am cured. Its so long since I had a fishing 'fix' I think I've been through the cold turkey and I'm now a reformed angler. Not really, I've had a longer angling lay off. I once had chronic tendonitis (tennis elbow) that required an operation, that laid me up for about six or seven months! Now that was difficult!

My apathy and reluctance to sit in the cold were all forgotten the other day when I had news that I have a place on a syndicate that sounds like heaven. Three lakes with carp, tench, perch, roach and some proper crucians on offer. If that doesn't stir the blood then nothing will - let me at it.

I was kept busy during the Christmas/New Year period working on the 'Riffle' magazine, the journal of the Association of Barbel Fishers. I had to get reacquainted with the software and editing practices that I've haven't used for over five years but it came out okay and was well received. If you want a look at it then go to http://www.barbelfishers.com/riffle_issue1/ If you want to see the next issue, join up and be part of the group.

But for now I am having a bit of a break. Nicky and I are staying at my sister's cottage in the south of Devon whilst she and her bloke sun themselves in the Caribbean. I did offer to take her holiday for her but.....

Nicky loves the coast and it was a toss up between a house near the sea or a house near a barbel river back when we left Somerset. I won that one although, to be fair, it was a mutual decision but I am constantly reminded that 'next' (heaven forbid) time we go through the house sale and purchase nonsense, we will be looking hard at the edge of the UK rather than the middle bit we are in now. In the mean time we get our fix by playing Lord and Lady of the Manor in big sis's rather plush crib.

Hopefully, I will be back in the groove quite soon and those of you that visit the site will find something about fishing to read rather than a load of old waffle.

How to get a Korda sponsorship

Sorry I've been a bit quiet of late. To make it up to you here's a little ditty that sums up much of the angling world at present. It does contain some swearing so don't show it to your mum.

Enjoy :-)

Well, I think that the boys at Korda are a bunch of miserable, humourless buggers and just maybe the truth hurts. Ah well, if you missed it it serves you right for not looking in more often :-)

Happy New Year

As 2010 slips quietly away the change of date makes us all think about the highs and lows of the last twelve months and what the next twelve may bring. Not wishing to buck the trend I shall do exactly that.

I haven't recorded every fishing trip on here but my blog does carry the essence of what the year has been like for me. It has been, for me, a very slow year. I have fished less than in any of the preceding ten years and my enthusiasm for barbel has most definitely waned. To be honest, this process has been developing over the last few years but I have tried to fish my way through it. I should have known better, fishing should never feel like a chore.

In the past, when my interest has swung from species to species, I have just gone with the flow as it were. But this time no particular species has jumped out at me and demanded my attention. Not, that is, until I went to Spain. Seeing those carp of such monstrous proportions was an epiphany. From that day on I have felt the need to land something really big.

The trouble is, I don't want my fishing to be 'size' driven. I enjoy my carp fishing and will undoubtedly be doing a lot more of it during the next few years but this whole single minded pursuit of 30's and 40's in self defeating and always short lived. I want to be able to cherish each fish and to take from my carp fishing the same sort of pleasure that barbel have given me in the past. A stalked 10 pounder should always be a thrill no matter what the water's potential may be.

Nobody really knows what the next year will bring but here is my game plan should health and finance permit. I shall of course continue to fish the river Wye, it is just too beautiful a river to ignore but, I shall look for different sections to try along with its tributary, the Lugg. I shall also be looking for another stillwater. The lake I was on this year is, at three acres, just too small. I love the intimacy of a small water but its just a little too easy to learn its secrets. I need somewhere a bit bigger where the mystery of unfound deeps and unseen monsters can grow in my head and inspire me.

My main target for 2011 is France. I want to visit that most appealing country on a number of occasions and sample some of the delights of her rivers. Nicky will accompany me on some trips whist others will be boys only. Ultimately, my goal is to contact something massive and to enjoy the learning experience along the way.

I've made similar plans in the past, I've even made new year resolutions but not for a long time as all plans and wishes have a tendency to to be just that - a wish. There are many things that can alter my course but, for the time being, I do at least have a direction and one that I am really looking forward to traveling.

To all of you that have looked in on my thoughts and recollections over the last seven months or so, I thank you for taking the time and hope that you have in some way enjoyed the experience. I have especially enjoyed the comments and encourage them - well, most of them ;-) feel free to make them in the future.

Happy new year to all of you and I hope that at least some of your own wishes come true.

Christmas

I'm usually the one sat in the corner mumbling "Bah Humbug" but this year, for no apparent reason, I am looking forward to Christmas.

Christmas really is the season of giving and I can honestly say that I get more pleasure out of giving presents than receiving them, probably because I've already got enough socks. So here's a little gift to each of you, two of my favourite Christmas ditties from the Interweb. You may well have seen them before but I feel they are worth repeating.

Scottish Advent Calender