Elusive Barbel & A Silver Session.

I had a few hours spare after work this week and fancied a dangle on a river somewhere. Andre Boyne had kindly invited me up to a stretch of river he knows very well. So with the
“ Mighty Megan "
all loaded up I high tailed it up to the Ribble where I hoped to catch a barbel or big chub. . . . . on the float of course . . . . . 😉

My new Lofa which is now Andrews new Loafer. LOL

The weather forecast wasn’t good . . . .
RAIN . . .
but the river was not too high and was nicely coloured so things were looking good. Andrew was coming down a little later so I headed over to a fast, shallow stretch of the river the barbel liked to hold in at the moment.

 Andrew had already pointed this run out and I had tried it a few days before on a "Barbel Stick" snd a "Lofa".  I had some lovely silvers and a few trout but bumped a brace of barbel which probably killed the swim.

Silvers from a previous session ona barbel stick.

I was more prepared this time. The river had a lot more pace on today but I was ready for that. I had made myself a lovely 4 swan loafer just for this swim. I introduced some bait, let it settle, then stated to fish. I was on the pin to, my favourite way of trotting and I was getting excited.

My Okuma Aventa Pro Pin. 😉

 The float performed well . . . . .

 It just didn’t go under . . . .lol.
 Two hours I thrashed the water . . . To no avail.

Half way through Andy turned up. I explain what had transpired. . . . .

 “ Right “ said Andrew.

“ Time for a move Mike  . . . . I will go down stream to a peg I know. You go upstream to the deep pool. You should find some silvers there mate “.

We parted company and mooched off to our new fishing spots. I changed to my
 "Retro Sticks " and an Abu 704 Closed Face Real because I was fishing further out
and Andrew was on the tip.

Abu 704 Clode Face Reel. 😊

Retro Stick Floats

It was slow going for me. I had a nice dace straight away then nothing for forty minutes. I kept to my rhythm of feeding both maggot and hemp and eventually the fish turned up. 4 – 6 oz dace at first. A lovely fish in good nick. The roach were next to show mixed in with some tiny gudgeon and the odd minnow. I was getting a bite a chuck now and thought I would try the inside line just off the main flow. First trot down and . . . .

 “ BOOOOSH “

 The line tightened and started to sing. The Abu 704 started to spin wildly as the fish took line and bolted for the main flow in the middle of the river. Could this be a barbel ????? The Acolyte hooped over and held their, thumping occationally . I was really enjoying myself at this point. Thump, thump , thump. I could feel the fishes tail hitting the line and its dogged, weighty lunges for freedom. Under considerable pressure from the Acolyte the fish swam up stream, right under my feet in fact, where it surfaced and gave its self away with a flash of its lovely reflective bronze scales . . . . . .

It was a chub  . . . . and a good one. . . .

 Thirty second’s later she was in the net. I didn’t weigh her but she was solid, 3lbs ish I would say. I slipped her in my keep net for a snap later.

I had a fish every trot down for the next ten minutes but, unfortunately, I had to go home at that point.

My modest net in two hours.

I only had two hours on this peg and a barbel angler was fishing it before me. I wonder what it would be like fishing it for a good few hours with plenty of bait ??????

I took a few snaps, sent them to Andrew and toddled off home.

Andrew had better luck fishing on the tip. He messaged me later saying he had three barbel & two chub.  I think it will be a while before I can give him a little competition on his own his own turf. . . . . LOL

One of Andrews barbel.

 Thanks for the invite pal. I really enjoyed my mini silver session.

 “ I'll be back "

as someone once said . . . Lmao

Ps :

Many thanks to Stephen Gregson and the rest of the ribble lads for their help & honesty in returning my handcrafted bank stick by Graham Beddow that I accidently left behind Not often you see that kind of honesty this day and age.  Thanks lads you are a credit to our sport

A float is heading your way. Stephen 😊😊😊😊

Bank Stick by Graham Beddow

Until the next time……….

TTFN

Peanut.

If you would like to look at all of the hand crafted floats I make please click on the link below and it will take you to my float page.

http://purplepeanut007.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/hand-crafted-floats-float-making-by.html?m=1

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