Barbel Fishing With Andrew Boyne

I kicked of my river season yesterday on the Ribble trying out a new waggler plus a few sticks floats.

Traffic was good for a change as I made way up the M61.
I couldn't wait to see the river again. . .
that wait seamed like years....
!!!!!!

When I arrived the river was one her bones !!!!!

I had never seen the Ribble this low before !!!!!!

Most of the pegs were unfishable for me with the floats I wanted to use.

There was either no flow or too much pace.

I opted for a gravel run at the end of a deep,

virtually still pool.

There was more pace on my peg as it shallowed up to about three feet . . . at least it would move the sticks along.

As I was running a new stick float through the swim there was a massive CRASH !!!!!!!

I nearly jumped out of my waders !!!
🤯🤯🤯🤯

A fish had leaped clean out of the water and crashed back into the deeper part of the pool to my left.

I got a clean visual of it as crashed down the second time.

It was a salmon of around 10 lbs.

I had been told they were present but this was the first time I had witness their acrobatics first hand.

BRILLIANT !!!!

I was slowly getting into my rhythm.

Cast, feed and mend retrieve.

I was enjoying myself now and I hadn't had a bite yet......lol.
🤣

After 30 minutes of feeding the float buried

and I missed it

bugger
!!!!!!!

another bite

missed it again.

This happened for the next ten minutes until finally I hit one and I was finally into my first river fish of the new season

After a spirited little battle on light tackle. I landed a lovely Ribble dace about eight ounces.

A good start I thought and a new rod race point.
😁

The next thirty minutes saw me miss bite after bite after bite.

I have fished for dace many times in the past but I have never had a day like this.

VERY FRUSTRATING

to say the least

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had quite a few dace in the net at this stage.

I had switched to the waggler to try it out and was happy with the way it was performing, although, it was much too heavy for this particular run.

I was geared up for roach and dace fishing so it would be fun and games if I hit a lump.

The very next cast saw me do just that !!!!

As I dragged my waggler over the feed the float buried.

I struck from right to left and hit into something really big. I only had it on for about three seconds and my Drennan red maggot hook gave up the ghost and was bent straight !

I have no idea what it was, probably a barbel but a BIG ONE !!!!!!

I have landed them on these hooks to 6 lb in the past so it must have been a good one.
That lost fish seemed to kill the swim stone dead.
I never had a bite after that.

As I was contemplating a move a familiar voice shouted
" You had out Cootesie "
I looked up the bank to see who it was.
It was a smiling
Andy Boyne,
the guy who had made both my lovely rods.
He said he would try and make it if he could get a pass.
" Not much Andy "
I replied.
" A few silvers and just lost a lump which has killed my swim stone dead "
" Do you fancy doubling up on some dolly pegs and having a bit of a social fish " ?
" Yea why not mate " came Andy's reply.
" Give me 20 minutes to sort my kit out and
I will meet you at the pegs mate "
I said
wading back to the shore line.
I didn't think the bank was that steep on the way down but getting back was REALLY tiring for me
one month after my opp . . .
I should have picked a more sensible peg.
( Ssssshhhh dont tell the Mrs )
By the time I had got myself, plus all my kit up the bank I was pooped.
I needed a sit down and a swig of Lucazade.
Once refreshed I plodded off to where the youngster was setting up his tip rod.
😃
We both new another angler
" Big Tree Ste "
had fished all the tip pegs this morning as I had a quick conversation with him just after I set up regarding his mornings catch.
( 4 barbel )
The session was going to be a difficult one and we both knew that we would not get many chances at a fish.
By the time I got to Boynies peg he had done 20 minutes on it and was ready for a move.
The next peg was one we could fish together and have a chat.
Andy wanted me to try my new tip rod out he had made for me. . . . . .
I did . . . . . . .
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I used it to trot a 7 gramme chuber down the main bedrock channel that had been exposed due to the low level of the river. It was just too good a chance to pass up.
🤣
Andy took a sneaky picture and posted it on facebook . . . . . .he has given me some stick about it since
Lol.
Here is a quote from a post....
" Notice I included a pic of you testing your new tip rod. . . . . By trotting a float!!!!!!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I'm not too confident on the tip anymore.
Its been 35 years since I did any serious tip fishing for barbel .
As the light was fading and there was nothing doing on this run Andy made the decision to move once more......
probably for the last time . . .
as the rain had put in an appearance.
We moped back to Andy's original peg
and as we settled Andy said quietly
" If we don't catch one hear Mike I will eat my shorts . . . . . ."
such was the mans confidence.
He set up on the up stream peg while I was trotting on my tip rod.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Fifteen minutes later . . . . .
I get the shout . . . .
" COOTESIE . . .I'M IN "
I shuffled through the sopping wet undergrowth as Andy battled something big in the rapids . . . .
I couldn't see anything for a few minutes....just the feeder thudding heavily just above the waters surface.
The fish was holding in a pacey funnel of water the kiting down a few yards . . . then holding again.
Andy had had enough of these shenanigans by now and gave her a load of right side strain to get her away from from her ally . . . .
that fast water. . . .
and bring her into the slack water at our feet. This manover instantly worked and she was forced into the slack.
When she first hit the surface
I didn't say anything . . . ..
I didn't want to jinx Andy but she was a
CRACKING FISH
!!!!!!!!!
She made a few more dangerous lunges. . . . .
one,
typically for barbel,
was just as Andy was netting her but being a season barbel hunter he had her under control and in the net within a minute.

YESSSSSSSSS.

This is what we came for.
I originally guessed her weight at around 9 lb
Andy's comments were and I quote again

" Shes a double all day long she is Cootesie "
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

She weighed in at 10 lb 2oz.
Andy was bang on the money

This certainly got my attention !!!!

Andy said. . . .
" Ditch that bloody float set up and use the rod in the way it was made to be used !!!!
I didn't argue.
😁😁😁😁😁
Andy shared some of his rig knowledge with me which is woefully behind the times.
He even gave me one to copy too . . . . .
He's a good lad.
🤗
A few minutes later we were both tipping for barbel.
I quite enjoyed the rest to be honest.....
and I was stood up....
LOL.
We were having chat about something or other when my tip started bouncing and I lifted into the bite.
The flow and the feeder was so heavy that I thought I had missed it.
" Are you into a fish there Mr Cootes " came a chuckle from Bouyneies direction.
Ten seconds later a greedy chub of around
2 lbs said hello.
Not what I was after but another rod race point in the bag

https://www.facebook.com/events/462082014207150/?ti=cl

and a nice picture for the biog.

We called it a day after that.

No barbel for me.

😞

We were soaking wet but in good spirits after Andy's barbel, plus, we were both going to enjoy the England game when we got home.
A great day Mr Boyne.
I promise I will give tip fishing my full attention next time. . .
LOL
😁

Some of my dace net