Big or small love them all

I didn't fish last week due to the awful weather and the river was rising rapidly to just over 4 metres so I gave it a miss.Last night would see me arrive at at a different stretch at 6pm and I made my way to a swim I havnt fished in over 12 months.Tactics would be feeder on both rods,hook baits would be pellet and boilie.The river was low and clear not my preferred choice I do like some colour,anyway let's get the rods out and sit back and have a coffee.It was a very overcast evening with a warm wind blowing from my left.It was hard to make out any taps or twitches due to the wind blowing my tips about.

About 150 yards away this chap was salmon angling and no doubt he would of been in my swim at some point earlier on.So usual stuff keep topping the swim up with the feeder every 15-20 mins to get some bait down before dark.It would be 7-30 and my first pull turned into a good twitch,fish on and put a good fight for the size of him,a splasher as we call them ,but who's complaining,not me.

1-0 to the pellet.

So now darkness had arrived,the wind was still warm and I kept the bait goin in every 25-30 hoping they would turn up and feed,it can be a very productive area,at least 4 fish in the past with low 8,s and 9,s..I decided to eat my last Tunnocks at around 9 pm and pour a coffee and sit back now and listen to what was going on,the Ducks were out,the Owls too,it's a lovely place to sit.Then bang on 9-30 my rod hooped over and fish no 2 of the night graced my net ,another small length of Gold.

Pellet 2 Boilie 0

As the evening progressed,the clouds were dark and it looked like rain,flashes of lightning in the Sky aswell around 10-30pm.I decided to call it a day at 11pm,nothing was happening and I was pleased I'd caught,so I packed up.Ive had a great start to my season with 3 Doubles.But as the saying goes,Big or small ,love em all.

Tight Lines Bloggers,Till the next time .

Grinding Pellets

I like to grind up Halibut pellets that I buy in bulk to use in my feeder mix when on the River.

I normally use a Korda Krusha which does the job , but it's slow and painful on your hands.As I like a look round car boots with Julie I'm always on the look out for a Meat Mincer or coffee Grinder.

Last week I picked up a meat mincer about 80 years old for £9 and what a cracker it is for grinding down the pellets.

Load the pellets in the top.

Few winds off the handle and it's very quick to crush up a pint of Pellet.

Closer look ,Perfect for the feeder.

Tight Lines .

Random Pictures on the River

My Barrow ready to roll.

Cover your bait bucket when this Swan is around.

Moody Sky Line

A Wierd cloud formation with Rod Tips.

My Feeder Mix

Barbel Biscuits .

Only Blank this season .

Keeping Dry .

Just some pictures I've took on my phone whilst on the River.

Tight Lines .

A Change Of Bait 13-8-16

So Saturday tea time I'm on my way to pick Chris up for a long overdue river session on the river ribble hoping Chris can catch his first Ribble Barbel.We went on the usual long walk down river and after a little negotiating I found the peg for Chris to fish that I've had some good success in and I made my way down river to try and find a peg as the river was up about 4 foot from last weekend I managed to find a spot and set up.It would probably take 3 hours for the river to drop and as we were early I was hoping the barbel would be on the feed as the river level dropped.It wasn't long and I recieved a text from Chris ,he'd caught a barbel,so I reeled in and walked up for photos .

Not massive but Chris was pleased ,I headed back to my spot ,got both rods out and sat back taking in all the fish topping,perch chasing fry in the margins.I decided to fish boilies on both rods as the river was up and fish 3oz feeders on Both and keep feeding every 20 minutes.I was getting a few knocks on my left hand rod and nothing at all on my right hand rod,then at 7-40 pm my right hand rod roared off a no barbel on,then off to a hook pull.As the evening progressed  I changed to a heavy lead and pva bag on my left hand rod and carried on with the feeder on my right hand rod.As soon as it was dark the river had dropped a good 2 foot ,I was sure we were in for some good sport.At about 9-50 pm I eat my last Tunnocks and decided to reel in my left hand rod,put the feeder back on,change my bait to a pellet with a longer hook link and hope a change of bait might make the difference.At about 10-10 pm my pellet rod ripped off and after a few powerful runs it was in the net .I couldn't believe it when I checked the net.

I was made up 10 lb 6.The scales were bouncing between 10-6 and 10-8 so as I wanted to return the fish it could of been a repeat of the 10-8 I had a few weeks ago,I'm not sure.I packed up not long after and went too see how Chris was.He had not caught any more ,but was getting plenty knocks and had lost a fish too.A real enjoyable evening and hopefully next time we can fish nearer .

Tight Lines Bloggers,Till the Next Time 

Double Trouble 6-8-16

I arrived at the river it was warm and muggy,I loaded the barrow and went on a long walk  looking for a swim.I arrived at a swim I'd fished before,the river was lower than last week .I decided to fish two rods straight away,one on pellet and the other on boilie.Both rods fished with crushed halibut pellet and hemp.I would be casting each rod every 15-20 mins to get some bait out ber fore darkness which was 9-30pm last night.I was fishing by 7-30pm,I poured a coffee and was baiting a couple of rigs before dark and at 7-55 my pellet rod roared off,fish on for all of 10 seconds.I reeled in and checked the hook it was fine,I recasted and sat back.I was getting plenty of taps and a good couple of raps on my boilie rod .It was 9 pm now and the breeze was wonderful,the wind had picked up putting some ripple into the slow flow of th river and a relief to cool down.The ducks and the swan that likes to get at your bait bucket were out in force looking for freebies as I was the only angler around.It was getting nearer to 10 pm and I was thinking of moving my right hand rod to another spot,then all of a sudden my right hand rod went into melt down,fish on.Loads of action on the clutch and what a fight it was putting up in the low levels of the river.I knew there was some deeper areas in front of me to net the fish and as I was sliding the net under the fish my feeder got caught in the net as the fish tried to make another run snatching my landing net pole from my hand,I was in trouble.I waded further out grabbed my net,freed the feeder and netted the fish I was relieved it was over.I decided to reel my other rod in and sort this fish out,too late it was off,another barbel on,what a job netting another fish when you have one in the net.Finally the manic 20 minutes was over.I rested both fish ,got the sling,scales already as I knew the bigger one was a Double.I weighed it and it went 11.2 lb ,was absolutely buzzing and wet to my knees after wading out.

And what a belter ,I was really pleased with the result.

Not massive but the other barbel .I re baited both rods wet,poured a coffee and sat back big smile on my face.I gave it till 11 pm ,packed up and and a wet squidgy walk back too the van,but well worth it.

Tight Lines Bloggers,Till the next time.