On a thread about how best to land barbel, Woody had commented on the fact that I'd yet to have my first barbel. He knows that my club have the Windsor Racecourse perimiter of the Thames with Boveney accross the river and of course the wier pool. There are few better spots to grab a barbel than there, so I have no excuse.

I thought to myself that he's right and I really ought to have had one. So on Saturday 8 August 2009 at 1pm, off I went.

It was a glorious day and...

Thursday wasn't a good day, but at least it reminded me why I fish. I'd had a meeting with a client north of Leeds and decided to have an evening on the Wharfe. It had been one of those days and I was feeling drained as I drove along the narrow lane. My mood darkened further when I saw the number of cars in the carpark as this stretch of the Wharfe is lightly fished and it's unusual to see more than one other angler on the bank on a mid week evening.

The swim I wanted to fish was occupied...

Wed 15 7 09
Went on the Ribble afternoon/evening decided on a session on the stick after the roach, river up 2ft and coloured.

Took about an hour to get the fist bite a small chub then a eel about 1 08. Oh no I thought eels mid afternoon, could be a bad sign. Last time that happened a few years ago I had 29 of the buggers before i had a silver fish.

Then I had a roach 1.02, whilst the fishing wasn't fast a furious I caught 5 in total taking another over the...