Ribble: River Ribble Fishing Reports

[Paul C]

Date 26.9.13
Section River Ribble
Time: 17:40 till 22:30
Weather conditions: Mild and dry
Water conditions : Low and clear
Bait – pellet
Air temp – n/t
Water temp: n/t
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 11 chub, 5 barbel, 2 dace and 1 eel

With the river low and clear I wasn't overly optimistic of catching until dark although the peg I fished is decent in low water. From the off I was getting rattles, taps and bangs. However, I suspect some to be from smaller stuff having a go at my small pellets and in the first hour despite the tip constantly knocking there were no takes and striking at pulls was fruitless.

My first two fish were chub of 3.5 to 4lb size and then 2 barbel. On the edge of dark the swim went mad with lots of instant takes where I was into a fish within a few seconds of the feeder landing. It was crazy stuff for about and hour and a half before it slowed and the final hour was quiet with just one chub.

This was a fantastic session I won't forget in a hurry topped off by a pb chub of 5lb 11oz. The chub were in fine form and I also lost two that made a run for the nearside bank and I lost them to hook pulls. The rest of the chub were all 3.5lb to 4.5lb bar one fish of about 1.5lb.

I also had one decent barbel of 8lb 14oz.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Saturday 05/10/13
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...17:00hrs 22:30hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast with the odd bright spell, no wind, no moon.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.61M and falling.
Air temperature:... 16.9C dropping to 11.5C
Water Temperature:... 15.9C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste, Boilies
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and later Crust/Cheese paste – liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod – Boilie – scalded ewe nuts and corn in the feeder.
Results:... Six Barbel to 8lb-3oz, one small Chub
Brief description of the session & remarks:… The river looked perfect, warm and still carrying some colour after a recent flood pulse. Three barbel came before dusk and the only chub came just after dusk followed by a further three barbel with the largest and last coming at 21:20hrs. This was an excellent session after several mediocre ones during the summer. Let us hope the chub start to show in greater numbers from now to Christmas.

 

[Paul C]

Date 8.10.13
Section River Ribble
Time: 17:35 till 22:20
Weather conditions: Mild and dry
Water conditions : About a foot up
Bait – pellet
Air temp – n/t
Water temp: n/t
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 7 chub, 8 barbel & 1 roach

The weather has been very mild for this time of year and I wanted to get back on before it turned cooler and so I squeezed in another after work evening session.

I am not ashamed to admit that I fished the same peg as on my last session, given that it was vacant and has been very kind to me over recent years. It definitely didn’t disappoint with another very memorable session.

Similar to last time I got indications from the off and it was just over half an hour till the first fish which was a barbel and over an 8 minute spell I also had a 1lb+ roach and a 3lb chub.

After that I caught at a very steadily pace again with lots of early takes, but then I don’t sit on the rod. It rarely stays out for more than 3 mins between casts and I’m very anal, as I time it to make sure I’m not day dreaming or being lazy! I caught a mix of chub and barbel in spells, initially more chub than barbel, but then the barbel dominated the later part of the session. One barbel I hooked I was sure was a double. I gave me a real scrap and fully tested my arms, clutch and terminal tackle. I sure felt it in my muscles afterwards! Alas it turned out to be a 7lb 14 oz one fouled hooked in the dorsal that came in sideways against the current!!

I also lost one barbel to a hook pull which was my own fault as I was a bit too heavy clamping down the clutch and on the second surge I pulled out of it.

The best chub was 4lb 10oz and I had three reasonable barbel between 6lb 14oz and my best at 8lb 12oz.

 

[Paul Morley]

Date 17.10.13
Section River Ribble club stretch
Time: 1pm till 7.30
Weather conditions: Sunny spells and cloudy
Water conditions : About a metre up
Bait – mini boilie, elips and meat
Air temp – n/t
Water temp: n/t
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 1 x 6.07 barb

Changing plans to head north, I knew that finally the river would be in some fettle, but the appearance and the results didn't really match! A welcome fish tho in a very iffy season for me. Tons of 'washing line' leaves, one bite, one fish! Also retrieved 30m of what looked like 8lb line and a 1 oz bomb with no 'weak link' - please use some form of 'break off' system on this river (tho it could have been a 'cut off' in this instance, but the bomb was well and truly attached..)

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Sunday 20/10/13
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...16:00hrs 22:30hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast with heavy showers.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 09:45hrs @ NJR 0.69M and falling.
Air temperature:... 16.2C dropping to 12C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 14.1C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste, Boilies
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and later Crust/Cheese paste – liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod – Boilie – scalded ewe nuts and corn in the feeder.
Results:... Two Barbel 8lb-14oz and 7lb, one Roach 1lb-3.5oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… The river looked perfect for barbel. It was carrying some colour as well as a few leaves and twigs, which meant recasting the feeder about every half hour. I only had three bites resulting in one 1lb-3.5oz roach and two barbel @ 8lb-14oz & 7lb. The barbel were in good condition, fought well and also recovered quickly. Good session.

 

[slaphead]

Thanks for all the interesting River Ribble fishing reports.

I have been told that the Shaws Arms stretch is free. Could you confirm that, I wouldn't want to be fishing a clubs waters without paying/

Also does anyone also fish the Wyre?

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Friday 25/10/13
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...18:00hrs 23:30hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast with heavy showers and blustery wind
Water conditions:... EA River level at 09:45hrs @ NJR 0.69M and falling however, at 18:00hrs it was 1M and rising, carrying twigs, leaves and colouring up.
Air temperature:... 15.1C dropping to 12C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 14.4C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste, Boilies
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and Bacon Grill – liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod – Boilie/Cheese Paste (Banana Flavour) – loose feed corn and a few Boilies.
Results:... Two Barbel 5lb-4oz & 6lb-5oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… With really bad weather forecast and other commitments this was the only time this week I could to get on the river. The river looked OK for barbel but the chub were probably looking for shelter as the river was still rising. No chub knocks at dusk but within an hour, I'd the first of two barbel the largest at 6lb-5oz coming at 20:10hrs. One barbel taken on bacon grill and the other on a boilie wrapped in banana flavoured cheese paste. I lost a big barbel at the net when my hook length snapped. After this got snapped off at the hook length another three times only one which may have been a fish the other times more likely large branches swirling about in the eddy I was fishing. I packed up shortly before midnight after my brolley took off into the woods, recovered but slightly battered. This was one of those interesting session better enjoy in retrospect.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Friday 15/11/13
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...16:30hrs 24:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast, no wind, full moon popping through now and again.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.59M and steady.
Air temperature:... 13.4C dropping to 8.5C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 10.7C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod –Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn and a few Boilies.
Results:... Six Chub to 4lb-3oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… It’s been three weeks since I was last on the river due to bad weather and very busy at work. There were three anglers on the opposite bank who left at dusk were upon I started to get a few knocks. My first chub came at 17:55hrs then it was steady away until mid-night when I packed up. With the drop in water temperature, the chub I hope now are beginning to shoal up for the winter and the chub fishing should improve once all the dead leaves and twigs have disappeared.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Saturday 23/11/13
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...17:30hrs 24:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Light cloud, no wind and no moon.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.51M and steady.
Air temperature:... 6.7C dropping to 1.5C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 7.6C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod –Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn and a few Boilies.
Results:... Five Chub to 4lb-6oz and 4lb-10oz plus two Brownies between 1lb & 1.5Lb
Brief description of the session & remarks:… This was another good autumn evening session on the Ribble. Although I'd plenty of time I somehow managed to get to my swim in the dark and apart for one little light way off in the distance I didn't see another angler all evening. My first fish, a brownie came at 18:28hrs and the last, a chub came at 23:10hrs. I also lost a fish after a brief tussle in a near bank snag, the hook pulled free. It was nice walk back to my van over reasonably dry ground with the moon just beginning to show above the horizon.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Saturday 29/11/13
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...17:00hrs 22:30:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Light cloud, no wind and no moon.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.35M and steady.
Air temperature:... 7.6C dropping to 5.5C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 9.5C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod –Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn and a few Boilies.
Results:... Two chub to 4lb-1oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… Arrived just before dusk, the river looked OK but not a lot of movement. Very few knocks and my first chub came at 18:35hrs, then there was a very long wait without any knocks or twitches. The last chub 2lb came at 22:20hrs just after I’d packed up one rod, but by now I decided to call it a day. One of those trips when I was glad it was time to stop enjoying myself.

Date:.. Thursday 26/12/13
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...16:00hrs 21:00:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast, wind started to build to gale force at 21:00hrs and threatened to rain
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.7M and falling.
Air temperature:... 6.7C dropping to 2.5C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 7.7C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod –Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn and a few Boilies.
Results:... One chub 4lb-10.5oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… It's been four weeks since I've been fishing mainly due to bad weather when there was an opportunity to go. Today the river looked good, but becoming uncomfortable later in the session when the wind really stared to blow and I had to take my brolley down or lose it, fortunately, what rain there was, was intermittent. Around 20:00hrs my downstream rod registered a few good knocks but I always lifted into nothing. At 20:15hrs I sat on my hands until I was sure the rod would be pulled into the river and this time I lifted into a good chub. After this, the knocks stopped and the wind really started to rattle the trees and the rain became more frequent. By 21:00hrs I was getting very cold and so called it a day, may be the last of 2013?

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

Thanks as always for the excellent reports John. I trust you had a great Christmas. Wishing you a Happy and successful New Year. Hopefully I may actually get out on the Ribble myself a few times this year!

 

[Paul C]

Date 19.1.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 14:15 till 18:10
Weather conditions: Dry, calm with temp dropping at dusk
Water conditions : 0.9m at Ribchester School
Bait – pellet, corn & mini boilie
Air temp – 7.5c dropping to 0.5c
Water temp: 6.2c
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 1 chub and 1 barbel

I’m finally back out on the bank for my first trip on the river for ages as I damaged my ankle ligaments quite badly in November playing football. It’s only been these past few weeks I’ve been fit enough to trek the river bank loaded up with gear.

The level looked higher than I was expecting. I’d checked the EA site prior and it showed it was 0.68 at Ribchester, but there seemed more water in than that and the later reading confirmed it was more like 0.9 when I arrived.

I didn’t have any indications in the first hour until I got a good take and promptly pulled out of what I thought was a chub. It remained quiet over the next hour and I chopped and changed baits and managed to temp a chub on my third cast on corn after getting a few taps on the earlier casts, which gave me hope that it was worth persisiting with.

Half an hour later I landed the barbel also on corn. I switched between corn and pellet into dark but I didn’t have any further indications. It got a little uncomfy as the temp reached 0.5 and my kit and landing net iced over, so I called it quits a tad earlier than I had been prepared to stay till.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Saturday 04/01/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...17:00hrs 24:00:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast, no wind, turning clear with low small crescent moon. Towards the end of the session, the weather turned and it started to rain and hailstone.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.78M and falling.
Air temperature:... 7.4C dropping to 6.5C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 8.9C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod –Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn and a few Boilies.
Results:... Blank
Brief description of the session & remarks:… Interesting, but fruitless night session on the Ribble. The river had dropped nicely and the water temperature at 7.9C was OK with even a possibility of a barbel. An hour after setting up there was a huge splash only a rod length to my right flowed by an otter popping up two rod lengths in front of me. It was obviously surprised and annoyed to find me in its patch and after a few seconds of hissing and giving me the eye it disappeared only to pop up ten or so metres further upstream, after which I lost sight of it in the dark. Half an hour later my swim was occupied by a couple of swans who drifted in and out on the eddy I was fishing, remarkably missing my line where it entered the water. Even with this disturbance, I’d a couple of definite knocks. Just as things began to look promising there was a tremendous disturbance to my left, where the swans where messing about near the bankside, which caused them to swim very quickly out into the middle of the river. I’m assuming that the otter had returned and was equally ****** off with the swans as well as me. The river went very quiet for a good hour then I’d a real rod bender of a bite but after a couple of short tugs I lost what I assumed was a chub. Shortly after this the swans retuned and stayed with me until I packed up at midnight when it started to rain/hailstone

Date:.. Sunday 12/01/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...15:30hrs 21:00:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast with light wind @ 21:00hrs wind picked up and it started to rain.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.69M and falling.
Air temperature:... 6.7C dropping to 6C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 7.8C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Upstream rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Downstream rod – Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn
Results:... One chub 4lb-8oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… Quick trip between flood pulses. The first chub was a small one caught on the mid river crease of the eddy I was fishing at 16:10hrs. This was followed by a quiet spell after an otter put in an appearance. At 20:40hr I caught the second chub on the bank side of the eddy, shortly after I packed up when it started to rain.

Date:.. Friday 17/01/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...15:30hrs 21:00:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast with light wind @ 21:00hrs wind picked up and it started to rain.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.68M and falling.
Air temperature:... 9.7C dropping to 4.5C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 9C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Mid river rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Bankside rod –Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn.
Results:... One chub 4lb-6oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… Another quick trip between flood pulses. This was a relative pleasant evening with just the odd shower. Just one bite on the downstream rod fished mid river produced a nice 4lb-6oz chub. I'd only one bite on the upstream rod which was fished on the bankside eddy, but I lifted into nothing. Pleasant quick trip, which produce another 4lb plus chub.

 

[Paul C]

Date 16.2.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 15:00 till 18:40
Weather conditions: bright, calm and cool
Water conditions : 1.09m at Ribchester School
Bait – pellet, corn & mini boilie
Air temp – 7.5c dropping to 1.5c
Water temp: 4.8c
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 3 chub

A cold water temp meant the chub were the only real hope today. The river was quiet, but dropping nicely and had colour.

There was a bit of debris causing a few problems with bits of weed and old decomposing leaves building up on the line fairly quickly but I recast frequent enough for it to not cause much problem.
I spent the first half an hour on pellet, mainly because that's the set up I finished on last time out! I had one rattle after about 15 mins. A switch to corn made a big difference. I had an instant bite and it resulted in 2 chub in minutes and on the third cast I lost another one...

After the burst of activity it went quiet and it was a further hour before I had my 3rd and final one which was the best at about 4lb. I didn't have any signs or pulls into dark which I hoped might produce another flurry of activity at some point, but it was not to be.

 

[slaphead]

Is that the RADAC day ticket section, Paul?

 

[Paul C]

No, I don't tend to fish any day ticket lengths, just club waters.

 

[slaphead]

Ta, was thinking of giving it a go myself.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Thursday 20/02/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...17:00hrs 23:00:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast, wintery showers then calming by dusk, wind also dropping, and no moon.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.7M and steady.
Air temperature:... 7.8C dropping to 4C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 10.8C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Mid-stream rod – Bread flake and Crust/Cheese Paste, liquidized bread in feeder. Bankside rod – Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn
Results:... Four chub to 4lb and one brownie
Brief description of the session & remarks:… 29 days since I was last on the river, partly due to bad weather and a very bad cold. The river looked OK and I'd picked a good spot out of the wind which dropped off after dusk. I fished one rod on the mid river side of a large eddy and one rod just a rods length out on the bankside of the eddy. Three of the chub came to the inside rod and one chub and a trout to the outside rod. All the fish were caught on crust/cheese paste. It was nice to get back on the river and catch a few chub.

 

[Paul C]

Date 13.3.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 14:30 till 19:45
Weather conditions: dry, overcast and misty
Water conditions : 0.25m at Ribchester School
Bait – pellet, corn & mini boilie
Air temp – 8c dropping to 6c
Water temp: 7.1c
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 1 barbel

Last session of the season and the mild weather gave me hope of some joy, but the river was very clear and a the foggy conditions made it feel quite chilly.

It was very slow. Had one bang in the first hour and then it was 2 and a half hours in before I got a big take. It was clearly a barbel but I never seemed to get any control over it, so I suspected it was either foul hooked or big! I got it close in when the hook pulled and left me two scales on the hook...

After that it was very uneventful until around 7pm when I had another good take and landed a reasonable barbel of about 6lb. That was it.

A chap a little lower down stream of me had some better joy with the chub. He had a good spell late afternoon where he had 3 in about 20 mins and then a couple more on the edge of dark, although they seemed a bit mixed in size...

Still, my late barbel, I think... saved me from my first blank of the season which is probably a first on the ribble in the last 15+ years or so!! Roll on June.

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

Can I thank John and Paul for their contributions over the last season. For those of us based in the North West they are always useful and informative. Look forward to doing more on the Ribble myself next season......and I'll contribute when I go. (Poshers doesn't get a twitch again, nice sightings of oystercatchers....probably the default posting!!)