Ribble: River Ribble Fishing Reports

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Saturday 08/03/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...16:30hrs 24:00:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Light cloud, sunny intervals, light breeze and a hazy half-moon.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.69M and falling.
Air temperature:... 11.8C dropping to 6C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 9.5C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Mid-stream rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Bankside rod – Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn
Results:... One 3lb-11oz chub
Brief description of the session & remarks:… Plenty of lads about fishing most left around or just after dusk. The knocks started after dusk but were very quick and hard to hit. Didn't make contact until 23:25hrs but only after touch legering and allowing about 1 metre of slack. Pleasant evening and had the usual visit from the resident otter that stopped in front of me, treading water, hissed and swam down river.

Date:.. Thursday 13/03/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...17:30hrs 24:00:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast and misty no wind.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.42M and falling.
Air temperature:... 8.7C dropping to 2C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 9.7C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods. Mid-stream rod – Bread flake and liquidized bread in feeder. Bankside rod – Crust/Cheese Paste – loose fed corn
Results:... Two chub to 4lb-10oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… This was the last day of the 2013/2014 season for me. Plenty of salmon lads out and a few coarse anglers but they all had left shortly after dusk. Plenty of good knocks after dusk but very hard to hit. The first chub (4lb-10oz) came to the bank side rod, after touch legering with a good 2 metres of slack, at 22:10hrs and the last chub to the mid river rod at 23:30hrs. Both chub came to Crust/Cheese Paste. This was a nice way to end the season with a good fat 4lb+ chub.

 

[Paul C]

Date 17.6.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 19:30 till 22:30
Weather conditions: dry, warm and sunny
Water conditions : 0.1m at Ribchester School
Bait – pellet
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 2 chub, 1 barbel and a dace.

Time seems to have flow by and June feels like it's come quick this year! I only had this evening or a weekend evening free to get out, so with the sun beating down on a very low river, I didn't rush to finish work early. The last few hours were all I was interested in fishing and I suspect being on the river any earlier wouldn't have made any difference at all.

Those I spoke to on arrival hadn't caught and it looked like it would be late evening or the edge of dark before that would change much and so it was.

I had no signs of life until a chub of 4lb 2oz gave a timid bite shortly after the sun dipped behind the far bank trees.

I'd messed up and left my corn on the side in the garage. It was probably one of those evenings where it would have been the better bait, but I had little choice but to persivere without it.

I was getting a few indications and knocks and a large dace came shortly before I landed an 8lb 7oz barbel. It was a fish I had seen before. Not that I would normally recognise any, but this chap is deformed and my mate had him several years ago in March, just a little further down river. Back then he was over 9lb, but looking a little skinny he weighed 8lb 7oz.

I took another chub of 4lb 10oz before I had to be on my way. My mate had been on from mid afternoon and had had a decent day on the stick float upstream of me with some reasonable chub and dace. He caught steady but ran out of bait just before the light went and didn't manage any bonus fish bar a 4lb brownie!

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Monday 16/06/14
Venue:.. River Ribble
Time fished:...00:00hrs 06:00:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Cloudy at start clearing at dusk with a large moon, sunny at sunrise. No wind.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.35M and steady.
Air temperature:... 19C dropping to 15C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 21C
Bait:... Bread Flake, Crust/Cheese Paste
Method:.. 2 rods both upstream and downstream on bread flake or crust and cheese paste with liquidized bread and hemp in feeder. Loose fed swims with corn an hour before fishing.
Results:... Blank
Brief description of the session & remarks:… Well another day and another dollar and another start to a new season. Unfortunately, also another blank start to a new season. I only had one bite that I hit but lost after a few good pulls. However, it’s always good to get back on the river, this was also a new peg that I'd not fished before and even though I tried my best not to get stung while clearing a wee space, I did several times.

Date:.. Tuesday 17/06/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...21:30hrs 04:30:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Cloudy with light rain at times, no wind.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.32M and steady.
Air temperature:... 19.3C dropping to 14.7C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 22C
Bait:... Halibut Pellet & Bread Flake,
Method:.. 2 rods, downstream Halibut Pellet with liquidized bread and hemp in feeder and upstream rod bread flake with liquidized bread and hemp in feeder. Loose fed swims with corn an hour before fishing.
Results:... Two chub to 3lb-10oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… The river was quite low and warm, I should have waited until it rained but the weather forecast did not show any until maybe next week and it wasn’t going to get any better so I popped down for a short night session for the chub. Again, I fished a new peg and had two Chub to 3lb-10oz both coming to the upstream rod on bread flake.

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

John Conway and Paul C. returning with their river reports. The clear sign of the start of a new river season and the feeling that all is now right with the world.

Have a good season lads, thanks as always....I'll have to encourage Del to venture out with me for a few more trips to the Ribble.

 

[mark brailsford 2]

I am off to elston (its the only stretch I can fish on my wigan book!) next saturday, anybody heard how its doing on there?

 

[Paul C]

Date 1.7.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 19:30 till 22:35
Weather conditions: dry, warm and sunny
Water conditions : 0.0m at Ribchester School
Bait – pellet & corn
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 3 chub, 1 barbel, 4 dace, 1 roach and 1 brown trout

Again a short dusk session after a warm, sunny day just focusiing on the last few hours of light. The river was low with little flow in areas, but I fished a peg that always has a bit of flow to it and is a good holding area in any conditions.

This time I remembered my corn and I was glad I did as I switched to it as soon as I had made up a rig for it and imediately got knocks and taps after no signs on a small pellet. Alot of the indications might have been from the dace and I hooked a few on single corn, but the first fish I connected with was a 1lb 2oz roach.

I took a small chub of about 3lb and also pulled out of two fish I suspected to be chub or maybe brownies but had to wait for a few better fish for the light to fade. The bites on corn slowed right off and I switched back to a small pellet. My second chub was better at 4lb 2oz and my third a lovely although slightly battered looking 5lb 3oz fish.

A big brown trout also took a liking to the pellet, before a barbel of around 5.5lb finished off my session at 10:35pm, when I had to be on my away.

 

[greenie62]

I am off to elston (its the only stretch I can fish on my wigan book!) next saturday, anybody heard how its doing on there?

Hey Mark,
How did you get on - what condition was the stretch in?
Cheers

 

[Paul C]

Date 6.7.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 17:45 till 22:30
Weather conditions: dry, warm and sunny
Water conditions : 0.29m at Ribchester School
Bait – hemp, caster & corn
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Waggler
Results: 2 chub, 6 barbel, 2 dace, 1 small roach

I had a bit more time available today so the waggler was the choice of method and I’d much prefer a moving bait in these warm and sticky the conditions. A good friend had been on during the week and had a fantastic waggler session with a big catch of barbel and chub and he kindly directed me to the area of his success.

The river had a little more water and colour in it from when he was on and there was someone fishing the bottom of the glide he’d fished so I went a little further upstream. In hindsight the peg was a bit too difficult to fish with comfort. I couldn’t wade as far and I was having to fish at the limit of my cast and feeding capabilities to reach the shallow far bank glide. So after a biteless, fishless first hour, I moved a bit further upstream to some deeper water. This was a much easier peg to fish with a slower pace and steady 6ft depth.

After feeding constantly for half an hour I had a barbel on caster of about 5.5lb and two trots later another of 4.5lb. It was all quiet for a spell after that until a couple of small dace and a small roach also came out to caster. I switched to corn and on the second run through had a chub of about 3.5lb and then lost one a few minutes later.

After a short break, a sit down and a bite to eat, I went back out on corn and had a bit of a crazy spell with the barbel. I took 4 more and another chub but I hooked and lost far more than I landed. I suspect a good few were fouled and on one occasion did return with a barbel scale on the hook. I didn’t break on any but reckon I pulled out of 8 barbel, some of which I played for several minutes. I changed hooks just in case it was slightly blunted, but it didn’t make much difference, I still pulled out of them on a new hook. My last two fish were both over 7lb with a 7lb 2 and 7lb 4oz which certainly tested my set up and left my line looking a little ragged and kinked. The 4.5lb fish was the smallest of the day.

Very little in the way of smaller stuff showed but then I don’t think they would have got a look in with the numbers of barbel I had in the swim. Despite losing so many fish it was really enjoyable getting them on the float.

 

[Paul C]

Date 10.7.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 9:45 till 14:00
Weather conditions: Scorchio
Water conditions : 0.00m at Ribchester School
Bait – hemp, caster & corn
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Waggler
Results: 1 chub, 6 barbel, 3 dace, 6 roach

The river is fishing superb at the minute on a running line. Several friends have been on and done fantastic on the waggler in the evening. A friend earlier in the week had 12 barbel in just over 3 hours all between 5lb and 9lb 3oz!

If you've not tried it, give it a go. You'll be amazed how well they will feed even with the sun beating down, when static baits are hopeless. Find the fish and you'll catch them on caster and hemp.

I managed to squeeze in a few hours between the school runs, so it was a dash after dropping them off and the same to pick them up. Despite the time of day it was still great fishing. I caught within the first half an hour but had to wait a while to add to that.

I had some better roach this time and 2 of the 6 were over a pound and a half with the best 1lb 10oz.

I again hooked and lost fish albeit not as many as last time and twice came back with a scale. I had barbel topping in my swim for a spell and whilst playing fish several times another was spooked and jumped clear of the water. It's no wonder the odd one gets foul hooked.

The barbel ranged from 5.5lb to 8lb 10oz with the second best at 7lb 5oz. The chub was about 3.5lb. The last hour was a bit slow but by then it was positively tropical.

I have my kids till Monday so I am guttted I can't get back on till next week... I'll be fishing whips with them over the weekend on a stillwater instead!

 

[Paul C]

Date 17.7.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 20:10 till 22:35*
Weather conditions: Scorchio
Water conditions : Low and clear
Bait – pellet & corn
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Single feeder rod
Results: 2 roach

I have been working away for a while building a quick to put up, removable bed for the back of my MPV. The intention being I can do a few double headers, an evening session and morning session. Well after much tinkering! It's ready, so I decided to test it!

Thursday was red hot, so I didn't rush to the river. I fished the last two and a bit hours until I had to be off the venue. I was getting loads of taps on corn but it was clearly small stuff and they were stripping the hook quickly. I couldn't hit the fast bites, but two big roach gave a better bite, the best of which was about 1lb. I got a decent bite at 10:25pm and played either a chub or barbel for a matter of seconds but lost it with a hook pull. So I set off to a different length a short distance away to sleep for a few hours. The plan being the morning session would be on the float.

Date 18.7.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 06:00 till 09:30
Weather conditions: blustery, showers and sunshine with a crack of thunder
Water conditions : Below normal , clear
Bait – hemp, caster & corn
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Waggler
Results: 5 barbel, 4 big chub, 6 dace, 1 roach

I was up just before 5am and sorted out my change over of gear and made the long walk to the area. I was surprised after yesterday just how windy it was even first thing. One thing that can be a problem on the float is the wind!!

I got fishing for just after 6am. The wind was gusty at times but manageable. I had a couple of dace and roach after about 10 mins, spaced out over about 10 minutes. By 7:10am I'd had 4 barbel (pretty much one after the other). I hadn't lost any fish and all the barbel were 5.5 to the best at 7lb 5oz.*

The next half an hour, the chub seems to be more present. I had 3 big ones (3lb to 4lb) and one more barbel at 6lb 11oz. But, the wind was really picking up and driving up river. It started to get hard to run through and the feed was getting blown upstream and all over the place. I had short break and went back, but by 8:30 I had added just one more big chub and a couple of dace. From then on till I quit at 9:30 is was almost unfishable at times. It was almost waves like white horses going up river when the wind was at it's worst. In moments of slack I had another couple of dace. But in the end I conceded to the conditions. **

A great start but I got blown off as they say! Let's hope I'm as lucky later tonight!

The bed in a box, as I call it worked a treat. I woke up a few times, but it was comfy and warm and takes me 5 minutes to make into a bed, utilising some of my long octoplus legs!

A struggle on the feeder, but it's still fishing great on the float if you pick your swims and mother nature helps out.

 

[Paul C]

Date 20.7.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 16:00 till 21:00
Weather conditions: Hot and sunny
Water conditions : Below normal , clear
Bait – hemp, caster & corn
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Waggler
Results: 1 barbel, 1 chub about 25 tiny dace, 1 gudgeon

Sunday eve was my last chance before I switch to single parent for the week. I had some bait left over with my previous session being cut short.

It was hard work all in all. I lost a barbel fairly early on but 2 hours in and I was struggling for bites and the shoal fish weren't having any of it. My first fish was a barbel of about 4.5lb, but it didn't spark further action and I again struggled afterwards.

I took a break from standing in mid river and fed plenty of hemp. Things improved a little on the bites front but I was only picking up very small dace. I lost another fish that ran after connecting for just a few seconds. In the last hour I added a decent chub of about 4lb, but it was out of the blue in between the little dace and by 9pm I'd had enough. 5 hours grafting mid river is normally my limit, so I called it quits as there will be easier days to catch a few than this.

The stretch was a little busier today having had a little bit of rain the day before, so it may have made a bit of a difference. The two lads below me had one barbel each on the feeder, so there were one or two fish showing, but it seemed generally slow despite lots of decent fish topping all over the stretch all afternoon and evening.

 

[Paul C]

Date 3.8.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 16:45 till 21:55
Weather conditions: Sunny spells some heavy showers
Water conditions : Back up to normal and some colour
Bait – hemp, caster, corn & pellet
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Waggler & feeder
Results: 2 barbel, 1 chub about 15 good dace, 3 big roach & 15 or so tiny dace & chub, 1 eel

I intended to fish the float, but brought the feeder rod as a back up plan to put in the float line if it was slow or there were too many small nuisance fish about.

I started ok with 3 good roach a big chub of about 4lb, but it went very quiet and I struggled for bites. I had a quick go of the feeder in the float swim after a couple of hours as I was only picking up odd decent dace and small stuff but with no regularity. I got a few knocks but no takes on corn, so I persisted with the float, but it was hard work to get any pattern with lots of quiet spells.

The water temp felt much cooler than it has been so the extra water certainly seems to have chilled it down and the odd person I saw was struggling and the bloke below me blanked fishing the feeder and left before dark.

The light seemed to start to go early as some very dark clouds came over. I switched back to the feeder around 9pm and a small pellet. I had 2 barbel fishing the float swim and an eel before the heavens opened and torrential rain made standing mid river rather unpleasant. I bailed out and made the long walk back with it still raining heavy.

Slow on the float. Plenty of fish topping all evening but they weren't having it like they were a few weeks ago. The sudden drop in water temp might have just made it difficult but it needed some water desperately.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Sunday 03/08/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...15:00hrs 22:30:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Overcast with the odd shower
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.44M and steady.
Air temperature:... 22C dropping to 18.2C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 18.7C
Bait:... Halibut Pellet & Bread Flake and Sweetcorn
Method:.. 2 rods, downstream halibut pellet with loose fed pellets and corn; upstream rod sweetcorn then at dusk bread flake with liquidized bread and hemp in feeder, and loose fed corn.
Results:... One chub 3lb-14oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… On this trip, I only caught one chub of 3lb-14oz. There was a lot of weed coming down as I fished the back end of a small flood pulse. I did however, watched a pair of Buzzards soaring above the far bank trees and an Heron hunting in the bankside vegetation looking for mice and voles. Just before dusk a Wren landed on one of my rods just above the reel, I could have reached out and touched it. It then hopped onto my second rod for a good minute, wonderful. The down side was the infestation of slugs, all sizes and all colours, several of which made it home in my rucksack!!!

Date:.. Saturday 09/08/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...17:30hrs 01:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Sunny intervals, clouding over at dusk, breezy. Started to rain while packing up.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.28M and steady.
Air temperature:... 19.8C dropping to 16.8C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 21.3C
Bait:... Spam, Bread Flake and Sweetcorn
Method:.. 2 rods, downstream, close in, spam with loose fed pellets and corn, changed to bread flake after catching eel; upstream rod, mid river, sweetcorn then at dusk bread flake with liquidized bread and hemp in feeder, and loose fed corn.
Results:... One chub 2lb-8oz, two eels and an 8oz dace
Brief description of the session & remarks:… Quick trip to get out of the house and before the tail end of a big Atlantic storm, can't remember the name of the hurricane, I wasn't expecting too much, may be a chub after dusk. The river was low but had a slight tinge of colour. Started to get knocks on sweetcorn then picked up an 8oz dace around 18:35 and an hour later, also on sweetcorn an eel. I picked up another eel at 23:40hrs on spam and finally a 2lb-8oz chub just after mid-night. I packed up when the wind picked up and it started to rain. Just after dusk, a lone otter swam under my rod tip returning around mid-night with a pup.

 

[greenie62]

The down side was the infestation of slugs, all sizes and all colours, several of which made it home in my rucksack!!!

I was similarly invaded by slugs the other day, I found they were attracted by the halibut pellets! - Could just be a coincidence - but be aware next time you use them!

 

[sumtime]

Bertha will be dismayed you forgot her name, John wildlife watching makes up for those biteless times.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Tuesday 12/08/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...15:30hrs 22:30hrs
Weather conditions:... Sunny intervals, clouding over at dusk, breezy. Started to rain while packing up.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.66M Steady and falling at 18:00hrs.
Air temperature:... 22C dropping to 14C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 17.3C
Bait:... Spam, Bread Flake and Crust/cheese paste
Method:.. 2 rods - Downstream, close in, spam with loose fed pellets and corn, changed to crust/cheese paste at 18:00hrs; Upstream rod, mid river, bread flake with liquidized bread and hemp in feeder, and loose fed corn.
Results:... Three chub to 4lb-2oz, two barbel to 5lb-8oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… This was a trip to catch the back end of a flood pulse, which held steady until 18:00hrs when it started to slowly fall again. Up to this point nothing was showing, then around dusk Salmon/Trout started to top out and the chub started to knock. My mid river rod with feeder and bread flake picked up both Barbel, all the chub came to my nearside rod when I changed over, just before dusk, from meat to crust/cheese paste. This was also when the river started to drop again. Prior to this, I'm sure most of the knocks on my meat rod were eels. I was happy with the three chub and two barbel and not getting too wet while packing up. Plenty of wildlife to keep me occupied when things were slack and no slugs managed emigrated back to the Dales in/on my gear.

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

Date:.. Friday 22/08/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...17:30hrs 22:30hrs
Weather conditions:... Cloudy with sunny spells.
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.8M and falling.
Air temperature:... 16.1C dropping to 12.2C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 15.8C
Bait:... Spam, Bread Flake and Crust/cheese paste
Method:.. 2 rods - Downstream, close in, spam with loose fed pellets and corn, changed to crust/cheese paste at dusk; Upstream rod, mid river, bread flake with liquidized bread and hemp in feeder, and loose fed corn.
Results:... Two Chub 1lb-14oz & 2lb-10oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… River looked OK and there was only one other angler on this stretch. Nothing happened until dusk. Apart from the two small chub, I did get snapped off after a good tussle with a good size barbel.


Date:.. Thursday 28/08/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...16:00hrs 24:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Dull and raining most of the time, it got quite windy around mid-night
Water conditions:... EA River level at 04:30hrs @ NJR 0.35M and falling.
Air temperature:... 17.3C dropping to 14C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... 18.6C
Bait:... Bread Flake and Crust/cheese paste
Method:.. 2 rods - Upstream & Downstream rods, fished mid river, bread flake& or crush/cheese paste with liquidized bread and hemp in feeder, and loose fed corn.
Results:... One Chub 2lb-4oz
Brief description of the session & remarks:… River low but looked OK and it was overcast and drizzly when I arrived but started to rain steadily just before dusk. The hour before mid-night, I was hanging on to my brolly after it had blown inside out twice. Just a few knocks after dusk and one good bite, which resulted in one small chub. This must be a record, within the radius of my brolly I caught and dispatched to the river 115 slugs of all colours and sizes, only one managed to get back to the Dales in my rucksack.

 

[Paul C]

Date 31.8.14
Section River Ribble
Time: 16:15 till 22:00
Weather conditions: Bright, calm and mild
Water conditions : Up about 1.5 ft and some colour
Bait – hemp, caster, corn & pellet
Air temp – NT
Water temp: NT
Method: Waggler & feeder
Results: 10 decent roach, a few dace and some small chub, 7 barbel and 1 eel

A friend of mine had an amazing session during the middle of the week with a mix bag of big roach and dace, in addition to a large quantity of big chub and barbel on the float and later the feeder. The river had come up since then and I didn't come anywhere close to his success despite me have a good number of barbel!

I had a minor cock up as the night before I went to defrost some hemp, only to find I'd none left in the freezer! All I had was a tin of the ready made stuff. So I wasn’t armed with the normal compliment of bait!

The aim was to float fish and as it went dark, fish the feeder over the float swim into dark.

I had a tricky start. The first hour and a half - no bites at all on the float! I took a short break to re-galvanise!!

When I went back I started to get a few bites and managed to catch 4 big roach (2 over a pound) and a couple of chublets, but it was still slow and patchy, so I decided to put the feeder rod out and have something to eat. I didn't get chance, as I had three barbel one after another and also lost one. It died off and an eel decided to knacker my rig. I'd continued loose feeding the float line throughout, so I went back on the float for another try. I was getting more bites but it was still a struggle as fish fed in very short spells then disappeared. I managed another 3 or 4 roach, a couple of good dace and some small chublets, but I gave up with it just before dark and put the feeder rod back out.

I had far more action on small static baits. I had 4 more barbel and also pulled out of two more. I also had 2 big roach on single corn. At just before 10pm it had been quiet for a good half an hour and I called it quits so I wouldn't be knacked for work. The two best fish were 7lb 12 and 7lb 8 and only one was below 6lb. Pity I couldn’t get the roach or dace feeding properly but the barbel were clearly there and taking the small particles, yet they didn’t want a moving bait as I never came close to picking one up on the float regardless of which bait I used.

 

[greenie62]

This must be a record, within the radius of my brolly I caught and dispatched to the river 115 slugs of all colours and sizes, only one managed to get back to the Dales in my rucksack.

If only Laguna would pay a bounty on the slugs - you could have earned back your petrol money!

 

[Paul Morley]

Date:.. Monday 08/09/14
Venue:... River Ribble
Time fished:...16:30hrs 22:00hrs
Weather conditions:... Sunny spells, night brought a full moon
Water conditions:... Normal SL
Air temperature:... 17C dropping to 10C by the end of the session.
Water Temperature:... n/a
Bait:... 12mm boilie, meat
Method:.. I rod, pva bag no feeder no freebies
Results: 4 Barbel to 8lb

Mobile approach, two faster swims to no avail then settled in a nearside run with decent depth. These club stretches get battered, so kept it tight with no free stuff. Football commentary started as did the action with a 7.10 fighting ridiculously hard. 2 smaller fish thru the match then a final larger as I switched to a meat offering, things did slow down. All action in about 90 minutes! Hypnotic full moon right in my face as I left - some believe this has a positive effect, who am I to say?