It's coming...it's really coming!

At the time of writing, only a week and a half to go, for the new season to start!

I am loading my reels with new line... sorting though my river gear... I can't wait!

The Trent is very low, however, though some thunderstorms are predicted soon. Will they be enough to ensure a good kick-off? Are we about to have another year of very low levels?

I too am getting very excited by the nearing magical 16th, having to distract myself with some lovely tench to ensure im still sane by the time its here.

I've planned to arrive at the trent at 3am (no overnight fishing) and spend the whole day there. Collected lobbies in the thunderstorms last night in preparation and I'm sorting all my river gear gradually.

Hopefully like you said the levels wont be so low this year, but I do hope the water is just as clear as last season as the stalking opportunities were endless! My friend Jon and I did extremely well for a variety of species last season anyway despite the low levels, so I won't mind too much if that is the case again. What I do hope doesn't happen again is the kind of devastating summer long floods we had a couple of years back, whole year classes of fish are missing in the parts I fish - although in a few cases I don't think the fish spawned and consequently the average size particularly of the chub has shot up - so its not entirely bad if I'm to be selfish lol.

I've seen barbel spawning personally in the Trent, so hopefully the early season will be a winner this year! I imagine the chub will probably have got through it as well and will be hungry and waiting for a lob or a pellet.....

Roll on the 16th!

We're having some lovely storms here in Worcestershire. Hopefully the rivers will be looking good for the 16th.

I've got one more tench outing planned before the start and then it's barbel-a-go-go!!! Can't wait

Hi all,
I wish we could have some rain down in Wiltshire, the airs heavy and the river looked poor when I went past this morning.

Rich

Yes, also getting pretty excited up here in the north west. There's plenty of rain about over the coming days, though the temperature looks to be very up a down. I haven't been down to the river since March, so looking forward to seeing the banks very overgrown. I still need to buy my club card for the coming season, but the anticipation is killing me.....

Rich

Had awalk along several stretches of the Ribble and the Hodder, very, very low. According to an old farmer, 86 year old, said he has never seen the river so low before. What rain we have had so far has done ziltch.

Wobbly Face - that fills me with foreboding for the coming week. I'll be fishing a river not too far south of your good self, and there's been very little rain over the last week. I might just have to trot and leave the barbel in peace.

Good luck though to all those out on the 16th!!

June the 14th and there under starters orders. Reels are oiled and filled with line. Tackle bag is bulging with stuff I'll never use but, just in case eh. Must say I don't care at this point what the levels are like I just want to go PROPER fishing, no more puddle bashing. Woohoo!

I'll be waiting until Friday I have to work on the 16th, I'm tope fishing on the 17th and providing nobody calls me out it's all systems go on Friday. The Yorkshire rivers are very low so it will be stalking on the shallows for me.