Dorset based new comer

Hi there,
Just thought I'd introduce myself, my names Steve and I've been fishing for the vast majority of my life. I had a few years off but the last 5-6 years I've become increasingly more fanatical. Ninety nine point nine nine percent of my fishing is chub and barbel based on the Throope stretch of the stour.

So why am I here? Well, Throope isn't easy, there's definitely room for improvement in my skills and I'm hoping to chat with other locals and improve my angling and maybe share some of what I do know. I also wouldn't mind getting to know the Royality better as well, having fished it once it was a bewildereding free for all, not the miles of water I'm used to.

I thought I'd include the best fish of my season so far.
A chub of 5lb7oz

A barbel at 8lb9oz

So who's local??

Welcome aboard mate enjoy your time here.

Hi welcome to fishing magic

Hi Steve, welcome aboard :thumbs:

I used to fish Throop in years gone bye and caught my first double figure Barbel there back in the 1980s (11lb 4oz) and also had Chub up to just over 5lb but apart from a weeks holiday a few years ago in a guest house next to the river I haven't fished there in recent years.

You have a lovely stretch of the Stour and I look forward to your posts.

Keith

Hi Steve,
Welcome to the mad-house - hope you manage to get some worthwhile tips out of this shower - you'll be lucky!
They'll probably be jealous of your local fishing - like me! Wonderul waters and some stunning fish.
Had a week at Throop - in 1976! mg: - driest on record! - we just got off the camp-site as the forest fire surrounded it!
One of these days.... I'll be back
Tight Lines :thumbs:

Welcome to FM Steve, nice fish.

Hi guys,
Cheers for the warm welcome. It's changed a lot at Throope over the last 20-30 years from what I gather, the olde tales from the older members. It however is still a magical place to fish, the numbers of barbel are low compared to some rivers but amongst them are some mighty big ones. Chub are plenty but catching them isn't child's play as they are very alert.

I actually got out this morning for three hours, text book conditions, a solid blank. This isn't unusual for me, I can go 3-6 sessions blanking in a row then equal sessions catching at least one sometimes multiple fish. This is what's frustrating the consistency...