Coarse fisherman magazine

[Fred Bonney]

Spiros,I need say no more,other than
From the Concise Bonney Dictionary.

Knockerseople without their own ability who feel it necessary to doubt anything those of ability are capable of doing.

Well thrown Sean, and belated happy 50th,welcome to the club..

 

[Bryan Baron 2]

I know people on the Ribble who have caught well over 200 barbel a year for the last couple of seasons. So not impossible. You just have to put the time and effort in to reap the rewards.

 

[Spiros]

Sean Fred and others,
I think this thread is getting abit out of hand. I do not doubt anything people do but in this case it seems an extraordibary feat to achieve knowing the river myself. To put the question another way how is it possible to catch so many fish in a short period of time?
I don't think it's possible but if anyone can enlighten me further please do so? If I am wrong I will be first to publicly apologise.
After all where would we be if we accepted figures and statistics carte blanche?

 

[Bryan Baron 2]

Spiros if we all can accept his catch report for the season then why cant you. All the anglers that have responded are very experienced barbel anglers with knowledge of the river and the angler himself. If your expecting people to tell you how to catch 200+ barbel in a season then you are out of luck.

 

[Jason Speck 2]

Spiros,why not mail direct to the BCC,via their website?Then get youre question passed on to Mick direct?
I'm not a member,but have a couple of mates who are.
Why would he lie?No need to has he.

Maybe if you mail the BCC,Mick may?Pass on a few tips to you?

The internet eh?I'm not suprised so many "name" anglers avoid it!!

 

[captain carrott]

there's always some one who doesn't know some one ready to have a go and it's usually because they aren't as successfull themselves and don't think that other people can be so much better than them.

they're also usually no too good anglers.

 

[Spiros]

Captain Carrot,
I would reply to your message but you command of English makes it unreadable.

Bryan,
I can actually catch 200+ barbel given access to the right river thanks.

 

[Fred Bonney]

You know all the answers then!

 

[stu]

A couple of points for you to concider Spiros, why do you discount the winter months for catching barbel? as these can be some of the best months of the year. I know for a fact that Mick Wood has caught barbel regularly in every month of the season - fact there are 9 months in the fishing season, so averaging 6 fish a week for somebody who fishes regularly on the river you are talking about, and of the quality of angler Mick Wood is, I personally think 200 fish is very attainable. I have no doubt Mick's figures are 100% correct. There is a saying in match fishing and I'm sure this applies to specimen angling too that 10% of the anglers catch 90% of the fish - having fished with Mick Wood on a few occassions and spoken to him on many more in my humble opinion Mick is definitely one of the 10%

 

[Beecy]

10% of the anglers catch 90% of the fish


I know that to be absolutely true because i always seemed to get pegged next to one of the 10%

 

[Spiros]

Hi Stu,
Glad someone has got the thread back onto a positive note.
I would probably discount 2 months of the year. You usually get 2 months of bad weather, I have not caught barbel after the first frosts, have you?. I usually find there is a gap until the final month of the season before barbel are caught.
You are probably right in saying 10% of the anglers catch 90% of the fish though. I firmly believe that luck and time spent on the bank are major contributors to catches as well as angling skill. There is a saying that goes better to be a lucky angler than a good one!
I do not profess to be a master angler but only a very competent one.
I have never considered the wharfe to be a prolific river like other but it seems some of you have different views.
Have you fished the Wharfe Stu? If so what is your opinion?

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

Spiros, where on the Wharfe are you fishing?

The consensus is that the numbers do add up so to take the thread in a positive direction maybe some Wharfe regulars might offer some tips.

As to not catching barbel after the first frosts , I think whilst that used to be the case it was because most anglers accepted that as the law and did not fish.Certainly now many barbelers continue through the season even taking fish in quite cold weather although in fairness, the best results come when the weather and water temps are mild.

 

[stu]

Hi Spiros,
I have never fished the Wharfe so it's hard for me to pass comment on this river, but as I said in my previous thread Mick has fished it for may years and I've no doubt he has caught what he says he has. I'm not a barbel angler but someone who fishes for barbel when the mood takes me. I have caught barbel in January and February from the Soar, Trent and Seven usually when fishing small baits like maggot and caster for chub, although I have caught them by design on big baits when these rivers are up and flooded. I totally agree the more time you spend on the bank the more fish you will catch, as for being lucky you can only be lucky every now and then but you can be good all the time. I know there are one or two in angling who are lucky and good.

 

[Spiros]

Alright chaps,
I fish at Newtom Kyme and Boston Spa mostly. Newton Kyme seems to be the best bet if you can get a good peg, however there seems to be a lot of water downstream that doesn't get fished to my knowledge. I have heard collingham is good but have not had the chance to fish it yet.
I have fished below the bridge at Tadcaster which I have found very difficult. I suspect Mick fishes below the weir at Tad which is supposed to be very good fishing. On this note can anyone join Tad Angling club or is it a closed shop like Boston Spa?
I fished for Barbel and Chub throughout the year last season but really struggled in winter - atleast you can pick your peg that time of year!
Does anyone have any advice or where else to fish on the Wharfe?

 

[Tony Rocca]

Mick fishes Spa and Kyme mainly Spiros, kyme is the most productive bit.
I suppose your following the crowd up towards the viaduct, wrong!

I have caught well in every month of the season for the last 4 years, no secret to it in the winter, you just have to be able to pick your days in conjunction with understanding how your river will react to the weather.

Stick at it.

 

[yoggy]

This simply sounds like a terrific feat of angling

Well done Mick Wood.

 

[Spiros]

Tony,
what makes you assume I fish where all the other people fish? I have however had good catches below the viaduct amd not in the obvious pegs there. I have also had good catches in other places where nobody seems to fish.

Yoggy,
Out of interest have you fished the Wharfe?

Bryan Baron,
I am not questioning catches on other rivers.

 

[Tony Rocca]

It was just a guess Spiros.

I still dont understand why you doubt 200 barbel from the Wharfe in a season though.

 

[yoggy]

Spiros,Yes mate i have fished the wharfe several times,although this is not my local river and my knowledge of it somewhat limited.But this is no reason to doubt from what i can gather a very good angler.

Why should i doubt him?.

My local river is the Great Ouse which i like to think i know certain stretches rather well.The Great Ouse is renowned for being a very hard river to fish,and in most cases it is!.
BUT...only two seasons ago i witnessed an angler catch 16 fish during a hectic evening session from what is to be considered an extremely hard stretch,not only was this a fantastic feat,the angler in question only returned the following week to a different stretch and swim and successfully landed a further 12 fish...28 fish from the Ouse in 2 evening sessions!!!
Now thats what you call bloody good angling

Mick wood is obviously a very knowledgable and extremely good angler..end of storey.

 

[Spiros]

Yoggi,
I have never doubted that Mick is a knowledgeable and good angler.
If you have fished the Wharfe several times only and it is not your local river only we will leave it at that.
I will not make a judgement on the Great Ouse as I have not fished the river, although that seems an impressive angling feat.

Tony,
Leaving beside my own personal experience of Barbel catching I have spoken to several very experienced local anglers (one of which has 15 years experience of yorkshire river match fishing, including a lot on the Wharfe) and they have all expressed astonishment like me.
I have however tried to make contact with Mick and as I have said previously if I am wrong I will be the first to admit it.

Going on to a a more productive note has anyone fished the Collingham stretch above Wetherby? I have heard it can be good fishing up there.