- Joined
- Nov 16, 2020
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- 251
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- 416
So, I caught my March barbel and that was the full house... a barbel from the Wye in November, December, January, February and March. I immediately broke down my rod and pulled stumps on the whole adventure. My satisfaction was tinged with sadness, in part because the quest sustained me over several difficult months. As I cleared my clobber from the hut and locked its door, I sensed a period in my life had closed too. June I know is not far away, but I had the lingering hope that “my” barbel would forgive whenever they might come nosing for their freebies.
When I was a kid, in my twenties and even thirties, I thought it strange “old” guys should still be at the sharp end of specialist angling. Peter Stone I might cite as an example, even though I guess he was merely in his fifties at the time. That would have seemed way past it to me then and, just possibly, I was jealous of his reputation and standing in the sport? Now I know different, and see things differently. Fishing is a sport that can take you from childhood to old age seamlessly if you have some luck. Unlike most sports, I believe you can actually get better as the years advance, rather than seeing your skills fade. Your motivations might change over the decades, but perhaps even for the better. In my case I lost my competitive drive as I turned forty and thank God for that.
Referring to that last point, this last campaign could be compared a little with my winters back in the 1970s when I was obsessed with big roach from Norfolk rivers. This had none of the do-or-die intensity of my fishing half a century ago, but it was satisfying and absorbing nonetheless. Back then, my appetite for ever more huge roach was insatiable. If I caught one I wanted two, if I caught a hundred, I wanted two hundred. Today, I don’t need or want many barbel at all. I think, without checking, these past five months have seen me catch seven or eight fish. I could have had fifty if I have had saturated swims when they were “on”. A barbel every two or three weeks is now quite enough to for me. Every bite, every battle and every photograph assumes ever more importance that way. Familiarity never breeds contempt with these wonderful fish, but seeing barbel rarely only heightens their special glamour for me.
I have also to report that in part the winter has been about testing the new Thomas Turner rods that are soon about to hit the market. Years back, I was proud to be integral to the appearance of the Hardy Marksman range, and I lamented the loss when the company was taken over and the new owners pulled the line almost at once. Dave Coster had of course designed the Hardy originals as he has done these TT successors. Winter long, it has seemed to me that his genius has not deserted him. These children of Marksman are better in every way, and Dave has coupled the brilliance of the old design with the availability of modern, improved materials. I especially loved using the float rods (though not so much on the barbel campaign) whilst I’d suggest the TT Avon is the best all round rod I have ever handled... and that is saying quite something! I realise the disgruntlement there always is on sites like this at any hint of advertising, but I don’t really care in this case. Something as good as this Avon needs to be out there, and if you don’t know about it you’d miss out next time it comes to buying a rod similar.
What have I learnt for sure, then? Temperature is key in winter, more important than water height or colour... within reason of course! A serious baiting programme really does work. Boilies (in this case Nash Scopex 15mm) and luncheon meat make a formidable combination. In summer, I generally use 1, 2 or 3 SSGs as weight on the Wye, and this winter I have had to step the number up to 4, 5 or even 6 SSGs. However, they have nearly always coped with ease in the swims I have used them. I have no doubt that even in the winter, a traditional bomb or feeder can be the ruination of a swim in short order. Finally, in winter bites can be ever so hesitant and on three of the fish, I doubt if I would have struck had I not been touch legering. I’m aware the method might seem old-fashioned but you ignore it at your peril.
What do I still not know? I remain unsure how much bait to put in each day in cold weather. My gut feeling is that everything gets eaten at some time in a twenty four hour period by something. Without dusting off my scuba gear (if I could find it), I’ll never know for sure, however. I still do not know if my swim(s) hold resident fish, or if they are visited by wandering barbel that have a fair idea that food will be there for them. Perhaps it is both? Finally there is a perception that the Wye rises faster and higher these days than it did in the Eighties when I got to know it well. I believe this to be true, though I have no idea for sure why this is the case. I suppose the bottom line is that we’ll never know everything – and thank God for that!
When I was a kid, in my twenties and even thirties, I thought it strange “old” guys should still be at the sharp end of specialist angling. Peter Stone I might cite as an example, even though I guess he was merely in his fifties at the time. That would have seemed way past it to me then and, just possibly, I was jealous of his reputation and standing in the sport? Now I know different, and see things differently. Fishing is a sport that can take you from childhood to old age seamlessly if you have some luck. Unlike most sports, I believe you can actually get better as the years advance, rather than seeing your skills fade. Your motivations might change over the decades, but perhaps even for the better. In my case I lost my competitive drive as I turned forty and thank God for that.
Referring to that last point, this last campaign could be compared a little with my winters back in the 1970s when I was obsessed with big roach from Norfolk rivers. This had none of the do-or-die intensity of my fishing half a century ago, but it was satisfying and absorbing nonetheless. Back then, my appetite for ever more huge roach was insatiable. If I caught one I wanted two, if I caught a hundred, I wanted two hundred. Today, I don’t need or want many barbel at all. I think, without checking, these past five months have seen me catch seven or eight fish. I could have had fifty if I have had saturated swims when they were “on”. A barbel every two or three weeks is now quite enough to for me. Every bite, every battle and every photograph assumes ever more importance that way. Familiarity never breeds contempt with these wonderful fish, but seeing barbel rarely only heightens their special glamour for me.
I have also to report that in part the winter has been about testing the new Thomas Turner rods that are soon about to hit the market. Years back, I was proud to be integral to the appearance of the Hardy Marksman range, and I lamented the loss when the company was taken over and the new owners pulled the line almost at once. Dave Coster had of course designed the Hardy originals as he has done these TT successors. Winter long, it has seemed to me that his genius has not deserted him. These children of Marksman are better in every way, and Dave has coupled the brilliance of the old design with the availability of modern, improved materials. I especially loved using the float rods (though not so much on the barbel campaign) whilst I’d suggest the TT Avon is the best all round rod I have ever handled... and that is saying quite something! I realise the disgruntlement there always is on sites like this at any hint of advertising, but I don’t really care in this case. Something as good as this Avon needs to be out there, and if you don’t know about it you’d miss out next time it comes to buying a rod similar.
What have I learnt for sure, then? Temperature is key in winter, more important than water height or colour... within reason of course! A serious baiting programme really does work. Boilies (in this case Nash Scopex 15mm) and luncheon meat make a formidable combination. In summer, I generally use 1, 2 or 3 SSGs as weight on the Wye, and this winter I have had to step the number up to 4, 5 or even 6 SSGs. However, they have nearly always coped with ease in the swims I have used them. I have no doubt that even in the winter, a traditional bomb or feeder can be the ruination of a swim in short order. Finally, in winter bites can be ever so hesitant and on three of the fish, I doubt if I would have struck had I not been touch legering. I’m aware the method might seem old-fashioned but you ignore it at your peril.
What do I still not know? I remain unsure how much bait to put in each day in cold weather. My gut feeling is that everything gets eaten at some time in a twenty four hour period by something. Without dusting off my scuba gear (if I could find it), I’ll never know for sure, however. I still do not know if my swim(s) hold resident fish, or if they are visited by wandering barbel that have a fair idea that food will be there for them. Perhaps it is both? Finally there is a perception that the Wye rises faster and higher these days than it did in the Eighties when I got to know it well. I believe this to be true, though I have no idea for sure why this is the case. I suppose the bottom line is that we’ll never know everything – and thank God for that!