The first FM Ribble fish-in kicked off on Saturday morning with over 20 FM members meeting in the Black Bull in Ribchester. The run-up to the event was dogged by flood pulse carrying snow-melt water from the Pennines into the river on Thursday night and although the river ran off nicely for the fish-in on the Saturday the drop in water temperature presented everyone with a bit of a challenge, to say the least. The turn out under these conditions was great and everyone was up for it on the day. The strategy for the day and the conditions we faced was to use the two local day ticket waters and also to make use of the waters to which some of the participants held tickets. After introductions in the pub over a quick pint, everyone moved off in small groups along about 2 miles of the river with the intention of fishing to about 7-o-clock then returning to the pub for another natter and a meal for those who wanted one.
The conditions led us to expect that at least half would catch, with only one or two fish coming around dusk and maybe a decent chub would fall to someone. This was exactly what happened with a PB chub of 4lb 4oz falling to Vinnie Coleman who had gone along with our own Graham Marsden and his mate Dave Colclough. All in all everyone enjoyed the day, the company and the hospitality of the Black Bull was such that there will be another Ribble Chub Fish-in, same place, same time and at the same pub on 6th March this year just before the end of the river season. Note from Graham The Black Bull pub in Ribchester was great too, with a friendly atmosphere and reasonably priced food cooked to perfection and, as John has already said, basic but clean and comfortable accommodation at a very reasonable price. It was a great shame that such superb organisation, a good pub, and excellent turn-out (considering the conditions) wasn’t matched by better fishing prospects. Even so, there were laughs aplenty and even on the fishing front one member, Vinnie Coleman, went away knowing he had caught the best chub of his life at 4lb 4oz. We knew the fishing would be tough; extra water, and snow water at that, coupled with a hard frost the night before, was no recipe for easy fishing. But it was better than expected, with several netting a fish or two and almost everybody at least getting bites, and one or two of us, including me, unlucky enough to hook and lose fish. A FISHINGmagic cap was given to the captors of the best three fish (send me your street address Vinnie and I’ll post it on). Or would have been except those who caught two of the best fish already had one and passed them on to someone who hadn’t. Everyone to a man said later that they would like to do it again before the season came to a close, and so we decided that the next Ribble Fish-in will be on Saturday, 6th March. And, it should be even better for, if everything goes according to plan (and I’m sorry we can’t say any more at this stage) we have a plan simmering away that will make it even more of a social event on the fishing front. If you want to put your name down for the next Ribble Fish-in go to this thread on the Forum. |
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