I want one!!

Gear for the roving river angler is always a sore point. We want something lightweight, durable, versatile and comfortable. I've got by with a Korum accessory chair and ruckbag combination, which is a brilliant combination and allows you to have your hands free for rod and landing net - the chair is a cracking bit of kit. However, when your travelling for a mile, it's a heavy to say the least.

Anyway, i think i may have found what i'm looking for with this new product. Haven't got one yet, but you can be sure i'll be saving for one....

First barbel of the year...

I've been out a few times this season in the hunt for barbel, trying to get out when there's been some extra water in. This morning I woke up not knowing quite where to go, but with a bit of water in the river I knew I should give it a try.

Set up was my Wychwood Rogue Barbel 1.75lb (though yet to get a bend from a barbel on it!) and Korum KXi 50 reel, a suprisingly nice reel for the price. A glugged 14mm halibut was hair rigged to 10lb drennan sink link, with a 5oz running ledger and pva bag of 6mm pellets completing the set up. This was cast as close as I dared to the far bank where a few snags and overhanging bushes were present. The water was up but looked a bit like tea, which apparently is a bad sign (not talking from experience here!).

After an hour or so the rod plunged down and a fit-fighting barbel was hooked. I'd already lost 2 this year and wasn't planning on having the same happen again, so I put plenty of pressure on, and the rod showed it's tue colours (a lovely bit of kit!). After the initial few surges I played it under my feet for a minute or two before landing it, a lovely barbel of 6lb 1oz. Well happy!

No bass, but still some plugging action...

I've been thinking about trying a local mark called Kettleness recently and, having not fished the place before, thought i'd pop down early morning for a bit of a recce. I went with a mate called Rob. The climb down is no problem really, you just need your hands free so make sure everything is on your back....a few pics:



We fished off the ledge at high water mainly, and there were a couple of cut off points. The first we were able to wade past at high water, the second has had a rope there, which is now broke, but we clambered past it. Was fine today with the sea flat calm.

Though we saw plenty of sandeel about, we plugged away for a couple of hours with no luck. Rob caught a mackerel on a max rap, so a dexter wedge soon had another mackerel on for me before they dissapeared as soon as they had come.

Both had sprats stuffed in their belly. Highlight of the day for me was Rob trying to avoid midgie bites by cross dressing as a grannie..

A couple of terns were diving out of casting reach, but other than that no signs that bass may be about. I'll definitely be trying more now i know how to get there and get down...

And the mackerel.....well one of them is my lunch, the other is being kept for a spot of piking!

Early morning bass trip

I've been preoccupied with rivers recently, specifically trying to catch barbel. Anyway, with the rivers devoid of colour, i got a text off a mate who said conditions seemed right for bass. I've only had one trip this year, earlier in may, so within an hour of that text i was in my loft digging out maria's, saltiga's and rapala's and opening books about bass. Suddenly the bass bug had bitten again..

So at 3am this morning my alarm went off, suddenly it was 4am and i'd got a text saying he'd just got there. Damn, i'd fallen asleep again! A 15 min drive and half an hour walk had me there, and i decided to start off on a soft plastic, which was duly snagged on the first cast. Maybe i should have stayed in bed! I knew from previous trips that this mark tended to produce on a big tide. I changed to the shallow divers and plugged away with various bits of plastic for an hour or so with no response. I noticed my battered old storm thunderstick, the one which got me 3 in one session previously and thought, why not. So on it went, and this one dived that bit deeper and created an instant response. Out of knowhere i was playing a bass, only a small schoolie, but a bass all the same. I've gone a whole year before now without catching one, so i was a happy chappy.

I left my mate still fishing, so i could go home and make kids breakfast, take dog out etc. Just got a text - he's caught 3! Should have stayed out....