Went out fishing on the last day of the season, full of hope. Started fairly early and had my sights set on a couple of swims. Not early enough as it turned out as the swims were occupied.
Started the session with Paddy and later Kenny Parsons came down to join us. Both Paddy and Kenny have been having good results with the chub and on this occasion fared better than I did.
Settled myself into an area and decided to build the swim with maggots and after 8 hours had only a giant minnow to show for my efforts. Hey Ho, perhaps I should have moved but apart from a few roams trying here and there for 20 minutes could not improve on my minnow.
On a different note, a customer sent me this picture caught on a rod that I had built him a short time ago.
Nice fish – well done.
Bob
Decided to go for another chub session yesterday.
Both of us selected swims that had produced chub (to good proportions) in the past, with a view to move on later.
River looked great, but unfortunately neither of us had the slightest indications of interest. My mate had a wander to a couple of other chub hotspots and to visit Kenny (Parsons) who was doing very well using different tactics on t’other side of river. I decided to stay put – for a few minutes at least! Told myself I really should move and elected to try some lesser known areas. After almost taking a tumble down the muddy bank, I actually had some plucks that resulted in no actual hookings. Time to move upstream.
With only a hour or so to go, I got myself into an awkward swim with regard to getting the bait in a suitable position but cast out and let the weight bump the bait into where I thought they might be. 10 minutes of watching the quiver tip had me thinking to move again, but laziness on my part quickly dispelled this line of action. My mate returned, reporting that nothing had showed the slightest of interest. He set off on a wander back downstream to have another try in one of the original swims. Just as he was leaving, I fancied that the quiver tip had given a slight indication, which got me more interested.
Shortly after he departed, the quiver indicated a couple of plucks and holding the rod I felt a slight pressure on the line followed by a definate fishy pull. Decided to strike and was instantly ‘done’ into a largish twig which I retrieved and landed in the current – most excitement all day! Recast, held the rod and was rewarded by a pluck, pluck and pull. After a spirited fight, I brought a chub to the net. It was a fatty, which I just had to weigh – 5lbs 6 ounces and hurridly photographed with the camera phone (rubbish photo by the way). Nice fish for this river.
Rang my mate to tell him and after this recast. More action when a good 4 plus pounder came to the net – this one pounced on the bait as it was coming round into postion. Two more good threes came in the next 30 minutes.
Went home a happy bunny.
Bob
Long time no blog – been busy, but set myself the recent target to get out fishing at least once a week. Decided to slightly change direction recently and target chub and other species rather than specifically go for barbel. It’s working so far and I don’t make up excuses not to go – I just go and happier for it.
So spliced in quiver tip, Harrison 11′ Torrix, 6 or 8lb mono straight through, bread, paste and cheese paste bait. With tackle like this if a barbel turns up I can probably handle it.
After a few sessions I’m a lot happier and I tend to fish better as well.
Fished the oither day and caught what was expected to be a mid five, but scales said differently and weighed in at 4.14. It was worth a picture though – my fish held by mate Paddy.
Another session in the freezing wind made me seek a relatively sheltered area. Blimey, fresh otter tracks everywhere. Paddy turned up from fishing an exposed area downstream and pronounced ‘how cold he was’. I said it was nice and sheltered where I was – provided you braved the thorns and brambles you could get quite snug. Plenty of room I said, indicating a likely spot some 20 yards upstream. He settled into this spot and rapidly took two respectable chub – of course accompanied by my shouts of ‘Poacher’. We had a laugh about it. Two particular baits seem to be veritable chub magnets.
Rod building is busy and I’m faced with the prospect of spraying 12 tips tomorrow……….what joy!
Finally, some of you may remember an earlier ‘blog’ displaying titanium framed ‘K’ series alconite guides. Well, the rod in question was finished a few days ago. Piccy of guide attached to rod.
These rings are often called anti-tangle guides, but to be perfectly honest I’ve not had much trouble with tangles on the BMNAG and similar patterned frames, whatever the centres.
Maybe more later.
Bob
Said to the wife last Tuesday – ‘feel really rubbish, seems to come on all of a sudden, usual Tuesdayitus maybe?’ – but in a couple of hours was going hot and cold with an accompanying pain in the tum. A sleepless night and day followed. Felt very tender even a couple of days later, but now on the mend.
Before this interuption, I’d been making a custom fly rod for a customer that required a removable extended butt section on this 9′ #6 rod based on the rather nice Harrison Lorhic blank. I managed to finish this rod today and was pleased with the result. Home grown interchangeable butt and handle extensions, Fuji alconites and the usual bits of hardwood trim, picture below:
While making rods, I tend to home in on the telly for the main news broadcast around dinnertime. Don’t know why I bother as it usually ends up in a rant at the happless box which can’t answer back. News nowadays tends to be mostly doom and gloom with very little feelgood subjects. Note to TV News broadcasters – try and spread at least a little bit of happiness. 24hr news is dire by the way, do you get tired repeating the same old stuff every 15 minutes?
Anyway, whilst beeing poorly I thought to myself – why not have TV on the PC? So Hauppauge HVR card purchased (not too much trouble to set-up) and now getting Freeview in the room. Good move, meethinks, but avoiding the news channels.
Bob
Early Days of Flood Fishing
Years ago I used to go fishing in pretty much any conditions, but now tend to be a bit more choosey. Although I had fished rivers with ‘some water on’ during the warmer months, my introduction to winter flood fishing came mostly by accident. Without going into too much detail, a mate owed me a favour or two and offered to drop me by the river and pick me up on his return journey some hours later. Great, no driving for me and I accepted. Arrived at the river on a mild February morning – must have been in the early 1990s – only to find it just about within its banks. My mate had driven off as he was late for his appointment – so I was stranded for some hours at least. With only a small game bag holding my limited selection of tackle and bait (worms), I looked at the turbulent water and cast half heartedly. I had my doubts whether the bait had actually found bottom before it was around and tangled in the dead grass and thistles. Looking in my tackle bag I found some 2 ounce carp leads and tied these together to hopefully get the bait down. A cautious cast upstream and felt the terminal gear bounce quickly though the swim, a pause and then stop. Snagged I thought, but the snag started to move upsteam and after a rather untidy tussle, a barbel of around 8lbs was landed. Quickly followed by another around 6 and another of similar size – all on 6lb Maxima. The final 4th fish was slightly bigger and managed to get 10 yards downstream of me which resulted in pulling the fish upstream and finally the fish took a plunge and hook pulled. It was from then that I really got into fishing floods specifically for barbel and on many occasions had the river to myself. One day bumped into another angler fishing in much the same way – we became very good friends and are now to this day.
Now the cautionary bit – it can be very dangerous so take all necessary precautions.
Some pictures of floods around 10 years ago.
A Flood Picture From Years Back
The water ran over the banks an hour or so later, but had managed two nice fish before I retreated.
Andy Thatcher, Dick Dowing (two original BFW members) and my rod on a visit to a swollen Bristol Avon. Circa 2001.
Think this was on the same day – result for another mate and the ‘swim’. He also had another.
A Letter (small package really but letter sounded better) From America
Building a rather special build for a customer, but some of the hardware he wanted didn’t seem to be available from stockists in the UK. So took a deep breath and ordered the bits from the good old USA.
Two sets of Fuji Concept Anti Tangle Titanium frame guides Type TKWAG with matching tip rings TMNAT were ordered last Thursday and duly arrived today on Wednesday – very prompt delivery as usual. As I’ve already mentioned these have titanium frames and as you might expect are very expensive. I estimate that after fees and VAT is paid, each set will cost around £120 a set. Still standing up……?
They look pretty though – also available in stainless steel and black frames at a much lower price! Some of these frame types appear to be stocked in the UK.
Close up of a TKWAG 20 – J
More when I finish the rod, unless I’ve bored you into never visiting this Blog again.
Be careful and happy out there.
Bob
Happy New Year to all.
Picture of a shallow swim at water level on a warmer part of the year.
Regards from ‘Pinkie’ as well.
Bob
Should have said epoxy and cold. In this case the epoxy I’m referring to is the rod whipping finish. In the current sort of weather we are experiencing, even with heated hoods thing can just get a little more complicated. Epoxy has a limited pot life when mixed, it doesn’t like the cold, elevated humidity, silicone contaminants, grease and dust – think thats covered some of it! To get a good result it also needs turning for around 6 hours and then allowing to cure for a couple of days at least. If you need to recoat and avoid abrading the first coat - then getting the second coat on within 24hrs of the first can help avoid reticulation and poor adhesion problems. Easy as falling off a log!
Time for a recent England patriotic graphic.
Had a strange (but in retrospect not surprising) thing happen the other day. Was cold in the workshop and was working on a pair of rods with a composite EVA and cork handle. Now, I usually put the rough cork and EVA (aka Duplon) on the handle/butt section and then shape the handle using a lathe as I’ve found that it works better for me this way. As the customer wanted extended EVA sections at the butt, I first used epoxy resin to fix the rear sections of duplon. When this had cured, I then glued and clamped the cork section to the handle using a foaming urethane adhesive. Looked good and then placed the glued up sections in a warm area and left overnight. Morning came and a brief glance at the two extended EVA butt sections told me something was wrong. The EVA had bulged quite frightenly behind the cork. Obviously, this needed rectification and after pondering for a while decided to replace the offending section. I cut the EVA with a knife and was greeted by a sudden and messy gush of uncured urethane, glue all over the place – nice! Another job to do.
Have got a lot of rods to go out before the Christmas break and things are quite hectic. Built a nice special Torrix 1.75 with nice fittings – hope the customer likes it.
This had the rock solid ALPS reel seat in gunsmoke finish.
The Association of Barbel Fishers is developing nicely and a lot of work is being put in by the team. Conrad (I don’t know how he does it – do you get any sleep mate?) and others have done a great job and it looks that the ABF will go from strength to strength. Other members have contributed and a new draft logo is on its way – a sneaky peeky below..
If you fancy joining or want some more information – then click on the logo.
After a bout of the dreaded flu and rod building, maybe I’ll get chance to get out and FISH over the break. I hope so.
Happy Christmas and a great new year folks from me and the girlie below.
She looks a bit miserable – maybe smile next time?
Meanwhile I have some more rods to build………………
Bob
Many congratulations to The Association of Barbel Fishers, who in little more than a week hit 100 members. Well done again. This new group is the one to watch and I’m proud to be a member.
Now rods - a question that seems to crop up regularly is what tip colours show up the best. In my experience it depends on a number of considerations, but a few colours seem to offer the best ‘all-round’ performance. The pictures should give some idea, rather than me waffling on for a few paragraphs.
From top to bottom:
Minimised large isoblob with yellow and orange fluoro tracer. This is a plug-in – however, an expensive option. (2lb 11′ Torrix)
Sight tip for above with same colour scheme. Alternative plug-in. (2lb 11′ Torrix)
Glass quiver tip, small minimised blob, yellow and orange fluoro. (1.75lb 11′ Torrix)
White and fluoro orange. (2.5lb 12′ Torrix)
White. (2.5lb 12′ Torrix)
Carbon 3oz Quiver, white and fluoro yellow.
Glass (approx 2.5oz) quiver, white with red fluoro.
My favourite is fluoro yellow and orange, with white and orange fluoro a very close second. With the yellow and orange combo, I’ve found that you don’t really need that much.
Bob
I’m very pleased to be associated with this new group. Here’s the announcement:
Announcement for the Public Launch of the “Association of Barbel Fishers”
Welcome to news of the ABF – The Association of Barbel Fishers. We at the ABF have formed our association with a clear view of what we want in the future. We are a natural evolution in specialist groups and will be run democratically with elected officials.
The current members now wish to offer membership to all interested anglers. Initially, membership of the ABF will require a small donation in order to prove identity; these donations will be used to finance the ABF running costs.
The ABF is NOT intended to become opposed to existing barbel forums or groups and does not intend to participate in Internet conflicts with any group nor individual. In fact many existing members are also members of other current websites, forums and barbel groups.
We want a group that values it’s members and becomes the place for friendships and shared experiences to develop, to bring enjoyment to our fishing.
One of the main aims of the ABF is that the membership contributes and has a say in the way the association operates.
In the near future the ABF, given your support and encouragement, intends to provide members with: -
· Members ‘Away Days’ forum to arrange fishing days on each other’s waters.
· Weekly News
· A regular on-line magazine as and when we grow
· Regular fundraising events for charities nominated by the membership.
Given good support and a firm financial base, in the medium and long term we plan to provide: -
· A robust membership base and a group managed by elected officials.
· Associate memberships of various barbel rivers around the whole country.
· Group ‘get-togethers’ and ‘fish-ins’ and other similar events.
· Support for barbel welfare in the form of habitat improvement working in conjunction with other appropriate parties.
Application details are as follows:
Go to the following page:
Then fill in new members section using real names only which will be verified.
You are cordially invited to come along and join us,
Good Fishing, The Association of Barbel Fishers.
Mike Osborne
Would be great to see you there.
Bob
