Bream, Bass and Barbel

What with holidays and other things my fishing has taken a bit of a back seat. I have managed a few outings which have brought about a mixed bag of results.

Bream, bream and more bream

My first session was an overnighter on the lower Severn. Of course, the target was a big barbel. Following setting up camp for the evening, I lost a zander almost immediately. I later managed a bream around 6lb but as darkness approached all attention turned to snaring a big barbel. A few taps and bleeps of the alarm did occur in that first hour of darkness but soon ceased. Then silence. Not a thing all through the night. As dawn approached the bream moved in. In about 90 minutes I probably managed a dozen or so with several knocking on the door of 7lb. The sun rose and with it a very hot day began, which killed sport so I called a premature end to proceedings.

Dusk approaches on the estuary

With a week in Devon planned, I met up with an old friend who lives that way. He's been desperately been trying to get me to join me on a bass sessions so I finally gave in. We met at an estuary as the tide was going out. Donned with chest waders, I gingerly proceeded out to about waist deep. Tactics were soft lures to imitate a sand eel. It was only a short evening session but not much happened for the most part. Adam missed a take when finally I connected with my first bass. It was only a small fish but rewarding all the same. As darkness fell, Adam then connected with a better fish. At just over 2lb it was a nice looking bass. I immediately had a take which failed to connect and shortly we packed up shortly after. It's definitely something I will try again now I have a taste for it.

The third and final session saw me on the Warks Avon for an evening. Barbel were most definitely the target. I'm hoping to catch one every calendar month of the season (weather permitting) and I needed an August fish to keep this going. The river is low and clear so I knew fading light was my only real hope. I baited with hemp and a few pellets and boilies. As dark approached, some larger chub gave their presence away. Eventually, the tip went round. A slow start to the fight made me believe it was a chub I had connected with. It soon changed my mind with some good runs. It's final run tried to take me under the near bank but only succeeded in swimming into the net. I didn't weigh the fish but it was a good 8lb, maybe a 9lb at a push. The fish was returned when soon after I heard something approaching downstream. With my head torch still on following the fish an otter surfaced beneath my feet. To say we were both surprised was an understatement. I'm still not sure who jumped the most as it turned tail rapidly creating a large bow wave. I managed to add a 3lb chub right at the end of the session but that was that.

My August barbel

We desperately need a flush though on the rivers to freshen things up but there are fish to be caught if you choose your species and timings carefully.