Rising river rewards

A rising Warks Avon has always puzzled me. I've had some really great sessions and some that promised much yet delivered nothing. For me personally, a river fining down has always filled me with more confidence. This time last week, the heavens had opened and the river was on the up. Tuesday evening gave me a chance to venture out. I almost didn't. The river was still rising and for the aforementioned reasons I wasn't overly keen. Nothing ventured, nothing gained however so I set off with rain still falling and sporadic gusts of wind.

These conditions leave many anglers bamboozled, a fact borne out by me being the only visitor. Where to fish? How to fish? This is where familiarity scores highly. It's ever so easy to cast into an area that looks the part only to find your rig has dropped into a reed bed, a hidden tree or some other obstruction hidden by the increased water levels. In contrast, fishing a stretch you know means you can cast with relative confidence. There's a number of stretches on the river that I have pretty well memorised for days like this.

A fantastic result

Two rods were cast. Both with a cage feeder filled with dampened pellets. This method means a scent trail is dispersed and the pellets stay in the feeder for up to an hour. The upstream rod was baited with a pellet (a bait that had scored two 8lb barbel the week before) with the downstream rod baited with a lump of luncheon meat. Usually, I'd be relative mobile in these conditions especially if I'd not received any indications after 30 minutes or so.  That said, the weather was pretty grim and with not too many swims offering options I decided to sit it out. I did try my umbrella but the wind was so powerful it was a waste of
time so I sat braving the conditions. It was about 6pm when the meat rod lurched round completely out of the blue. It caught me by surprise as I'd resigned myself to a likely blank. The fish kept low and used the extra current to its advantage meaning it barely budged initially. It then went on a run but I wrestled control back when it then became stuck in what I know is a small bed of reeds. For a minute or so it was stalemate. But pressure told and it began moving again before it surfaced for the first time. A great looking barbel emerged. I'd had to move downstream to remain in charge so the fish was eventually netted about 20 yards from swim. The net revealed an obvious double. It weighed 11lb 6oz and was a great result. It was to be the only fish of the session but what a fish.

I did return 48 hours later on a falling river in what looked like my favoured conditions. I didn't get so much as a tap so it just goes to show what I know!

The longest of winters

One of the few recent captures

Another river season has come and gone and the lack of activity on these pages tell its own story. Since Christmas there have been few opportunities to capture some large winter fish. Since my previous post where I enjoyed some nice chub fishing in January, it has been a tale of woe. The changeable weather conditions have been most unhelpful. We have had to endure long periods of freezing weather which saw the Warks Avon dip to below 2°C at one point then we've had to contend with the inevitable snow melts that saw the river rage and spill its banks. A couple of small pike managed to put a bend in the rod but a string of blanks appeared to be the norm for me.

Mother nature flexes her muscles

Despite the lack of fish, the countryside can be at its most striking at this time of year. From the beautiful snow covered landscape to witnessing the power of mother nature when a river is in full flood. I had the pleasure of witnessing a starling murmuration for several weeks through the colder months. Quite why starlings do this prior to roosting is a mystery but it certainly makes for an interesting spectacle on a cold, winter's afternoon.

The final weekend saw the river rise dramatically. Had it not been the last chance to fish the river then I'd have probably given it a miss since I have found the Avon rarely produces when on a rapid rise. Despite reasonable water temperatures, a winter barbel could not be tempted. I even gave the river a final chance on the 12th but again she was on another quick rise following a day of heavy rain. I struggled to place a bait even in the slacker swims and was forced to retire early.

There are few better sights than the countryside shrouded in a blanket of snow

The PB chub

As I write this, I have awoken to find we are once again greeted by snow. It's certainly been an interesting start to what is supposed to be spring. Looking back, it's been a reasonable season full of highs and lows. The barbel fishing through the summer and autumn was some of the best I've enjoyed on the Avon in recent years and my first Wye double was a stand out memory. A personal best chub brightened up my winter before the weather took its grip. With March upon us it affords time to regroup and explore new challenges and I for one hope that the close season remains although that's a debate for another day. The next few weeks will see me switch to big perch and hopefully some better times to come.

Floodwater Barbel

It seems ages since I last caught a barbel. I must admit to being side tracked over the last few months and I haven't really had the motivation to make my time on the bank all about one species. However, this week had me itching to get a decent bend in the rod so a barbel trip was planned on the Warwickshire Avon.

With the river rising over night into Saturday morning and a couple of frosts earlier in the week, I knew fishing would be anything but easy. The plan was to stay mobile and thus stay warm and hopefully stumble upon a feeding fish. I knew I would be fishing for one bite if I was lucky. I arrived to a very wet looking car park and an Avon not far from the top of the bank.

I started at the top of the stretch with the intention of dropping into any likely looking spots before moving on after thirty minutes or so. I spent the first hour fishing two slack areas away from the raging torrent. Without any indications, confidence had begun to wane. I continued in a few other

A nice looking slack

spots and eventually arrived back at the car park without anything to show for my efforts. I knew if I could present a bait in the right spot I'd been in with a good chance of something materialising. So I wandered downstream with the first spot again resulting in nothing. Finally, a walk 50 yards or so downstream at last yielded what I was looking for: a long, smooth glide that looked to be a swim worth concentrating my efforts for the remainder of my trip. A cast was made with a piece of Spam and a 2oz weight moulded with my homemade paste. All I could do now was admire the countryside and wait for a bite.

A welcome fish for January

About half an hour had passed when the rod tip hooped round and a fish was hooked. Obviously the cold water had taken effect since there were no blistering runs with the fish staying deep and plodding its way closer to the bank. Finally it awoke making a run which had the clutch screaming before the fish was drawn over the waiting net. The barbel was no monster at around 7lb but it had been feeding well and looked in great condition. A quick photo and it swam away strongly to fight another day. A few negotiations with the wife allowed me to stay on for another hour in the hope another fish would show but with a huge cloud approaching I curtailed the session at about 2.30pm. As the first few spots of rain started to fall I arrived back at the car satisfied to have managed a January floodwater barbel. The subsequent twenty minute drive home was then spent travelling through torrential rain and strong winds justifying my decision to return to a warm living room.

Rain, more rain and litter

The new year has seen nothing but rain, rain and more rain. Locally it's causing all sorts of issues with many routes in and around the Warks Avon flooded. Of course any hopes of a productive angling trip seem to be a long way off and my planned pike sessions have been forced to the back of queue. With more bad weather forecast it does not seem like there is going to be any let up in the coming week so stillwater and canal sessions seem to be the order of the day if you fancy wetting a line.

Fladbury weir

The Avon at Nafford

On another note, I was lure fishing for pike before the floods when I was distracted by the amounts of litter in the meadow I was fishing. Unfortunately, BAA waters are no stranger to litter and when the nettles die back during winter it reveals the full magnitude of this anti-social behaviour. With the pike not showing I decided to be a good citizen and tackle the problem myself. I have, in the past, contacted the BAA only to be told that clearing up the mess is not worth it as it will only return later. Whilst I find this attitude deplorable I also realise that the club will not do anything proactive to tackle any of the issues faced on their waters. So with this in mind I started to make piles of empty corn and meat tins, groundbait  bags, plastic bottles, drinks' cans, food wrappers, etc.

The mark of idiots

I then walked the bank to gather the several piles I had made which left me with a black bin bag bursting at the seams. If I'd had more bags on my person then I could have no doubt filled more.

I find it desperately sad that people find it acceptable to bring these possessions to the bank but cannot return home with the litter it produces. Unfortunately, this behaviour is not reserved to just angling and a trip around our countryside will see examples of fly tipping, unwanted McDonald's packaging and the best of all, dog poo that has been bagged but then tied to a fence. I always find it most strange when people go to the trouble of bagging up their rubbish yet still dump it.

The other unfortunate by-product of the loutish practice is the reputation it brings towards angling. In a generation where many of our waterways are pressured through various factors, public support may be more important than ever. What chance of this is there when 'Joe Public' sees the effects of a minority which in turn tarnishes a whole sport? A fine example of this is the seal issue on the Severn. Most members of the public are oblivious to the damage that a seal could cause and are seduced by a 'cute' creature in a town near them. A look at some of the opinions on the internet show that it has been turned into a war against angling and the opinion is that anglers do not respect their surroundings. Pictures like the one above do nothing to quell such opinions. As always, the minority spoil it for everyone else.

Rising rivers bring hope

It has been a while since I last posted but the half-term break meant I had the opportunity to get out and do some fishing. Even better that it coincided with the first proper influx of rainwater to our waterways. With the rivers carrying some extra water after months of stagnation I decided to try and catch my first barbel since the end of August.

The venue for my first session was the middle Severn, a few miles downstream of Brignorth. The venue is one I know reasonably well and I have a few go to swims when the river is high. I found

A high & coloured river Severn

the river up about 5 foot on normal. It is well documented that extra water entering the river as a result of a mild weather front, can encourage barbel to feed in earnest. In these conditions it is usually a case of finding the fish and presenting them with a bait. It sounds simple and it is if you follow the basic rules of watercraft. I believe it's often easier to find fish in these conditions than in normal ones. You see, a high, raging river actually eliminates many areas. Places where the flow is too fast, the bottom uneven and causing boils, and areas lacking suitable depth can all be ignored. Instead, slacker areas behind trees where the current is much more near to normal with a nice steady and even flow offer the best opportunities. I set up in my first of three swims and cast a rig consisting of a 2oz lead and a piece of flavoured Spam mounted on a size 2 hook. I also moulded some homemade paste around the weight as an added attractor. About half hour passed when the rod pulled round twice and a barbel took off downstream. The fish was quickly brought under control and safely netted. It was a typical middle Severn barbel of just over 6lb.

A 6 pounder put in an appearance

With the fish returned I then decided to up sticks and try my other two spots. Both swims looked good but I was unable to tempt another bite so I returned back to the original fish producing swim. I fished on but it became apparent the swim was changing. The river had started to rise and my swim had now become a boily cauldron. This had the effect of either switching the barbel off or causing them to move, perhaps both. The day had almost come to an end so I opted for the lazy option of sitting it out in the forlorn hope that another fish might put in an appearance. With hindsight, I should have sought pastures new.

The following day saw me attempt a short session on a very high Warwickshire Avon. This was a nondescript session that resulted in a blank. The Avon had been quite high with it just falling short of bursting its banks. However, on this afternoon the river fell at an alarming rate, over a foot in just 90 minutes or so. Any sudden change to the river causes the fish to lose their appetite so given the conditions so I had to take the 'blank' on the chin.

A high Avon resulted in a quiet afternoon

The first 4 pounder

I returned on Friday to the same venue. The river was now just over a foot above normal, although still carrying a lot of colour. The temperature was 10.2°C, a very slight drop on the previous session so barbel were a definite contender, if they could be located. However, I also knew chub would come in to play. Although chub are not fans of highly coloured water on a rising river or at the peak of a flood, they do feed well as the river fines down towards its normal level. Again, a mobile approach was the order of the day and I didn't get a bite until my third swim. With Spam as bait the tip pulled round and a spirited battle resulted in a nice looking 4lb chub. I continued on my  journey along the deserted stretch when three swims later I found evidence of fish. I was too hasty on one strike as a chub played with the bait. I

This swim looked the part but failed to produce

obviously spooked the fish as interest faded so I moved on to my final peg. Instinct told me I would get a bite here so it was just a matter of patience. Ten minutes later and a positive pull led to another pristine chub of 4lb. This peg was a quagmire after the recent rain and high levels so I decided to walk back to where I caught earlier for the last hour of daylight. For 35 minutes the tip remained unmoved as my meat bait was ignored. It was then that I decided to change baits. Cheesepaste was the choice and the effect was quite spectacular. No sooner had the bait settled when it was aggressively picked up by another chub. The fish was much smaller, approaching a couple of pounds but it served as a reminder that a change of bait can work wonders.

Another nice chub on the bank

It was obvious that fish had been there all along but had not fancied the meat bait and were less suspicious of the underused cheesepaste option. So my session had Although it wasn't the most productive session fish wise, I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon down by the river since I have to admit there has not been much joy for the river angler this season. Chub have long been a favourite of mine so it was nice to find a few decent fish especially when I had the whole stretch to myself.

To end, it's been a year since I started this blog and in that time I have managed over 32,000 views so thank you for looking; it makes it worthwhile that someone, somewhere is taking notice. 

A Trip Down Memory Lane

This week saw the passing of the spring equinox and with the official start of spring. However, as I write the air is cold with snow falling from a grey sky. It certainly doesn’t feel like spring and early mornings spent tench fishing on a lily laden lake or stalking carp off the surface seem as distant as ever. It is on these occasions that an angler’s mind will wander and some of our fondest memories spent on the bank return to remind of the good days. Those red letter days that we all experience from time to time that keep us returning to the water’s edge come rain, wind or shine.

Such as day occurred some five years ago when barbel had started to dominate my thoughts. However, at the time I was still yet to land a magical double figure fish or exploit the joys that mild, brown water can bring

Text book conditions?

a river angler. Such conditions arrived in the way of a heavy flood during a warm, but wet August. I decided to fish the middle Severn, a few miles downstream of Bridgnorth. Since I had only fished the stretch once before I decided to adopt a mobile approach to maximise my chances since logic told me that if I can find fish then I’d have a great chance of catching in what appeared to be prime conditions, or so the text books told me. Upon arrival, I was heartened by the empty car park that greeted me meaning I literally had miles of river to myself, although I wouldn’t need that of course. With the river at the top of the bank I set about looking for suitable spots to deposit pellets using a bait dropper. I intended to fish close in and looked for sheltered spots behind trees or naturally occurring eddies.

After about 30 minutes I had five spots baited and found myself at the first swim. By now the time was about 4pm and I must admit to tingling with anticipation at the prospect of wetting a line, everything seemed just right and my gentle underarm cast deposited my pellet bait into the swirling current. I tightened the line and held the rod almost expecting an immediate bite and I was not to be disappointed. The line pulled violently across my fingers and a swift strike was met with the unmistakable resistance of a barbel. After a spirited battle a typical middle Severn barbel graced the landing net and I had at least found a productive swim. What I did next may seem illogical as I gathered my belongings and headed off to the next swim but not before another dropper of pellets had been delivered. The second swim was shallower, perhaps too shallow and although I gave 10 minutes I was not too surprised that it didn’t result in any activity. Not to worry as I was now settling down into my next spot. Again, within minutes I was connected to an angry barbel that gave me the run around as I guided the fish through a tight gap in the trees towards my gaping net. Again I baited up and then moved on until I had three successful swim out of the original five that resulted in fish almost immediately after casting.  

It was tiring work, with the fish is almost suicidal mood I was rarely in a swim for more than 5 minutes before I had landed a fish and was on the move again. By catching then a resting a swim I hoped I was not pressuring the resident shoal and this ensured I continued to receive positive bites throughout the session. Again I connected with a barbel but I naively gave the fish too much line and within seconds it had made it beyond the crease and into the main flow. With this part of the river a raging torrent I had little hope of retrieving line and the pressure told and with it my fish. I had learned a valuable lesson that I would not allow to reoccur.

This 10 pounder took me by surprise in more ways than one

What happened next was a surprise of the most pleasant variety. I cast into what had been my opening swim. By now I was expecting, rather than hoping for a bite but nothing prepared me for the speed of the take. I cast, engaged the bail arm and began winding in the slack when I found myself connected to yet another barbel, however this one felt different to the others. It didn’t power off in explosive fashion like its predecessors, preferring to hug the riverbed in determined fashion. I knew that patience would win the day in what was a snag free eddy and at last the white belly and bronze of my prize surfaced. I knew immediately it was in a different league to the five and six pounders that had been providing such frenetic sport. The scales registered 10lb 4oz and my first double had been captured.

I went on to catch 13 barbel that evening. I returned 48 hours later to add another 9 fish and those two sessions still provide fond memories to this day. I’ve gone onto catch bigger barbel but I learnt so much that week, which has held me in good stead ever since. So with the snow still falling outside I find myself jolted back to reality and my trip down memory lane is complete.

It's not funny anymore

I left for work this morning to be met with the all too familiar sight of the Warks Avon spread across the outskirts of my village and flood signs being erected. It really has been a hopeless winter as far as river fishing has been concerned. With the river carrying extra water for the last three months it takes very little to burst the banks so a weekend of constant rain, topped off with a blanket of snow and the subsequent thaw means the river has risen about 2 metres since Saturday.

I've never been overly concerned with extra water, after all if coupled with the right temperature it can provide some pretty good fishing, especially for Barbel. However, apart from a mild influx around New Year all the extra water has been cold rain and snow melt resulting in the Avon's contents resembling a cup of cold coffee. With the conditions being so unsettled it's been almost impossible to plan a session with any degree of success since the river has been neither one thing or the other. I mean, mild and coloured can be perfect for Barbel, cold and clear can produce Chub, Pike and maybe Roach but cold, coloured and seemingly getting worse is a recipe for disaster.

With only a month left of the season it would be nice to be able to put a few decent fish in the net to rival what was a decent winter, probably my best, last year. But I'm a long way off from matching those achievements so instead I find my mind wandering away to lily fringed lakes, with mist rising as the sunrise brings in a new day. Perhaps this spring can make up for the missed opportunities of winter.

Rivers on the rise

We seem to have some milder weather on the way but this of course has triggered the snow melt. As a result the last 24 hours have seen the Warks Avon rise by over a metre and it appears it's a similar story on the Severn. Of course, this new influx of water will also play havoc with the temperatures so with cold, coloured water the order of day I think the rivers are probably best left alone for a week or so.

Back to the floods?

The Warks Avon is again covering many of the fields near to where I live with the road out of my village closed to all but the brave or stupid. I posted some pictures exactly a month ago [here] & [here] when the river was in a similar state and with the adjoining land still saturated it hasn't taken much extra rain for the river to replicate some of the scenes. At the time of posting, the Environment Agency's Evesham station was showing a level of 3.17m so it's not quite as bad but it's sure to cause some inconvenience at this busy time of year.

A fish at last!

Following three consecutive blanks, I visited the Warwickshire Avon hoping to put an end to my fishless run. With the frosty weather and clearing water I had planned a Pike session but then it rained heavily on Friday and brought the river up about a metre. With a coloured river and a slight increase in water temperature it mean only one thing, Barbel! The plan was to fish meat in a few spots until I found a fish. I was confident that if I could locate the Barbel then they would be catchable.

The first unproductive swim

The productive swim

The first peg I tried was a slack over a gravel bed that is usually exposed at normal level. I fished here for about 45 minutes with no result so I opted to move about 100 yards downstream. Here the main flow was on the far side of the river with a much calmer flow on the nearside. Here I altered my tactics and decided to fish my own blend of paste which I presented around a boilie and moulded some more around my weight. I only fished here for about 25 minutes because it just didn't feel right. Sometimes you have to trust your instinct so I wondered off downstream to an area that had produced for me before. I opted for a swim that had a bush upstream that deflected the flow out and another bush at the downstream end. I cast my paste bait together with a small PVA bag of pellets and sat and waited, listening to Aston Villa putting Liverpool to the sword in the process and feeding a pair of ducks that often frequent the stretch but I'm unable to recognise.

Not sure what these are. Can anyone help?

Almost out of the blue the rod tip shot round and I was into a fish which was undoubtedly a Barbel. The fish put up a good scrap making for the downstream bush on several occasions. The two ducks also decided to take to the water just to make things more interesting. But I wasn't to be beaten and soon had the net under what looked a reasonable fish. The scales showed 8lb 6oz, which was a decent result considering my recent lack of success and was most welcome as the sky cleared and brought a chill to the air. I fished on hoping another fish may put in an appearance but it wasn't to be. Not a bad afternoon with Villa doing the business too so I trudged back to the car a content man.

Post Flood Carnage

The Warwickshire Avon is back in its banks following the floods and the roads are back to normal. Due to a bout of tonsillitis and other commitments there's no fishing on the agenda for me this weekend. Instead, I decided to take a few pictures of the carnage left behind by the sheer volume of water that's passed through the Avon over the last week or so.

The fence and gate bite the dust

There's a field there after all

Someone's in for a surprise next time they plan a trip

Note the cormorant near the tip of the island

Warwickshire Avon flood update

Well, the Warwickshire Avon is starting to fall finally and the latest level according to the Environment Agency's Evesham station shows 2.97m showing a decrease of about 0.5m from its peak. Following the pictures I posted a couple of days ago, I decided to take a few more on Saturday morning to show the true picture of what the Avon looks like at the moment. However, it's been raining most of the day so expect another rise in the next 24 hours (see below).

(On the rise at 3.38m on Sunday morning and almost 4m by the evening)

The Warks Avon near between Chadbury and Fladbury

The near bank is somewhere by the trees

Warwickshire Avon in flood, what a surprise!

Unsurprisingly, the Warks Avon has burst its banks. I had a session lined up for Tuesday evening but a live appearance on Radio Hereford & Worcs meant I didn't get home as early as I had hoped. I had fancied my chances of a Barbel with the mild weather and a little extra water, but I always like to be setup and settled before dark and with that not happening I decided not to go. However, it hasn't stopped raining since so a fishing trip looks a way off at the moment.

The road as I left Fladbury for work this morning

At least the horses aren't bothered

The Environment Agency website details river levels and the Evesham station usually reads about 0.50m when the river is at normal level. It's been hovering around 3.50m for much of the day. Although the river levels appears to be falling, the forecast for this evening (Thursday) is for more heavy rain so it looks like it will be getting worse before it gets better. 

Fancy a seat?

Spot the river, it's there somewhere!

If anyone is thinking of venturing out in the coming days on the Avon, or any other river for that matter then be sure to take care. No fish is worth risking an accident for!