The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

As another year edges towards its conclusion we often see ourselves reflecting on what has gone and fishing evokes memories, some good and some not so. Like most anglers, 2012 has had its fair share of ups and downs for me.

This PB got 2012 off to a flyer

The year got off to a cracking start with a personal best Pike off the Warks Avon going 18lb 3oz. However, apart from a few modest Barbel the season tailed away and the river season slammed shut. That had been my first season fishing the Warks Avon seriously following my move and I’d found it trickier than I thought it would be. That said, I’m a firm believer that you learn from your experiences and I was determined to put things right when June 16^th finally arrived. Becoming a father for the first time in April meant that there was little time for stillwater or canal fishing whilst I counted down to the season opener.

June finally arrived but the opening day was also greeted by heavy rain and an out of sorts river failed to produce. Although the ‘glorious 16^th’is still savoured by river anglers I have to admit it is often a disappointment when it comes to fishing but the excitement of being on the river again never diminishes and I’m sure it’ll be just the same in 2013.

The Lower Double

Much of the summer and autumn was spent targeting Barbel. This was to be my second season on the new stretch and I was determined to find fish on a more consistent basis and sort out a few bigger specimens. Looking back at my records shows the river was often high as we experienced one of the wettest summers in recent history. I managed to find one reliable swim that seemed to produce in swollen conditions but none of the fish were above average. Further explorations saw me manage my biggest Barbel from the stretch to date at 9lb 10oz after the river had returned to normal conditions and another of 9lb 6oz in autumn which makes me believe a double is not far away on this stretch of river. Autumn also saw me look for a change of scenery and saw me put a few hours in on the lower Severn. Much has been written about the tricky nature of this water and in the sessions I fished it became apparent you were fishing for one bite. In actual fact I managed to blank 4 times in 5 visits. Two of those blanks saw a Barbel lost to pulls, one of which felt a very good fish. The session I managed to put a fish in the net resulted in a Barbel of 11lb so the rewards are there if you don’t mind putting the work in.

Fishing however is not always about highlights and there’s been some lows too. In angling a low usually equates to blanking and I’ve had my fair share this season including a recent run of three consecutive blanks. It’s part of the game of course but despite all the clichés of being on the bank is enough we all know that is not entirely true.

As this post is all about memories I thought I’d share a slightly amusing one that actually happened a few years ago. It was one of those sessions where nothing goes to plan, in fact it was something of a disaster from start to finish. I was fishing at Trimpley on the middle Severn and had managed to drop into my preferred swim and was confident of catching. After building up my swim using a groundbait feeder the bites finally started to arrive. A Barbel on then subsequently lost. This happened three more times and had me getting more and more frustrated. Then unbelievably the last three inches of my quiver tip snapped off which had me improvising so that I could fish on. But the final nail in the coffin was yet to come. Without warning, the button on my trousers decided to pop off leaving me in a very tricky predicament. Time to improvise yet again. By pulling my zip up fully I could jam the aforementioned trousers into position to allow to me to fish on but it was far from ideal. I did manage a few fish that night but decided to put an end to my misery and call it a day. However, as any visitors to Trimpley will know, it’s an awfully long walk back to the car park so off I trudged, fishing tackle in one hand while the other did its best to keep my trousers up. Fortunately, no one had the misfortune to pass me by on that awkward walk and I was able to make to the car without further embarrassment. And with that I wish you all a ‘Happy New Year’ and hope 2013 is good to you all.

Same old story!

You may recall my recent post (here) on trying to persuade the Birmingham Anglers Association (BAA) to change their 'one hour after sunset' rule. Firstly, many thanks to Mr Williams of the BAA who has taken the time to read and respond to my report. His reply is as follows:

Mr Lee Poultney,

As promised I tabled your letter at the Management Committee meeting which was held on Monday 29 October. I have been asked to pass on the thanks of the Officers to you for taking an interest in this matter.

Firstly I have to point out that your letter contains a number of assertions and presumptions which do not reflect the reality of the situation. I should perhaps point out that the introduction of night fishing on Association waters is a relatively recent initiative and was introduced only on an experimental basis at limited venues and is by no means certain to be extended or even retained. The current system for issuing night permits is as flexible as it can be, whilst retaining the required control elements of the procedure. It is not necessary to visit the office in order to obtain night permits, indeed most members call the office to order their permits which are then posted on to them. We realise that this is not practical if a member makes a late decision to fish at night but it does work for most members. We cannot tailor every Association rule to cater for individual member’s requirements, we have to balance this against what is practical and in the best interests of the Association overall. We cannot have a situation whereby we lose control of knowing who is fishing where at night. You suggest that the vast majority of anglers fishing BAA waters do so in order to catch Barbel – what evidence do you have for this? You also assert that the BAA match calendar has declined over the past decade – do you mean the contests which BAA run, or the number of contests run by associated clubs?

In your proposed changes you suggest we use ‘dawn’ as a starting time – when is dawn? We have to have a rule which can be enforced and which is clear and not open to interpretation, hence the fact that our current fishing times are determined by known parameters, i.e. Sunrise and Sunset.

Under your proposed changes, there would be a potentially unlimited number of anglers on river banks, unsupervised, in all weather conditions until well after dark throughout the season. This we consider to be a potential hazardous situation and one which could put many members at risk. Furthermore, many of the fisheries which we only rent have ‘no night fishing’ clauses in their leases so in these circumstances we could not sanction any change. Having considered your proposals in detail, the Management Committee are unanimous in their opinion that to make changes along the lines you propose would not be in the best interests of the Association or the overwhelming majority of its members.

Regards,

John Williams
General Secretary
Birmingham Anglers Association Ltd.

In the letter, Mr Williams poses a number of questions/points as follows (The yellow bits are my response):

The current system for issuing night permits is as flexible as it can be, whilst retaining the required control elements of the procedure. Could an online system not be incorporated?

It is not necessary to visit the office in order to obtain night permits, indeed most members call the office to order their permits which are then posted on to them. We realise that this is not practical if a member makes a late decision to fish at night but it does work for most members. Not every angler wants to sit there all night, but paying for an hour or so does not represent value.

We cannot have a situation whereby we lose control of knowing who is fishing where at night. Do the BAA know who is fishing and where in daylight hours so why is it different once the sun sets?

You suggest that the vast majority of anglers fishing BAA waters do so in order to catch Barbel – what evidence do you have for this? I applied this assumption to the BAA's river venues and I'd say I'm not too far away with this remark.

You also assert that the BAA match calendar has declined over the past decade – do you mean the contests which BAA run, or the number of contests run by associated clubs? A look at the weekly venues unavailable due to matches is tiny compared to 15 years ago. There is a definite decline.

In your proposed changes you suggest we use ‘dawn’ as a starting time – when is dawn? Dawn was used as an example. All I wanted was the opportunity to discuss this matter further and such fine details are ‘nitpicking’ in my opinion.

We have to have a rule which can be enforced and which is clear and not open to interpretation, hence the fact that our current fishing times are determined by known parameters, i.e. Sunrise and Sunset. That is fine, but a set cut off time as I suggested would serve the same purpose.

Under your proposed changes, there would be a potentially unlimited number of anglers on river banks, unsupervised, in all weather conditions until well after dark throughout the season. How do the BAA supervise unlimited numbers of anglers during daylight hours and during a range of weather conditions?

This we consider to be a potential hazardous situation and one which could put many members at risk. Anglers are at risk every time they visit the bank, are the BAA assuming responsibility for anglers’ welfare? If so, does that mean the BAA are at risk of being sued should a member fall in and drown?

Furthermore, many of the fisheries which we only rent have ‘no night fishing’ clauses in their leases so in these circumstances we could not sanction any change. In this case, they would be exempt.

I do believe that the BAA are missing a trick here especially when they have clearly advertised that they are trying to attract 'specimen anglers'. I also wonder what the background of the committee is and if it’s representative of its members. I had hoped there would have been more of a discussion rather than a 'straight no' to my suggestions, since that's all they were, suggestions. I'd have hoped we could have discussed them in more detail and tried to thrash something out to suit all parties. I did send my responses back to Mr Williams but I fear that without a significant backing from other like-minded members then any calls for change will fall on deaf ears. All the best, Lee Poultney

Whose line is it anyway?

With the clocks going back and the nights drawing in, miserable weather and a six month old baby suffering with a cold, which in turn is making me feel less than 100%, I have to admit I'm struggling to get out and fish at the moment. Fortunately, it's half term meaning I get the week off so I'm hoping to dodge the showers and get out at some stage although a half term break usually sees the wife adding a little pressure so a bit of compromising and negotiating will be the order of the day.

Anyway, I thought I'd add an article I wrote during the close season this year which was subsequently added to the Barbel Fishing World website. I would like to be able to write more articles but a busy job, coupled with new commitments at home means time is of a premium so perhaps shorter blogs are the way forward.

Will the BAA join the 21st Century?

Firstly, I'd like the say that the Birmingham Anglers Association represents the best value in the country with miles of rivers and canals as wells as a range of pools all for the sum of £35. However, despite boasting 70,000 members during the 1970s and 1980s their current membership is just a fraction of that. Unfortunately, the club is still run in a similar fashion and by the same people it was 20 years ago and as such it is failing some of its members through a lack of flexibility in keeping with modern angling practises.

Last chance for a Warks Avon Barbel?

With the promise of cold weather by the end of the week a final fling for a Warkwickshire Avon Barbel was not to be missed. Fishing the same swim that produced the 9lb 6oz fish, I opted to fish a boilie wrapped in paste since the river had dropped to almost normal and much of the colour had gone. Despite a slow start, I ended up with four fish which was not a bad result for three hours. However, there was no Barbel with three Chub and a Bream of about 4lb coming my way. With the cold snap now with us attentions will have to turn to other species. Even when the weather is cold, so long as it's settled there's always a chance. I will give it a few days so that the fish can acclimatise then see what happens.

 

A great evening on the Warwickshire Avon

This, my first entry, is actually a week late however you have to start somewhere. Anyway, I arrived on the banks of the Warwickshire Avon at about 4pm in buoyant mood. The river looked perfect, up a few feet, although falling, with plenty of colour. My target in these conditions was of course Barbel and I opted for a swim that had seen me snare a few fish recently. However, after 45 minutes I just didn't feel comfortable with my choice. I went for a walk and threw several pieces of luncheon meat into a likely looking spot that I had never fished before. I had taken the bare essentials with me and left the remainder of my gear in the original swim. I figured that if a fish was present then it wouldn't take long in these seemingly 'great' conditions for it to make its presence known. After about 20 minutes I was about to wind in and return to my original spot when a fish took off with the bait. A spirited battle followed and a typical Avon Barbel of about 5lb was in the net and safely returned. I decided to add a bit more bait to the swim and relocate myself to this peg for the duration of the session. By now dusk was approaching and the light was beginning to fade. This is that magical time when you feel something is going to happen. The twit twoo of a Tawny Owl and the sound of foxes nearby just added to the atmosphere and the odd twitch now started to register on the rod tip. Soon after the inevitable happened and I was in contact with what was a undoubtedly a decent fish. The fish gave a great account of itself and although it didn't quite make the sought after 'double' at 9lb 6oz it capped a really enjoyable evening and gave me a great photo with the sunset in the background.

An evening on the Lower Severn

The lower reaches of the River Severn have been something of an enigma for me. I first fished it for Barbel about 4 years ago and had one of the most uneventful sessions of my life. I am going to take you back to mid-September and with a few rumours of some form I thought it was time to try again. I had recently had an evening session and connected with and subsequently lost a very good Barbel. This gave me some confidence to try again and so I did, however with the river quite low compared to recent weeks and the sun shining I decided to opt for two small pellets as bait as opposed to meat and cast out over a bed of hemp and pellet. To be honest, I was not expecting much as most action tends to occur around dusk so I was a little surprised when my rod wrapped round and had me grappling to grab it. The fish steadily moved upstream before coming quite close without too much effort. However, it suddenly awoke and made some powerful runs before finally making it to the net. I instantly knew I'd managed a 'double' and the scales soon confirmed this with the fish weighing exactly 11lb. It was the only bite I managed that evening but that no longer mattered as it was the first double I've caught in a couple of seasons and represented some hard work and patience.