Another season in the history books. One that saw a new PB rudd, a new river double barbel, a 120lb stingray and a 20lb pike amoung the highlights. Again barbel featured heavily with 206 fish landed, and only 6 pike, but overall a lot of cracking fish to look back on. So here's the fifteenth season review, written monthly as I went along... June: I didn't wet a line in the closed season - but the opening morning made up for it - a double figure barbel before 9am! One of 38 Small River barbel in four quick sessions. The other highlight was rudd fishing in the boat with James - love that ..read more

Once again I set the target of 100 Small River barbel over the season. Cracked in September, I ended up with 185 barbel - including 4 doubles. Fantastic local fishing when I haven't got a lot of time! Opening morning 10lb 14oz (top). Recaptured July, 10lb 7oz (above). October beauty, 10lb 12oz. A January 10lb 12oz - my 30th double from the river. March, 9lb 14oz - so close to the magic mark.  Season No 5+ 7+ 10+ Best  2010/11 27 1 0 0 6lb 6oz  2011/12 44 14 8 0 9lb 12oz  2012/13 56 34 20 6 12lb 4oz  2013/14 8 5 4 0 7lb 13oz  2014/15 71 33 16 ..read more

The end of the season, and to The Wye one last time with high hopes of one last pike before the break. But the river still hates me - floods and boiling red water - and even more cold water washing down... Hopes improved when I found this side stream - almost clear water, the perfect sanctuary from the conditions for a big predator. A sardine was cast out and I was almost surprised when nothing snapped it up... Time for a cup of tea and a bit of a rethink! I'd still chuck a pike bait in the limited slacks - slim chance was better than no chance. And put out a cube of meat on the second ro ..read more

If I can't get out for another pike before the season ends I'd settle for another double figure barbel... And when this one found the net after a serious fight I was sure I'd done it! But at 9lb 14oz she was 2oz short... Do I care? Nope - cracking barbel - more than happy!! I think the problem with the landing net (top diagram) is the point of maximum stress (A) is really close to the weakest point, the drilled hole (B). Would doing away with this hole & screw fix this problem (bottom diagram)? An easy modification to make at home - I'm going to try it ..read more

Clear water when I arrived on the Small River, and three barbel in quick succession - best 7lb 2oz (above). Then dirty water washed down - went from able to see the bottom to zero visability in about 2 minutes. Barbel might like dirty water - but they don't like suddenly dirty water! Not a nibble for an hour or so until the colour started to wash out - then they came back on the feed - two more to 8lb 14oz. Could have had more - but another landing net bites the dust! It's one I've fixed before - don't know why they drill the holes at the point of stress - might redesign it (and send them ..read more

I'd really like to get out for another pike before the season ends - two weeks left - I'm watching the water levels & hoping they're not spawning just yet. BTW the photo is of a goldfinch skull - pretty cool. Not enough time to go piking I shot down the Small River - and bagged 5 barbel to 6lb 9oz - plus a bonus chub at 3lb 10oz (can find the big ones). Great to get out before the rain starts again later! Oh, and spotted this advert on the way to the river - living in London we're bombarded with hundreds of adverts every day - but this one really did stand out - brilliant ..read more

Three days gone, three to go and we hadn't even seen a pike, the water was still well above the +1.4 we needed - and the frogs and toads had started spawning - pike spawn around the same time. The difficult pike mission was getting even harder - but you've got to be in it to win it... Day 4 / Saturday / Water level +2.1 - We were joined by our mate Steve, and we had permission to fish a tiny Wye tributary (we couldn't find pike in the main river). And it turned out to be a game changer. A run almost straight away - nervy, snaggy fight - a big pike in the net! She went 20lb 0oz - very glad ..read more

Paulos was over from the States for a week - and that could mean only one thing - Wye Pike! We really need the water levels at +1.4 or below to catch them - and it wasn't going to happen! Hopefully we could find flood water pike - if not I'd just photograph the friendly robins! Day 1 / Wednesday / Water level +2.4 - An early start & a meter more water than we wanted. Two rods each - we put deadbaits (and occasionally lures) through all the slacks. Only one run all day which turned out to be a new PB chub for Paulos - 5lb 4oz on a whole smelt! Day 2 / Thursday / Water level +2.6 - Paul ..read more

Tough going on the flooded Wye, but eventually found one ..read more

Having broken my scales on the last trip to The Wye I decided to replace them with their digital cousins. I'll miss watching the needle pull round, but they'll replace my 6/12lb and my 20/40lb scales - one less thing to carry - I've joined the digital age of fishing! Now what to test them on? I couldn't find anything suitable in the house or garden!?!! Any excuse to go fishing - and James phoned - he was driving past my house on the way to the Small River - perfect! Leapfrogging down the river we both found barbel - I landed seven - mostly 4 or 5 pounders - but then something to test the sc ..read more