Tim and a new pb barbel
Well here we go the first guiding session on the rivers. My guest for the day was none other than Tim a chap I guided in the winter on the river Itchen. He enjoyed himself so much that he booked me again to fish for barbel on the river Wye.
Now this could have been down to my expert ability in making tea and coffee , or my witty banter. Probably not and just his desire to catch a river Wye barbel!
Tim is a very good carp angler and has started to find his roots again in fishing the rivers like many have done.
Well after the tackle theft the rods reached me the day before we fished, that’s how close to the wind I was sailing.
We met at 6am on a warm and cloudy day on the banks of the Wye, having stayed in the lovely Ferndale House B&B in Lydbrook. Christine bless her heart said Kenny normally meets the guest early so they made some sandwiches for his breakfast.
We started fishing on a slow and low Wye. The river looked life less however under the watery surface lots was going on. Our first 3 hrs produced nothing other than 3 small Wye barbel for Tim. He was a happy guy but me, well not.
Miniture barbel
We couldn’t get into my second swim and opted for the 3rd choice.
I don’t mind the choices as I know the beats so well that it’s a case of finding the feeding fish. Our method was the normal hair rigged pellet and feeder and the fan-bloody-tastic West Country Bait (WCB) feeder mix and pellets. This bait outfishes anything else on the river Wye.
I think it was first cast into the new swim had Tim playing a very good barbel. The bite was the normal 4ft twitch. Words of encouragement from me probably had him a nervous wreck as he played the fish. You could see he was used to playing big fish pump and reel pump and reel then give line. It was a great fight and struggle for Tim. Slowly we saw the colour of the fish then the size which was possibly a double size.
The barbel was landed and everything set for the weighing and photo’s.
At 9lbs 14oz it was so close to the magic double but still a pb for Tim.
Tim and his 9lbs 14oz barbel
That was it he was excited to say the very least. Dog with two tails springs to mind.
He also had a few more barbel to 8lbs 14oz and he was more than happy.
As the afternoon progressed to evening he had a small one of 4lbs 8oz.
Its wonderful when someone has that big smile on his face and the day is done. However the last fish came with another 4 ft twitch and Tim was on it with the speed of lightening .
This was another big fish and at 9lbs 2oz a Wye wonder.
Tim was over the moon and the smile says it all.
Tim and his 9lbs 2oz barbel
I hope to see him again later this year or early next for a spot of chub fishing.
Thanks Tim for your company for the day it was a blast as per normal. Hope the tea and coffee was ok. What a B&B Ferndale is.
