20th September Bristol Avon

I had arranged to spend a couple of days with Brian and Colin fishing for barbel and chub one day and then for tench the following day.

We met at Red Lion pub in Lacock and since they had not had breakfast they had a quick full breakfast in the pub. The weather was set fair for the morning with heavy rain moving in later in the day. Earlier in the morning before they had arrived I had baited a few swims and had seen barbel in two of them feeding, so hopes were high.

Colin was first to fish a difficult swim where we clearly had 4 barbel feeding very confidently on the pellets we threw out. I showed them that you could take the barbel wherever you wanted. I eventually bought them to feed at our feet. There were a couple of very nice chub there too that were the best part of 4lbs.

We waited until the barbel moved out of the swim and put in our rig. The barbel came out from under the far side cabbages to inspect the bait but nothing took the pellets on the hair.

Then out of the blue a chub had taken the bait, the rod arched over and Colin was playing a good size chub of 4lbs 2oz.

Colin and his 4lbs 2oz chub

It was Brian’s turn to fish another swim which I call the 5 minute swim where you normally get one in that time from casting out, guess what!

Nothing!

We then went to a corner swim where there are normally good chub and barbel. Out went some hemp and pellets and soon enough the chub moved in and Brian had some action from chub taking the pellets but not hooking themselves. Then something strange happened to had a few little taps on the rod followed by a good pull, he lifted the rod and hanging on the end was a perch which he got so far in then it dropped off. However a gudgeon had somehow impaled itself on the hook and it was the perch taking the poor thing that gave a good bite.

I took Colin back up to the original swim where he caught the chub. The barbel were still there and took our pellets that we threw in. Again after casting in the barbel came back occasionally but it was a chub that
took the bait. This time it was bigger fish of 4lbs 6oz.

Colin and his 4lbs 6oz chub

Brian was still fishing the bend and caught a couple of chub but there was no sign of the barbel in the 5 minute swim or his.

The largest chub he caught was only 3lbs 12oz and he lost a few that came off for one reason or another. Colin of course pulled Brian’s leg all day about his two larger fish.

Brian and his 3lbs 12oz chub

It was tough going and then it started to rain and before long it was approaching 6pm and the guys had enough. I was disappointed as normally you can catch a good few barbel in a day from these swims.