The Sessions - September 2014

3 Sept – River Trent

After a fantastic August I was really looking forward to getting back on the Trent and continuing my quest for a double figure Barbel for every month of the season.

I drove up after work and arrived at 20:50 hours to find the stretch empty of anglers so I dropped in my favourite swim. The levels were the lowest I’d ever seen them and with all the rocks exposed you could see why people lose so many fish. It was cloudy, muggy and warm at 22 degrees so I felt pretty confident of catching.

Gerald the club bailiff popped down for a chat and told me there wasn’t much caught at the weekend and that I may struggle with the low levels, but I smiled as my rod crashed over as we were talking and I landed a 9-07 after only 30 minutes fishing.

Gerald went away smiling and calling a few names as I recast both rods and sat back in my chair.

21:50 hours the same rod smashed over and kept going, as soon as I picked up I knew it was a good one and it went upstream and straight in the under cut despite the pressure I was putting on it, but luckily the pressure told and it popped out and straight to the net. I was over the moon, my Sept double on the first trip at 12-01. As I was putting the fish back the other rod went over but it came off after a short fight.

00:25 hours the left hand rod went over and I had another Barbel at 8+.

00:45 hours, I’d just landed the 8+ when the other rod went over, so I quickly slipped it back and picked up the other rod, this one felt bigger and fought hard but all went to plan and I had another double at 10-10.

02:05 hours, after a quiet spell I had another at 8-09 and then that was it, short feeding spell over. I carried on till 08:00 hours and then packed up for home pretty pleased with myself.

4 Sept – Ouse tributary

I’d had a good look at this little river a few weeks ago with a bare lead and found the clear areas amongst the streamer weed so decided to have a look. It is home to some very big Barbel but also lots of anglers that to be fair cause a lot of problems so I tend to stay away.

As it was mid week I went for a look and found the swim I fancied free so I dropped in there. I wanted to fish tight to the near bank on a clear gravel run so I set up well back so that my rod tip was level with the bank and my line went straight down off the tip. I used my Ouse set up and lowered the baits in for a 17:00 hours start.

It wasn’t long before people started to come down and obviously wanting this swim as they just sat behind me without talking with the hump!! Now I go fishing to enjoy myself not to feel stressed or under pressure and after 20 mins of this I could feel myself revving up. I was starting to have visions of them both groping around in the river for their tackle when another angler came down but he spoke to me for a bit and then they all left. This put a dampener on my evening, I’m a friendly guy and will talk to most people and do not like people that are rude and disrespectful, if the two anglers concerned are lucky enough to read this please take note…..
I fished on till midnight without a touch, I will return but when it’s cold and not so busy.

16 Sept – River Ouse

Hadn’t had a chance to fish for over a week due to being away on a course with work. I popped down to my little spot for quick 3 hour evening session. The weather was still hot and muggy and the rivers low and clear. I didn’t get a touch.

19 Sept – River Trent

Finishing work at lunchtime gave me the opportunity for quick over nighter so I drove up to the Trent feeling quite confident after a few days of rain. It was still raining when I arrived but it hadn’t put people off as there were others setting up.

I went over the fence into the next field and dropped in a swim I’d looked at but not fished before. The river was low but pushing through which made my swim choice all the better as it drops straight of the bank to 16 feet. I set up and literally lowered my baits in for 15:00 hours, perfect.
Over the next 4 hours I had Barbel at 4+, 7-11 and 9-02. I carried on till midnight but the rubbish coming down was causing problems with presentation so I reeled in and went to sleep.

I put the rigs back out at 05:00 hours and 45 mins later over went the rod and I had another at 9-03.

I carried on till 09:00 hours and packed up, I’d done ok and everyone else blanked. I was so confident with my bait I felt I could catch anywhere.

21 Sept – River Trent

I went back up on the Sunday night and found only two other anglers there who were fishing for Zander.

I chose a different swim that doesn’t get so much attention and is at the end of the deeper run, my thinking was that the fish may have dropped back away from the lines in the water over the weekend.

It had been a warm and sunny in the day but was expected to be a cold night. I started at 19:00 hours and had takes steadily until 04:00 hours when it stopped and was down to 7 degrees.
I finished up with a hook pull, a Bream and Barbel at 4+, 8-00, 8-09 and another 8+ and packed up in the morning.

23 Sept – River Ouse

I did another evening session on the Ouse and tried a different spot with no luck.

29 Sept – Secrets (Sturgeon)

With all the high pressure and low clear rivers I thought I’d have a change and do 24 hours for Sturgeon and arrived early evening. The lake was busy but as usual my favourite spot named the “no fish corner” was free so I dropped in there quite happily.

It was warm at 15 degrees but raining when I set up. I fished both on my standard Sturgeon rig as stated in my August write up and lowed a piece of liver into the margin on my right and baited up with chopped meat and pellets. I decided on a change on my other rod as I’d struggled a bit on the last two trips so put a King Prawn on the hook and lowered it in and then baited up with chopped Prawns and pellets.

19:50 hours, the session started well and the change bait worked when the Prawn rattled off and I landed a Diamond Back at 21-04.

22:20 hours, the liver rod gave a finicky take, I picked up and could feel the fish on so struck, the fight was the usual tug of war with the fish jumping clear of the water on two occasions but all went to plan and I had a Siberian in the net at 32-00.

I kept my baiting plan going all night and all day but had no more takes and left for home at 16:00 hours.

A good month with some difficult sessions but my season target was still very much on fire.

Sept – 3 trips to the Trent, 2 to the Ouse and 1 to the tributary, 13 Barbel / 2 doubles.

Tight Lines

Julian Barnes