The Sessions July 2014

6 July – River Trent

I drove back up for another session full of confidence after a great start in June. I spent a bit of time driving around looking at other sections of the tidal and after a chat with the bailiff Kye I decided to try a new stretch further down stream

When I got there at approx 18:00 hours I was disappointed to find a lot of cars dotted along the bank, a good sign that people were obviously catching but I prefer things a bit quieter, however I thought I’m here so lets give it a go. I settled in a nice looking swim away from other anglers as much as possible, the river here was not as wide and looked like it was flowing a lot faster.

I had a feel around with a bare lead and found the margins to be deep, solid gravel bottom and a good drop off, perfect for me. It was a lovely day and still 24 degrees so I got the chair out, put two rods out with my standard set up, pva bags and MAD baits River Spice dumbbells and sat back full of anticipation.

I had two Chub quite quickly and then had to wait a couple of hours for a small Barbel. I’m a big believer in trusting your instincts…….and I was having one of those moments that was telling me to move even though I’d just caught, so I packed up and drove back up stream to the next section that was much quieter.

I set up in another new swim for 21:30 hours, got the bedchair and shelter set up for the night.
I suffered a hookpull almost straight away and then had a 7+ Barbel an hour later. I had to wait until 00:40 for the next one, but then had a crazy 90 minutes landing 5 Barbel with two being doubles at 11-01 and 12-06…….that was July’s double sorted , always trust your instincts!!

10 & 11 July – River Ouse

I’d been trickling River Spice into a few swims on a stretch of the Ouse for a couple of weeks. Not loads of bait as there are only a few Barbel there but just enough to get them looking for it. I’d walked the whole section with a marker rod with a small lead and braid and checked every swim for small clear gravel runs and identified four spots to bait up and try.

I planned to do evening sessions there when I didn’t have time for the long drive to the Trent as it’s quite close to home.

I got down for my first session at 20:00 hours on the 10th and went in my first choice swim. The river had lots of streamer weed and over hanging trees and the spot was small and intimate. The only changes to my set up on small rivers are 1.5 tc rods, 12 pound mainline and a shortened length of fluocarbon hooklength. I lower the rig in and allow the pva bag to straighten the rig out in the flow. The gaps in the weed dictate how long the rig is… simple but effective.

As I was fishing close in and could be very accurate I use a carp pole with a bait dropped attached and bait dropped 5 droppers of my “special” mix right on the spot.

I sat back and was enjoying a lovely evening when I saw something that wasn’t right….my rod top knocked side to side as if a bird had hit the line in flight but this was not the case, then I noticed a reed in the margin move upstream and then swing back, my first thought was a carp moving up the margin, then I saw a small line of bubbles moving quickly through the swim and I just knew……..

Seconds later an Otter popped it’s head up right under my feet, I couldn’t believe it, all that preparation and prebaiting!! He didn’t panic, just looked and turned and swam away.

I only planned to fish 3 hours and something just told me to stay put as it only passed through the swim, 20 mins later the tip went over and I had a 6+ Bream.
An hour later I was thinking about going home when the tip smashed over and after a terrific fight I landed an Ouse Barbel at 9-09, I was over the moon to catch on the first trip and went home very happy.

I did another 3 hour session on the 11th and had a 4-08 Chub so a good start to the Ouse fishing.

12 July – River Trent

I made the mistake of driving up on a weekend and found the river to be crazy busy. The forecast rain had not put people off and this made swim choice difficult. I settled in at 17:30 hours and planned to fish till morning with my usual approach.

It rained on and off all night but I managed two Chub and four average Barbel which was better than most so I went home happy.

15 & 17 July – River Ouse

I went back down to my little spot for another short evening session and bait dropped five droppers of bait and trickled in a few broken boilies. It was till very warm at 25 degrees and the mossies were starting to become a problem, but saying all that it is a lovely swim to fish.

The first bite came after only 40 mins and was another 6+ Bream, I rebaited both rods and sat back. 30 mins later the tip smashed over, something that is so addictive and I can’t get enough off. The fish put up an epic fight so close in but eventually dropped in the net and was another good Barbel at 11-05. Two in three trips on this section was the stuff of dreams. I packed straight up and went home buzzing.

I went back on the 17th and got cleared out by crayfish, when they are active there are no fish about and this theory proved correct as I blanked.

19 July – River Trent

A Saturday again saw me chance the 74 mile drive to the Trent to find it very busy again. It was 31 degrees with storms forecast and as I arrived the heavens opened literally.
Eventually it stopped and I dropped in another new spot away from all the pressure for an overnighter, this proved the right choice as my friend blanked in the busy area and I managed four Barbel with two being 8+

21 July – River Ouse

I was really enjoying my fishing now and getting out as much as possible so decided to do over night sessions on the Ouse and get up early for work. I didn’t get set up until 21:00 hours and it was still 28 degrees and muggy. I bait dropped six droppers of bait and got the rigs on the spots and then set up my bedchair and shelter. The mossies were a nightmare and previously it was get bitten or cook under a blanket, so I got myself a large mossie net and using two storm rods made a shelter over my bedchair, it does just the job and stops me getting eaten in my sleep.

I lay there watching the river when at 23:20 hours the Otter swam straight down the middle of the swim bold as brass, I was starting to think the prebaiting was working as well for him as it was the fish.

The crayfish were becoming a real problem so I was rebaiting the rigs every three hours which was the limit before they took the whole boilie and carried this on all night.
At 04:50 hours the rod crashed over and line fizzed of the spool and I was on it in a flash, I knew it was a good fish and was thinking I’d hooked my dream Barbel as it took some stopping. I turned it and it went upsteam in front of me and kept going but not before I got a glimpse of a bronze flank, but not what I hoped, what I saw was a deep fat flank of a Common Carp. Eventually I bundled it into my Barbel net and it went 22-11, a lovely fish and probably uncaught but not my dream Barbel.

23 July – Secrets (Sturgeon)

I had two rest days from work and took my pal and UKSA site owner Ray Best to my little gem of a lake to catch a Sturgeon. I put Ray in my banker spot and tried a new one for myself. Ray is going to do a piece on this trip so I’ll not say to much about it other than I was more than happy to be the bridemaid and saved a blank at the death with this fish, while Ray had a great trip breaking his PB three times.

25 & 27 July – River Ouse

I finished the month with two overnighters on the Ouse. We were having one of the best summers in years and it was a constant 30+ degrees. I followed my standard approach for both sessions, baitdropping at the start and then rebaiting the rigs every three hours. The mossies were terrible but I didn’t see the Otter at all and the Crayfish were not bad at all at night which seemed to improve the fishing.

25th – I had two Bream at 7-02 and 8-01, a small Chub and another cracking Barbel at 11-07.

27th – I had a Bream at 7+, a small Chub and another Barbel at 11-03

That was the end of terrific month, could it get any better…..

July Catch stats – 3 trips to the Trent, 7 trips to the Ouse 19 Barbel / 5 doubles.

Tight Lines

Julian Barnes