The Sessions - June 2017

The glorious 16th

Since coming back from Spain work had taken over again and I’d not had time to go fishing, the new work pattern was impacting on my fishing but I was hoping the new season would see things improve. I’d spent time looking for clubs where I would get a decent choice of swims at weekends and still have a chance of big fish, now I’m not a lover of river syndicates but needs must as they say. The last half of May was spent chasing up permits and a last bit of research before the glorious 16th.

4 June 2017 – Barbel Society Show.

The annual Barbel Society Show soon came around again, where does the time go, another year gone in a flash. I was due to be at work but got swap to go and support the show, the turnout was a lot less than last year but was still a good day. Dessie Taylor was hosting and there were some great talks this year, two by good friends Paul “gadget” Floyd and a very inspirational one by Dave Chambers talking about the quest and capture of a 20plus Barbel. Over the years I have been asked a few times and I may just get tempted to get behind the mic myself at some stage….who knows.

Ridgemonkey

I’ve written about it in my blogs and it’s been well publicized on social media but I take no shame in mentioning again that I’m now part of the Pro Team at Ridgemonkey and have been testing lots of their new products. Over the last few weeks the delivery man has been leaving parcels in my shed with lots of goodies. Two of these have been the head torch and the RM-Tec line.

The head torch is brilliant and rechargeable so wave goodbye to buying batteries and take your Ridgemonkey charger out with you on a long session. There is no need on short sessions as there are four leds on the torch that tell you the battery life left, so check before you leave, brilliant.

They sent me three spools of the RM-Tec line, so my Barbel reels were stripped and re-spooled with the 15 pound in brown and I’m looking forward to giving it a thorough testing.

I wasn’t totally happy with my photos last year so bought a new camera for this season a Cannon SX60 HS, I had a play around on the first night and am happy to say Ridgemonkey loved the shot below and have been using it on their FB site

16/17 June 2017 – River Derwent

I booked the Friday annual leave so I didn’t miss the first night. Last year I was watching Coldplay at Wembley but this year I really wanted to be on the bank for the first night and couldn’t wait.

It simply had to be the River Derwent for me, I knew I would get a spot but I love the place, it has to be the prettiest river out there, maybe only run close by the River Wye, so despite the Friday traffic I drove the 90 miles quite happily.

As expected the car park was empty so loaded the barrow and made the long walk to the spot I fancied. The river was low due to the lack of rain this year but I knew I would have a chance in the deep margin of my chosen swim. I set the swim up, broke up some Pandemic boilies and baited the margin ready for the off and then set about changing last year’s rigs with new ones.

I’ve written about it before but for new readers to my ramblings I’ll talk about my standard set up again, it hasn’t changed as it’s so successful and the components are the same, 15 pound mainline, I use the lightest lead possible which on this occasion was a 3 ounce flat lead on a lead clip. Hook length was 3 feet of 12 pound fluocarbon attached to a Korda link loop, attached to this was a 3 inch piece of 15 pound Drennen Barbel braid with a size 10 Drennen Barbel hook to complete the set up. The only change would be on the bigger rivers with less weed I go up to a 5 foot hooklength.

I then made up enough pva bags with my special mix for the night ahead. My pva is supplied to me by Castaway pva, it’s brilliant and great value for money.

Once I was ready I got some food on the go, sat back and just enjoyed being on the river again, it’s a great place to be.

Midnight finally arrived and I lowered both rigs into the baited margin and sat back on the chair full of excitement and anticipation.

00:05 hours – it didn’t take long, the pva must have just dissolved when the left hand rod started nodding away, I suspected Chub but was surprised to find heavy resistance, it was a strange fight, it was heavy but not the normal you would expect. Eventually I got it in the net and it was clearly a double. Everything was ready and when I lifted it into the sling I could see why the fight was so strange, the Barbel was deformed with a large kink in its body but other than that very healthy looking, it went 12-06, what a great start.

00:15 hours – I’d got the fish back safely and was rebaiting when the other rod went, this was a very long spawned out Chub at high 4plus. This was caught on a Pandemic soaked in garlic goo.

02:20 hours – the right hand rod went again, this was another big 4plus Chub, they were loving the goo.

04:25 hours – the standard Pandemic went again, this was heavier and fought like crazy, it got caught up in the other line and went into a streamer bed. After sorting it all out the hook pulled, I suspected Carp but didn’t see it to be sure.

I carried on fishing through the day but as is normal on the Derwent on this section the bites seem to dry up and it wasn’t until late evening I had another Chub.

18 June 2017

01:00 hours – I’d had another Chub when the right hand rod went again, this was another Chub and didn’t feel all that special, I was tired and bundled it into the net and put it on the mat, I still wasn’t thinking it was that big and nearly didn’t weigh it but instinct told me to and I was stunned and pleased at 6-06.

Another two big 4plus Chub followed with an 8plus Barbel to finish a good session and a great start to my river season.

20 June 2017 – River Derwent

I had another 24 hour window pop up so I was back in the car and up the M1 to the Derwent. It was 32 degrees when I left home and sweltering and I was shocked to see it drop 10 degrees by the time I got to the car park at tea time.
I dropped in the same peg, set the swim up and put some 6mm Pandemic in the margin and a few down the section. I then lowered in the rigs and sat chatting to Jez who had turned up and set up further down.

As usual there nothing happened until dark, Jez had long gone when the first take came and before midnight I’d had a Bream and a Chub at 5-02.

21 June

01:10 hours – the right hand rod crashed over and this was a better fish and flew downstream, I had to land it in the next swim down at 10-15.

After each bite I put more 6mm’s in and a 4-13 Chub quickly followed.

03:40 hours – the same rod went again, this was another strong fight and a Barbel at 10-00 exactly.

That was the last bite of another good session. I was catching up on a bit of sleep when I heard tackle being dropped on the ground followed by Jez at 07-30 hours, he’d had a great night catching 8 Barbel to 13plus so was obviously very happy.

23 June 2017 – River Derwent

My weekend plans had changed due to reasons out of my control, the intention was not to fish at all but I now had the weekend to myself so the car was loaded and I was on my way again. The Friday traffic was chaotic and when I arrived at 21:00 there were two cars in the car park, this looked bad and when I went for a walk it proved to be the case as the two best spots were taken.

I was there and 90 miles from home so I had to have a go, I fished the Friday and Saturday night and caught 7 Chub to 5-00 with nearly all the others long spawned out high 4’s.

June 2017 wasn’t as good as last year but with three doubles with limited fishing time I wasn’t complaining, 4 Barbel / 3 doubles.

Until next month be lucky and tight lines.

Julian Barnes