Monday 26 June 2017

"Just one more"


I know a place not far away, where I can have this solitude. I can wander the fields, unhindered, locate barbel easily and catch a few of them with a certain amount of ease.
There's something within me though, something that stops me taking this easy option.
It's been said by far better anglers than me that "life's too short" to continue with a passion for the Gt. Ouse, and it's barbel.
 The problem is, I've been enchanted, the spell is cast and so I have to go, I have to know.
The harsh truth is that I don't even know if barbel still exist in the beat I will be fishing this season.
 Just take a bit of time to compute that..I am fishing on a stretch of river that hasn't produced a barbel in four seasons! Add to that, the crayfish make it difficult to present a bait. In reality, I could be sitting next to the river all night hoping to catch something that isn't there, with a bait that might not be there.
 I love this stretch, it produced my pb barbel of 14lb 15oz many years ago, and now I have returned...I crave just one more.
 I'm going to take you on this journey if you choose to come along, it will be tedious and uneventful on the whole, but maybe, just maybe we'll share the joy of  'just one more'.
So, here I sit again, alone at the rose bush pitch, an old happy hunting ground.
Tools for the job, once again, the Davenport and Fordham MkIV and Speedia Deluxe.


The familiar sounds of the incessant Reed Warbler, the diving Terns and darting 'fisher. All bring back memories of halcyon days.

You can see that I have abandoned the tip isotope in favour of the good old bottle top conversion.
 I find that the taps and pulls show up far better using this method, whereas the cane tip just seems to absorb them.



 When the light fades, the temperature plummets as  the heat sink effect occurs down in the river channel.  I'm glad I am well insulated and that darkness is short at this time of year.


And so begins another blank night, in blissful ignorance of the fact that I will be reeling in a bare hook at dawn.

4 comments:

  1. Well I'm hooked Gurn. I look forward to your unravelling of this enigma and hope your early enthusiasm holds out.

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    1. 100% on it, buddy. Was down again on Monday, trotting a float. Had about 50 fish, including some decent chublets. We've big plans for the future of the stretch if all stays well..Back down with another approach on Tuesday..Watch this space...and if you're ever down this way..... ;-)

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  2. Thanks mate, I'll wait until you've found a few fish :o)

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    Replies
    1. Little update...blank season last year, barbel-wise. However, we have jet washed the gravels with the help of the EA and our efforts have been rewarded with the introduction of 500 small barbel. We have a three year lease from this year..The future is bright.

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