Click images above to enlarge With the announcement by Kinver Freeliners that they had obtained a new water on the … More
Tag: Barbel
I love a good night out (barbel article and video, entry 426)
Click images above to enlarge I love a good night out – words which to most people conjure up … More
Perseverance, Dedication, Insanity (barbel article and video, entry 425)
Click images above to enlarge Some time ago I was with Des Taylor at the SBS base in Kidderminster when … More
Baiting and waiting on the lower Severn (barbel article and video, entry 422)
Click images above to enlarge When you talk with barbel anglers you often hear references to a) that they can’t … More
The lower Severn – Magnificent, Mysterious, Manipulative (barbel article and video, entry 418)
Click images above to enlarge There are many words that we as anglers could use to describe any river that … More
You haven’t had a disaster for a while (barbel article and video, entry 417)
Click images above to enlarge I recently wrote about not only thinking outside the box, but living there as well. … More
Barbel or bust on the lower Severn (barbel article, entry 400)
This is my debut barbel article of the year, but not the first time I have fished for them in … More
It’s a fine line between a hobby and a mental illness (barbel article, entry 382)
Always up for a piscatorial challenge, I find it easier to ‘move on’ in my angling after I have had … More
Struggling for barbel, but the chub are obliging (barbel article, entry 381)
If you a regular reader of my Angling Journal you will know that I like a challenge, and this season … More
From one extreme to the other (barbel fishing article and video, entry 375)
The biggest problem that I face in my angling is what to fish for – and that bar is … More
Definitely needles in a haystack (barbel article and video, entry 365)
Left to right: The best chub of the week….. The river in question…. Another chub poses … More
Banging the barbel welfare drum (barbel article and video, entry 321)
Banging the barbel welfare drum I would certainly never try to take any high moral ground – after … More
A late barbel saves the day (barbel article and video, entry 319)
A late barbel saves the day Although I had no prior intention of fishing the lower Severn for … More
Plodding away on the Sow (barbel article and video, entry 316)
Plodding away on the Sow As an angler I keep a diary that I write at the water’s edge, … More
That’s it, I’ll blame the otters (barbel article and video, entry 313)
That’s it, I’ll blame the otters! I can’t believe that we are already over a month into the river … More
Back to earth on the Sow! (barbel article and video, entry 310)
Back to earth on the Sow! Isn’t it great when your plans come together? Always up for a … More
High as a kite on the River Sow! (barbel article and video, entry 309)
High as a kite on the River Sow! As I wrote in last week’s Angling Journal entry, although … More
I feel like a fish chaser! (barbel article and video, entry 295)
I feel like a fish chaser! With the news breaking in the last couple of weeks of a big barbel … More
Switching to the Severn (barbel article and video, entry 294)
Switching to the Severn Entering the final fortnight of the river season, I felt a magnetic pull not only to … More
Demon stops play (barbel article and video, entry 280)
Demon stops play I’m so committed to my angling I could say that wild horses wouldn’t stop me from going … More
Still catching on the lower Severn (barbel article and video, entry 276)
I don’t know what it is, but there is a definite pull that the lower Severn has on many barbel … More
Floodwater barbel fishing on the lower Severn (barbel article and video, entry 275)
In spite of barbel becoming extremely popular in recent years, there are still many anglers who view a flooded river … More
A midnight barbel on the lower Severn (barbel article and video, entry 273)
I fish a variety of venues, ranging from those available on an open-to-all club book through to syndicates. And it … More
From one extreme to another (barbel article and video, entry 271)
With the rivers bursting their banks and well into the fields, I decided to fish a local canal for pike. … More
I’m not going home till I catch one (barbel article and video, entry 270)
With last year’s awesome floods still very much in the minds of many Midlanders, the last week has seen rainfall … More
No unlucky 13 for me (barbel article and video, entry 269)
When we use the term ‘pleasure angler’ we create a picture in our minds of a fisherman who isn’t perhaps … More
Passing the eleven-plus on the Dove (barbel article and video, entry 268)
It’s been over twelve months since I last fished the River Dove. It may sound odd to some if I … More
It was great to be back on the Teme (barbel article, entry 263)
One of the promises I made to myself at the start of the year was that I would become more … More
Memories are made of this (barbel article and video, entry 261)
Considering that I don’t live that far from the Teme, it’s one river that I don’t fish very often. In … More
Getting amongst the barbel on the Severn (barbel article and video, entry 260)
After a carp fishing session last week on the lower Severn, this week I decided to switch back to barbel. … More
Gonna wait till the midnight hour (barbel article, entry 258)
‘Gonna wait till the midnight hour’ is the title of a well-known song by the soul man Wilson Pickett. Little … More
Don’t try this at home (barbel article, entry 239)
Some time back I had a telephone call from my wife who was in a local charity shop (you can … More
Not theologically correct, but my prayers are answered (barbel article, entry 238)
As an angler I tend to fish for one species over a period of time, and this can be seen … More
The barbel gear puts in an appearance (barbel article and video, entry 230)
I usually do my fishing towards the end of the week, but due to having a couple of visitors from … More
The only certainty is that I will be fishing (barbel article, entry 221)
Sunday is usually a very busy day for me, after all, as an ordained Minister I only work one day … More
Checking in at Heartbreak Hotel (barbel article, entry 220)
Those of you that are into your football will know that when a team runs onto the pitch, they do … More
Another carp from the lower Severn (barbel article, entry 219
With a busy week ahead, I managed just the one session. It was an overnighter though, so as far as … More
Even Rumpole of the Bailey would struggle to get a conviction (barbel article, entry 218)
As I tend to fish campaigns, I am very much aware of the possibilities of repetition. For example, at the … More
A little less conversation, a little more action (barbel article, entry 217)
We recently remembered the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. Although I am a soul man myself, I … More
Farewell my summer love (barbel article, entry 216)
I tend to think in terms of the four seasons when planning my fishing sessions, and so with June through … More
A brace of barbel from the Severn (barbel article, entry 214)
I’ve been quite busy work-wise lately, but one thing I always do is ensure that I allocate time to go … More
Back to the lower Severn barbel (barbel article, entry 213)
I am thinking of changing my middle name to ‘indecision’, such is the current state of mind I find myself … More
It’s a washout! (barbel article, entry 210)
I don’t know if you are like me, but sometimes there is a swim that you feel you just have … More
Small river plus otters equals no barbel (barbel article, entry 209)
For the first couple of sessions of the week I returned to the ‘small undisclosed river’ that I have been … More
More haystack than needles – then along comes a sweet sixteen (barbel article, entry 208)
Although it is the title of one of my favourite Tamla Motown tracks, the saying ‘A needle in a haystack’ … More
Water, water everywhere (barbel article, entry 207)
Water, water every where, ne any drop to drink…thus runs the text of the original Rime of the Ancient Mariner … More
Appreciating the wider nature package (barbel article, entry 206)
My plans were all made for the start of the river season, as I looked forward to kicking off a … More
My first ’14’ from the Lower Severn (barbel article, entry 178)
Just last week I made the decision to retire from Saturday 11-a-side football. One of the beneficiaries of that choice … More
Perfect conditions…but no-one told the fish (barbel article, entry 177)
Plenty of rain brought in by strong SW winds, the water temperature up to 9C, river at the top of … More
Rescued by a knight in shining armour (barbel article, entry 176)
If you read my Angling Journal regularly you will know that I have been struggling over the last couple of … More
The mild spell comes to an end (barbel article, entry 173)
With a week passing since my last fishing trip, I was more than looking forward to getting out on the … More
More deja vu than Groundhog Day (barbel article, entry 172)
Because I tend to fish focused campaigns for both species and venue, it is a challenge to keep something fresh … More
It’s all about perseverance and not giving up (barbel article, entry 171)
Although as an angler I tend to be very focused, and that invariably means not only a specific species but … More
Seeing double on the lower Severn (barbel article, entry 170)
After some reasonably heavy rain I was expecting the Lower Severn to be up by at least a foot, and … More
Still in shorts but for how long? (barbel article, entry 169)
They say that lightning never strikes twice. Well I don’t know about that, but for the second barbel session in … More
Even George can’t stop me fishing (barbel article, entry 167)
With a meeting planned for the afternoon, I didn’t leave home until 4pm, at which time I encountered heavy traffic. … More
Right up my street! (barbel article, entry 166)
Now that we are well into autumn my attention is switching to the River Severn, and in particular the lower … More
Blanks? Just occupational hazards! (barbel article, entry 165)
With a couple of barbel sessions planned this week, it was a trip to the River Sow for the first … More
Needle in a haystack (barbel article, entry 164)
As a ‘soul man’, with a particular leaning towards Tamla Motown, whenever I hear the phrase ‘Needle in a haystack’, … More
I feel a good session in the making (barbel article, entry 163)
If you read my Angling Journal regularly you will know that I am pretty focused at the moment in pursuit … More
Telling it as it is (barbel article, entry 162)
If there is one ingredient I like in my fishing then it has to be a challenge. And one thing … More
Three out of seven is pretty good as well (barbel article, entry 161)
Following my double figure barbel on the Sow last week, I was well and truly fired up for another crack … More
Session number 13 comes up trumps (barbel article, entry 160)
If you have been following my angling exploits recently, you will realise how excited I was concerning my barbel from … More
Getting all excited over a fish (barbel article, entry 159)
We had a limited, but nevertheless very welcome, amount of rainfall in the area. I didn’t know how the local … More
No such thing as a bad day at the water’s edge (barbel article, entry 158)
All of our major rivers in this country have tributaries that are not so well known, other than to the … More
The Dove plays hard to get (barbel article, entry 157)
Some rainfall – albeit minimal – had certainly added a nice tinge to the River Dove as it worked its … More
Heatwave! (barbel article, entry 156)
After a couple of weeks of fishing the Teme, it was time to head north and in particular to the … More
I was convinced it was a double (barbel article, entry 155)
With barbel being my current target fish I again decided to visit the River Teme in pursuit of the species. … More
I’m not going home till I catch one! (barbel article, entry 154)
It has been a while since I fished the River Teme for barbel, so as part of my pre-season preparation … More
Heartbreak Hotel opens its doors once more (barbel article, entry 153)
As you will have gathered from my recent Angling Journal entries, I’ve been pretty much wishing the days away so … More
Making way for the Wolves (barbel article, entry 109)
As far as rivalry for my leisure time is concerned, I have two main competitors – football and fishing. The … More
Am I on a wild-goose chase? (barbel entry, article 108)
Although I have been intending to fish for other species this summer – and I have to some degree – … More
I make no apologies for my overindulgence! (barbel article, entry 107)
Whilst driving north to fish the Derbyshire / Staffordshire Dove, I thought to myself how well I had done this … More
Rush hour? More of a go-slow! (barbel article, entry 105)
It sounds a ridiculous thing to say, but fish swim! The reason I state the obvious is that I fancied … More
Severn days too long (barbel article, entry 104)
For someone who is a self-professed river fanatic, it just seemed really strange that here I was, well into a … More
From one bath to another (barbel article, entry 83)
One of the advantages of being a solitary angler is that you can literally please yourself where you go, without … More
Battling with the elements (barbel article, entry 80)
Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do! Waiting for ideal conditions, particularly at this time of the … More
I’m not the only one that has put on weight! (barbel article, entry 79)
If you read my Angling Journal regularly, you will know that I do incorporate a lot of weather references in … More
Enjoying the journey (barbel article, entry 78)
It seems like ages since I have been barbel fishing, I thought to myself, as I dusted down the gear … More
My encounter with a man from Auntie! (barbel article, entry 70)
It all started with a message left on my voice mail. ‘Hello, I’m Ian Johnson from the BBC. I’m very … More
Beaten by a fifty foot tree! (barbel article, entry 68)
After a couple of pike sessions the week before, some SW rain prompted me to get back on the barbel … More
Back to the barbel (barbel article, entry 64)
Kicking off my pike campaign for the season just last week, it wasn’t long before I was getting the barbel … More
The Sow plays hard to get (barbel article, entry 62)
I caught a double from the river a couple of seasons ago, and I’ve been intending to do a few … More
Oh, what a night! (barbel article, entry 61)
One of the great advantages of fishing alone is that you can please yourself where you go – you don’t … More
Back to reality (barbel article, entry 60)
I am very fortunate in that the vast majority of my angling sessions take place mid-week. There are a number … More
Number 13 – unlucky for some, but not for me! (barbel article, entry 59)
In last week’s Angling Journal entry, I made a point about not being affected by superstition. (The article was all … More
Friday the thirteenth – business as usual (barbel article, entry 58)
Are you a superstitious person? As a committed Christian I most definitely am not – my destiny is determined by … More
Making the most of the summer (barbel article, entry 56)
Although most of my barbel outings so far this season have incorporated an overnight stay on the river bank, the … More
Elevenses on the Dove (barbel article, entry 55)
My last visit to the Dove had been one of battling against extreme weather, and although there was a breeze … More
I-spy with my little eye (barbel article, entry 53)
I arrived on the banks of the Derbyshire Dove with quite a storm brewing. In fact, my old Bedchair Brotel … More
U r priceless u r (barbel article, entry 52)
Although I am mainly focusing on tench at the moment, nevertheless I still have one eye on barbel. And with … More
A great start to the new season (barbel article, entry 49)
I had been looking forward to the start of the river season the day the last one ended in March, … More
A cold end to my chub season (chub article, entry 35)
With just days left for the river season, rather than weeks, I must say I was disappointed to be confronted … More
Only a small one but they all count (barbel article, entry 27)
Forever the opportunist, I was determined to take full advantage of some rain that came in from across the Atlantic, … More
Christmas on the Teme (chub article)
The last time I fished the River Teme was on an extremely hot and sticky evening in the early part … More
A slow start but it all comes good in the end (barbel article)
I start this week’s angling journal with what was my fourteenth visit to the Lower Severn so far this season. We … More
A nice surprise on the Upper Severn (chub article)
Certainly at this time of the year, one of the most important considerations when planning an angling trip is the … More
Fireworks on the Dove (barbel article)
It seemed like ages since I last fished the Dove, and in many ways it was. Although it had only … More
Seeing double on the Severn (barbel article)
The session I’m writing about in this week’s diary entry, is one I thought I might not make. I set … More
Chub are to barbel what bream are to carp (barbel article)
Anyone who fishes for either barbel or carp on a regular basis will know exactly what I’m talking about. How … More
I’m getting smaller but my fish are getting bigger (barbel article)
At the start of the year I decided to go on a diet. Not the crash type diet whereby you … More
You don’t always get what you want (barbel article)
As an angler I tend to be very focused. Even a casual glance at my angling journal reveals that I … More
It’s just a routine check, Sir (barbel article)
It’s hardly surprising that the weather forms the staple diet of conversation in the British Isles. After all, it’s so … More
Who’s been fishing in my peg then? (barbel article)
Planning and preparation are important ingredients in ensuring that the fishing trip goes well; even more so if you are … More
No big barbel, but thankfully no big cats either (barbel article)
With the rivers running very low and clear, at least the lower Severn provides an opportunity to fish in some … More
The Dove runs close but it’s the Severn that does the honours (barbel article)
It was another hot day as I made my way north on the A38 to fish the River Dove. It’s … More
A solid start to my barbel campaign (barbel article)
Click images above to enlarge Variety is definitely the spice of life in my book. Don’t misunderstand me, I have … More
Geographically challenged on the Severn (barbel article)
Click images above to enlarge With the announcement by Kinver Freeliners that they had obtained a new water on the … More
I love a good night out (barbel article)
I love a good night out – words which to most people conjure up pubs, clubs, bars, food or drink, … More