Friday the Thirteenth!

A change of plans meant I could get out fishing today, but where to go. A look at Gauge Map showed The Dales rivers rising upstream and from the times it should get to any of he spots I have access to by around eleven o'clock or so. With it being a bright day I decided on The Wharfe as I'd never had a problem in the past with catching on bright days. In fact the last trip here had produced a couple of fish during on of the hottest days of the year.

 








When I arrived the river hadn't started to rise so I took the opportunity to get plenty of pellets and hemp in the swims. The upstream swim I was going to fish luncheon meat of hemp so catapulted about a pint of hemp in around the crease. Downstream I was fishing a 12mm halibut pellet and feeding 4,6, and 8mm pellets. Initially I only needed 30-40g leads to hold bottom. As the river started to rise around mid-day I had to increase the weight until, around one, when it ha risen nearly a foot I was on 60g downstream and 100g upstream. These weights were also needed as the flood brought debris down with it.

 








Around half one I got the first bite, on the downstream rod. Initially it used the current on the far side and felt very heavy. eventually I managed to swing it into the slower near side, where, it the started to career about in the shallow water and wasn't easy to control. Eventually I had it in the net. As I unhooked it the other rod lurched over and the baitfeeder started to scream. By the time I'd got the first fish back in the net and into the river for a rest the other fish had got well downstream. As I lifted the rod the line appeared to be snagged in the rod rest. It had, in fact, cut in the plastic head. after a bit of faffing I got it loose and started to pump the fish back upstream. This one stayed in the faster current and couldn't be persuaded to move into the slower current. It stayed deep and continued upstream when I got it level to me. I managed to get it into the slower current where it seemed to give up until I got it near the net. Each time I got it's head over the net it turned away and manoeuvring a net with another barbel in is not easy. Third time lucky and it was in the net. The first was 7lb 5oz and the second 8lb 3oz. Not a bad haul, which also included a couple of minnows found in the bottom of the net.

 

Korum nets maybe nice and light, but they don't take kindly to having to haul a couple of angry barbel up the bank. It ended up misshapen. To be fair the landing net head has done well in the time I've had it and has been somewhat abused. Inspecting the rod rest head showed what appeared to be a fault in the moulding which the line had cut into, trapping it. The line, however, showed now signs of damage.

 








The next bite came to the pellet rod about an hour later. A 6lb 8oz barbel that, apart from it's initial rush, put up very little struggle and was quickly into the net.  That was it for the day.

 

Not bad considering how bright it was. Even better considering the four anglers on the far bank didn't catch while I was there. The mangled landing net and faulty rod rest must have been my bad luck for the day.