A Barbel and Two Flat Tyres

With the rain earlier in the week the river had risen quite quickly and dropped quite quickly as well. A row of footballs on the far bank showed the height it had reached.  It was a lot lower than I expected it to be when I arrived, The banks were also a lot more slippery making descending and ascending a tad tricky, but a change of route down made things easier. I opted for the same swim as last time as the nice looking downstream crease was still there. The upstream crease, though, wasn't as distinct, but with so little debris coming down the gully  about two thirds of the way across would be fishable.

Both rigs were double 8mm pellets and a blocked feeder filled with broken pellets soaked in halibut gunk so as to create a scent trail. Not long after casting in the rain started and didn't really stop.  It was a good three hours before the first, and only, bite of the day. Typical barbel three foot twitch. It felt a heavy fish that put up a dogged, but unspectacular fight. No real runs just hanging in the current and a bit of a faff around the landing net. Just shy of 9lb and in good nick.

I fished on up to dark before battling through the soggy undergrowth back to the car. As I set off something didn't feel right. Getting out of the car the front tyre was flat. As I walked to the back to get the spare it was apparent the rear was also flat. Very flat. A wander round the car showed only the off-side tyres to be flat. Another angler turned up for his car and his tyres were OK. We couldn't see any obvious cause, but it was dark. First thought was somebody had slashed the tyres. Why just mine? The other chap waited until I'd contacted a rescue company before leaving, with me following as a rescue vehicle wasn't going to be able to get turned round on the very narrow road. Further down was a spot where it was easier to turn round.  Inspecting the tyres in the morning showed several cuts in the walls, but the could have been caused by me driving the car quarter of a mile and the palaver getting it on the truck. So that's three new tyres on a car I've had seven months.

One puncture is bad enough. but faffing about dealing with two is a pain. I couldn't get a mobile fitter until next week unless I paid over the odds. I always tell people that complain about the cost of driving lessons that that is the cheapest part wait until you own a car. Anyway here's a video of me fighting and landing a barbel.

[Update on the punctured tyres - A friend has been to the same spot fishing and tripped over a bit of metal stuck out of the ground where the cars are parked. The slits in both tyres were the same height in the wall and just right for this bit of metal. There used to be a log there so you wouldn't have got a car that far over. Think I'll take a sledge hammer down next time and give it a good bashing.]

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