In My Book I had Perfect Conditions

Another day and another stretch of the River Ribble, this time I chose to fish my friend’s water downstream of Mitton. The gauge at Grindleton Bridge was reading nearly 7 feet, the water the colour of Windsor soup. With mild weather conditions light rain and a thick cloud base conditions were ideal for catching barbel. Many Anglers look at a bank high river and are immediately put off fishing for the day or seeking a Stillwater. If I had to choose a low clear river or one pushing through fast and bank high I’d choose the latter. We read about having to use lots of weight when fishing in flood conditions. As many of my friends will testify I often get away with 3 or 4 LG shot.

What you need to do is walk the length of the fishery dropping in two or three pieces of strong smelling Pallatrax cheese paste or sausage meat paste at all the quiet bits of water. As I walked and baited a few spots, my mind went back as it’s often does to what Dick Walker often told me many years ago. Remember to think about what you’re doing, and remember if you don’t scare the fish they can be caught. I well remember him saying. “A fish will eat anything unless it’s taught not too” We all know the only way fish learn that lesson is by being caught often on the same bait. I have lost count of the times when I’m at the water, saying to myself “How would Dick fish today” The man had a great effect on my life. He taught me to be a better and more caring person, he taught me to think about what I was doing, to think about the subject in hand. When I was stuck in some stinking hell hole of the jungle in Colombia or Peru. I often thought of Dick

I digress back to the river, if you find a long glide with no boils these are the stretches to fish. Should you find a glide with just very small whirls then fish these areas, often the haunt of chub, why I cannot answer that question. All I know is that chub frequent these areas. As you walk along the bank you will find small bits of fairly quiet water a couple of feet from the bank. Again these are the places that often hold fish that are catch able. Remember the water flow is much slower as it flows close to the bank, also on the river bed. Let me make it clear if you arrive at the waters edge and find the river banks high through snow broth then my best advice is go home. If its warm rain water it’s like having all your birthdays coming at once.

First Chuck A Barbel
After walking the length of about a mile and a half, I made my way back to the car dropping in a few hook baits into the spots that looked interesting, while waiting for the kettle to boil, I chucked some cheese paste sausage paste and some pellets into my shoulder bag, then assembled my landing net. After a brew I was ready to go as the rod had been made up from the day before. All I had to do was check the hook for sharpness.

Hundred yards downstream from the car I sat down on a piece of sponge then baited the size 4 hook with a chunk of cheese paste. With a simple underhand cast I dropped the bait about two feet out from the bank and ten feet below me into the slow steady water. Within a minute I felt a light pluck on the line, then a steady pull. Having set the hook the fish shot out into the main flow the rod hooped over as the reel squealed in protest. Slowly I walked back dragging the fish out of the main flow into the quiet water where I allowed it to twist turn and head shake under the rod tip. A minute or two later I netted a barbel about 5lbs. after walking upstream with the fish I released it in a quiet spot behind a submerged bush. I dropped another piece of cheese into the same area as the first fish; ten minutes later fish number two was netted, probably weighing 4lbs. half an hour later I was on the move to my next spot. A long smooth glide about twenty yards long.

A Good Fish on a Pellet

Thinking I might find some roach in this area I changed over to a size 12 hook then baited with a soft pellet by side hooking, Casting out I allowed the tackle to move in close to the bank then sat waiting for a pluck on the line. A friend who fishes this water had told me some quality roach were being caught on soft pellets. Hence my using such a bait. As I sat talking with the Spookyone I had a savage bite No roach this I thought as I set the hook into a good fish. Saying to the Spookyone “I have to go I’m hooked up to a good fish” It was certainly an exciting tussle with the fish taking line then I get some back before the fish went off again on one of its fast runs. The reel, as it gave line sounded wonderful. Is there a better sound when you’re angling?

I reckon it was a ten minute tussle before I had gained full control. I started pulling the fish towards the waiting net when it dived once more. But it was its last gasp. Hauling hard on the fish I drew it over the net. A nice looking fish which I estimated at around 8lbs. After resting it in the net for a while I walked back upstream to the sunken bush then released it. Now that’s what I call a bit of luck. But don’t tell John Wilson he doesn’t believe in luck. Two lessons from that fish, I don’t normally fish pellets as I rate my more traditional baits to be far better. Today I was wrong, also the fish was caught on a side hooked pellet and not a hair rigged bait. As Dick often told me “Keep an open mind” how true.

I chose to spend much of the day fishing this glide as I reckon it could well hold a few fish, in fact I reckon with a bit of luck I could get a mixed bag of roach, chub and barbel. Once more I chose to fish a pellet and soon I had another barbel, which was quickly followed by three more all small fish around 4 to 5lbs. But they do pull the string and bend the stick.
I then had a couple of small eels which were carefully unhooked and released. Let me say now should you catch an eel, please treat it with respect. They are another species also they are endangered. Once again the EA have let us down by allowing them to be netted also the elvers to be taken for sale in other countries. If they are endangered why are we allowing them to be netted?

Having caught those eels I changed over to cheese paste the size of a bantam egg on a size 2 hook within minutes I’m in again another barbel. This fish was about 7lbs. I then had a quiet spell of about half an hour, throwing in half a dozen bits of bait I went off for a brew and sandwich. Sitting in the car having my lunch I read the Anglers Mail, suddenly the rain sheeted down, twenty minutes later the rain ceased. It was time to go fishing. Before going back to my swim I made up another rod with 12lb line, fixed spool reel with a sliding leger link and a size 4 hook. I planned to fish a 2 ounce weight on this outfit so I could fish the bait further out into the flow.
Back in my swim I baited the running leger rig then cast it upstream, the other rod was baited with cheese paste and cast downstream fairly close to the bank. In the next couple of hours I had five fish on the downstream outfit, all barbel around 5lbs mark, also losing a chub about 3lbs close to the net. In the next hour or so I was to lose another chub and two barbel but I did catch three more barbel. Then the sky clouded over the light dropped the wind suddenly increased to about 30 mph as the rain sheeted down. Thankfully I had a good set of waterproofs, but it was becoming uncomfortable, I could feel a cold dampness, my hands started to get a bit numb. I reckon it was time for a brew. Winding in, I made my way back to the car. Soon I had a mug of tea then started to feel a lot better. The rain sheeted down for probably half an hour. I chose to pack up and head off home. It had been another good day in paradise