I did a thing

Date fished 27/09/2025

10am until 1.15pm

The kids had plans and didn't need me, so I decided to go to Tilcon for a few hours. The minimal amount of kit. Rod, reel, chair, net, unhooking mat and some terminal tackle was all I took. 

Bait was simple.

Worms for the hook and breadcrumb for loose feed.

Fishing about a rod length out behind a bush is idyllic float fishing. It took a while of feeding but eventually a bite. A small perch was landed, a little birdie tells me there are some big ones in here! 

I then got no more bites, even though I was sure fish were in the swim. I decided to change the shoting. The olivette that was six inches from the hook was taking the bait down quickly. I fixed this much higher up the line so the worm could sink down slowly. 

This seemed to work, as it was soon a bite a chuck. Constant action, it was fun and soon I had well over a dozen perch. I had lost just as many. The float sailed away and this time something pulled back. An ide proving much better sport.

I ran out of worms so had to pack up. It was a great few hours on the lake, amazing to catch a few and the highlight was, that I made a change that worked.  (I THINK)

 

Tees barbel (5)

Date fished 24/9/2025

3pm until 7.30pm

I wondered if an evening session would increase my chances. Ellis said "it would, 500%"

Unsure of his maths, we gave it a go. 

A different swim fished. I collected a bag full of rubbish from the previous users.

It looked perfect. The river was dropping and had a good pace going into over hanging willows. One rod with pellets and feeder was cast there and a sleeper rod in the nearside slack with meat for any cruising chub. Ellis joined me after work and had a ledger rod near mine on the far bank. 

After one of his casts, I asked where he was. He said 5 yards from the tree. I declared, OK, I will cast this three yards from it. I promptly deposited my rig exactly where his was!! We didn't get tangled and didn't catch any barbel. 

It was great to catch up, we hadn't fished together since June. He has been doing lots of fishing around the country and had barbel to over 8lb! 

His luck didn't rub off on me, and he was left cursing the blank saver when he wound in the last cast and there was actually a small fish on the end. It had registered a bite a while before but didnt do anything else. He didnt see it properly before it dropped off, but I hope it wasnt a small barbel. If it was, we would of carried on for something bigger!! 

We even managed to avoid the massive dog poo as we walked back to the cars in the dark. The quest continues....

Tees barbel (4)

Date fished 20/09/2025

6am until 9.30am 

Ellis did the right thing and decided not to come as the weather was forecast to be awful. I stubbornly went anyway. 

The river had risen and dropped more times than a (insert your level of humour here)

overnight. 

Arriving pre 6am it was still dark. I tackled up by torch light and cast my 12mm Robin red pellet in whilst my eyes were adjusting to the dim glow. Yes, the river was high but it was fishable. Maybe not with the weights and rod I had brought though. 

I cast again into the slack water, but only managed a snag. This was repeated a few times over the three and a half hours. When I didn't get snagged, I was sat hopeful of a fish. It was fairly mild, if not very wet!! 

The  (three) pictures above are the swim I have been fishing recently. Its about 2 metres below the bank I was now stood on and fishing from. Knowing this well, I avoided snags and fished a while in the nearside slack. No luck. 

I moved downstream and fished another big slack under a big tree. No luck. 

I fished two more spots and got snagged so badly that it was a complete loss of tackle twice. 

The second time  I had found a worm, so tackled a new rig to be able to fish this. First cast, snag, I took this as a sign and headed for a long walk back to the car. 

Walking in waders is not fun and my feet hurt from the few miles trudging along the pavement.

It was comfy laying under the 'golf' brolly

I am now home, showered, warm and dry. I will sit down and hopefully watch the reds beat the blues! If nothing else, I have some lovely poetry to read.

When the sun shines we fish together

Told you I'll be here forever

Said I'll always be your friend

But to fish today you must be a 🔔 end

Now that it's raining more than ever

There’s still a chance of a chub or a fella 🤞

You can sit under your umbrella

You can sit under your umbrella 'ella, 'ella, eh, eh, eh

Under your umbrella 'ella, 'ella, eh, eh, eh 🤣

E. HUTCHINSON 

2025

Tees barbel (3)

Date fished 7/9/2025

6am until 10am

I am enjoying the Tees barbel challenge. I chatted with an angler as I walked back to the car, he told me he caught a Tees barbel from the swim he was in a few weeks ago. It's an area, I have never even considered!!! 

I was back in the same swim as the previous trip. This time travelling even lighter as I was planning on wading mid river to present a moving bait in and below the faster water. 

I only had meat and spicy sausage for the hair. 

Third trundle down, the line went slack. I struck and the culprit pulled back. Head shaking and zig zagging around the current and I soon saw the lips! A while ago, I would of weighed this, but today it was just slipped back. 

I changed the line and pace of the rolling meat. I was using the korum touch ledger and at times (not always) I controlled the bait downstream. Parts were so fast, I had no control.

During one of the pacier trotting down, I noted the line was spooling really fast. I closed the bail arm and struck. I was correct, something had intercepted the rolling meat. 

A different fish from the first, however I think the same as last session. A noticeable scar on its flank, maybe from a heron or similar.  

The upstream wind was warm and strong, my rolling took a more static approach as I found dips and places the meat would sit. A few times it came back with corners missing. Something was having a nibble. Not the two pincers buggers, but some whiskered beauty, whom I am always pleased to catch.

I will take this as a sign that I am getting closer to the Tees barbel. 

"Tam prope, quantum longe"