Float Feeder Trotting

Date fished 13/9/2026

8am until 1.30pm

Autumn days on the river bank really are magic. The leaves were falling around me but it was still a pleasant, if not a tad warm 18-20 degrees. 

It's been a while since I fished the Tees, and more to the point trotted a float. I combined the two.

An eventful Aldi trip yesterday resulted in helping a 90 year old lady who had fallen to get home and then call her an ambulance. I was also without wheels, so had no way to get maggots. Fortunately, I was able to source some from a friend in Hexham, so it was operation go!! 

This club stretch, I have fished once before. The track down is steep and I am not sure it gets fished often. It's overgrown but looks great, I am sure a low presured section, at least from our bank is welcomed by the fish. 

I started float fishing with my new 11ft rod and the closed face reel. The rod was too short and I didn't need the closed faced reel as I was fishing in about 10ft of water with barely any flow!

Fish topped all over and two otter swam around the pool looking at me. One even swam right under my rods, I saw the air bubbles as it shot along the edge. It didn't worry the fish and I was son catching 'bits'.

A sleeper rod with meat was cast to likely spots. This was hoping for a big chub. This was not a Tees barbel mission. I repeat, not a Tees barbel mission!! 

Soon, I realised the float fishing was no good. I needed to be on the bottom. I turned the (only) rod I had into a ledger rod with a closed face reel!! 

It worked though as four perch in four casts, all expertly pulling the tip round. I even got the net wet for one! 

The clicker showed 13, and I decided to take a stroll. It's very overgrown and I hoped a big piece of meat under or near bushes on our side would tempt a chub. 

It didn't.

As I walked along and realised there was no swims up this way and I would have to hack through the jungle to even get to the river, I took the easy option and headed back North. 

I would like to say it was great to be back on flowing water, but it had very little flow. I enjoyed the few hours though, as the Tees has this affect on me that everytime I go, I feel I never know what I will catch. 

In the end, it was a few hours well spent on a quiet River Tees, proving that even a cobbled-together rig and a slow current are more than enough to keep the magic of the unknown alive.

Clickbait

Date fished 22/07/2026

13.30 until 16.30

Flexi in the bank, I decided to take some and go to the bank. 

I drove to Tilcon as it's less than 10 mins from the office. Quickly chatted to another member, then set up the feeder and cast in, soft robin red hooker on the hair. Fourth cast and the tip spun around. An ide.

Plenty of taps and knocks, but I was getting bored of the feeder. I switched to float fishing sweetcorn and feeding my corn and hemp mix.

It worked and was a wonder bait. For the next two hours it was great fishing. The lake really is fishing well at the moment. 

I caught at least 15 ide, maybe 20. I wish I had my clicker as I lost count. A tench, a bream and several good roach.

A double figure mirror carp with a distinctive scale pattern swam right in front of me. I hoped he didn't show an interest in my sweetcorn. 

I was fishing fairly close in, one rod, sweetcorn. It could not be simpler. It really was a great few hours. 

Eventually the promise of fish and chips for tea was too much and I headed home. 

Always time for one more ide though.

I really was glad my bait mixture worked, but I was annoyed I forgot my clicker. 

No, not really

Date fished 22/6/2026

9.30am until tooth hurty pm

GCSE's completed and one more day of holiday for me was a perfect mix for me to take Rupe to the Swale to see if he could catch his first barbel.

We headed to Topcliffe as we could not leave at the  crack of dawn and he had a dentist appointment (brace tighten) at 4.45pm which could be on our way back North. 

First swim

Second swim

The weir swim looked good, sounded noisy and ate two swim feeders in two casts! We moved downstream 100m.

This swim seemed better, we cast our ledgerd pellets just in the flow and waited. 

I like fishing with pellets, they are:

Easy

Cheap

Last ages

Stay on the hook

Different sizes, flavours

Child friendly

I don't like some boilies that I have. I won them years ago and have never really used them. I take them with me on many trips and they come home again. They smell like vomit to me. I decided they were going in the river or in the bin!! 

Suddenly, Rupe's rod wiggled and I let him know, just incase he didn't see it through his fringe. He was in. A cute little chub his prize.

I cast too close to the far bank and lost more tackle. 

Today's mission was to hopefully get Rupe his first barbel, so I changed my rig to a vomit boilie on a hybrid feeder, no respectful barbel would get caught on that! 

A missed bite on that, it must work. I kept with it. 

My second of the week (ish). Big smiles all round! On the vomit too!!

Another angler came to fish this swim as I was releasing the barbel, he warned us of some snags. We had none in this swim so far. 

We reeled in. Snag! 

Another lost feeder. Am going through feeders quicker than............ (fill your own answer in here)

The sun burst through the clouds and although we liked the warmth, the fishing died. We watched birds, river critters and a little mouse having his lunch.

It was lovely to spend time with the boy. 

Oh, the title. I nearly forgot. Speaking of things that annoy me. Ask my son any question and his reply is usually "No, not really".

It doesn't even make sense!! 

Love him though!! 

What is this hair!?

Two barbel, five bream, six perch!!

Date fished 18/6/2026

7am until 3pm

Ellis and I went to the Ouse today. We had a great, great session. 

Two rods ledgered mid river or towards the tree lined far bank proving to be the tactic! 

I will let you into a secret, the bait today that worked was worms! Many other pellets laid unmolested, but not the worms!!

I actually can't remember the sequence of what we caught when. But I know, I did catch a couple of bream then a barbel and Ellis caught his barbel whilst I had my third bream in the net!! 

3lb 12oz

4lb 12oz

We have never both caught a barbel in the same session,  plenty of chub but never barbel. We wondered if we could top the day off with a chub each from the Nidd. This proved a touch too far for our luck, so we headed back to Ellis's house for a celebratory beer!!

Earl of Northumberland

Date fished 16th of course!! 

7.10am until 2.10pm

Forgetting a few hours after work for the elusive Tees barbel on a September evening, I had not fished with Ellis since 17th June 2025!!

Putting that right this week, we started on the Swale. I have joined Leeds, a large and great club. Today we tried their Topcliffe flavour.

Coming from Northumberland, this is why I felt at home

Ellis arrived early and secured a double swim. Today was another social with rods. In hindsight, I could of left the rods at home as they didn't catch today. However  I thoroughly enjoyed the day on a great new stretch! 

I walked it just before we left, and that definitely had me thinking about another trip, soon! 

We ledgered every bait we had, varied everything but to no avail. We even swapped for a worm in the margins as something was constantly harassing something. Ellis caught the culprit, a nice perch. 

I will need to review the boundaries as some other swim parameters seemed 'muddled'.

Some barbel were caught on the stretch today, it was full of anglers. Great to see on opening day! 

Let's not leave it until nearly a year until the next trip please Ellis!!

Bloody Tinca!

Date fished 14/06/2026

7am until 11am

It's so nice to walk to and/or home from fishing. That's kinda why today, I fished Wydon in Hexham. 

Arriving at 7am, I walked to the swim I love to fish in. There was someone already in it! In truth the lake was fairly busy ( great to see). 

Realising I knew the guy in my swim, I chatted with him, George,  and then tackled up in the swim next door. 

George and I have talked about fishing together before but work and life schedules have never aligned, not sure this counts but will have to sort one day mate! 

Short rod, hybrid feeder and I was soon fishing down my left, not one rod length away from the reeds. 20 minutes of nothing and I got the 13ft float rod out. I was still fishing close in, but the length helps! (Stop the sniggering).

The float buried and I was in. An angry tench (assumed, not seen) kept deep and low and messed me up around the left reeds, then out in front and then the right hand reeds. I got the rod down and tried to bully him. It resulted in a hook pull and a lost fish. I was raging!

Am not normally an angry chappie, except when driving, but this annoyed me. Soon, I was back to normal when the offspring arrived. 

There is much more to life than a lost fish. 

1. Sunday breakfast

2. Cute pic of the young offspring 

3. My nephew sorting his fishing gear like I used to when I was young 

4. A nice rudd, both Rupe and I caught a few

5. Early morning at the lake

Blank

Date fished 28/02/2026

7am until 11.30am 

Broken scar, Tees today's venue. 0.99m on the guage, fishable but only just in the slacks, and would be tough.

Ledgered worms,  pellets or chesepaste for the hook. 

Accompanied with a feeder stuffed full of dead maggots, bread crumb and pellets.

Not a touch in three swims. A few snags, and even managed to flash a passing dog walker! He still chatted to me after and pointed me in the direction of a good swim. 

Knowing what I know now, would I still of gone?? 

Too bloody right!!

Same but different

Date fished 2/2/2026

8.50am until 1.15pm

I had booked some days off work to fish the river. Looking at the weather, I decided to just stay local again. I was not in the mood for a long trip in tough conditions. 

First fish of 2026! Not quite the size I was after  but the correct species. 

I was armed with fresh, alive maggots and worms this time. I left the dead maggots in the freezer. A float rod and a ledger rod was taken, however I was lazy and took the trotting float rod. It was already set up with a closed faced reel and trotting float, am sure it would be fine. 

The lake was deeper than last trip, full to brimming! I fished the deep end which was flat calm. Out of the wind, it was pleasant. I nearly lost my bowels when the bird scarer positioned behind me went bang! Not put off though, but the cormorant circling over head and not settling on the lake was! 

Worm on the hook and maggots in the feeder in one and maggots all the way on the float and I was fishing. 

The little perch was caught on the ledger. A bite whilst I was chatting with a potential new member, I missed. As he left, another bite. This time I got the culprit and in he came. 

A nice few hours on the bank, restful really. I just watched the rods and World go by in equal measures. Now I am sat thinking of warm sunshine and fishing in shorts. Roll on summer!! 

Very appealing

Date fished 22/10/2025

8am until 2pm

I had booked some days off work, but looking at weather etc decided I would take today for a fishing trip. I was back on the Tees, not targeting the barbel but if one came along!! 

I arrived early and walked to my chosen swim. The river looked good and I had a nice crease about two rod lengths out. The aim was maggot feeder with maggot on the hook. I did have some breadcrumb I had mixed with predator liquid. I have two bottles and never really used it, so thought why not!

It was bites straight away. I had watched an otter in the swim as I arrived. Was lovely to watch it and it was not fazed by me. Eventually a rattle turned into a proper bite and a nice perch was landed. 

I fished on and apart from a deer, two kingfishers and a buzzard it was quiet. I played around with the rod rests and if I put the rod flat, no bites. If I put it up high, constant knocks. No idea the logic. 

The sun was lovely, I didn't need the big coat, but I had it with me. 

Another fish  a dace that was the same length as the perch. No pic as I was trying an arty shot close to the water, you know the rest..... 

I was having a lovely day. I noticed my rod rest was now in the water. Soon my chair legs were in the water. My feet were in the water. The crease had slowly disappeared and was now the main flow. 

As lovely as a day it was, I decided to head home, via a couple of tackle shops.

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....