January
First trip, first fish. A grayling!! Eventually, I had lost three and Ellis had skilfully landed two for about 2lb. The Tees grayling here are a really good size. Freezing cold, but a fish in the net warmed me up.
February
The second trip of the year and I was back on the Tees. A mild trip with cheese paste ledged mid river. Swims where we had knocks before produced nothing. I waited it out after having a rove about, but nothing materialised. Deciding for an early bath, I headed home for tea.
The second trip in Feb was another gruelling day! It was freezing cold and a grayling and out of season trout all to warm my hands up - oh and some hand warmers! Where were those chub? Commitments meant it was unlikely I would get out much before March 14th. Hopefully just one more trip!!
March
It only took one more trip and indeed one more cast (well it was the second in this new swim) and all was forgotten. A pb, A yearly target. I was buzzing.
I planned to sit it out all day, in to dark if needed. I had no plans and was committed. Well, in reality I was in a fettle, didn't really want to fish and actually fished out of spite of it being the last chance on the river! I am glad I did. I fished some usual areas, then decided to go somewhere I don't usually go to. I have been there in the past, I saw a barbel once, my first ever river siting. I cast to it and spooked it when a chub came out of nowhere and grabbed my sweetcorn. I remember that day so well. This trip it was again a single chub, but at 6lb exactly, it was amazing. My first six, a new pb and truly stuff of legends.
I was looking at my best two captures on the Swale, given I have fished it for about 10 years they occurred only 250 days apart! The chap on July 6th 2024 and the pb six pound chub from the final day of the coarse river season 2025. Shame to think, I was on my own for both and didn’t share with my fishing buddies or family. Just weird how things pan out.
April
Three trips to Tilcon af varying success. Stubbornness to use more summer baits like corn and bread when it was still cold overnight probably my downfall. A few fish caught but nothing like the pole dudes using maggots, they were bagging, the lake coming alive. Some nice perch caught by anglers too, has got me thinking!
May
Just like that it was May. It's been a warm, with freezing overnight April. I saw someone's greenhouse thermometer showed a high of over 40 degrees and a low of minus 1 during the month! Its also been dry, not much rain at all, I assume the rivers will be low. I have seen on the book of faces that people are chucking fluff on the flowing water with some pet trout being caught. It's still Stillwater for me and another trip to Tilcon. Using just prawns as bait, I was hoping for a two pound perch, a two pound bream with one eye and an ide my only catches on the first trip.
Two more trips in May around work parties. The highlights being the actual work. I blanked at Tilcon and Wydon, my most local lake, I thought the tench would be awake. The work involved general lake clearance and building a platform in a peg. Really enjoyed chatting with other members and I must of done some work cos I ached in the morning!
June
A trip to London usually involves fishing. This time it was on the Grand Union in Milton Keynes. Jar caught one nice perch, his first ever but sadly the zander eluded us. Nice to catch up though even if there was little else being caught.
Then the rivers opened, the usual anti-climax. Ellis and I hit the Tees, a forgettable trip in tough conditions. We actually tried two areas, driving between them at half time, something we very rarely do. We usually find something by walking the stretch. A few wasps for Ellis and I blanked.
A blank the following day, but at least I had contact. Certainly a barbel ripped my rod off and if it wasn't for the line catching on the rod rest, I may of had a chap as my first river fish of the season. Its swings and roundabouts, an enjoyable day - of course the big man caught a barbel, he really is on a barbel streak at present!!
My first fish of the river season was a first from the swale for me, Anguilla anguilla finding its way into my net after devouring a one inch cube of meat! I managed a solitary chub too, the river was low and clear and only going to get worse over the dry summer.
July
Just the one trip in July. The start of my Tees barbel campaign, or was it? It was certainly not as full on as other sessions. I more dabbled in areas and really ended up trotting maggots or ledgering worm to actually catch something. A nice chub on the float and a good sized perch grabbing the worm making for an enjoyable first try.
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| The Tees perch from barbel trip 1 |
August
Two 'out and out' Tees barbel sessions were all that I mustered. Two weeks in Florida with the anticipation of bass fishing, sadly timings and theme parks got the better of me and no fishing was done. Swimming with manatees was an amazing experience though!
Back on the Tees, there was chub and dace to be caught. I was definitely in the right place, with the right bait. I just needed some luck or a barbel to slip up. Would I ever get that Tees barbel?
September
A moving bait approach again tempted two good sized chub. The gonk was a bonus, how it thought it was eating an inch cube of meat, I have no idea! Anyway, a few hours stood mid river trundling meat or pellets to the fish below the fast water was awesome. Sadly, no barbel this time.
I am definitely learning patience! 
I said we needed some rain, we got lots! The river had risen, then dropped and was approaching 1m (it rose to 1.8m) but I went anyway. Fishing the slacks, I hoped a barbel would slip up. Plenty of snags, lost tackle but an enjoyable three hours.
An evening session with Ellis followed and although there was a fish on his hook when he reeled in for the last time, we both recorded blanks! It looked perfect for a barbel, we fed an area and fished ledger tactics hard on the bottom. It just wasn't to be. At least we avoided the big pile of dog poo as we trudged through the woods in the dark back to the cars. I will take that small win!
A few hours free on a Saturday, so I nipped down to Tilcon. I couldn't get in at first as the key lock is now a number code! I must have missed that memo. Anyway, a quick message to Philip and I was in, I had the code all along! and now a useless key. Keys | Recycle Now
An enjoyable few hours catching perch, they just couldn't leave my worms alone. A good sized ide being the highlight and meant I at least got the net wet!
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| The last pic of said net |
October
Theft is a strong word, I prefer borrow. A trip to the Tees for barbel resulted in a dropped net, that got borrowed. I fished on, with a pit in my stomach that if I hooked the elusive whiskers, I would struggle to land it. I left early.
A day off in the week was welcome and as I sat in the sun behind the feeder rod, all was forgotten. It was lovely to see the water lapping gently at the edge and soon, over my boots! The river rose quick and the crease was gone. I left early.
London calling - I answered. Float fished small dead baits on the canal for zander whilst chatting nonsense with an old school friend and eating kabanos - yeah, that was a perfect few hours, minus any fish!
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| Rarer than a zander - all five of us together |
Saturday night was party night, as above shirts and jackets! so Saturday morning it was a quick trip to the small river. Travelled by train, it was fun. One lost fish and to be honest, more walking than actual fishing. I really enjoyed my time in the South.
November
Success this month was shared. Well, taught. Maybe. I had been trying to get Rupe a chub for a while. He finally caught one, all on his own. I was looking at pictures on my phone when I heard the cry of "Dad, I have one".
His first ever chub, 5lb exactly. Caught from the swim Davey caught his first ever chub and Tom caught his first Swale chub. I really am the best guide.
No other trips were made in Nov.
December
A last trip to the Swale, a blank. Amazing as I have faith in my ability to catch winter chub on cheesepaste. Not this time.
A final trip on the final day and it was not too dissimilar to the first. Tees grayling with frozen rod eyes!!
You can't moan when they look like this!!
Another year completed. Highs and lows as always. Next year, I have a different Yorkshire club to explore and will be fishing some different North Yorkshire rivers.
So, targets. I caught a 6lb chub but not the rest. I am fairly confident I can tick off the rest of them this year, the zander will be the hardest as it means travelling. I will try my best.
I will also amend the barbel one too:
One barbel from two new rivers and a new pb barbel.
Thanks for reading and I will catch you next year.
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