Tees Barbel Ten

Date fished 29/8/2026

5pm until 8pm

It was strange sitting at home during the day when I was going to be fishing later. It's normally an early morning thing for me. Today, I tried to join the night crew! 

Arriving, I went to the swim I wanted to fish. Someone was in it but he said he was not staying long, so I could fish it too. It's big enough for two, so was spot on. However, then the rain started. Light at first then torrential. It didn't stop for the next three hours. 

I tried to fish on, but the rain was annoying. I had a brolly but just a hand held golf one, I stayed mostly dry but couldn't really fish. 

Loads of bites and knocks but no captures. The Tees barbel eludes me further. 

In truth, I wanted to fish later than I did. The fear of fishing in to dark on my own was too great though. I packed up and walked to the car in the slight dark and slipped onto my knee to prove that I did the right thing. 

I lived on to blank another day! 

Southern Fried chicken wrap for my tea!! 

Not our final 'swan song'

Date fished 15/8/26

7.30am until 5pm

A long day and three swims fished. We gave ourselves 10/10 for effort. But not sure on our results.

Ledgered everything on the Ouse for the elusive, but Ellis guaranteed, chap! 

First swim was a walk, but in the early morning cool air, Ellis was jealous of my jumper. A bream came to see us in the shallows, but turned away before we could throw it some duck food. They ate plenty. 

X marks the spot

Nothing much going on here, so while Ellis lassoed a small skimmer, I spent the time tidying my tackle box.

A jungle walk to another swim. We sat here in the shelter and watched YouTube. The swim was alive with predators snapping at everything. Ellis swapped to a worm and a small tap turned into a heavy lump. A pike grabbing his perch. The former let go and the latter came in relatively unharmed. 

We watched a kingfisher show us up and catch a minnow right in front of us. 

Knocks galore on the spicy sausage, I fear it was pincers and not lips doing the damage. 

One more swim to try and this was again filled with pulls on the spicy sausage! 

Highlight was the pair of swans preening and rewaterproofing themselves for about 5 minutes a few feet in front of us. That even beat the raunchy dancing on board the party boat, but that video evidence is not available yet! 

If trips where you blank were always like this, I wouldn't mind. In fact, I didn't blank, I just ran out of time! 

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!!

End of river season poem

14/3/2026

8am until 12pm

The rivers may or may not of been fishable. I didn't take the risk, I went to Tilcon. 

Worms as bait. Cold overnight. Was not in the mood. 

Say no more. 

So I asked chatGTP to write me a poem.

The wind came first, sharp and thin,
Whispering winter across the skin.
A grey sky hung where hope should be,
While waters kept sighing endlessly.

The rod stayed still. The float did too.
No silver flash, no sudden pull through.
Just drifting hours, slow and long,
And the distant cry of a lonely song.

I wasn’t sure why I came that day,
When warmth and rest felt worlds away.
My heart was heavy, my mood was low,
Like winter caught in the undertow.

The bucket empty, the daylight thin,
Only the cold kept settling in.
No fish, no triumph, nothing to claim—
Just numb fingers and a quiet shame.

So I packed my line as the dusk drew near,
Breath like smoke in the brittle air.
The lake kept secrets I couldn’t keep—
And carried my sadness back to the deep.  

Crazy how much it knows. Gets me every time!!

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!!

Long shot

Date fished 23/1/2026

9.45am until 1pm

Cold, wet and flooded was my evaluation of the rivers at present. So, I avoided those and decided on a trip to Tilcon. I knew it was going to be tough but needed to just sit and try. After a bacon buttie, I headed to the lake.

Sit and try, I did. I float fished dead maggots about a rod length out or just under a bush to my right. I had thought about ledgering prawns and firing maggots over the top in the hope of hitting a target, 2lb perch. In hindsight, I should have but could not be arsed to go buy prawns. 

I fired maggots regularly around the float and huddled for warmth. The wind was cold but when it dropped, it was like something out of 'The day after tomorrow' and bitterly cold. My feet soon felt like ice blocks.

I chatted to another member who was out doing some avian pest control. It was a blank all round. 

Twixtmas, 'Crimbo Limbo' or 'Feral Week',

Date fished 28/12/2025

7.30am until 1pm

After a busy Christmas, I ensured the southerners left Northumberland, then I was free to go fishing. 

A spur of the moment decision meant I grabbed one rod, the net (new), terminal tackle and a ball of Cheesepaste. I headed to a club water on the Swale. 

I have been in this club for over 10 years, but have decided to switch it up this year and join a different area to target. I am sure I will be back soon. 

Unfortunately today's trip was a blank, well a double blank, more on that at the end. 

I tried several swims and although the river was high, it was still clear and very low in some places (I didn't understand why). 

A mink popped it's head out several times whilst I fished in this swim. 

In one particular swim, three knocks on the rod resulted in no bait. Whether it was chub or crayfish  I will never know.  It was fairly mild, but I still relaxed with a hot drink whilst watching the non moving rod.

I met another angler on my way back to the car. He had lost one fish and he headed back over the swims, I had vacated. 

I headed to a local brewery after checking their opening hours to buy a crate of beer I have recently found. It really is amazing!! 

I parked up, walked to the brewery to find it shut. Checking the date again, I realised I had got confused as to what date it was.  Gotta love the post Christmas, pre New Year period!! Ffs.

Catching trains

Date fished 25/10/2025

8am until 11am

I fished Brian's small river for a few hours this morning in the hope of a barbel. 

Two trains and I was there. I tackled up in a swim where I could see some fish. My ledgered breadl flake got interest but not a proper take. Eventually I got too excited and spooked them. 

I walked along and looked for fish. Not seeing any here but remembering Brian, I fished in a not so secret swim. In the summer the vegetation would cover the entrance.

My line started to tighten, I grabbed the rod and was in a snag. I could feel a fish on too. The fish won and managed to get free. 

I left empty-handed, but I kept my pants on! 

Mk 2

Date fished 24/10/2025

9am until 1.30pm

A trip down south, meant two things. Fireball and zander! 

I picked Jar up from the train station and we headed towards the canal. This time we float fished deadbaits. 

We walked the length and fished likely looking spots in the shade. We started in a turning basin where we saw plenty of fish topping but no predators lurking around. 

Sadly we didn't catch any zander, but we had a great trip. I think on this occasion I will leave it to jars photography..