Where’s the bl**dy rain? The experts on global warning warned us to expect warm, wet winters - ideal winter barbel fishing weather. The Thames has been producing some big barbel around Hampton Court but only at night and then only to carp tackle with halibut pellets. Not the type of fishing I like so I have been driving back and forwards to Southampton to fish the Itchen for Grayling but the big ones have failed to show yet. I don’t think I have had more than one two pounder on the float all season. There’s a lot to this sport we don’t understand but I suppose that’s what keeps it interesting.
One day I decided to try for the big chub which are difficult to locate so I set up a feeder rod with an open ended feeder to fish with liquidised bread or minced beef. Bread flake and rump steak were the hook baits on five and a half pound hook length. The flake proved irresistible to every trout in the river and I even caught a brown trout that would have weighed four pounds if I had weighed it. (Closed season, put ‘em straight back, let ‘em grow for the fluff chuckers.)
I went onto a deep bend that has produced big chub in the past and tried mince in the feeder and a piece of rump steak about the size of the top of my thumb, on a size six hook.
The first bite produced the biggest grayling of the season at two pounds thirteen ounces and the second bite from the same place resulted in something I could do nothing with. This fish just kept to the deep water and resisted my efforts to gain line, I applied as much pressure as the tackle would allow and began to gain a little line. Suddenly in the shallows at my feet was the biggest eel* I have ever seen, I would estimate it as being over five pounds but by how much I wouldn’t like to guess. As I stood there wondering how I was going to get this into my landing net the eel solved my dilemma by bolting into the dead, broken down reeds at my feet and parting the hook length. I was left with a mixture of disappointment and relief as I was ill equipped to do battle with such a creature on the bank.
* just kidding
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