Steve Pope Barbel Fishing

This winter is certainly getting me down now. If you had said to me before Christmas that we would be here now in the middle of February having had just the one real window of opportunity to catch a barbel , well, I wouldn’t have believed you. Cabin Fever, more like house arrest at the moment and still the forecast is gloomy looking ahead into next week.

Definitely the worst winter from a  barbel fishing perspective for quite a while. With only a month to go before end of play, time really is beginning to run out and I’m wondering if that big Lower Severn barbel I had set my heart on is going to happen this time.

Mustn’t get too pessimistic, there’s always a chance that our weather could go completely mad and the last fortnight sees soaring temperatures sending the barbel on a last minute ravenous feed!

A fortnight ago the snow was still on the hilltops and last night the frost was really heavy but today the temperature outside in the sun on my patio reached an amazing 16 degrees! At the same time, away from the direct heat of the sun the pond was still frozen, amazing! It was that hot I nearly put a sun lounger out and thought about putting up the parasol. The forecast is much the same for tomorrow, ideal for working out in the garden but the river will still be far too cold for any reasonable chance of success with the barbel.

Last Saturday I was almost tempted, I was down on the Severn near Upton for a Barbel Society committee meeting and the rods with all the other paraphenalia were packed in the car ready for a late evening bash when the meeting was over and a possible full day on the Sunday. I’d even made up a ball of cheesepaste from the left over cheese pack from Christmas, thats the one from fourteen months ago!

Well, after a long and exhausting meeting I found myself standing outside with The Don. He had to wait for his missus to return with the car to pick him up. As we stood their chatting we both realised we were shivering and when Mrs Caliendo finally arrived I had already made the decision, fishing would have to wait once again!

Oh well, back home I found myself watching the Superbowl. Last year I stayed up and sat through all of the first half which seemed to go on forever without much actually happening. The reason for that self inflicted pain, The Boss was on at halftime and I have to say the twelve minutes the E Street Band were on stage made up for the boredom of the actual match. How so many people watch and enjoy American Football sure as hell beats me!

My reason for going through the pain barrier once again, the mighty Who! Well what’s left of them anyway. Well worth waiting for, Roger Daltrey is sure looking good for a bloke just about ready for his pension and Pete Townsend is a true master of just about any guitar he cares to pick up!

Fantastic stage setup, the way they manage to erect and dismantle it in a half time break is truly incredible. Zak Starkey is one amazing drummer, not often that the son of a famous dad turns out to be a better performer but Zak beats Ringo hands down.

I’ve followed The Who for many years and have seen them play countless times, back in the sixties at The Marquee and even the Tottenham Royal, Charlton football ground and in recent times at the Albert Hall and Shepherds Bush Empire. It’s no wonder my ears are practically shot and my hearing is so bad I have to turn the Rapidex up to full volume!.

Along with The Stones and Bruce Springsteen they are one of my all time favourite bands. I remember back in the very early seventies growing my hair into a long perm and with yellow teeshirt, faded denims and kickers on my feet I thought I was the man.

I remember taking my brother to the Charlton gig, he was barely into his teens and it was the first time he had ever seen them play, he’s been a fan ever since and still goes to see them today. Every time I hear Join Together it takes me back to the Throop and barbel fishing, funny how songs permanently fix moments of time into your memory. Anyway, I’ve put together some favourite Who tracks in this months jukebox for you to enjoy as you’re reading my current ramblings, hope there’s a song there that takes you back as well.

Here’s a picture taken back in 1973 with me standing on the Acropolis in Greece, it’s a bit scary when you start going back through all the old photo albums, you’ll just have to believe me, we all thought we looked cool back then!

On a more serious note I see that more and more high profile anglers and writers are starting to push hard on the otter issue. I’ve always maintained a rather neutral stance, some would say sitting on the fence, but I’ve always believed we as anglers would be commiting an act of great folly if the general public came to believe that we are against this creature.

Anglers are notorious for not recognising a full picture until it comes knocking on their door or river, and to look for excuses when they themselves may be partly to blame for poor catches!

However, with the apparent evidence growing all the time this issue is one that is not going to disappear and I suppose a time will come when we have to stand up and be counted.

My views are still much the same, for sure some people appear to have suffered great loss at the hands of this “loveable” creature but is that really enough to embark on a road that is certain to lead to the general public turning against us, I’m not so sure.

These articles penned very recently by Steve Partner and Dave Steuart are worth checking out.

BARBEL RELATED MEETINGS

Don’t forget the upcoming Barbel Society Hertfordshire Regional meeting, its less than a fortnight away. I posted full details HERE a couple of weeks ago.

I have another meeting coming up and I’ll post the details on here once everything is fully confirmed.

At the end of next month there is a fantastic meeting arranged by Kinver Freeliners which has a brilliant array of well known anglers ready to take questions on all manner of subjects. For anglers who fish the Severn and Teme this is an evening not to be missed. I will be going along with Rich Frampton to promote the Barbel Society and  catch up with some old friends.

THIS EVENT HAS NOW BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LACK OF SUPPORT……………….ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

HAS TO HAVE BEEN THE BEST LINE UP FOR A SHOW LIKE THIS FOR MANY A LONG YEAR YET ANGLERS HAVE NOT RESPONDED DESPITE THE STERLING EFFORTS OF THE ORGANISERS.

A SIGN OF THE TIMES? PERHAPS.

A REAL SHAME AS IT WILL MAKE OTHERS THINK TWICE BEFORE TRYING TO PUT ON SOMETHING SPECIAL.

I haven’t forgotten the article on the baiting issue, its almost finished and I hope to post it in the Articles section this weekend.

Fingers crossed the temperature warms up sufficiently so that we can get out and have a go for a barbel with at least some hope of success, here’s hoping!

Then instead of this,

We might be doing this!

Now where’s that cheesepaste………………………..?!

Steve.