Steve Pope Barbel Fishing

 

Well that’s it for another season, the barbel rods have been put away and it’s time to think about fishing on the other side of the world.

This year’s Guiding has gone particularly well with lots of fish caught, plenty of personal bests and as much knowledge that I could possibly muster passed on to everyone who has been out with me.

So let me take this opportunity to thank every single person whose company I have been privileged to share during these past five months, it’s a big chunk out of my life and it has been enhanced by meeting up with so many really nice interesting people.

I’ve learned a fair bit myself this year, the absolute fact that it really is all about being there if you want to catch barbel consistently. We can write thousands of words about this technique, that bait, this rig, but the truth is that you just have to be in the right place at the right time and so the more hours you are on the river the more chance you have of that falling into place.

Having spent the best part of four days on the river every week since the start of July I am convinced that what I have said is correct, you can fish your socks off on what appears to be the perfect day and blank and then on the folowing day when conditions would seem to be against you the barbel give themselves up, we know it all but in reality we know very little – the fish always call the tune!

Most aspects of fishing are easy, it’s us the angler who compicates things.

When I write it is always with the intention that If I can catch them then you can as well!

If I can do it you can do it.

Of course one or two other factors have to be taken into account, whether you are endeavouring to catch a specific fish that may be subject to angling pressure, whether you are trying to catch the largest when there are lots of smaller fish about are a couple of examples but I would guarantee that armed with the right tackle and the knowledge that is at our disposal if you can spend plenty of time on the river you will eventually reach whatever target you set yourself.

There is a downside as always, you may have to wait till you’re getting on a bit but there’s always a price to pay in this life!

The fishing has been good since my last update and I’ll talk about some of the sessions in this one but as I think I’ve mentioned before I always seem to be chasing my tail because of my Fishing Diary which goes up on Fishing Magic each month.

Basically I’m running a month behind all the time. My October Diary will go live towards the end of this month and I always like to make sure that my fishing reports are on there first!

So;

 

The September Diary which includes a good deal about fishing on the lower Severn can be found HERE.

The October Diary that features the Kennet can be found HERE.

*******

Last time out I mentioned that the session on the Severn with Matt Rand could end up as an Action Replay in the Angler’s Mail, well I’m pleased to say it did and I was very pleased with the end result.

I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t enjoy this sort of thing, I do!

However I don’t take myself too seriously, heck I’m 62 years old but do I take the fishing and my commitments very seriously and I know my daughters and the ladies on the Tuffin’s checkouts like it so that must help the AM sales figures!!

 

 

 

The barbel really love the Dynamite Crave boilies and I have found a novel way of using them which has fooled a lot of Severn barbel these past few weeks but you’ll have to wait for the next update to get all the info!

 

******

I try to write a couple of features each year for Coarse Angling Today, these days mostly for the Peg One Think Tank series.

However I took a call from Chris Ball who said he would like to do an interview with me for one of his ” Life Story” articles in the magazine, as I said above I love this sort of thing so I was not going to refuse!

So keep an eye out, should be in either the December or January issue, he had some great questions and I’ve supplied no end of photos so I’m hoping for a good feature.

******

The Barbel Society’s
Research and Conservation Auction 2012

 

This year’s aucyion is now up and running and you can see the Lots on offer HERE.

If you would like to bid then it is possible by proxy.

We raise a substantial sum each year which all goes towards conservation or research projects for the benefit of barbel, barbel fisheries and barbel angler’s.

******

Didn’t take too long to read this one but I thoroughly enjoyed it, Rod really is the man. Always enjoyed watching his live shows and have to say he has the hair and looks really cool in a suit and he looks better in his sixties than he did when he was one of the new boys!

Now this one is a lot more involved as you would no doubt expect, Pete Townshend is a complex character. Half way through it and it is very good, you really get to understand just how deep this man is. Have seen the Who play live so many times, first time back in the old Marquee days, certainly up there as the most exciting band I have ever seen………………alongside the Stones and Bruce!

*******

Every Picture Tells A Story

Here are some fishing shots from the past few weeks;

Just scroll over the photo for the caption.

 

 

***********

GUIDING DAYS 2013

I’ll be keeping you well updated on here while I’m in Australia but now is an opportune time to say that I am taking bookings for next year.

I only guide from July through till the end of October with a maximum of forty days allocated.

I’m hoping to arrange a number of mini breaks on the Wye and details will be up shortly.

Don’t forget that a Guided day makes a brilliant Christmas present!

************

That’s it for now, the next Update will be coming from Australia and I’ll hopefully be able to show you how thew Aussies do Christmas and there will definitely be photos from the harbour on NYE.

All the best,

STEVE