I got there at dawn and was the only fisherman there all day, the mist hung around till I left and for about an hour or so I couldn't see more than about 20 yards. The water was motoring though so I fished an upstream rod under a overhanging tree with a lobworm as bait and a downstream rod in some slack water with a big piece of Garlic spam.
The downstream rod was mainly motionless in the 4 hours I fished however as I was packing up to leave the baitrunner screamed off and a fish had hooked itself, as soon as I lifted the rod and felt the fish I knew it was decent Barbel, the flow didn't help progress and with the rod bent double I was struggling to gain control, I managed to turn the fish however it was headed to the roots of a sunken tree so I had no choice but to bully it out of the snag. With the line singing and giving the tackle as much force as I dared, all of a sudden, ping, the fish was off.
I thought the hooklength might have snapped at the swivel or the knotless not failed however the hook had straightened, I've never ever had that before and they are good hooks too, heavy gauge and usually up to the job.
No big Barbel today sadly, a nice Perch and one sorry looking hook.
I have suffered a few straightened hooks in the past, it is very frustrating, still a lovely looking perch though.
ReplyDeleteUnlucky Mick, hope you get a good one out soon.
ReplyDeleteBad luck on the loss Mick!
ReplyDeleteI noticed that your hook link exits the eye on back. It might seem a tiny thing but if the line exits at the front of the hook it changes the angle of the hook under pressure. Sometimes the smallest thing makes all the difference between loss and capture.
You never know Danny that might have been the reason, suppose I've always tied my hooks like that, the next rig I tie I might change the exit position and see if that helps, it makes sense if I think about it.
DeleteMe and Barbel this year haven't got on at all well :)
I was talking to a friend of mine a while ago about Hampton Lucy brook and he mentioned it can be fished on a day ticket.
DeleteDo you know if he was correct Mick because I have heard along the grape vine that there is some very respectable perch caught from time to time.
Day tickets are available according to my Stratford book, £5 for a full day and I assume available from Stuarts in Stratford. All visitors must be accompanied by an association member, and limited to two guests per member.
ReplyDeleteI know the stretch quite well now, all the undercuts, holes etc and have found where the Perch ,it's a small venue but lots of character and so far of me, produced some half decent fish.
Any more info just email me at mick@micknewey.co.uk