College Pool - 03.04.11 My first stillwater Barbel

Was planning to fish Snitterfield Reservoir today, but last min change and I glad I did. Bagged my first College Pool Barbel :) Only about 5lb ish but in mint condition, really did fight well too. Plastic corn topped halibut pellet.

Got there early this morning and counted 20 Swans, for the first 2 hours I felt like packing up and going home, they wanted bait more than the fish :) . 2 more Anglers there today, the chap that turned up just as I caught the Barbel had a couple of Carp when I let at midday and the chap next to me who was fishing maggot didn't even have a bite. I had a couple of more runs on the pellet but didn't connect and some knocks on the worm / maggot, a slow day but one that ended well. Anyone know if they are stocked Barbel or did they get in College Pool when the Warwickshire Avon flooded ?

Need to sort myself out a decent camera, the iphone4 ain't the best looking at these. :(

Canal @ Bearley, Stratford Upon Avon - 02.04.11

Took Ben for a stroll at the canal down the road, gave the Wife some relaxing time as the next one is due in 6 weeks, was looking at potential places to fish, compared to yesterday what a fantastic day.

Quite a few fish topping and spotted a small dead Zander on the bank, even managed to get a few carp to surface feed on chum mixer.

Defintely going to give this area a go for Pike, Perch and the Zander in the future. Never caught a Zander it's one to cross off the list.

College Pool - 01.04.11

A Stag Do last weekend so nice to get out on the bank again, the weather report was wrong, not a very nice day at all. It was windy and not even that warm. I got to College Pool for 3.30pm, 3 anglers were present, a lost carp, a small Barbel and a Bream between them. I fished at the far side of the pool, the deep end. Had a sleeper rod out with a plastic corn tipped pellet and fished close in with maggots and lobs on a waggler.

Bites didn't really start coming till 6.00pm, lost a decent carp on the sleeper rod, these college pool carp really do fight well, no sign of the big Perch sadly but managed to bag myself a nice carp about 6 / 7 lb on the waggler and worm, on light float tackle a cracking fight too.

I left at 8.00pm but by 7.00pm the pool came alive, fishing topping everywhere and some big'uns too. as the nights are getting lighter I might give the evenings more of a go. Not a great afternoon at College Pool but when the water is warmer it makes a huge difference.