The Warwickshire Arrow...a new venue

This morning I popped to the Barbel Society Show in Kenilworth, some famous angling faces in attendance and a chance to pick up a few bits and pieces for the new season and listen to the speeches  from the pro's.

I also wanted to have a butchers at the Lone Anglers trade stand as their landing net pole looked an ideal replacement for my Drennan twist jobby as it can be a pain in the backside to operate sometimes. I always travel light for my river roving approach and sadly it was a bit too heavy for me, shame as the sturdy extension lever was a joy to operate. I bought some of their sausage sizzle squab baits though, they look and smell ideal for Barbel.

This new season I've managed to get myself on a private stretch of the Warwickshire Arrow so before enjoying the beer garden with the Wife and kids we popped and had a butchers.  15 minutes from home and another small river I'm looking to explore.

The lack of recent rain meant it was shallow and in most places I could see bottom but with a bit more water in it, it's ideal. Although I like meeting up with friends to go fishing, for me I prefer fishing on my tod, not sure why but I do. The Wife thinks I'm weird but then I probably am.

The Arrow joins the Avon not far from here so all species are present including double figure Barbel. It's off the beaten track so for me ideal as I like to fish away from the masses and travel light, just a net, rod and rucksack and the Warwickshire countryside.

Shepherds Delight...

Had a few hours at the reservoir to try and better the 2lb Crucian I caught recently. 2 rod approach today, a small cube of meat on the float and a mini bolt-rig set-up on the sleeper rod with corn boilie on the quickstop and scalded pellets around the small lead.

The first run on the sleeper rod was a mint Roach that just went over the 1lb mark, 1lb 1oz and the second fish was a Tench of exactly the same size.

Where were the crucians today ? I caught a few hybrids and bream on both float and lead with the biggest 3lb or so.  The surface was alive with fish, insects and the margins were full of fry and there were small crucians launching themselves out the water but sadly none graced my hook.  I tried some soft pellets but again they were hoovered up by the hybrids and bream. The crucians were there, the float told me that, small bits of worm directly on the hook have worked well in the past so I might have one more evening session next week before a lads trip to Ibiza the weekend.

Some quality fish in the reservoir, a venue that keeps me going back. I left at 10.00pm and this was the sky I was greeted with. I love evening fishing in the summer months, a four foot twitch from a Barbel with the rod pointing at that sky, there is nothing like it.

Barston Lakes Solihull - Shanghai AC match

7 of us were fishing the main lake at Barston, we had pegs 1-20 and prior to the match I searched the internet for tips on how to approach the intimidating 25 acre venue. There is good head of decent carp and as it's now used as a big match venue it has also been stocked with F1 and bream. Every page I found said pole or method feeder long, as I don't own a pole the method feeder for the Carp was my tactics for the day. As 70 yard+ casts might be needed the rod used was my 11ft Harrison Torrix 1.75lb TC Barbel rod.

I decided to alternate between a bright red Mainline dumbell boilie and SBS corn boilies, moulded around the drennan feeder was a mix of carp groundbait, 2mm pellets and dead red maggots.

I drew unlucky peg 13 which was more or less right opposite the 18th island hole on Barston's golf coarse. The sun was beating down during the 5 hour match, looks like some decent weather is finally on the way.

For half an hour or so I clipped up the reel at around 70 yards and cast the feeder every 4 or 5 minutes or so. On the 3 retrieve I foul hooked a decent carp but it broke loose. The rod tip was jinking and moving which was a positive sign but it took well over an hour before the tip went fully round. The first fish was a bream of a few pound which took the 10mm boilie and soon after a small mirror carp of around 4lb

Bites were slow but after banking a double figure carp I was heading for a half decent weight. During the weigh in it was obvious some anglers struggled. Rich Gould was 1st with a mixed bag on the pole with 40 odd pound and I ended up 2nd place with 5 carp and two bream for 32lb, even Dave Roberts struggled and he is usually the one to watch. With the winnings myself and Dave visited the 19th hole for a well deserved pint. A hard match but Barston as a venue is great, it's not a large puddle in a farmers field and it's a nice setting. The planes from Birmingham airport are a distraction and I thought Golf was a game for gentlemen, I've learnt some new swear words whilst fishing for 5 hours.

Hopefully give Snitterfield another go for the Crucians towards the end of this week but I cannot wait for the river season. I'll be away in Ibiza for the June 16th melee but I've the rods at the ready. I have managed to get myself on a small private stretch of the Warwickshire Arrow, my sort of venue so looking forward to fishing a new river. I've also got the Stratford and Leamington books, so spoilt for choice.