barbule

March 2006

March 13th

The final days.

Well the weather forcasters really buggered us up, the expected "warm window" changed from day to day and we neded up with freezing temps all over the last weekend and 3in of snow on Monday morning as I set off for my last sesssion on the Trent.

I arrived in plenty of time to meet Chris he had decided on a cosy session (the same as with Paul last week) so we set up his Aqua and settled into what was to be a very quiet session apart from Chris biding his time trying to "stun" the resident "rat" with his landing net pole.

I practiced my "Wallis" casting but it was all to no avail, the temp had dropped as soon as the light faded and we decided on an "early bath" when Chris reeled in a very sorry looking chub of about a pound had impaled itself on his hook, so I suppose in reality he never "blanked", me I never had a sniff the water temp was only 5oC so my 1st blank of the season on the Trent manifested itself on my last session to the great river.

March 14th

The last day saw me waving goodbye to Sue at Manchester Airport and setting off up north to meet Les on the Ribble the weather had perked up a bit and with a temp of 8oC it was not looking too bad but with rain forecast all day it would be another day sat under the "Aqua".

Halfway up the M61 and phone call from Les asking if I had "tow rope?" I said I had, but how far in the field was he? I spent the best part of an hour trying to find another rope and finally procurred one from a garage on the outskirts of Preston! As I arrived at the farm the heavens had really opened up and the track to the river was the worst I had seen it all season,as I passed throught the last gate I could see the car stuck upto its axles in mud, 15yds of the track (what the hell had he been doing?) and then asked me not too take photos!! My newly aquired (and my old tow rope) tied together wouldn't have a chance of reaching him so it was back to the farm to try to get the "friendly" farmer to drag him out!He did very obligingly and for a few quid in his pocket! Les was finally back on the track and we could get down to some serious fishing.

It wasn't long before he had squirmed his way under my "Aqua" brolly out of the rain, I think Les did lose one before I got there (or atleast he said he had!) but we wern't troubled by any movement in the rod tips, he did produce one "cream egg" notice I say 1!! which very quickly disappeared inside Les. Ah! its great to have friends.

See you all next season.

Total for March

1 barbel

email me : email mike

page last edited 21.6.06