Blogs

Accurate Casting in the Fog.

During this time of the year it is normal to get heavy mist and fog falling. This happened last week whilst fishing Brocard Large Lake in France and after catching a gorgeous looking common I could no longer see the silhouette of the tree line on the far bank to be able to re-cast accurately.

Barbel and Absolute Seafood - My way.

The Absolute Seafood came about from my want of a good fishy type bait in the Quest Baits range but not containing much in the way of bulk oils and fat. I wanted a bait that would leak out its attraction quickly and would be very easy for the fish to digest particularly during the cold. 

Four double figure barbel in four very short evening sessions

The conditions on the river had been superb for catching Barbel on the Trent right from last week-end yet alas things conspired to keep me away. How I wanted to get out last Sunday after the long awaited rise in river levels but other things had to be done. I was desperate for a picture of a carp laying at the side of a bag of the new ‘Magnum Duo’ for something I was working on so Sunday saw me getting a bit of carp gear together and venturing over to a water I had not cast into for 10 years or so. It can be a tricky place but time wasn’t allowing me to travel too far so I took a gamble.

8 x mini Spombs and 6 x pouches of the Magnum Duo scattered loosely in the area in front turned out to be the right approach. I was lucky, my 3 hour session rewarded me with what I wanted and it was lovely to re-acquaint myself with one of the Rosehip Pool fish. It had fallen to a bait right on dark on the Sunday evening so a pleasant end to my week-end escape from the office.

Big Barbel ground bait cage feeder mix

It has become a daily question both in emails and phone calls about my feeder mix I have been using for the barbel I have been catching, so hopefully this will make things clearer.

Repelling nasty little blood suckers!

I have spent a lot of time this season fishing very short sessions on the river for barbel and some of these evenings in real over grown swims have seen swarms of mozzies and midges all wanting a bit of the Harrison blood. Now I am quite attached to my blood and don’t really want to waste it, besides I tend to react quite badly and I’m not disciplined enough to stop myself scratching bites which obviously makes things worse.

Never Mind the B******s – How Things Have Changed

1977 I had caught my first carp and the Sex Pistols were in full swing. Punk Rock had arrived and I like so many other young frustrated kids found myself swept away along the wave. I had two things in my life. Fishing and Punk Oh yes, I almost forgot. There was Karen Burton as well, now I bet she didn't go out with another angler after me!

Thwacky Racers - Barbel Indicators

I regularly get asked about the coiled white cylinder visual indicators I have connected on my line whilst barbel angling that allow me to wander my gaze taking in the surrounding wild life. Here is a step by step reason I use them and how to make your own.

Barbel Landing Net Endorsement

I would say that one of the best endorsements of any angling product would be from someone with no connection to the company whatsoever, who angles a lot and has used the product for over a 12 month period which is ample testing time to encounter lots of differing situations. Then due to losing the said product (don’t ask) the angler goes out the very next day to replace with exactly the same product.

Barbel Thoughts and Musings a Month Into the Season - 2013

A look back over the first month of my 2013 river season which produced many double figure barbel.

Deep Water Carp Success with the Magnum White

With my Grenville season fast running out and deciding I was not going to be renewing my ticket I was desperate to get back over there after the events of the past couple of weeks which had been kind to me despite very few fish coming out. I knew they were turned on and tuned into the Magnum White. I just needed to get myself there and into a swim that gave me a good chance of putting a bait near a few fish.