Steve Pope's Barbel Fishing Adventures

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Steve Pope's Barbel Fishing Adventures Guided Days on the River Severn.

In my happy place waiting for my warrior queen.She’s playing very hard to get but I’m nothing if not persistent 😀She wil...
08/11/2024

In my happy place waiting for my warrior queen.
She’s playing very hard to get but I’m nothing if not persistent 😀

She will succumb before the season ends😀

28/10/2024

Didn’t manage to get out much last week for one reason or another, hopefully putting that right this week.

The weather is holding up still and looking back I’ve often done well at the end of October, beginning of November.

Looking forward to trying the Dynamite worms👍👍👍

23/10/2024

A thought came into my mind and it’s a thought I’ve had before but is now being drummed home.

It isn’t coincidence that on a difficult water it’s the local angler who has a big advantage, more so if he is a specialist.

I say this because it’s so much easier to deal with the blanks!!

If you spend more than an hour on your journey to the river you really want a result, today long stay sessions are quite common but that’s a different subject.
So the tendency is to go to productive stretches, not everyone wants to be a pioneer!

When an interesting but very tricky venue is on your doorstep it is easier to deal with mentally and ultimately that usually leads to success.

The fish and the stretch become very personal and looking back over the years it’s easy to understand why “ Fish chasing “ was so frowned upon especially on the smaller intimate venues.

I’m very fortunate in seeking out fish that are not caught often, it’s where my personal barbel journey has taken me and I will enjoy every waiting moment until the reel spins once again 😀😀

Made it to the river, very muddy 😀Fingers crossed.
22/10/2024

Made it to the river, very muddy 😀
Fingers crossed.

20/10/2024

Had an interesting discussion with my cousin who is also a barbel angler.

Basically question everything, don’t be dogmatic, create your own theories.

That’s the way to go and to take your own fishing to another level.

We are all guilty of following accepted beliefs and I’m absolutely certain we miss out at times because of it.

The late Merv Wilkinson had a saying that summed it up, “ Don’t follow the news - make the news!”

He was absolutely right.

Radical but obvious…….😀

This came up in my memories from 11 years ago and reminds me how one really good photo beats a hundred standard shots.Th...
15/10/2024

This came up in my memories from 11 years ago and reminds me how one really good photo beats a hundred standard shots.
This picture of a 13 plus was taken by Matt Rand an absolute diamond, top angler and just a great guy.

I’m fortunate enough to have lots of nice photos taken by skilled photographers and one day I’ll put them together.

I’m hoping it won’t be too long before I get another quality shot with a big barbel from the Welsh Severn, fingers crossed 😀

10/10/2024

Let’s be perfectly clear about something, I’m not in the business of undermining or point scoring, the fact that it’s being publicly stated that the River Severn is the most polluted river in the country should send shock waves to anyone who has the slightest interest in this once majestic river.

I support Feargal Sharkey 💯 and so should everyone who fishes the Severn, he is fighting our battles.

The foam as an indicator does cause problems, too many first class anglers are saying the same and they are not to be ignored or indeed underminined by one or two stating different experiences.

We need to be united in this war against those who wish to destroy this and other rivers, if we are not then we deserve all that befalls us.

09/10/2024

Arrived on the river just as it’s getting light.

Sickened to see the scum/ foam running on the surface covering half the river.

Conditions otherwise are perfect for barbel but I’m not confident and will only give it a couple of hours .

Has anyone caught a barbel on the Severn while the foam is running?

This isn’t natural, I know the difference, this is pollution.

08/10/2024

I tend not to post on any fishing pages , just not my thing anymore.
But I sometimes see posts that I might have a view upon that might help or add something to a discussion.

The subject of standing up to hold a fish for a photo.

Yes I agree it isn’t the right procedure because the barbel is being put in a situation where there’s a real risk.

But there are many anglers, mostly getting on a bit like myself 😀 who really struggle to bend down and hold a fish in what we understand as the acceptable way.

There is an easy answer, one I’ve employed many times on guided days, you simply sit in your chair and cradle the fish in your lap - problem solved.

Haven’t been out much recently, been a little unwell but hopefully feeling better now.My quest for a Severn fifteen cont...
07/10/2024

Haven’t been out much recently, been a little unwell but hopefully feeling better now.

My quest for a Severn fifteen continues…….

11/09/2024

Went down to the river this morning but came back home.

I was mentally prepared to fish a particular spot but it was already taken.
I didn’t wake up early enough 😀😀

I obviously could have fished another swim but my head wouldn’t be right and as that’s a huge constituent part of success I decided against it.

I only go fishing to catch barbel, I’m surrounded by countryside so don’t need that fix.

In a perfect fishing world I would have been fishing on Monday but I couldn’t do that.

There’s always tomorrow and today I’ll cuddle my cats 😀😻😻

09/09/2024

How important is the “ mystery “ aspect of fishing to you?

For me now after many years catching barbel it really is everything, it is my sole motivation.

I know I’m very fortunate living very close to the river where it’s still possible to dream of the unknown.

Carp anglers today have lost the mystery element because practically all the big fish are known, the magical era passed quite a few years ago.

It’s there in today’s barbel world, the big fish have mostly been caught and the specimen hunters live for the extra pounds and ounces that are put on for the final weeks of the season.

My quest for the next month or so is to try and find a twelve, if I can achieve that I will be over the moon.

As the season progresses I will up the ante hoping for a fifteen in the last few weeks.

This is where I’m at these days and I’m completely comfortable with it, the mystery lives on in my world 👍🙏🎣

07/09/2024

I don’t fish at weekends so while I’m thinking about how I’m going to approach the river next week here’s a couple of points to consider.

I use centrepins pretty much all the time, have done for the past 55 years.
Simple reason, I love the noise, the spinning reel and the fun.
Catching barbel on the pin is far more exciting than using a fixed spool, there is no comparison and I’ve caught enough on a fixed spool.
I never fish far out so the only advantage of using a fixed spool is negated.
So it’s a pin every time.
All about fishing with soul rather than passionless 😀

Secondly rods positioned beach caster style- absolutely no need for most of the time.

Have to say if I was just starting out and I believed that this style was the norm then I would go and play golf 😀

Sometimes needs must but not all the time and certainly not on small rivers ever.

That’s that off my chest!!😀😀

You’ll no doubt disagree but be nice and convince me otherwise 😀

06/09/2024

Back to reality.

Five hours on the river today but no signs of fish.

The water level had dropped back about a foot from Wednesday and that affects the flow and so I headed about 200 yards upstream where the flow was slightly faster over a 6feet depth.

I’m literally always fishing for that one chance and that’s what I like.

Over the coming months I’ll be watching the weather forecast and the river level like a hawk because that’s the key to success.

Have a good weekend, I’ve some busy family time coming up 👍

04/09/2024

Today’s session was just four hours, I started around midday laying a bait table, an hour later I had a fish.

If the barbel are in the area, if they are in a responsive mode, if the conditions are favourable then I’ve always found you can catch at almost any time of day.
I much prefer catching them in daylight, the photos are so much better 😀😀

After today I can approach autumn with real confidence, I’ve now had five double figure barbel from the Severn where you’re more likely to catch a grayling or trout, I’m extremely pleased with that.

In the winter of my barbel fishing life I have found something that will keep me going, will hopefully be my personal fishing legacy and end with the capture of “Rhiannon,” the Welsh goddess and barbel of my dreams!!

My captures are named by me , just for me and based in Welsh mythology, it adds an extra dimension and helps when I write articles!

There will be more blanks but just once in a while the gods look kindly upon me and the reel spins and like today one of the special barbel makes my acquaintance, today it was “ Branwen”. 😀

It’s what I do 👍🎣👍
04/09/2024

It’s what I do 👍🎣👍

God loves a tryer or so I’m told😀I feel I’m getting one step closer to these rather special elusive barbel.We’ll see 🤞🤞I...
04/09/2024

God loves a tryer or so I’m told😀

I feel I’m getting one step closer to these rather special elusive barbel.
We’ll see 🤞🤞

I can always talk to the cows😀😀

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