Un-surprisingly, I was back in the swim where I'd taken my first R.Stour barbel from, Benno and Luke had set up in a couple of very "fishy-looking" swims - complete with overhanging trees and weed rafts.The net result of all this effort was zilch! They experienced a few knocks; I endured a session of rod wrenching eel aggro. I landed one and bumped a couple of others - they are unable to get the hair rigged 18mm pellet and the hook into their mouths. The bite is simply the eel hanging on to the pellet and engaging reverse swimming mode; something they are able to do with ease. Still; if it was easy, it wouldn't have taken me so long to get my first fish?
I left the gear in the car overnight, it was around mid-night when I got home and I didn't want to disturb the neighbours, so I unloaded it this morning. I was very pleasantly surprised to find a Forest Bug (Pentatoma rufipes) had stowed away and was wandering about on my un-hooking mat. As is my habit, I grabbed the camera and took a few shots as it was released onto one of our window boxes.
As a parting comment, and warning, to anyone out there who reads this stuff and is tempted to follow my lead - don't buy a Barbus Severn Landing Net from Dragoncarp Direct! I don't know why I'm surprised that this £9.99 item is so unsuited to purpose. I suppose it's due to my support for the guys who are doing a great job in the Ramsgate branch. However, this particular item of merchandise is crap! You would be just as well using a tennis racket - at best this barbel landing net is a fancy commercial carp scoop, as a barbel net it is a joke! Sorry guys, I can't find a single thing that is good about it! The Matt Haye's centrepins, assorted pellets and flavours, rod rests and so much more - absolutely first class; this landing net? A mistake I won't make again.
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