14/03 Derwent

Another season ends, not been a bad one either. Had a few lean spells but not bad for barbel probably at the expense of all other species. One last try today saw 3 perch, the biggest 2lb 9oz. Did try for barbel as well at the end but nothing happening and it dropped pretty cold so decided to call it a day (season).

13/03 Derwent

First time out for a while and not much time left...

First swim very quiet apart from minnows but did notice a pike hanging about when I left so that may explain that. Second swim lost What looked to be a good perch before catching one of 2lb 8oz.

Quiet again before a pike took my minnow livebait, must have fancied a light snack.

Hopefully time for one last try...

23/02 Derwent

Worth waiting all week for the mild weather. Same swim again, going to leave it alone for while after tonight though. Forgot to note the time but 15lb 1oz barbel at about 6ish, the fish which holds the current Derwent record from earlier this year. Caught a smaller barbel of about 5lb and a chub at packing up time. To be honest, should have packed up after the 1st barbel...

16/02 Derwent

Same swim I fished I fished last time out, which was a while ago to be fair. Steady start with 2 chub and a small barbel (17:55) in the first hour. Slower end to the evening with no further fish caught.

25/01 Derwent

Success on the barbel front at last - it had to happen sooner or later. In my second swim of the evening, I noticed the tip of my right hand rod bent over. The alarm hadnt made a noise, I picked the rod up and felt the resistance of a fish on the end. Obviously not very big but on a barbel drought so made sure and played it carefully into the net...all 3lb of it.


Having returned one fish and sorting my rig out to re-cast, my other rod sprung to life and I was into a much more solid fish. Safely netted and weighing 13lb 0oz it was worth the wait. The fish came at 19:00 and 19:05.

23/01 Trent

Another quick one after work, somewhere I've not fished for a few years but a friend reported losing a couple of decent fish here recently so worth a try. Tried in 3 swims for the familiar resulting blank.

19/01 Derwent

Snatched an unproductive couple of hours after work on the (tough) local stretch. No fish, biteless again. Was able to hold out for 40 mins and an hour or so with my first couple of casts then a heavy squally shower/ micro storm passed over and changed things almost instantly. The swim became almost unfishable with debris attaching itself to the line moments after casting in. One possitive from the evening, noticed a new fishable swim for future blanking.

12/01 Derwent Trent

Sneaked the afternoon off work and back out to try and catch a fish. 1st stop off perch fishing on the Derwent. Constant bites from the off, only small fish though and the only proper one on the worm turned out to be a small jack. No takes on a small roach livebait.

Moved to the Trent later on and fished a deadbait and boilie (on separate rods obviously) and caught a chub. Not the prettiest I've ever seen - looks like its swam into a brick wall, but after my run of blanks it was more than welcome.

11/01 Derwent

Tried again on a stretch thats usually a bit easier just to try and catch something...

Arrived at 5.30 then at 6 something happened that I've not experienced for a while - fish on! Obviously a barbel, and the way it was fighting felt like a good fish. Plodding around, I was making slow but steady progress, although the fish was still taking line off a fairly tight clutch when it wanted. I had probably got it 2/3rds of the way in and I felt it turn and...that horrible feeling of realisation that it had come off.

Sat down gutted that I had lost my first fish for ages and it felt like a really good one, but then the ones that come off usually do.

10/01 Derwent

A change of river for the same result - another biteless blank. Time to fish some easier stretches...try somethng different at least.

01/01 Trent

Not been out fishing lately despite having a bit of time off work - Christmas and playing a lot of golf has been getting in the way. Same result as last time out, blank. No bites. Thought this area might be a good winter one, obviously not.

16/12 Trent

Wasnt confident that I was going to catch, unfortunately correct with another blank. 3 hours with 2 deadbaits out, may have had a knock but not sure. 2nd swim has potential though, just a bit of a walk.

08/12 Trent

A bit milder, but a bit wetter and windier than it has been. No sign of any fish again. Blank.

03/12 Trent

Started off fishing a light quivertip, swimfeedering maggots with worm as bait. It was a slow start with no bites but I kept casting regularly to try and build the swim up annd induce some action. A bit on the windy side but not too cold, the football on the radio adding to the entertainment.

Then some idiot in a boat drives right over to my bank and wipes me out - 1 lost swimfeeder and 1 angry fisherman. Quivertip rod put away, sat behind alarms, wind got colder and stronger the later it got, no bites. Blank.

29/11 Trent

Possibly my only chance to get out this week...so I get stuck at work for an extra hour then lost on the way to the river due to a diversion. Arrived at 7 so not a complete disaster. A few good taps and one phantom bite that didnt hook up. Ended up very similar to the other night, one bream and one chub - maybe the bream was a bit bigger and the chub a bit smaller though.

25/11 Trent

First stretch seemed a bit too shallow for my liking...gave it an hour before getting in the car and heading somewhere deeper. Lost one fish but quiet until just after 9 and a chub. Recast, sat down, another fish on, this time a bream. Gave it an hour or so longer but to no avail.

22/11 Trent

A swim Ive been meaning to try for a while but its a long walk...might need to give it another go. 2 chub and a couple of other knocks. Above the noise of the 12 swans in the swim, sure there were some decent fish rolling.

20/11 Trent

Thought I'd have a try for perch in my barbel swim, theres a bit of depth close in. 1 bite just as i was messing about setting up a barbel rod and 1 lost fish.


Stayed on in the hope of a barbel, a couple rolled but no takers.

18/11 Trent

Arrived a bit late, maybe actually on time as didnt have to wait too long for my 1st fish, 10lb 0oz barbel at 18:05. Quite a few knocks but nothing possitive for a while after that, until a small chub made an appearance. Stayed on a bit longer and rewarded with a good one, 13lb 3lb @21:30.

This one did have a winter shape about it, not noticed it much so far this season. Fed some boilies at the end ready for next time ;)

15/11 Trent

1st swim too snaggy, 2nd swim too swirly...ended back in what has been my most productive Trent swim this season (except last time there when I blanked). Blank avoided with a 3lb chub. Barbel about 7 or 8lb at 17:55.

My 2nd proper bream from this swim, this one weighed 8lb exactly. All 3 fish on the dowstream pellet rod.

Finished with another barbel maybe a little bit smaller, on the other rod, boilie. At 20:10. An improvement on blanking. Noted a couple of interesting looking swims for another time.