The opening day of the season saw the river in the lowest state I've seen it in 15 years. Added to this the weather was bright and sunny and the water was gin clear. Quite the worst conditions for catching fish! However, for those willing to work at fishing a float, there have been some great catches - despite the conditions. Top of those reported to me is the catch made by brothers Mark and Wayne from Manchester, who really take their fishing seriously. They always take the first week of the season as a holiday and get down to the river at first light. Last Monday 20th June Wayne had 155 Lbs of barbel from peg 48 by fishing a balsa float with meat on the hook. His biggest fish would only have been about 8 Lbs and if he had brought more bait could have carried on catching!

But there have been some other good bags taken too. Jayne (from Jayne's Tackle) had 6 barbel to 8 Lbs and bream in a couple of hours from peg 59 on an evening this week. Ken Arnold won the first match of the season on 19th June by winkling out 5 chub for 15 Lbs 10 Ozs on a stick float with meat on the hook from peg 72, during a bright, sunny day with the river still very low and clear. Another new member had a good bag of "silvers" off peg 27 on a stick float and maggot down the middle. Other pleasure catches have mostly seen better and more fish taken in the evening, once the sun is low.

Once we have a good drop of rain, it will really turn the fish on!

Do e-mail me with your catch - especially if you get a picture you can send with it.