The river Severn had been out of sorts for most of the winter a combination of severe flooding, cold snaps, unseasonably low levels whatever my current excuse I was struggling to catch on a consistent basis. The odd fish here and there, one good session then back to scratching for a bite. Anyway the week before the end of the season saw a change in fortune.

Tuff 1 success

The sonubaits Tuff 1s we had been testing had been catching fish but the first of the production baits had come off the machines and I was looking forward to giving them a proper go.

All my winter barbelling is done in the dark after work, so the start of March is great as if you are lucky you can set up in the semi-dark a real luxury.

First rod in just as the light was fading properly then before I could get the second rod in the first rod started bouncing merrily – I just love watching barbel bites it seems a shame to strike sometimes.

Result, one barbel of 8lb 14oz to two 11mm Hali-Hooker Tuff 1’s what a great start.

My winter fishing is only ever 2-3 hour sessions so a fish in the first 10 minutes is a real bonus, I  went on to catch two further fish to just under 8lb.

Buoyed by this success and the imminent end of the season I persuaded my very understanding wife that I may have to fish a bit before the end of the season.

So the next evening saw me back in the same swim, out went the Tuff 1’s (now on both rods as all the fish last night where on them). A small 50 pence size PVA mesh bag of Sonubaits 4 and 6mm halibut pellets attached on each cast.

After a blank 45 minutes I thought that maybe I had had my chances the night before. The river was rising steadily but the water temperature had dropped by half a degree to 6.5C then I had 3 barbel and a chub, all on sonubaits Tuff 1’s. The biggest barbel went 10lb 2oz, followed by a fish 8lb 13oz and back home by 9.00pm. Lovely, a PB for the Severn and my first double for years.

The next night saw me once again in the same place, same bait, same tactics - Korum S3 hook size 6 double Tuff 11mm bait and 20in (very approx) hooklength of coated braid. 20 minutes in the Neoteric rod is bent double as battle commences. The evening’s result was 4 barbel to 9lb 6oz.

Next night guess where I was (told you she was very understanding) the river was still rising but the water temperature was dropping as cold weather and heavy rain are on the way. I could only push my fishing time so far, I arrived at the river gone half past six and had promised to be home by eight. Anyway a crazy hour and twenty minutes saw 6 barbel landed including 2 in the net at once (I must stop using the landing net as a weigh sling as its really difficult playing a fish while screwing a landing net complete with barbel back onto the pole). Although the fish were smaller this time to 8lb I loved every minute of it, covered in mud and fish slime. Once again the Hali-Hooker Tuff 1’s were working their magic.

As the fishing was so good I went home cap in hand the next evening and was allowed a final go. Teach me to be a greedy B*****R blanked with the river in full flood and to make things worse got caught in a horrendous hail storm on the walk back to the car.

Season well and truly over.

Looking back in 4 short sessions I had 16 barbel in approximately 10 hours fishing.

must remember the camera next time