The Sessions - July 2026
Weir Pool Fishing & Guiding
June was a mixed month targeting Tench on Rosewater and one river session for Barbel to start the new season. It was a tale of two poor sessions and one very good one for Tench and a brilliant start to my Barbel fishing with a June 16-00.
July was busy with work and my first guide trip of the month so disappointingly I wouldn’t get out much for my own fishing.
4 July 2026 – River Trent, Collingham
I had my annual club session on the weir and planned to use it for prep for the rest of the summer, there were two snags there last year and the winter floods move the gravel around so spots can change year on year. It was very evident straight away the island on the lock side had got bigger, a lot bigger! I don’t know if there are any plans to remove it, but I fear it will get bigger and then pipe reeds will grow on it making it harder to remove. I have seen this on a large weir on the Ouse, and it changed the flow of the river, but with the Trent being tidal at Collingham I may be over thinking it.
I’d arrived the night before and slept in my van under a blanket, it was a chilly night and I and to get the sleeping bag out in the early hours to keep warm.
I was up early and set the swim up and checked around with the leading rod, the level was quite low and it was clear I’d have to fish more to the middle slackish area, the snag was still in the same place with the winter floods not being able to move it. It feels like a large branch that has embedded in the gravel and is a tackle graveyard if you don’t know it’s there.
I put both rods on the reliable BBB and didn’t put any bait out to start with, the morning was quite slow, so I put some BBB and Pandemic out to liven up the swim.
It was cloudy and warm at 24 degrees with a breezy wind and the fishing picked up and I had over 20 Barbel with 7 being doubles to 15-02.
12-02
15-02
5 July 2026
The conditions were the same the following morning and I started at 06:00 again. I wanted to try a different tactic so set both rods up on that, as I’ve written previously the time to try different baits and tactics is when it’s fishing well.
I set up with an 18-inch Gardner Mirage 16lb hooklink to a size 6 Talon Tip hook with a bait that I attached with hair rigged bait band. The tactics worked and I had fish to 13-10 before calling it a day at 11:00 😊
I have noticed a decline in numbers, especially in the weir, over the last few seasons, this could be due to no day ticket anglers being able to night fish on Collingham now and the reduced amount of bait going in, and additionally the big prolonged flooded winters we’ve had for two years that will have moved fish around. Some of the sections further down have fished better since the change, so it could be the fish have spread out due to reduced bait going in, but who knows, definitely something to watch in coming seasons. The Trent is still in fantastic shape, but sewage and predation will have an impact if not managed correctly.
8 July 2026 – River Trent, Collingham
My first guide sessions of the season had come round, and I was really looking forward to it, some days are harder than others, but it is always very enjoyable, and I get a lot of satisfaction in helping others with their angling.
The weather had warmed up again and it was due to be 32 degrees, so plenty of water and suncream were required!
Steve and Ant arrived at 06:00 and we got the swim set up, I then went through my usual process of talking about and showing them feature location and what to look for, rig making, bait and bait application, this takes at least an hour but is time well spent. I set them up on my usual rig with 10mm Pandemic wafters on the hair.
They then started fishing, the day started slowly but picked up later in the day, and they had 25 Barbel between them with quite a few doubles and both catching fish at 12-13 (Steve), 12-14 (Ant).
Steve, 12-13
Ant, 12-14
Towards the back end of the day I set up a float rod, it’s something I’ve wanted to try for a few years but not got round to, so that evening was the time, with the river level being low it was a good time to try.
I set up a 15-foot power float rod, with a Shimano match reel loaded with Gardner 20lb floating braid, a 10g Bolo float with an 8g olivette, size 8 swivel with 12 inches of 16lb Mirage fluorocarbon to a size 8 Barbel hook, with meat as bait. It sounds over gunned, but it worked perfectly, I had a short window before dark and made 18 casts, catching 10 Barbel to 11-05 to finish a great day.
Float caught 11-05
9 July 2026
It was a very hot sticky night in my van and forecast to be hotter at 34 degrees so pretty uncomfortable! Tom arrived for 06:30 and we got him fishing, Dave arrived at 08:30 and he got started, they were both very experienced and with Dave fishing the Trent regularly it was going to be another good day.
Once they were fishing, I tried the float and first trot through I had an 11-03, Dave liked the look of that and set his float rod up and had a go. The rest of the morning was spent resting and rotating the float rod with all of us catching. By 13:30 Dave was knackered, he caught a few on the float to 11-13 and more on the leads and decided he was going home to rest 🤣
Tom fished all day and had well over 20 Barbel to 12-11 and finished the day with three doubles in three casts on the float to 11-04, to end another great days fishing.
Tom & Dave
Tom, 12-11
23-25 July 2026 – River Trent, middle.
After a marathon 10 days at work and being brutalised by the dentist hygienist I got to the river for 19:30. My plan was to continue trying to catch the elusive big Barbel I’ve been chasing for the last few seasons at night and move down to roll meat in the days. I’ve done a lot of sessions for this one fish and only had one at 14-14 two years ago but I’ll keep trying, I don’t like to give up easily.
I tried an hour rolling meat before moving up to the night swim and had two to 11-15 to start the session well.
As expected the night was quiet on the fishing front and I got a good rest after my hectic two weeks at work. I went down to the rolling area and spent an hour with the sheers cutting back the brambles before starting fishing.
It was a very slow day and they were not there in numbers, I break the day up into 90 minute to two-hour sessions and then rest the swim for an hour giving me chance to eat, drink and rest. I finished the day with only five fish to 12-00.
My pal Paul was fishing further down on leads and Pandemic and had two 16’s one after another in the afternoon at 16-00 and 16-06, well done mate.
I tried baiting more heavily for the night with 8mm pellets and BBB, that proved a big mistake as the Bream moved in and kept me up all night with fish after fish. I generally don’t mind the odd Bream as Barbel will definitely feed with them, but that was ridiculous!
I did two more 90-minute sessions in the morning for two fish to 12-11 to finish my months angling adventures.
12-11
With only three trips I didn’t have a great deal to write about so apologies for the shorter blog this month, the joys of having to go to work 😒
Until next, tight lines and be lucky 😊
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