September started really well with a massive 19-08 Barbel , another huge fish from an excellent well run fishery in Kings Weir, the rest of the month was a struggle as I continued with my 16+ Bream quest.

I had a lot of guiding planned for October and another Kings Weir trip to look forward to at the end of the month.

August was a brilliant month after a frustrating start on Walthamstow with the Tufties absolutely murdering me. Julie and I had a lovely anniversary week with a camping / walking trip to the Peak District and a night on Gunthorpe with Julie getting her PB Barbel at 12-10.

I finished the month with an epic trip to Kings Weir with three Barbel to 17-15 and bonus 29-11 Mirror Carp.

I completed three guide trips and had one session fishing on my own in July; I met some nice people and enjoyed sharing my tactics, knowledge and thoughts on Barbel fishing.

Last month I wrote briefly about snagged Barbel and getting them out, and that generated quite a discussion on social media and direct messages so I will cover it in more detail here.

With the river season now up and running I was looking forward to some summer Barbel fishing, I’d carried on Tench fishing well into June and did one trip to the Trent to see in the new season later in the month, so with a three guide trips planned in July I had plenty to of time to enjoy being out on the rivers again.

My Tench fishing in May couldn’t have started better with success at two lakes with 9’s from both and a stunning first double at 10-14 caught on 30 May 2025. I planned to carry on fishing for Tench well into June until I felt the chance of a monster fish north of 12 pound was gone, and then I’d move back onto my beloved Barbel for a while.

My April fishing was mostly about Bream and I really enjoyed it with a few blanks and some very successful trips with Bream to 15-00. With spring being so warm I knew it wouldn’t be long before they spawned so carried on fishing for them into May hoping for one big female before they spawned.

My plans would then turn to Tench.

I finished the season on the middle Trent with a mega Barbel haul with a 15 and two 17’s to finish a great season on the rivers. I started my Bream campaign at Walthamstow and after three blank sessions I finally found some feeding fish with Bream to 14-09.

My plans for April were mostly about Bream and trying to catch a big haul of Bream Walthamstow is famous for.

Last month was more about my dear mum than the fishing but I did get out a couple of times which certainly helped manage the stress and upset, I simply love being outside whatever the weather, it just makes you feel so alive and long may that continue.

My mum’s funeral was arranged for 4 March, but I had planned some fishing and taken leave for the last few days of the river season and was looking forward to that.

Last month was all about one huge fish, a Kings Weir monster Barbel at 19-14, a PB I’ll struggle to beat but with three fish in the section bigger than that I’ve got a chance if I fish it regularly enough in the right conditions.

With the weather changing constantly with warm wet periods with lots of flooding, and then cold snaps with temps into the minus I had to get out when I could around work and family life and then life took another twist and turn in early Feb….

Christmas and New Year has come and gone and we’re into another new fishing year with much to look forward too, but it seems as I get older the years slip by very quickly and I can’t believe as I sit writing this piece, we are into February already…crazy!!

December was a lean month with a good fish early on and then not much else to report due to cold weather and not getting out as much as I’d have liked. Christmas week was a lot warmer and with a cold snap due I knew I had to get out on New Years Day.