Skip Bridge

[patterdalewilson]

Decided to give the river Swale a rest today and check out our Skip Bridge length. What a length it is as well , on arrival we found the river carrying about a foot of fresh water in ....perfect.

The last time I looked at this venue the river was low and clear and a bit too stream like in the faster areas. But today nearly all the pegs looked Mr Crabtree.
Early in the session I nailed a decent barbel on the float , great start , continued to whip the river into a foam with my trusty stepped up match rod and centrepin with only mini chublets to show for my efforts.

The river was on the rise and even though it was getting a bit too pacey it looked perfect. Eventually I hit another barbel on the lead that was a absolute screamer of a take but alas my 10lb sensor wasn't up to the task of stopping the beast on its way to the Nidd mouth.

Nothing exciting happened after that apart from a few bits and bobs on the float but I really enjoyed the day on a beautiful stretch of river and will be returning soon !

Mick.

[rushy]

Well Mick , a Barbel on the float is a great start mate. Them Nidd Barbel are beasts , even a fIve pounder heading towards then willows takes some stopping. Sounds like a good day mate. Won't be long before I'm up that way myself again

After a couple of lost fish last season I'm on 12lb sensor mainline and 15lb braid hook lengths

[johnboy66]

well done mate nice to see some extra water in which part of skipbridge did you fish its a long stretch, might be down there myself next week.

was on the swale yesterday Topcliff and Asenby not a touch,
Asenby was packed about 7 cars down there Friday afternoon.

[patterdalewilson]

Fished the first bend upstream of the road bridge in the horsefield Johnby the river was still rising when we left , so should have had a bit of a flush through.

Can't quite understand how I got the barbel on the float out without to much drama 'cos I was trotting tight to the far bank willows and the one I lost later on strong gear was hooked down the edge (no snags).

Thats fishin'

Mick.

[paulyboy]

I too went yesterday looked great with the water on the up ,had a PB chub second in 2 sessions 4lb 8 oz would have been 4lb 9 but only had half a tail quite a few bites tho all in Rushys banker peg,made a silly mistake of wearing shorts my god them nettles have risen aswell as the water beutifull spot. Still waiting for that first Barbel to take my bait.

[kpkh]

Mick, you'll usually find that barbel will fight differently on lighter tackle. Not suggesting 2lb hooklengths but a float rod and 6lb line will get fish out on the float where you'll get bust on a 2lb rod with 10lb line! It's interesting to know this works on the nidd as I've not fished the float on there yet. Float rods definitely coming along next time though! Well done

[patterdalewilson]

I like to use a centre pin so line wise it has to be a bit of one size fits all so it's loaded with 4lb drennan floatfish. I know its way undergunned for big barbel but without carrying a second pin it has to do.

Maybe the barbel is not scared when being gently led to the bank as opposed to the pressure they feel on the pukka barbel gear.

Mick.

[kpkh]

I'm also a big fan of the pin when float fishing, you can slow the float down much smoother than with a fixed spool. I like guru n gauge line, it's low diameter but very strong.
The pressure thing works on a few fish, if you hook a carp on light elastic on the pole it will just swim around steady. Hook it on a heavy laggy and pull against it and it'll go nutts!
I had a double hookup last year when barbeling, it was interesting to watch the rod in the rest, fish went on its first run then stopped, as I wasn't pulling back and fighting the fish it just sat on the bottom and didn't move. Once I'd landed the first fish I picked up the second rod. The fish then began to fight!

[rushy]

I've noticed a significant difference when hooking a Barbel on the float and centrepin to the standard lead and fixed spool. They don't seem to scream off into the nearest willow or rip the rod round. I
Along the lines of what Karl said I think it is because with a pin you retrieve line ver steadily and very slowly so you ease the fis out of the swim rather than the rod being bent double with you hanging on for dear life and the fish trying its best to get under the nearest roots.

A float and pin session is still on my early season to do list . . . Unfortunately so are a lot of new waters , tactics, baits etc

[mortia]

I think another thing to consider is that a lot of times when you hook up with a static bait rig/bolt type rig the fish has already turned when you feel the connection (how many times have we just grabbed the rod before it sails away !) & at that time the type of fight is pretty much defined - away goes the steam train !! But on a float, the fish is still facing upstream when you hook up & the strike is pretty soft in comparison. I ve got to say that after getting one in on a soft actioned float rod & light gear your arms still ache as much if not more !
Cheers
Andy

[nige_LS7]

Went to a wedding in Shrewsbury Saturday so had a couple of days on the Severn, but very envious of those who took advantage of the weekend's flush of water down the Nidd. Well played all. Here's hoping for more of the same very soon.

Really informative discussion on the 'types of barbel fight' too, good for a newbie to know that sometimes 'less is more'.

[cabbo]

Well had a couple of hours Saturday night had a reasonable chub in first ten minutes
rain started and then things got worse thought I would move to get nearer the car got stuck on the barbed wire and ripped the backside and the leg of my jeans wide open , so it was Home as soon as poss not the best thing to be doing walking around skip bridge with your backside out.

[paulyboy]

Good job it was back of your pants mate and not the front could have been done for flashing especially in that layby on the bridge

[bibio]

Hi, my first post, surprised at that.

Wether true or not, entertaining, maybe even a warning.

link

Some might have read already.


Cheers Bob

[jhop]

Skipbridge was the venue of last weeks outing, fished a peg on 1st bend having had a look at it preseason,thought the flow and depth would be across, but when I dropped into swim realised there was a large reedbed on opposite bank above pushing the flow back across sooner than it should. Had about 5ft and a big eddy across from me caught plenty of small dace and two little chub on maggot. Late afternoon went and prebaited 2nd swim, returned 2hours later to fish it looked nice.

Had two bites missed first, second resulted in fish on for about 2 seconds then snagged and lost probably a chub! Don't think the nidd is fishing that well at moment needs some extra water. Back to the swale this week.