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Fishing The Royalty - 13/07/16

John Langridge the angling author who has lived in Spain for the last 30 years, decided to take a summer break in the UK and he had always wanted to catch a barbel in the UK (he has just written a book on the nine species of barbel in Spain). He had never fished the Hampshire Avon so we decided to have a day together on what is probably the most famous coarse fishing stretch in the country, the Royalty Fishery.





We met up the night before ready for an early start – the fishery opens at 7.30am.

After a quick walk around we settled in Harrigans just below the pipe bridges. As we set up we were entertained by a reed bunting that must be fed regularly as he seemed very bold.

The fishing started with all our bait being plundered by small fish; maggots, worms, meat, pellet - it all got the same treatment. I am also not the best at sitting in the same spot waiting for a bite so I switched to trotting to find out what the culprits were.

It didn’t take long; first up were minnows, four or five of them, then as I continued to feed the dace came in accompanied by a few bleak. As time passed, more came in and so the loose feed had to increase from around 20 maggots a time (which were snaffled within 4 feet of hitting the water) and gradually the fish got a bit bigger, but I just didn't have enough bait to keep the feed going in.

Eventually, the pike came as anticipated. (You are not allowed to fish for them until October). I saw one briefly that disappeared, but the next dace I brought in was smashed by the pike that shot out from under my feet before heading down the river and probably out to sea by the way it powered off, and my 3lb line wasn't
going to stop it.

I thought the problem had been solved and so carried on and the next dace...was taken by another pike. This time I had it on for ages before I got it coming to the net...and plunging into a bed of ranunculus and there it stayed until I pulled the hook free.

I then switched back to legering as it wasn’t fair to make the dace pike food, catching the best dace of the day over 8oz and a couple of eels before packing up. John, who had been in the next swim down had the minnow problems too catching several even though he was holding out for a barbel. How do they get that hook
into their mouths?

It was also a real pleasure to see Fred Whitlock (photographed) fishing opposite with prawns for a couple of salmon which were lying in midstream just a few yards above me.

Sadly it wasn't to be our day for barbel but plans are afoot for next year and we both enjoyed the experience