july03

THIS SESSION WAS A "CLASSIC" NEW MOON ONE, CONDITIONS WERE VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO WHEN I BAGGED UP IN 1997 WITH 8 FISH TO 12.11(PHOTO ALB1). IT WAS DRIZZLING WITH TOTAL CLOUD COVER DURING THE PERIOD(AS IT STATES IS FREQUENT AROUND NEW MOON TRANSITS ON THIS SITE!) OTHER FISH WERE 9.10 AT 22.50. 8.0 AT 23.40. 9.12 AT 00.10 (29TH). 9.8 AT 00.45 (29TH). AND 7.11 AT 01.10. ALL FISH TOOK HALF TINS OF MEAT WHICH I RAN OUT OF WITH THE 7.11, THE FISHING MISSUS OFFERED TO NIP TO THE ALL NIGHT TESCOS BY THE KETCH TO FETCH SOME MORE. BUT BEING THAT THE CLOUD HAD LIFTED I DEEMED THE PERIOD HAD ENDED WITH THE 7.11. IT ALSO HAD GOT MISTY AND NOTICEABLY COLDER (EVEN MEASUREABLY IF ONE COULD BE BOTHERED!) THE INTERMITTENT BREEZES WHICH OCCURED WITH EVERY FISH HAD ALSO SUBSIDED. SO HAPPY WITH MY LOT I JACKED IT IN, THE 11.9 I TOOK ON MY BEATEN UP OLD CANE MKIV, MY BEST FISH ON IT, AND NEED I SAY WAS A DELIGHT TO PLAY ON IT.

Evening All ,
Went last night, wednesday, with Chris Lyons of moonstrike fame as I was keen to meet and have a chat about his thoughts.
Chris was keen to do a bit of pioneering on the lwr river, so we met at upton and went from there.
By 10 -30 we had not had a twitch, and neither of us fancied our chances there, so it was off to another stretch we knew held a few fish.
Chris said moonset was at approx 12-10 am, and that would be the crucial time, he also said the breeze would get up and the farm dogs would start barking, and the herons start craicking.
We should also expect a bite around that time, if it was going to happen.
I watched and listened intentely, and my rod top rattled a few times, but nothing developed.
At about 11-50 pm the wind got up to quite a strong breeze, and the two lads above me packed up and were walking back to there car.
They drove off and about 12-07 am, a shout came from Chris to say he was in, and a good fish, I stayed where I was as he said he was managing fine. (Chris missed the dog barking when talking to the two anglers that packed in).
Result was a 9lb 8o z, barbel, three minutes early than predicted, well anyone can make a mistake.
Chris came down to see me, and as we were talking my rod was being dragged in by Boris, result was a cracking 9lb 6oz Barbel, on cue, what a man.
He then said it would go dead, and it did, we left at about 1 am.
What I learned last night was that Chris and his theories should be taken seriously, and I wanted to test something out on the Teme tonight, read Teme report to see if The Pons came good.

BELOW IS A WRITE UP BY CHRIS PONSFORD, THE AUG 7/8TH SESSION THAT PUT PAID TO MY RUN OF DOUBLES, FOUR ANGLERS PACKED IN JUST PRIOR TO THESE POINTS. THE SESSION ON WEDNESDAY WAS READ OUT BY KEITH ARTHUR ON HIS FISHERMANS BLUES PROGRAMME THE SUNDAY BEFORE. HE READ MY ADVICE OUT THAT ANGLERS SHOULD "see in moon set, and just after, watch for a pick up in wind, listen for dogs barking, and after it would get colder, dewy, damp and dead" IT ALL HAPPENED!

Evening All,
Anyone reading my Severn report will have read about me fishing last night with Chis Lyons, and what happened.
Well tonight I was keen to make sure I was on the River for a quick session,and it was critical I had a bait in the water for 8-30.
After arriving on the water at about 7-45, I looked at a few pegs which were possibles but kept walking until I found one I fancied, I had not fished it before,but thought it might hold a biggie.
At about 8-15 I fed some pellets and chopped boilies,via a dropper and went for a short walk, it was so short that I was soon back at the peg two minutes later, and decided to go straight in with the hookbait, double boilie.
That in itself was most unusual for me, not to rest it more.
8-30 was a critical moon phase ........
Two minutes later, my rod was almost dragged in as an angry Barbel headed for Tewkesbury, I held on and the tackle did its job, and very soon my second best Teme Barbel was in the net,I knew it was a Double when I playing it, it looked big in the water.
Exactly 11lb, with plenty of room to fill out.
I phoned my mate Dean who very kindly took a photo, and soon afterwards headed home with dean who had to get back.
Job done, and a very chuffed Big Fella who has even more faith in Chris Lyons theories.
Think what you will,but it works for me.
The Pons.

MOON HP WAS AT 20.10, AT APPROX 19.45 AT UPTON THERE WAS A DISTINCT PICK UP IN BREEZE, SMALL FISH STARTED TOPPING. I INFORMED CHRIS THAT THIS WAS A GOOD POINT. ON THE TEME THE FOLLOWING NIGHT HE SHOULD WATCH FOR THAT POINT AROUND 20.30. MY FEEDER ROD WENT RESULTING IN AN EEL. I SUGGESTED WE SEE IN THE END POINT OF THAT PERIOD AT UPTON (APPROX 22.10) AND IF IT DIDN'T HAPPEN WE SHOULD MOVE. 22.07 AND ANOTHER BREEZE CAME OUT OF NOWHERE, NOTHING TRIGGERED SO WE MOVED TO WHERE WE WERE CERTAIN THERE WERE FISH. BELOW IS AN ACCOUNT BY THE PONS OF MY 20.30 PEAK TIME FOR THE NEXT NIGHT.

This was another poignant session, arriving on the lower severn at 17.00 there were 3 zander anglers spread about 80yds. One gave me a couple of bleak to have a go with. I went below them and chucked in the half can of meat on one rod, and a bleak on another. One of the anglers informed me that "the zander will switch on at 21.00". This was around the start of the dead spell! It was very hot and sunny they had a couple of small Zeds in the moon rise period, all I got were eels nicking the bleak. At 20.50, end of rise period a strong breeze got up and the first bloke above me had a screaming take. I went up to see what he'd caught, a pike had made a right old mess of his 3lb Zed as he played it. More poignant was that a trout angler phoned Keith Arthur's fishermans blues programme the following saturday and had lost a big trout at the same time, he even noticed the pick up in wind! It was still bright daylight.

I was looking at approx 22.22hrs for the next point (2 hrs before H.P) by 10.20 it was fairly dark and a bright full moon (99 per cent full)was rising and lighting everything up. The grass was slightly damp not my favourite event! There was not a bleep from any of the six buzzers up river. At 22.25 a very slight breeze got up and a myriad of small fish started dimpling on the surface. My Zander rod bobbing twitched a bit but nowt developed. The breeze ended and fish stopped topping. I was now looking at about 23.40 (40 mins before H.P) At about 23.35 I was bored to tears and did what I advise against, asking the fishing missus to watch the rods, I went to see the zander lads, the moon was so bright you could count the grass by the light from it! A breeze had now got up, fish were topping, herons kicking up and somewhere a dog started barking! On reaching the anglers it seemed 2 of them had also got the urge to move at the same time I had, they were having a good old confab with the one in the middle. Whose buzzer beeped just as I arrived! I made a quick dash back to my rods. At 23.40 as I walked down the bank to my rods, the bloke above me had a screaming take, simultaneously the bobbing on my meat rod went resulting in a manky/ skinny, blind 10lb barbel. His fish was a 3lb+ Eel, It is usually oddities that feed when the atmosphere is dodgy eels and barbel feeding together is very rare. I saw in just passed moon H.P thern quit.

A later FM say mid/end of Sept the start point will move back from the transit time just under 3 hours prior, so a FM High point at 01.30 the start point will be approx 22.50 end approx 02.50

Moon and things. POSTED BFW 16/10/03
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According to my man El Tel,who joined me last night on the Warks Avon,twas meant to be a grim night,according to the chart.
It was cold,dry and windy.
I thought it was going to be a right struggle,but undeterred fished a peg that was very kind to me last time,three doubles on a "grim" night,plus others.
This time three fish,including a new Warks Avon PB for me.
According to Neil,"Bearded Burbler" Wayte,a good mate of his had a 15lb+Barbel on the Kennet last night.

Perhaps its more a case of being in the right place at the right time,than what the moon is doing.
As I said before,I fish when I can,so I sure am not going to wait for when its "Right".
Thinking back,nearly all my biggest fish have come on those nights that are fairly inhospitable,where anglers are thin on the ground because of conditions,and I have only the Owls for company.
Any one got any thoughts ?
The Pons.

Key point works yet again H.P was 00.45 (21st). Started at 21.00 and was looking at two main points, one at around 22.45 two hours before transit, the next 00.05 40 mins before.

Was using small qtr tins of meat on downstream rod, and pellet on one cast infront. Only eel bites which were soon nicking the meat, so wanted that in by 22.35. 22.45 the wind really got up then died, 23.00 reeled in and meat had been nicked again with literally no indication on rod or bobbing!

I had told my mate the two times and at 23.00 he had packed in and came to sit in my peg as he wanted to see the hole lot work, peak time, qtr tins of meat and bobbing.....

It was now fairly still...

I periodically lifted rod to check meat was still on as I continued to get eel knocks, at 23.50 I checked bait and only a couple of corners had been chewed off. So out it went and the bobbing hung 4ft below rod....00.03 with a giant moon lighting everything up that wind came from nowhere...00.05 the bobbing flew up smacked against the rod and the pin screamed off...it only went 8.14 but proved a point and christened my new "old" R Walker Carp No1first time out of it's bag, Pete found the whole thing "spooky"