52 January 10, 2014 WEEKENDWEEKEND

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Floody hell! It’s time to grab some barbel

upstream you will gain an even more accurate picture. Obviously, if the level is falling upstream it will soon be falling downstream, but if it’s rising then be prepared.

Safety is paramount and this begins when you choose somewhere to park your vehicle.

I spent two hours getting myself out of a fix last winter when I drove onto some grass to park up. The area had recently been under water and, although it looked perfectly sound, a layer of fine silt had been deposited unseen beneath the green sward.

Of course, I could move neither forward nor backward. It was just as if I’d parked on a sheet of ice and the more I revved the engine the deeper my tyres sunk in.

Fortunately there was a tide line of debris and twigs that I managed to use to create a tyre path and thereby escape, but it cost me two hours’ fishing. The solution is park on the nearest hard standing and walk a few yards extra.

Remember, the banks will be quite muddy and very slippy, so set up a little way back from the edge.

Friends who fish the lower Severn carry a dog spike and a rope because while clambering down a slippy bank is childsplay, getting back up can be nearly impossible.

Falling into a flooded river is not to be recommended. Ideally you should fish with a mate so you can help each other out in the event of a mishap, but if you are on your own make sure someone knows exactly where you are and what time you are expected home.

You can’t rely totally on mobile phones and they won’t work should

you fall in and soak the electrics.Swim choice can be limited, but in an ideal

world you are looking for somewhere that offers a little shelter from the main flow. I’m not talking slack water, but anything that’s around walking pace would be perfect.

SmellyTackle needs to be sturdy when targeting

high-water barbel. Ten-pounds breaking strain line is the minimum I’ll use and you’ll need it if you hook a fish.

Large flat leads are the order of the day –something that is at least three ounces, probably heavier. Debris in the flow tends to build up on your tackle and it will end up rolling around and finding a snag unless you use a substantial weight.

When it comes to baits, go for something a fish can find by smell alone. Visibility will be poor so something that’s big and smelly, like paste or flavoured luncheon meat, is ideal. Use a big hook and make your offering the size of a matchbox.

THE Environment Agency issued 105 flood warnings last week as yet another Atlantic low pressure system came rushing headlong towards our shores from the south west.

Most anglers would have taken one look at the forecast and given up the ghost. But I’ll bet a number of dedicated barbel anglers were rubbing their hands together because there’s nothing more conducive to catching barbel in winter than high-coloured water when temperatures are above average.

A quick look at the charts revealed daytime highs in double figures – amazing for January, – so I’ll be happy to bet my bottom dollar that barbel will be feeding in these conditions.

But before we allow our enthusiasm to sweep us away, there are a number of things we have to check. Floodwater fishing in winter is not for the faint-hearted and certainly not for the inexperienced, but providing you are sensible it can still be rewarding.

Let’s start with river levels. If the water is already over its banks and into the fields you would be foolish to contemplate any risk of getting stranded.

DeteriorateEven if the river is within its

banks, I would suggest you need to check two things.

The first is the weather forecast. You need to know if conditions are likely to deteriorate. Rain falling on sodden ground goes straight into the rivers, so beware the risk of rising water coming into the fields behind you and cutting you off.

If in doubt, don’t fish. If you do fish then make sure you keep an eye on your surroundings.

The second and perhaps most important tool at your disposal is freely available on the Environment Agency website.

Go to the “Home and Leisure” section, click on “Flood” and then on “River and Sea Levels”. You will find a map of England split into seven regions.

Click on the region covering the river you want to fish until you find your river and all the active gauging stations. These are shown as green blobs and you will find each one is the key to a chart showing the recent and current river level and any likelihood of flooding.

This may sound complicated but, trust me, it isn’t. At a glance you will see if the river is rising or falling and by checking the stations higher

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Beyond this, all you need is a comfy chair, an umbrella for shelter and a big chunk of patience. Don’t expect many bites in a day, but when you do get one hold on tight because you are in for the ride of your life. Fighting a powerful barbel in a swollen river is something you won’t forget in a hurry!

So there you are. Pick your river, pick your time and choose your swim carefully. Barbel are out there waiting to be caught so good luck, but above all else be safe – no fish is worth risking your life for.

FISHINGWITHWITHBOB

ROBERTS

hell! It’s time hell! It’s time

SAFETY MEASURES: Bob waits patiently as the water laps

over the banks of a flooded River Thames