Um Pa Shake Hands

Just back in Holland after a 3 day trip to Germany acting as a guide for a group of Dutch barbel anglers on an organised trip to fish the Rhine in the small town of Kamp-Bornhofen in the Mosel region of Germany. The Rhine here flows between hills scattered with vinyards and its very wide flows hard with 180-240 gram leads and feeders needed to hold bottom.

Arriving on Friday after a four hour coach journey from Holland everyone was keen to fish and a few barbel were caught friday afternoon before we packed in for the evening at about 19.00. After a quick shower and brush up it was into the restaurant for our evening meal and a few beers, now please picture this a German Elvis look a like singing Um Pa songs and every now and then bursting into a chorus in english asking us all to shake hands very bizzare to say the least. the food wasn't too bad the beer was better the entertainment was crap but the locals were loving in!!!!.

Next morning for those that didn't over do the beer the night before it was an early breakfast and out on the bank before 8 and those that made the effort were rewarded with plenty of barbel all small fish up to around 4lb but good sport, the only bait that was working was maggot, the dutch love using cheese but that wasn't working and sweetcorn also wasn't producing. Keeping Gallons of maggots cool isn't easy but our coach driver Pete had no problem with us using the coach fridges to keep the bait cold and it worked very well.

The Dutch are very friendly people and I met some great people on the trip and from the kind comments that I got during our stay I am sure they were grateful of my help, what they lack in tackle and knowhow they make up for in effort. It would be hard to single anyone out but I would like to thank them all for a great weekend and hope our paths cross in the future.

The fishing got better as the weekend went on, the combination of the anglers getting better and plenty of bait going in saw plenty of barbel caught later on Saturday and during Sunday morning, the biggest going around 6lb.

I Only managed a few hours fishing myself but did manage 4 barbel in that time and was well pleased to add another river to my growing list and also to catch a barbel in such stunning surroundings.

Rain Spaceships and Big Barbel

All week the forecast has been for heavy rain and strong winds for today and they were correct for a change its hissed down most of the day with strong winds not ideal fishing weather.

We did manage to get a few hours in this morning between the showers and I must admit I had to take a second look when an approaching ship looked more like a space ship than a boat.

Frans managed a small barbel early on and I was close to admitting defeat when the Baitrunner on the Korum reel sang my kinda song and a strike of Zorro met with the firm resistance of a big barbel after a couple of hairy moments with the rocks Frans slid the net under a big fish.

The scales didn't quite do the double but at 9.09 I was more than happy, bad news is in our hurry to pack in I left an unhooking mat and landing net on the krib, good luck to whoever picks it up.

For the last four hours it hasnt stopped raining and I would imagine the local roads are well flooded the campsite roads are under water and several awnings on site have collapsed under the strain of the heavy rain.

Bikes and Windmills

In Holland the land of Bikes, Windmills and Cheese as they say if you cant beat them join them, so I Did, after last weeks adventures horse riding this week its bike riding, but with no hills and roads designed with cycles in mind, its good fun and good exercise and also our trip along the banks of the Waal was a great way to see the river.

Next it was off to the river Ijssel to catch a few barbel nothing big but a nice net of silver fish on the maggot and a switch to the monkey had 3 nice barbel grace the net, the river was very high and at one point the krib I was fishing from was completly swamped as a heavily laden passing barge caused a large swell which nearly washed me out. We have had some very strong winds which have made fishing difficult at times, the old fashioned dutch cloggers windmill has been replaced by many of the new fashion wind turbines like here on the Ijssel, which were working overtime due to the strong winds.

Now you are going to ask where the cheese came in, well thats simple a nice mature cheese sandwich and a cold beer.

Thunder Storms and Sunsets

In the land of cheese and clogs for a few days with Frans, Tjitske, Linda and My good lady Sonia.

Fished the Waal yesterday afternoon which at present is around 3 metres higher than its normal summer level, the barbel have been hard to come by in Holland for the last few weeks, the river has been high and cold and many of the Kribs are under water limiting the number of places to fish.

Both myself and Frans had a couple of barbel each nothing huge but still great sport hooked at distance in heavy flow.

The weather was interesting to say the least, behind us and a few miles East was a thunder storm with plenty of flashes and bangs but in front of us we were treated to an amazing sunset which lasted for ages as it picked up the edges of the storm clouds. 

Grand national next

Back home after a great holiday with the Vogels

Had my first ever go at horse riding last week and it was a great experience

Will blog a full holiday report tomorrow

But to wet your whistle between myself and Frans we netted over 100 barbel in the last few days with Frans bagging over 50 of those including not one but 2 middle Severn doubles

Watch this space

Hole in one

Florence on the green

Double Dutchy

Frans has caught his first English double a great fish at 10.04 (77cm) from the middle Severn

On the monkey

Now Where is My Pot of Gold

Nice weather for the ducks

Not saying it rained hard last night but even the ducks got under the umbrella

The fresh water done the world of good to the river and got the barbel feeding,, Frans had a good short evening session managing 12 barbel with the best going over 8 lb

Frans a golfer????!!!!

Had a good few days with Frans and his family, we have been catching a few barbel and just having a good time

Yesterday we had a barbecue on the banks of the Severn, it doesn't get much better than catching barbel and good food served in your peg

Well done to Sonia Tjitske Louisa and Tony for sorting the food and Linda and Florence for just being part of a great holiday

Just took Frans for his first golf lesson,, I think it might be better if he sticks to fishing !!!!!!!

Hi Mum it fits

That didn't take long

Frans with his first English barbel of the season

Took about an hour on the monkey