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Sunday 29-06-08
Today on the agenda is a morning session for Barbel on the Waal with Frans Vogels.
The planning is to start at 07-00 and fish through to 13-00
According to the waal anglers the yssel(my home water) is nothing else but a small stream compared with the waal,and having arrived I see at once that the current is quite strong,large whirlpools in between the long breakwaters and the water really acting up,especially when one of the extremely large push barges goes by.You would not believe such violence in the water.
Today on the agenda is a morning session for Barbel on the Waal with Frans Vogels.
The planning is to start at 07-00 and fish through to 13-00
According to the waal anglers the yssel(my home water) is nothing else but a small stream compared with the waal,and having arrived I see at once that the current is quite strong,large whirlpools in between the long breakwaters and the water really acting up,especially when one of the extremely large push barges goes by.You would not believe such violence in the water.
after a couple of casts frans gets his first ticks in the tip,a good bite and plain to see on his Dutch master rod.
Frans sets the hook and begins the play.
I grab the landing net to help land Frans's fish but from the corner of my eye I see my tip reacting in a suspicious manner.
We thought that Frans had snagged my line and to make sure I return to my own rod.
A short time later we are both busy playing a fish,unfortunately not a barbel but two fine waal bream.
After the the bream catch it remained quiet for a long time.
Frans sets the hook and begins the play.
I grab the landing net to help land Frans's fish but from the corner of my eye I see my tip reacting in a suspicious manner.
We thought that Frans had snagged my line and to make sure I return to my own rod.
A short time later we are both busy playing a fish,unfortunately not a barbel but two fine waal bream.
After the the bream catch it remained quiet for a long time.
The first catch of the day, a nice bream,but there again a bream is not a barbell and that is what we came for.
After a long time of negative action we decide to try another breakwater.So we go breakwater hopping,an expression probably invented by frans himself and is now a generally accepted expression in the barbel fishing world.The second breakwater is also not very promising and remains still for quite a while.Frans has to return to the campsite and leaves his rod behind,so now I can fish with two rods.
Two fresh casts and fifteen minutes later the Dutch master goes off, a strike and I can start the play.I sense that it is a barbell and a short while later I land the fish without any problems.It turns out to be a nice 63cm Waal barbel.
The play with the Preston innovations dutch masters rod is super,the bite rigistration is visually perfect,the steer ability of the fish is good,a fine action and for the 4.32 mtr length superbly adequate for the Waal and certainly for the other large rivers in Holland.Frans, this is a top rod!.Yes, despite a difficult swim at last a barbel.
Two fresh casts and fifteen minutes later the Dutch master goes off, a strike and I can start the play.I sense that it is a barbell and a short while later I land the fish without any problems.It turns out to be a nice 63cm Waal barbel.
The play with the Preston innovations dutch masters rod is super,the bite rigistration is visually perfect,the steer ability of the fish is good,a fine action and for the 4.32 mtr length superbly adequate for the Waal and certainly for the other large rivers in Holland.Frans, this is a top rod!.Yes, despite a difficult swim at last a barbel.
Half an hour later frans returns and we both throw fresh casts out.We are chatting about this and that when suddenly Wendy calls my name.Looking at my Korum neoteric rod I see the tip bending back and forth.I grab the rod and strike,this feels like a barbell again and I don’t think that he feels very happy on my hook.
Frans suspects that this is not a barbel because he surfaced quite quickly and indeed when I get him to the side it turns out to be a very respectable Ide. When I have him in the landing net I can see that it is a monster,It turns out to be a new personal record for me.On the measuring board no less than 57cms,not a barbel but a thankful catch none the less.
The play of this Ide with my korum neoteric quiver rod was really super.Check the photo out on the left.This rod has a fantastic action,the whole rod bends from stock to tip,good to see even with this Ide.A fine play,maybe a negative point for the Waal is the short length of only 12ft,but with a normal water level is good to use.A longer rod during higher water levels is probably more of an advantage.
Frans suspects that this is not a barbel because he surfaced quite quickly and indeed when I get him to the side it turns out to be a very respectable Ide. When I have him in the landing net I can see that it is a monster,It turns out to be a new personal record for me.On the measuring board no less than 57cms,not a barbel but a thankful catch none the less.
The play of this Ide with my korum neoteric quiver rod was really super.Check the photo out on the left.This rod has a fantastic action,the whole rod bends from stock to tip,good to see even with this Ide.A fine play,maybe a negative point for the Waal is the short length of only 12ft,but with a normal water level is good to use.A longer rod during higher water levels is probably more of an advantage.
Shortly after the lines are cast again and its not long before my rod goes off agin.My tip is an avon tip,it is a little stiffer than the standard quiver tip that usually comes with the rod,but you could not miss this bite,the tip went completely haywire and I begin with a new play.
The fish is easily and quickly under controle and in the first instance has the feeling of a bream on the hook.Near to the bank these suspitions are shattered and I get my first run.It is a barbel who could not resist my cube of old cheese and gives me another pleasurable play.
The fish is easily and quickly under controle and in the first instance has the feeling of a bream on the hook.Near to the bank these suspitions are shattered and I get my first run.It is a barbel who could not resist my cube of old cheese and gives me another pleasurable play.
A short but rather violent play follows and frans come to help with the landing net and a beautiful 66cm Waal barbel is laid on the unhooking mat.This splendid barbel is dark coloured instead of the usual white/silver of the Waal barbels,
a beautiful example.
a beautiful example.
A short time later frans’s rod goes off,frans strikes and a nice play follows.Will frans finally be rewarded with a barbel? I grab the landing net and frans indicates that it is indeed a barbel and shortly later I can net him and bring him to the side.A 66cm Waal barbel on the measuring board and this time for frans.
A resume of today.
The begin was not very promising but we did manage to catch a couple of respectable barbell.
The end result was:
Frans: 1xbream and 1x barbel of 66cm
Rinko:1x bream,2x barbel of 63 and 66cm and a(bonus) Ide of 57 cm
Maybe a meagre catch for the Waal when you can reckon on 5 to 10 barbel from a couple of breakwaters.The ussel is not so generous with its barbel catches but this was a fine barbel day out.
13-00 and we pack up so as agreed,after thanking frans for a good day we go our separate ways and an hour later we drive over the yssel bridge into zwolle.I glance at this beautiful river and come to the conclusion that however beautiful,compared to the Waal it is indeed a restful flowing river.You shall never hear me call it a stream,because for me it is a super river.
For your information: frans and I fished with cubed old cheese on the hook and small diced cheese mixed with hempseed and sweetcorn in the feeder baskets.
The begin was not very promising but we did manage to catch a couple of respectable barbell.
The end result was:
Frans: 1xbream and 1x barbel of 66cm
Rinko:1x bream,2x barbel of 63 and 66cm and a(bonus) Ide of 57 cm
Maybe a meagre catch for the Waal when you can reckon on 5 to 10 barbel from a couple of breakwaters.The ussel is not so generous with its barbel catches but this was a fine barbel day out.
13-00 and we pack up so as agreed,after thanking frans for a good day we go our separate ways and an hour later we drive over the yssel bridge into zwolle.I glance at this beautiful river and come to the conclusion that however beautiful,compared to the Waal it is indeed a restful flowing river.You shall never hear me call it a stream,because for me it is a super river.
For your information: frans and I fished with cubed old cheese on the hook and small diced cheese mixed with hempseed and sweetcorn in the feeder baskets.
Under is a photo taken by frans to give you an impression of how brutal the Waal can be.
Copyright © 2008 by Rinko
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