6th January and the omens on the Wye are poor with heavy rain forecast in the Welsh mountains and the word going around that proper flood levels are on their way. It didn’t take much head scratching to decide on a Friday afternoon session-again short and sharp, barbel in mind.

To be frank, given the temperatures on 12 degrees and counting I expected a barbel and was disappointed not to get any signs. It’s a real issue with me this. I have a strong feeling the Thomas Turner Classic+ Bomb will cope well and given its other attributes, that could make it a go-to rod summer long especially.

There’s a strange beauty to the Bomb tip framed by the winter sky.

However, a clonking 6 plus chub DID come along, a fish so heavy that for a full thirty seconds I thought barbel. What a true monster for the Wye. For thirty years, I had never weighed a chub from the river above 5.08 but these days sixes are not uncommon. This one could have been a Wensum fish…long but vastly deep and broad, nothing like the lean Wye chub of old.  A BIG fight too, one the Bomb was always well on top of. Once again, I really don’t understand how such a seemingly fragile tool can exert the pressure it does.

My friendly robin I count on to colour the afternoon…and eat shards of Spam!

My robin was there and with this fine fish , I went home happy. But, the river gauge is climbing fast..I don’t see myself Wye side for a while but I’m taking the Bomb east to the Wensum next week with a roach swim in mind, the story continues! And, to some degree, roach are the ultimate test after all is said and done…