Charman’s Challenge – Aramstone
Fishery No 16.
Date – 18th September
2014
Venue fact file –
Kings Caple near Hoarwithy Post code
HR1 4TU (This may take you on the wrong side of the river!)
Tickets Adult £15-00 no
concessions
Stock – Approximately 3 miles
of amazing river Wye countryside where on most occasions you can
drive the car along the banks and park behind each swim. A good
stretch for small/medium sized barbel and chub along with the
standard other species found within the river.
Conditions – As bad as it gets
with extremely low clear water but making it worse is the Easterly
wind and high atmospherics of 1029mb.
Unfortunately this challenge was sprung
on myself last minute as on booking the best swim on the stretch,
four months in advance Stan the estate manager told me that he was
placing one of his regulars in the Whirlihole! This was on a Tuesday
and with three customers looking forward to catching a few barbel on
the Thursday I spent a couple of sleepless nights, one in the van in
the local pub car park due to my predicament. Fortunately two of my
customers were booked in on the Wednesday so they at least enjoyed
hooking plenty of barbel, losing most and finally landing nine. The
downside to their trip was that take the Whirlihole out of the
equation and you’re left with a fairly standard stretch of river
with very few other good swims so unfortunately blanked their second
day in the Oaks Swim.
Lee was my main concern as he had
travelled up from Bognor the night before and was staying at the
highly recommended Sink Green Farm 01432 870223 nearby. I had to be
on the river at first light to secure a swim under the crab apples,
one that had produced two barbel between two anglers the day before.
Yes that was the next best thing to the Whirlihole!
Securing the swim Lee cast out and
amazingly the tip pulled over first cast and he landed a barbel of
around 5lb. To say the fishing god was watching is an understatement,
thank you! Working between Barrie, Vic and Lee it was obvious that
the Oaks was devoid of fish and early afternoon they threw the towel
in and departed, happy but somewhat frustrated due to not being
allowed a couple of final casts in what they had considered a booked
banker. Lee had taken another small barbel and a couple of chub come
mid afternoon and just as I was leaving felt the swim was coming
alive and it did as he carried on to take another couple of barbel
and six more chub. Well done that man!
To be honest my Wye trips this year
have been one of mixed memories and having a swim doubled booked and
walking on egg shells for the best part of three days biting my lip
at the same time means that my time on this beat has come to an end.
What a shame some people don’t look at the big picture!
Images
1 - David managed four from the whirlihole.
2 - Vic his first lip hooked barbel!
3 - Barrie knows all about the Whirihole.
4 - Lee enjoyed a day upstream.
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