River Dane

Jan 2012

Fished the Dane today with my mate. Started at the cow drink. I opted for bigger baits (meat & pellet) whilst my mate decided to brave the water in his waders and go trotting on maggot. we got there around 11 and moved several times, finishing up at the end of the day just past the horseshoe bend. I ended up with a dry net, but my mate ended up with 2 nice Grayling, both taken on trotted maggot. Tight lines Stephen Barber

Oct 2009

Just a few words to let you know what a great day me and my fellow member, Mike Hankinson had on Sunday 4th October. The water was quite low and crystal clear so we were a bit concerned as to whether we would catch anything at all. After baiting the swim up with micro pellets and a few freebies I only waited an hour before landing a fin perfect Barbel a shade under 7lb on a hair rigger 8mm halibut pellet. Very rare catching one at ten past ten in the morning after which it slowed up a bit till mike caught a very impressive Grayling just under two pound on pellet. We both thought this was quite odd. My friend Mike got talking to two fellow members who said we would not catch because it was a full moon. However we proved them wrong when I caught another two Barbel of seven pound each. It just goes to prove that with a bit of commitment you can beat the odds. I am convinced that if you keep the bait going in regular and often that the barbel’s natural feeding instinct will always take over and they just cannot resist some free offerings, even when you consider I was only 6 feet away from the fish in gin clear water on a bright sunny autumnal day. Cotton Farm still never surprises me, long may it continue. Paul Burns.

Nov 2008

I had a great day on the Dane.
I took a wander down the Cotton Farm stretch and stumbled upon a very picturesque part of the river. I fed hemp, pellets and corn. I fished double corn on the hook, I tried boilies which worked also.
In total I caught 5 barbel, all ranging from 4lb up to 6lb 2oz. I also caught a chub of 4lb 1oz.
A beautiful Autumn day on a lovely stretch of water.
James Lafferty

Nov 2008

Spent a few hours float fishing on the River Dane at Pimlotts Meadow on 4 November. Had the stretch entirely to myself so started at the top of the meadow and worked my way down in the course of about four hours fishing.
Trotting maggots through the streamier swims proved most productive, resulting in a dozen grayling typically of around 6-8 oz with the best nudging the pound mark. Also one chub of about a pound and a half. All nicely conditioned fish. Also hooked what I took to be a brown trout, based on the acrobatics which eventually saw it throw the hook in mid-air.
Diverted for a time by a large mink prowling the far bank.
This was a first visit for me to Pimlotts Meadow. It made an enjoyable change float fishing for grayling rather than the usual ledgering for chub and barbel on the lower stretches. A very pleasant few hours fishing.
Julian Roberts

Nov 2008

Went to the dane on 8/10/08 on the Cotton stretch. The river was looking good with a bit of colour and up a foot or so.
It was my first time on the river so I didn’t expect to catch a lot of fish it was more of a learning session.
I fished a simple ledger rig with halibut boilies and pellets.
I managed to catch 2 Chub between 3-4lb both on pellets, not the Barbel I came for but nice fish and better than nothing.
All in all an enjoyable days out fishing, and I will definitely return for another shot at the Barbel.

Feb 2006

Simon Young has sent in this photograph of a River Dane Barbel that he caught. I am not to sure when the catch was made but it certainly made him smile.