This is the first Royalty report for a while due to the shop being so busy at this time of the year so I shall start by offering my apologies for the lack of updates. At least Brian Willson has kept the flag flying for Throop during this period with his excellent weekly reports on this site.
Since the last report the seasons best barbel has been taken but I have been asked to hold back on reporting it until next week when it will be appearing in the angling press. I have seen the photo's and it will be well worth the wait!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Strangely the barbel seem to have continued to be shoaled up between Watersmeet and Fiddlers with large numbers of anglers consequently focusing their efforts in this area. Usually you would expect them to have dispersed due to the angling pressure they have received but a number of them seem content to remain in this area. Perhaps it is due to the consistent level of bait that is going in this area. Having said that barbel have also been coming out from Telegraphs - a much underrated swim in my personal opinion - the Roadbridge, Trammels, Nelsons and below the Roadbridge. No doubt if more anglers spread around the Fishery then more barbel would come from those areas - a definite catch 22 situation.
 |
 |
 |
Richard Booty with yet more Royalty caught barbel this season
Those anglers who seem to have had the most success are those who, at least during the day, are fishing small baits. Particularly successful has been the traditional hemp and caster tactics.
Although the numbers of barbel reported are down on the first six weeks of the season, plenty of barbel continue to come out with a number of barbel over 13lbs reported each week since the last report along with a couple over 15lb. The smaller barbel continue to feed well and one or two anglers have been filling their boots using trotted maggot, particularly in Fiddlers East and Foxes.
 |
 |
 |
 |
John Papadopoulos with a selection of some of the excellent Royalty barbel he has caught this season.
 |
 |
 |
 |
One final point before I move onto species other than barbel, local angler Joe Stanley has been giving me grief as I missed his first ever barbel out of one of the earlier reports this season. To make amends here he is with an 8lb beauty from Greenbanks. For those who don't know Joe, you may well know his grandfather Adrian who ran the excellent fishermen friendly Royalty Inn for many years before current landlord Don took over. Well done Joe, shame you are too young for us to buy you a congratulatory pint in the Royalty!
Plenty of chub up to six pounds continue to be caught with large numbers in the 2-3lb class - fish that have been virtually non-existent on the Royalty during the past few years. It certainly bodes well for the future for this species.
 |
 |
 |
Another species that is bucking the trend and doing well on the Royalty are roach where not only are they appearing in good numbers to trotted baits but there have now been seven over the magic 2lb mark reported this season as well as loads in the 1lb 8oz - 1lb 12oz class. Successful baits, particularly when trotted, include maggot, caster and small pellets.
|
|
|
The perch fishing has continued to provide excellent sport with the largest reported weighing 4lb 8oz although it unfortunately fell to an angler fishing for sea trout. Unfortunately due to the inconsiderate actions of some anglers the Fishery has introduced a restriction limiting the live baits permitted for perch fishing to only dace and bleak. (From a personal perspective at least it means the gudgeon are safe from you perch anglers!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
The carp continue to show well, particularly around the Railway, Boat Pool and Roadbridge although few people have bothered to target them over the past couple of weeks. Below is the 26lb 4oz common carp landed by Ken McArthur that I mentioned in the last report but didn't, at the time, have a copy of the picture. Thanks to Ken for sending me a copy for inclusion in this report.
There are shoals of bream averaging 6-7lbs in the Railway Slack, Foxes, the mouth of the Clockhouse Stream (East Bank) and Fiddlers. They are coming out to pellet, sweetcorn and caster.
The bream above weighed 7lb 8oz and was taken by Matt Rye earlier in the season and I omitted it from the report in error. Its a great picture don't you think?
Mention must be made of a seven pound plus bream taken by young Ed Gulliver from Greenbanks who showed his father Nick how it should be done, catching this quality bream, along with chub and roach whilst Nick sat back and blanked!
Finally a big thank you to all those anglers who kindly sent us pictures of their Royalty catches, it is really appreciated. Anyone wishing to send us a picture can do so via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
