Kingfisher Maison - Ade Kiddell

This entry was posted on 23rd June, 2016

Normally at this time of the year I would be getting excited about the upcoming start to the traditional river fishing season on the 16th, but this year, for the first time, I was out of the UK. Instead I spent the early part of June in France, continuing work on Kingfisher Maison.

Managing to juggle screwdrivers and fishing rods is an art I have perfected over the last few weeks and, as reported in an earlier blog, the River Meuse carp had been most obliging – not to mention a barbel or two along the way. The good news was I had a couple of days fishing planned. Adam Firth, media manager for the Korum brand, was paying me a visit in France with the plan to put some of the new items in the Korum range to the extreme test as well as taking some images and shooting some video footage for Korum.

Adam arrived on Sunday evening and couldn't wait to get started the next day – his appetite well wetted with some images of the fish I had been managing to ambush over the last few days. With quite a long list of products to promote and lots of tasks it wasn't going to be all fishing, but there is no way better to test or promote a product than to get out and catch fish with it.

Barbel fishing was the to be the main focus as we put the final production models of the Korum 2 piece 13ft barbel rods through their paces. These rods are a must for anyone fishing big feeders or leads on rivers like the Severn, Trent, or Wye, as well as the big rivers in Europe. They also make a great rod for fishing in flood conditions. A couple of small barbel and a nice chub in the first hour of fishing put a bend in the rods and a smile on Adams face as we got some nice images for future reference.

The next indication set the alarms screaming. The strike met solid resistance and the power of a decent fish put the rods to a much sterner test. A well set clutch and the progressive power of the barbel rods had the odds set in my favour and Adam was well excited to slide the net under a nice common carp of what looked like mid doubles. The scales took any doubt out of the guess work and, at over 17lb, I was well pleased. A cracker of a fish landed on the barbel rod with a 10lb Korum Barbel hook link passing the test with flying colours!

The weather in The Ardennes around Kingfisher Maison can be very changeable, with bright sunshine one minute followed by a rolling cloud into the valley and a spell of rain. Thankfully myself and Adam were seeing the best of it and bright sunshine called for a check along the margins looking for signs of feeding fish. Polarised glasses are a must for me when fishing, not only do they take the glare off of the water but being a migraine sufferer they go along way to preventing headaches on bright days.

We managed to spot a few carp in the margins and sprinkled bait in two areas. Both myself and Adam put a couple of rods over the spots and took a well earned break and a spot of lunch whilst we awaited some action. Adam’s rod went off first but a chub, quickly followed by a bream, had Adam frustrated but ever keen to hook one of the wild river carp we had spotted.

Whilst Adam repositioned his rods, a single bleep on a rod I had set about 40 yds down the near margin drew my attention. Before I was on my feet the single bleep turned into a long drawn out tone as a hooked fish bolted for freedom. A firm strike temporally halted its progress but within a few seconds it was off again – I had hooked a real power house of a fish which was going to test me and the gear to the limit! Adam joined me just as the fish surfaced much further downriver and well out into the flow. I estimated it to be well over 100 yds away and, at that distance, I couldn't see what it was but guessed a catfish as it had come to the surface and was now slowly swimming further away, making huge swirls in the water as it went.

After an arm aching struggle I finally turned the fish and started about working it towards the waiting net. After a determined fight which saw Adam and I move our netting position a couple of times the fish finally surfaced under my rod tip and a carp, which I have to admit I though looked close to 40lb, had given me a good workout before Adam slid the net under it and slapped my back in acknowledgement of the catch.

To this day I am convinced the fish was close to 40lb but the scales don't lie and at just over 32lb I settled on a new river PB and was glad of Adams presence to take some great footage and images, as well as witness such a cracking fish.

Adam never did get his carp. After a couple more tries he settled for some cracking barbel and the chance to come back to Kingfisher Maison at the earliest opportunity. I know Adam had a great time.

At first light on the 16th June, although I was miles away in France, I decided a few hours on the river before work would hold with the tradition of the opening of the river season back home. The barbel played ball and three nice shoal fish and a couple of chub put a smile on my face before another day of DIY tasks lay ahead.

Keep an eye out for my next blog, which will give you some pointers on getting the best out of your early season barbel fishing. Over the next few weeks some of the videos I made with Adam will be getting released, so make sure you look out for those too!