The alarm shattered the silence at 2:30am. With the car loaded the night before, it was just a matter of grabbing a coffee and setting off for the two-hour drive from my home in Northamptonshire to the River Severn near Shrewsbury. It's early July and the excitement of a new river season always makes the early start worthwhile.
I'm meeting #teamwychwood angler and all-round river specialist Ian Gregory, whose knowledge of the Severn is second to none. He lives a stone's throw from the banks of the UK's longest river and has grown up fishing it for decades come rain or shine, through drought and flood, so he has intimate knowledge of where and how to fish it. The plan was simple: keep mobile, search for fish, and let the river tell us where the wanted to be.
Our first choice of swim looked perfect, but it did so to everyone else! It didn’t take long before we realised we’d been crowded out by the enthusiasm that always comes with the opening weeks of the season, a common occurrence on a river that is among just a handful that virtually guarantees barbel action. Rather than squeeze in and fight for space, we did what good river anglers do - we went looking for quieter water.
...There is something wonderfully traditional about watching a float glide away on a summer river, especially when it’s matched with the smooth purr of a centrepin...
The move paid off almost immediately; fishing the float with a centrepin reel through the steady glides, we picked up a handful of spirited little chub along with a couple of young barbel. There is something wonderfully traditional about watching a float glide away on a summer river, especially when it’s matched with the smooth purr of a centrepin as a fish heads downstream. The Specialist Power Float 13ft a perfect match for this style of fishing.
As the morning wore on, more anglers began to appear. It seems the curse of the new season is never being far from company! Once again, we packed up and moved, determined to find a stretch where we could fish at our own pace.
There was another reason we kept moving, too. Most anglers we passed had settled into likely-looking pegs and were introducing large amounts of bait with heavy feeders "depth charges", as many river anglers affectionately call them hoping to draw fish into the swim. There's absolutely a time and place for that approach, but on busy early season days it often spooks the fish and a little more finesse is called for.
Our plan was different. Rather than relying on big beds of bait, we opted for light leger tactics, using just enough lead to hold bottom while presenting a single, carefully chosen hook bait as naturally as possible. By feeding sparingly and staying mobile, we could search out fish that were already feeding instead of trying to create the feeding opportunity ourselves. If a swim failed to produce within a reasonable time, we were happy to move on. On a river as vast as the Severn, covering water and finding active fish often proves far more rewarding than sitting it out.
Eventually, we came across a lovely sweeping bend where the main flow pushed hard against the far bank before easing into a steady, deeper glide. A line of trailing willow branches offered cover, while a neat crease between the fast and slower water screamed "barbel". The riverbed looked clean and gravelly, with just enough depth to hold fish confidently, making it exactly the sort of swim where a well-presented light leger rig could be left to settle naturally without constantly being dragged out of position. One look at it and I was already reaching for the rods, although it was my fishing companion who first suggested we give it a proper go. It didn't take much convincing.
We alternated between boilies, pellets and luncheon meat, with the latter getting the nod when I reached for a big cube prepared with my own little twist a generous dusting of paprika. It's a bait that's accounted for plenty of fish over the years, and one I always have confidence in when targeting Severn barbel and chub.
...Our decision to fish lightly, stay mobile and trust our instincts had been fully vindicated...
It didn't take long for that confidence to be rewarded. After only a short wait, the rod tip slammed round in unmistakable fashion before the reel gave a satisfying burst of line as a powerful fish charged downstream. After a spirited fight, using every bit of the current to its advantage, a beautifully conditioned barbel eventually slipped over the waiting net. It proved to be the first of several, with the action continuing over the next couple of hours. A succession of positive bites kept us busy, while a few welcome chub added a little variety to the tally.
Suddenly, all the effort of packing up and moving twice felt completely worthwhile. Finding that quieter, more promising swim had paid off exactly as we'd hoped. Our decision to fish lightly, stay mobile and trust our instincts had been fully vindicated, proving once again that on a big river like the Severn, persistence and watercraft will often outfish simply sitting behind a mountain of bait.
Although it wasn’t a red-letter day for big fish, it was exactly the sort of session I enjoy most. Plenty of moving, reading the river, adapting tactics, and catching enough fish to keep the confidence high. Float fishing with the centrepin, light legering with boilies, pellets and luncheon meat—it was a reminder that successful river fishing isn’t about sitting behind motionless rods all day. It’s about exploring, making decisions, and enjoying every bend, glide and crease the river has to offer.
Sometimes the best memories aren’t made by landing the biggest barbel, but by sharing a day on one of Britain’s finest rivers with good company, swapping ideas with Ian Gregory, and embracing the challenge that every new season brings. The River Severn around Shrewsbury never disappoints - it simply asks you to keep moving until you unlock its secrets.
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Ian Pateman is the brand manager for Wychwood's carp and specialist range
