Since my last post in regards to the Barbel I have been out on the bank a couple more times and I had spent hours leapfrogging swims in the hope of finding a shoal, for which I never did. At night it is a totally different ball game, day time is great when you can see Barbel but during the night you have to be either very clever and do your homework or just be lucky, I like to think I do my homework.
So Thursday evening I made the journey out and packed as light as possible, nothing worse than lunking shed loads of gear around, my first swim that I had got into was very tight and steep too, but the swim looked perfect for it but at night everything looks the same, so I'd cast out a 16mm Dynamite Baits halibut pellet on a hair rig and the waiting game had begun. The plan was to throw out some handfuls of little pellets and fish the larger one over the top and fish for about 30-40 minutes and then move swim, three swims later after having done this I was starting to think about heading off home but I thought about fishing a swim further down which I had also baited.
10 minutes or so after casting out my quiver-tip started to shudder a little bit followed by a vicious wrap which happened so quickly the centre-pin screeched as the line was torn off at an alarming rate, immediately I knew it was a good Barbel simply by the take and also the manner of the fight, for around 2-3 minutes I kept feeling the line grating on something downstream and thought the fish had gone through the snag but all of a sudden the fish appeared about 15 yrds out in front of me, at night it is tough to gauge much so I reached for the net and reached out to it as she glided across the surface, at first glimpse it looked about 6-7lb but I could only see the white stomach at a distance.
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| Biggest of the season so far. 10.10 |
Not quite 6-7lbs......after resting her in the net she weighed 10lb 10ozs, a pristine and magnificent Barbel, after three blanks and numerous swims fished I got my reward in the shape of this pukka fish, well worth the wait for sure. This week's homework.....A*.
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| Second double of the season. Spot on. |
Nice one James. Just had my first double 12.8oz from the Trent. Lets hope we both get a few more before the season end?
ReplyDeleteI hope so Richard they fight so well and very impressive creatures. And well done on your new PB, any double is a big Barbel and I still enjoy catching any size Barbus.
Deletehi james.slowly working out how to use this,but just wanted to touch base so to speak!grant.
ReplyDeleteHello there Grant, it doesn't take long to get to grips with, how is your fishing going this year? Any biggies?. J.
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