Bucking the Tren...t.

 

 In angling, sometimes we are spoilt rotten with what we catch, most of the time we are not. Barbel angling for me over the last few years has been a slog for the most part as most of you know, however on the odd occasion I have come up trumps with some incredible captures of fish I could only dream of.

 This leads me on to this session, sometimes we get spoilt rotten. The Trent needs absolutely no introduction, it is without doubt the best Barbel river in the country, so where better place would there be to do a product film for the new Acolyte Barbel rods in the stepped up sizes of 2lb and 2¼ test curve. 

 I was keen to catch for the cameras after a 180-mile drive up to the river from home, after getting set-up and putting some robin-red pellets out at the range I thought would be suitable ( after leading around I found a drop off into the boat channel ), not even 15 mins had passed before the downstream rod hooped around and a fighting fit 6lb Barbel was in the net. 20 mins later I made that two fish with a nice powerful 7lb+ Barbel making its way to the net out of the depth.

 It was quite the start and not long after the 7lb went back the downstream the first double of the session came along and it put up a great scrap like the previous two, this one weighing 10lb 3oz.

 Those Trent fish really were good lookers and all fought really hard in the deep water, as the morning progressed I inched my way up to 8 Barbel with others weighing 6lb, 9lb 2oz, 9lb 12oz, 8lb 8oz and 8lb 11oz. Once we got to this point I started to do some of my chatter for the camera and some rig talk / maintenance, then we had some lunch and a natter about life and got the rods back out around 2pm where sport continued to be superb. The cameras and Rich left for an early bath but I opted to stay and abuse the 2lb versions of the rod some more and fish of 9lb 10oz, 10lb 7oz, 13lb 2oz (best of the day), 9lb 7oz and the last coming around 6pm being a distinctive bent backed warhorse. It was a fantastic day and nearly trebled my seasons return on Barbel in just 10hrs and I didn't even rods out for all of that!

9lb 12oz

 I had 14 bites / runs and 14 Barbel, all fought well, mostly in superb condition and made for a wonderful session, the 13lb 2oz specimen of course really topped off a great trip and my first trip to the Trent in nearly 6 years was a stark reminder of why I should fish it more, but just for fun.

10lb 7oz

13lb 2oz (What a beauty )

The two above in one shot as it was a double take!!!

Last of the haul, 11lb 11oz...sweeeet!