Fishing for Barbel

Whenever we can, my friends and I will try and get away for a couple of days. Mark had called last week to say he had created a window for such a couple of day`s on Tuesday and Wednesday, we would go somewhere and fish until late and then sleep in the tent and fish somewhere else. This time around, (feeling adventurous) I asked Conrad on Saturday if he could recommend somewhere from his vast experience of different rivers. He then suggested we come up to his piece of paradise on the middle river Trent, what an invitation! Needless to say, Mark and I jumped at the chance, this would be a new river for us both.

Day 1 The Trent

An early start was the plan, leave at 6am and be in the village in Nottinghamshire by 9ish,we would meet Conrad later in the day when he finished work. Things did not quite go to plan, we hit some rush hour traffic going into Nottingham and then got a little lost before popping out the other side, but we arrived safely by 10am, and raring to go. After collecting permits and provisions it was time to try a new river, having fished a couple of hours with no bites, we moved on and would do until we found the fish feeding. It was a little daunting to start with but once we got used to the style of fishing we caught some! We even had a fish on each at one point, a “double hook up”. This is Mark`s first Trent barbel….
We went on then to meet Conrad at teatime and move to a piece of river which is somewhat exclusive, the fishing was great but the weather was damp (at some points torrential). We finished the day with 10 for me, 8 for Mark, and Conrad popped along for a short session and had 4! So after that action, a glass of vino to toast the new river and time to set the tent up. The wind was cold and brisk, we did`nt take long to get the tent up!!

Day 2 The Derwent


We had to be up and out early from the tent to get across to Derby and collect permits for our day on the second river, so after a hearty breakfast (bacon bacon bacon) we set off to try. The river looked really good for bites, a little extra water on and some colour too, with lots of likely looking swims we roved around and tried several before Mark landed on this beautiful hard fighting fish! 9lb 11oz!! A first from this river, and a second new river in as many day`s what a result, it couldn`t get any better, could it??
I almost ran to the next likely looking swim ready for the bites that might follow, half hour or so after, Mark came down with a second smaller barbel, “great” I said “they are feeding”. As my rod was gently swaying and knocking with leaves coming through and Mark had set off to make tea, I thought “any minute now”, and just then the the rod hammered around into an unstoppable curve. Yes I was into my first Derwent barbel, we laughed as Mark arrived to see the rod bent over and the barbel diving for the inside cover. But as the fish came closer it was evidently not a barbel, this hard fighting 4.5lb chub was the culprit…
A bit disappointed, we carried on for the barbel, but all went quiet for Mark and I. We were very tired and planned to leave at 8pm, Mark had kindly given up his swim that had the two barbel in, so as I could try for the bite that might get me a new river. After falling and breaking one of his rods, Mark was tainted with being pleased and angry, it was 7.50pm and I called him to say quitting time soon, his reply was “mate I am playing a barbel”!
He called me back and told me the great news, it was a double!! I think my word`s were “you make me sick”, after the necessary jibes we took this picture… what a result take two. Our trip was complete.

We have had the builders in, so dust and chaos at home have been the order for us. A new bathroom and boy`s bedroom shall be the reward very soon…..We hope!
So last Thursday amid the noise and fuss I beat a hasty retreat to the river, there by late afternoon I planned to spend a few hours looking and trying, and then moving rivers for the evening spell. Having found very little to spot – standing on a high bank watching the gravel below – the orange of fins could just be seen, and the pale (well disguised fish) were happy to feed! The bite took 5 to 10 minutes and the small (well proportioned) barbel was taking me all around the swim.
Two hours later with the light fading fast and scurrying animals making their presence known, the rod tip plunged well beyond a twitch, and a second larger fish was on board. Buoyed with optimism, I went to the next river and fished well into the night without one positive bite! Nevermind there’s always next time for this river and it was as low and clear as it had been since the Spring, (excuses always in hand).
So this Tuesday with some very novel plans in hand for this weekend, (which i shall post about afterwards) the decision was made to head to rivers with the best chance of a big one. The rain had been pouring and the rivers rising rapidly, I would try the Kennet this afternoon for a few hours and then move off to another river that might be higher??
The Kennet (plenty of crays) had hardly any colour in it and was only an inch or so up, surprised, I set some traps (not cray fish ones) and roved a few swims in turn. Choosing one swim to fish into dark, a result way beyond my expectations followed shortly, this fish of 13lb 5oz!!
Time then to move on and once I arrived the river was 6 foot up and well coloured too, the fish were willing to feed if you could lay the bait down, and first cast a fish was on, a few more followed and the night was completed with this 10lb 2oz fish which fought like it had been hooked in the tail!! After a short sleep in the car – rudely interupted by heavy deluges of water – a quick cast before heading home and this little beauty took the biscuit!!
And my next instalment will be detailing a trip this Saturday with a man “on a mission”!!

And I promise an update very soon… Some Food for thought??? Are these dyed fish stocked?? I have witnessed these marks on several fish from different rivers??

It was late in the evening and my wife had ventured to put the bins out in my absence, only to find maggots pouring from the top of the wheelie! What a laugh, she was mortified and I was telling her not to waste them and to be fair she did well, donning her marigolds and shying away. I was shortly home to help, and of course take a picture and have a laugh at her frantic panic that the bin persons may not take our bin. All`s well that end`s well, the maggots are now safely in a box in the bait fridge awaiting their date with destiny.
Next day was a short evening session to try a completely new venue on the Lower Severn for Mark and I, the location was said to hold rarely caught large fish. Our timing was not the best with conditions being low and clear and not ideal for the Severn at all, let alone the Lower reaches. The area was really quite remote and very promising, we had only cows for company and not a soul for miles and miles (or so it seemed). After a long walk and look around we settled on a couple of swims to bait and see if we could get a bite between us, the weather was muggy going into the last hour of sunlight and we were sure a bite would come. Sure enough as darkness enveloped all around, the tip`s began to knock, and a bite or two came, unfortunately the bites were not the barbel we were after, but Bream! Typical Severn Bream, big and hungry, we had a couple each and decided that this was a result (of sorts) as it was our first attempt and a short one at that. Maybe we shall try again when the river conditions are more likely to be obliging, but for now it`s home work done!