Friday 24 August 2012

Brilliant Barbel Session

Following my previous success with float-fished meat I ventured down the Avon again this morning looking for a similar result. I was late getting to the river, not arriving until gone 7.30am and considering it was a lovely warm morning I was amazed to have the river to myself. Again a 2 and a half Swan loafer was employed, bulk shotted 6 inches above the hook, hair-rigged meat as bait.
First run through resulted in a familiar fish coming to the net. A four pounder with only one eye which I have now caught three times this season, he must like me!
My friend 'cyclops'
A couple more casts later and I landed another small fish, this one had eyes that made up for it's mate.
I have caught quite a few Barbel this season but have not had a single 'double', which was beginning to wind me up a bit but all that was to change, in quite spectacular fashion. I hooked a fish that felt a different class altogether, dogged deliberate fight, large tail slapping against the surface, the sight of it made my nerves jangle. Luckily everything held together and I put the net under an immaculate 11lb 9oz specimen.
11lb 9oz
My biggest Barbel for three years and I could have gone home happy right then. I am glad I didn't because the very next cast I landed another beauty, another 'eleven', this time 11lb 1oz.
Over twenty two pounds of Barbel in two casts, cloud nine now!
The swim then went quiet so I wandered downstream, trying a few swims as I went without success.
After an hour I returned to the original swim and first run through had another good fish just short of a double weighing 9lb 13oz.
I caught three more smaller fish before calling it a day, it was still only 1pm but I was shattered.
Eight Barbel for well over fifty pounds, not a bad morning's work and a great recommendation for using moving baits to catch old Barbus.

9 comments:

  1. Great fishing on the float Joe, a dub on the float is on my list!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cracking session, nice to meet you and see the pics of the doubles.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well done Joe, excellent result. Those doubles are like buses mate!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Superb session Joe, quite literally a red letter one.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A brace of 11's plus back up fish - now that don't happen every day. Your making it look easy mate !! well done.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the comments guys, very kind.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nice catch on the float - two doubles are not an every day occurance but nice when it happens.

    ReplyDelete