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.