Despite barbel now being caught regularly over 20lbs, a weight that seemed impossible a few years ago, not all rivers are capable of producing fish to that size. That does not mean, however, that these fish are any less significant as various challenges often mean that fish considered small on other rivers are actually giants in their own environments.
Against all odds, and despite being considered 'dead' by many local anglers, the River Lugg still holds a few real gems. This recent capture of a perfect 10lb 10oz barbel by angler Dale Thomas is testament to this, which also happened to break the long-standing record from 1999 by 2oz, highlighting just how rare double-figure fish is on this stretch of water.
"I could go on forever about the Lugg, as it’s become a bit of an obsession over the last two seasons. As for a river locally known as being 'killed by agriculture,' nothing could be further from the truth," Dale explained.
"Spending just a few hours on the riverbank, you’re guaranteed to see kingfishers, reed warblers, dragonflies, small fish, and fry of most river species," he added.
"If you're lucky, the occasional otter will come by. Among the quality chub, there are even a few barbel, although I can’t say how many, as the water clarity is always poor, so sight fishing is a no-go."
"I caught a 7-pounder last season and a 9-pounder the season before, so to get one this early on means I may even get another!"
"After feeding the swim with Wild River Barbel Baits 4–8mm Krill & Squid pellets and hemp, I sat back in anticipation."
"The evening was quite typical of the Lugg. I missed a couple of chub bites, as they’re particularly sneaky, before the pin span into life, and the fight was on."
"When I got the fish in the net, I knew it was a good one, with the scales confirming it at 10lb 10oz. The Barbel Society has since verified the fish as a new record, beating the previous one set in 1999, making all the hard work worthwhile!" he concluded.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE CAPTURE IN ACTION, HEAD OVER TO DALE'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL...
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