If you want to catch your first barbel or break your PB then now might be the best time to get out on the bank. Over the last week we have had numerous reports of huge barbel, including Ian Green's incredible fish that broke the 20lb barrier.
Reports of giant barbel are not just located to one river either, with fish being caught from the Thames, the Trent, Severn and Lea, it appears for whatever reason the big fish are on the feed so make sure you get a session lined up to catch yourself one.
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The best barbel we saw recently, and may see this whole season was caught by Ian Green, with a 20lb 2oz fish caught from the River Trent, which fell just 4oz short of the Trent record. After having a social trip cancelled, Ian dropped onto a local stretch of the river to target the barbel and after catching a small chub, all hell broke loose which saw him land the incredible specimen.
"From the moment I picked up the rod, I knew it was a good fish. The line was singing under tension, and at first, the fish was in control of me."
"After running me up and down the river, the fish finally settled under the rod tip, then after a few last lunges for freedom, I managed to get the net under it, and it was mine."
"I'm not even sure what I said to my mate, but he knew something special was in my net and when he looked in, he was just as shocked as I was," Ian recalled.
"We let her rest a bit longer while we got all the gear ready, and when we hoisted her onto the scales, we were in utter disbelief—20lb 2oz. I still can't believe it now."
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Neale Woodward was another angler who got amongst some fantastic barbel. In an era of high-tech baits, luncheon meat still seems as effective as ever, as he out found when he took this 17lb 2oz barbel using it.
He was fishing the River Lea at Kings Weir, targeting a spot close to his own bank. Presenting a chunk of Spam on Gardner end tackle and a 16lb Mirage fluorocarbon hooklink, he soon subdued his prize. Neale’s been enjoying his time on the famous fishery and, with fish like this to his name, it’s easy to see why!
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Back to the Trent, this time with angler Cole Harris who has been struggling to pin down the location of the barbel on the stretches he has been trying of late, but it all came good when he finally caught his first double, that ended up being much bigger than he bargained for.
"After targeting barbel on and off over the last three years without much success, I decided to really have a go for them this season," Cole explained to us.
“My aim was to catch my first ‘double’, so I embarked on a two-night session on the middle Trent."
"Things started well with a fish of 6lb 9oz – a PB at the time – before that was blown out the water by this absolute tank of 16lb 9oz!"
"It gave a screaming take and it is a session and a fish I'll never forget, it just proves that if you keep trying your effort will be rewarded!"
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Persistence also paid off for James Berry who has been fishing a Thames tributary, where he has managed just two bites in 12 sessions, due to the challenging conditions and low stock of barbel present there.
“To locate the few fish that live here, I’ve adopted a roving approach. Otters and crayfish have been a problem, but last week my luck changed when I received a savage line bite after moving into a swim on dusk," he said.
"I knew a big barbel had brushed against the line, so I rested the swim and returned 30 minutes later."
“I lowered my rig into position with a double 8mm halibut pellet hookbait and fed a few pellets over the top."
"Five minutes passed before the rod tip lunged down and I found myself playing a big fish that snagged me twice before coming back upstream where I could play it under the rod tip. The fish weighed 15lb exactly.”
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