With the river season drawing to a close on the 15th of March, there has been some really big barbel hitting the bank around the country over the last week. It has been a season to remember with the barbel record being smashed by James Crosby with his 22lb 1oz from the River Lea, but it wasn't the only 20lb fish caught, with numerous fish breaching that barrier being landed, most recently by Phil White landing a 21lb record shaker on the Hampshire Avon.
Steven Kinch, returning to angling after 17 years, netted himself a 15lb 14oz barbel from the River Soar, Leicestershire.
He told us “I’d never seen a barbel so big, I couldn’t believe it when it weighed in at 15lb 14oz.”
WHEN THE RIVER'S CLOSE, VISIT ONE OF THESE GREAT VENUES TO CATCH SOME FISH!
Josh Butlin, headed to his local River Trent, targeting areas he felt other anglers weren’t fishing and landed himself a 15lb barbel using 8mm hair rigged pellets, presented in slack water, close in.
“I was buzzing, it’s my first fish of the new year, what a way to start,” Josh told us.
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Fernando Costa visited the River Colne with his friend. Fernando spent the morning trickling meat and pellets into the swim and didn’t put a rig in till early afternoon, his efforts were rewarded later, when at 2.30am his left-hand rod roared off. After a tense battle he slipped the net under the impressive 16lb 5oz barbel, 1lb shy of the river record. Fernando presented two 14mm Robin Red pellets on the hook to tempt his catch.
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Thomas Wawrzeniec decided to go for a short barbel session on the River Dove, with the temperatures favourable he though there was chance of a specimen. Presenting a large cage feeder with small pellets and double lobworm on the hook, beneath an overhanging tree he was rewarded after 20 minutes with a savage take, that resulted in a 15lb 8oz barbel.
“A fellow angler helped me to land the fish, I was chuffed with my new PB,” he said.
IF YOU WANT TO START RIVER FISHING NEXT SEASON, HERE IS A GREAT GUIDE TO GET YOU GOING!
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