The Quest for a Barbel

I haven't devoted much time to lure fishing recently due to a growing obsession for Barbel Fishing. After two unsuccessful outings I was desperate to catch one. I started at around 5pm in the same swim id blanked in twice already (Good Idea!). I knew there were Barbel there as well as big Chub, Dustbin Lid sized Bream and some specimen Perch. Having blanked before on Halibut Pellets I opted for double Dendrobaena Worms as bait fished on a light running legerlink scaling down to 8lb main line and 6lb Mono hook length with a size 10 barbless hook.
The other rod was set up with a large running feeder, 10lb Mono Main line on a 10lb Braided Hair Rig using 10ml Halibut Pellets with Cheesy Paste moulded round.



As Groundbait we used Hemp, 4ml Pellets, Shop bought Ground bait, blended Bread crumb, corn and Tuna with a cheeky dash of chilli.

Not much happened until well into darkness, we'd only managed 2 small perch since we started. Bite indication wasn't easy with a constant flow of algae coming down stream, which kept getting caught up on the line.
At around 12am my rod bent round, which I thought at the time was a big piece of drifting algae, It wasn't!
I was into a powerful fish I knew at once what it was, there were no headshakes and and no lunges for cover typical of Perch and Chub, there was just a heavy, powerful fish on the end, taking line whenever it turned.

About 5 minutes later I had my First Proper Barbel in the net at just over 8lb it is my biggest ever Barbel and fought like nothing I've ever caught before.





Spack also Managed an 8lb Slab of a Bream.



All in all an awesome night, it seems on this stretch Midnight is the magic time, with most bites coming between 10pm and 2am and absolutely sod all during the day.