The Accidental Barbel: 30/06/16
After negotiating an early finish at work, a promising evening’s trout fishing beckoned, so I jumped on the train from Waterloo, and arrived at the river around 6:30pm. Chris and Jason had already been fishing since the afternoon and I’d arranged to work my way up river to meet them for the last hour before dark.
I fished my way through the usual glides, riffles and pools, connecting with a small trout along the way, and shortly after an hour, arrived at one of my favourite pools. To fish this spot effectively, I’ve found some wading is needed to avoid the thick overgrown bank, and a heavy nymph/shrimp is advised to penetrate the deep, fast current. My weapon of choice was a pink shrimp with two gold-heads (pictured) attached to a 5lb tippet of 7ft.
As I waded into position to make my first upstream roll-cast, I noticed a large dark shape on the gravel bed lightly swaying in the current above me. Now at this point, I knew it was either a Trout or Barbel, but either way, I wanted it to take my fly, so I made a couple of casts way off to the left to gauge how quickly the fly would sink. Happy with the weight of the fly, I picked the spot I wanted my it to land in order for it to be just the right depth as it went past the fish. On the first attempt I landed the fly a little too short, and the second a little too far. Third time lucky? As the sparkly pink grub sank down into the depths, I guessed it was in the right spot, and sure enough, the tip of my fly-line shot forwards and it was on!!
My little trout rod immediately bent double as the fish charged upstream, only to turn under the tension of my line, and power back down past me flashing it’s unmistakeable whiskers and golden flank. I was into my first ever Barbel, and it was a monster! What followed was a fifteen minute battle which took me into my backing twice, and resulted in what can only be described as a submarine, boring through the current over 150yards from where I’d hooked it. I’ve never known power like it, and It’s times like these I’m glad I wear chest waders!
During the stand off, I’d managed to call Chris one-handed on my phone for some assistance…there was no way it was going to fit in my tiny trout net! Together with Jason (who I was yet to meet), he came running down the bank just as the fish was starting to tire. He scooped her up at the second attempt and after weighing her, taking a few photos, she was returned safely to fight another day.
I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I’d just caught my first ever Barbel, on fly, and she weighed 12lb! Absolutely unbelievable, and I can’t wait to do it again! I highly recommend it.
D.V
Fishing photos by Chris.