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This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Barbel Fishing: The Pope’s River Diary
Barbel Fishing: The Pope’s River Diary
- Thread starter FishingMagic
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no-one in particular
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Had the most barbel caught in a day on the Kennet many years ago. I cannot remember where it was; my brother had just joined a club and found a fantastic swim; I went along as a guest. I remember we had to walk about a mile (or was it two) to get to this swim. Anyway my brother put me in this swim, as up till this time I had not caught many barbel' despite a few forays onto the Hamp Avon.
It was a perfect swim, a bend in the river with a weedy patch in the slack water which held the barbel and a fast line on the outside. Just swim feeder and maggots fished above the weedy patch.. Once they came on they just kept coming. I stopped counting after about 17, had over 20 barbel that day. No doubles, all around 6/7 lb. What a swim. I bet its changed now, that must have been 20 years ago.
A good read Steve, keep them coming.
It was a perfect swim, a bend in the river with a weedy patch in the slack water which held the barbel and a fast line on the outside. Just swim feeder and maggots fished above the weedy patch.. Once they came on they just kept coming. I stopped counting after about 17, had over 20 barbel that day. No doubles, all around 6/7 lb. What a swim. I bet its changed now, that must have been 20 years ago.
A good read Steve, keep them coming.
Steve Pope
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Hi Mark,
Pleased you enjoyed the feature, I'm busy working on the next one as we 'speak'!
The Kennet is a much different proposition these days, the numbers caught in a day have steadily reduced but the sizes are much higher.
Had a very enjoyable day on that river yesterday but that story will have to wait for another diary!
All the best.
Pleased you enjoyed the feature, I'm busy working on the next one as we 'speak'!
The Kennet is a much different proposition these days, the numbers caught in a day have steadily reduced but the sizes are much higher.
Had a very enjoyable day on that river yesterday but that story will have to wait for another diary!
All the best.
Steve Pope
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Hi Gonna,
Pleased you enjoyed that one!
The Kennet is producing reasonably well where I fish, all sizes coming out but nowhere near as many as in the past.
The otter family is still about but at the moment there appears to be a reasonable co-existence although I have heard that a couple of fish have been seen on the bank with signs of an otter attack.
I'm sure the barbel's behaviour is affected but they also have to learn and adapt which I believe is what we are seeing.
Off to the river again for a couple more days, hope there's plenty to write about when I get back!
Pleased you enjoyed that one!
The Kennet is producing reasonably well where I fish, all sizes coming out but nowhere near as many as in the past.
The otter family is still about but at the moment there appears to be a reasonable co-existence although I have heard that a couple of fish have been seen on the bank with signs of an otter attack.
I'm sure the barbel's behaviour is affected but they also have to learn and adapt which I believe is what we are seeing.
Off to the river again for a couple more days, hope there's plenty to write about when I get back!