Just how strong are those Barbel?

[chubber]

I watched a DVD yesterday and the presenters were both arguing that the Barbel is one of the strongest fighting fish that swims.
Salmon have got tremendous pace, butcan't keep it up for long.
Carp have great power and for years I loved to fight them at a local stillwater,but after a friend asked me to accompany him to the river severn I've been hooked on barbel. I still go after the carp, mainly because I enjoy those situations that see you sat there with nobody around to break the silence and on my particular stillwater, only myself and six others are aloud to fish it.
One thing that I noticed about the Barbel is that, when bringing it in normally you can manage after a while to get them on the top, but on bringing them in, if they pass over streamer weed or any other snags then they won't leave that area they'll dive straight back down and try to nestle themselves in or around it. Of course Carp also try this but I find that because of their muscle the Barbel seem to get down a lot quicker. To me making them more powerful fighters than a carp.

Which do you think is stronger carp, barbel or salmon?

 

[Rob Swindells]

Can't comment about Salmon Chubber, But defo stronger fight from barbel, just while were on the topic I think that Severn fish fight no where near as hard as Teme barbel or Dove barbel.........

 

[Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt]

Never caught a Salmon so cant comment. But the big Barbel i've had were truly stunning fighters. My largest fought like a demon i've never seen a Harrison under so much pressure and when it was finally all over i was exhuasted too. Most of the bigger Carp i've had have been plodders and most times after a dig about they just need steering into the net. Its normally the smaller ones that tear around all over the place creating merry hell. All good fun init and at last a sensible thread.

 

[mattzzzzzz]

I would say Barbel but only because they can use the flow to their advantage as well as their shape,strength and fin size
Had many a low double kamikazee carp that just wont give up,put them in running water and who knows?
Unfortunately never had a salmon so can't comment on them

Matt

 

[mattzzzzzz]

sorry wol-same sentiments at the same time!

 

[Rob Swindells]

It's good to talk barbel again guys

 

[mattzzzzzz]

yeh agreed,almost stopped posting because of all the bad sentiments between gentlemen of the angle

Tis closed season that does it,stir crazy!!

 

[Rob Swindells]

Yeh it does go on a bit mate !
just being posting about this on bfw, but what would you say size wise gives us the best fight ? 6-8lb bracket for me.

 

[mattzzzzzz]

just a thought but think about the shape of different fish and a Barbel will always be able to fight harder because of the shape of its body,as soon as it gets its head down the water is going to push a shape like that down towards the bottom,they always seem to come to the net upside down as well which is like a reversal,as soon as the fish is tired it turns on its side and the water flow will do the opposite and bring it to the surface,hence why even bream can scrap a bit in flowing water because their body acts like a sail in water,in no flow its nod nod kite,carp are a mixture of the two shape wise I suppose
or am i talkin bol.......

 

[mattzzzzzz]

Well Rob I would would love to say ooh 10-12lber for me but I am yet to have that first double,plenty of nines mind and yes probably 8 or 9 lbers fight the hardest because of strength and weight and most probably youth on their side

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

Barbel are the amongst the hardest fighting of our coarse fish. I have caught barbel, salmon, seatrout, rainbow trout and carp.

Salmon fight with great power but do not tend to try and get into snags like barbel. I would say that a fresh run salmon has a lot more staying power than barbel. They are a lot more acrobatic.

Once barbel hit double figures they become much slower and not as sparkling as say a 7 or 8 pounder.

Carp vary considerably. A long lean fully scaled river common carp in my opinion will leave a barbel standing in the fighting stakes. I've had some incredible battles with river carp in my life and they have not been more than 20 lbs. I respect them very much.

I put seatrout on the same level a salmon.

But the best of the lot on a size for size basis is the Rainbow Trout.

Nothing in British Waters can touch a really fit rainbow trout for fighting power.

No wonder the Americans rate the Steelhead so high.

 

[Fred Bonney]

I'd go for the 6 to 8lbers too Rob.

 

[Rob Swindells]

Maybe this season for you Matt !

 

[Rob Swindells]

Hi Fred
A lot of the small beggers can give a hell of a fight too ! often landed a 5lber scratching my head " I'll swear that was going 8lb". As said above they are built perfectly, size does not matter in the whole game, they fight beautifuly.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

For what its worth here's my opinion in:

1. Salmon. Most of my big Salmon have been Pacific Salmon and I don't think there's a cold water fish that can touch a big Chinook for power. I've been lucky enough to catch the odd Atlantic Grilse on float gear and I can vouch for the fact that they fight harder than a similar sized barbel.

2. Barbel.

3. Carp. Friends of mine who've caught carp on the Wharfe (where its not uncommon to see them in fast, shallow water) still don't rate them higher than Barbel and they are generally bigger average size.

Here's a couple more to throw into the pot! Scottish/Irish Pike and large trout (thought I'd get that in before Ron did).

Again most of my big (3lb to 8lb) trout have been caught in the States, but I've had some nice over-wintered rainbows in the 4lb class over here and I'd rate them on a par with Barbel.

So here's my final list:

Salmon
Trout
Barbel
Pike
Carp

You'll always get problems due to location - fat fenland Pike, and finless stockie trout, but size for size and in their natural habitat thats the order.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

Arrgh Ron beat me on the trout bit - must have missed his post!

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

Sean,

I caught a 3 3/4 lb overwintered rainbow on Sunday that went like stink Sean. I had to keep my left hand well clear of the reel handles.

On Saturday I had a 4 3/4 lb rainbow that took me a full 6 minutes to land by my watch. And that is a long time. And I wasn't playing pussy foot with it either.

But these were grown on reservoir fish, not tailess pellet fed stockies.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

I know Ron. I've had them off the dam at Rutland in a big blow. One emptied my reel and I never saw it! Put a bit more backing on now though!

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

By the way Sean, I'm trying to organise a midweek day when I can get a few of us on Thrybergh. The aim, to catch a 5lbs plus overwintered rainbow or even a brown and to photograph it being caught for FM

With a few competent fly fishers on the water, we should be reasonably successful.

How about it?

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

I never use less than 100 yards of backing on my reel Sean when I am on a reservoir.

The hardest fighting rainbow I ever caught was a 4 1/2 pounder I took from a high altitude lake in the Eastern Cape ca 1978

It took over 100 metres of line at high speed and then jumped 4 times.

Anglers who have never caught these fish often look at you in disbelief.