I have been concentrating my efforts to catch a double figure barbel along the Cundall stretch of the river Swale in Yorkshire ever since the foot and mouth disease outbreak. I haven’t quite made it yet but this 91/2 -pounder is pretty close! And there is till some time left to the end of the season.


“A 91/2 lb barbel and a personal best are not to be sniffed at.”
It happened like this. The river has been well flooded since the New Year with all the snow we have had but with a mild spell and a good report on the state of the river from my local tackle shop off I dashed full of hope and anticipation.

The river was still well up but falling. The air temperature was 10

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