Avon or tip to middle action?

[tigger]

Steve, had Barbel hooked pretty much all over in the past but the nine lb fish hooked in the fork of the tail when the tidal was going full bore completely wore me out, took more time to land than any other fish I can remember, as for the saying "it came in like a big wet sack" nearly sums it up but its coming towards you with a three foot wide mouth that never closes, ease up with the pressure for a seconds rest on your arm and its back downstream in no time.
.

Sounds like a fair description of a foul hooked barbel Mick.
I find netting the fish to be one of the most tricky things to do. Depending on where the fish is hooked , when they get ready for netting they surface and just lye in the flow, as you say like an old bag which just gives a constant pull with no breaks in thw pressure. If they surface down river this is a problem as getting them back upstream can be impossible and in those scenarios I prefer to hand line them , it's not worth breaking your rod! Actually getting the fish back up to you and in a position to net is can be very awkward even when they surface close by. I've had lots of foul hooked barbel and some just feel like a normal hooked fish but just keep running as though they will empty your reel of line. Those types make you imagine you've hooked a monster fish when in reality it might only be an average one.