Steve Arnold
Well-known member
Three years ago I was told by the local carp expert, Wilfred, that there were big barbel in my local weirpool on the river Lot. I have had many barbel from the Lot now but after several sessions on this weir no barbel, just one carp and two big carp lost to the many snags.
This morning I was up before dawn, no plans on fishing. As is my habit I checked the RiverApp on my phone and there was a little extra flow showing locally. That's the first for a week and it gave me the kick I needed to get my "arse-in-gear" to get down the river.
Almost started to feel excited! Enough flow to make a fish feed and a dull morning after a cool night, perfect!
I put the heavy outfit out into the main run boulders with a paste wrapped double boilie. The feeder rod covered a clear patch 20 metres downstream.
After a couple of taps on the heavy rod came to nothing I debated "shall I reel in and add more paste?" Fortunately I resisted that thought and a few minutes later the tip pulled down hard, FISH ON!!!
For the first few minutes I thought it was another carp, but then I spotted the longer shape of a decent barbel. On a 2.75lb TC Century Boron Stealth carp rod the fight did not last much longer and then it was in my net.
My biggest this year and it weighed 7lb 6ozs. More important to me was besting this "Jonah" swim, that will give me confidence for future sessions here!
Maybe not big by UK standards but the biggest I have had in France was just short of 9lbs. At 7lb 6ozs this barbel might be considered "grand" by "les pêcheurs français"!
Made my morning! ?
This morning I was up before dawn, no plans on fishing. As is my habit I checked the RiverApp on my phone and there was a little extra flow showing locally. That's the first for a week and it gave me the kick I needed to get my "arse-in-gear" to get down the river.
Almost started to feel excited! Enough flow to make a fish feed and a dull morning after a cool night, perfect!
I put the heavy outfit out into the main run boulders with a paste wrapped double boilie. The feeder rod covered a clear patch 20 metres downstream.
After a couple of taps on the heavy rod came to nothing I debated "shall I reel in and add more paste?" Fortunately I resisted that thought and a few minutes later the tip pulled down hard, FISH ON!!!
For the first few minutes I thought it was another carp, but then I spotted the longer shape of a decent barbel. On a 2.75lb TC Century Boron Stealth carp rod the fight did not last much longer and then it was in my net.
My biggest this year and it weighed 7lb 6ozs. More important to me was besting this "Jonah" swim, that will give me confidence for future sessions here!
Maybe not big by UK standards but the biggest I have had in France was just short of 9lbs. At 7lb 6ozs this barbel might be considered "grand" by "les pêcheurs français"!
Made my morning! ?
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