Your first Barbel

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

Now how about the hardest fighting barbel, which in my book is far more exciting and credit worthy than the biggest.

For me that was a fish of 6lbs 4oz that I had to follow through two meadows on the River Swale ca 1965. Hooked it on a Mk IV carp rod with 8lbs line and a 4 hook, very early one morning after a night session.

Only seatrout and rainbow trout have ever fought harder on a river for me in that weight category.

 

[Steve King]

"Now how about the hardest fighting barbel, which in my book is far more exciting and credit worthy than the biggest."

Fair enough Ron, but this thread is about Your first Barbel, not the biggest.

 

[stuart clough]

..could be my fault. I started with first, but it seemed logical to go on to first double and then biggest. Apologies - wasn't trying to hijack the thread.

 

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

And let's face it, many of us do get carried away at times.

 

[stuart clough]

Aint that the truth.

 

[Steve Spiller]

The hardest fighting barbel I ever hooked was my first, 9lb 8oz, foul hooked in the tail. On the Dorset Stour 21 years ago, I was after barbel, but not like that!
It whent back OK.

 

[Nick Beecheno]

My mate persuaded me to go Barbel fishing with him on the Ouse at Felmersham near Bedford. When he put a GIANT piece of sausage on I laughed and said "yeh right" ! He said "you wait" one hour later I had caught my first Barbel at 9lb 11oz. Fished for em ever since!

 

[The Monk]

Sorry Bob, yes it was the Swale of course, 34 years ago, plays tricks on the mind, it was at Grassington and Linton I used to fish the Wharfe for Grayling, probably about the same time, early 70s

 

[Bob Watson]

Linton on Ouse Monk! What a great stretch of water, I've been known to poa.....er guest there a few times in my past, I've never fished the Wharfe but I joined Leeds angling club last year and they have some stretches of the Wharfe that will be getting my attention soon.

In fact, Leeds and district angling club is the first club that I'll actually rejoin for a second year.

 

[Bob Watson]

Linton and the Wharfe!! Sorry Monk, just noticed, I should pay more attention, I know Linton on Ouse but I didn't know Linton on the Wharfe, but I do know it's there. You'll have to post directions for me, I love catching Grayling, especially when I'm a guest and a regular club member pays ;-)

 

[Andy Connor 2]

my first barbel came from linch hill fisheries on stoneacres while tench fishing it didnt give the imense fight that you get from river fish it just hugged the bottom anf turned over a lot glorious fish though 6lb 8oz weird really
my first one by design came from the thames in oxford 3lb 7oz i was over the moon went on to loose a further 8 and land one more at 6lb 7oz

 

[Alan Law]

my 1st was on the ribble and was caught intentionally after about 15 blanks in june 2004 on an abu enticer feeder rod 8lb line size 8 drennan specialist and a source boilie it weighed 9lb 10oz and put up a fantastic fight i,ve been hooked on barbel fishing ever since

 

[Steve Spiller]

Nick B, did you get my reply?
Not sure if it got sent ok?

 

[Neil Maidment]

My first - 4lb 7oz - 1968 - Hants Avon just below Winkton Weir. I was 15 years old, which is fine, but between the ages of 7 & 20 I lived just 1 mile from Throop Mill. I was a slow starter!

Eventually had a few from the Stour and Avon with the best being 11lb 4oz from the Avon at Sopley.

Most memorable barbel was a fish caught by a mate (who lived in the Bedford area), it was his first ever at 7lb 11oz and came from the Avon at Ellingham after 3 years of trying.

 

[The Monk]

Bob, it was Linton and Linton Beck at Grassington on the Wharfe but its over 30 years ago and the place may have changed, this was the first time I ever saw Grayling let alone caught any. I can remeber a rocky water fall, we fished leaded nymphs dragged across the current at the bottom of the falls (Stewarts Fancy from memory, a yorkshire pattern)

 

[little sister]

My first barbel was today (2006)7lb on the throop and that was followed by a chub of 6lb 5oz.
Only been fishing for few months and im still wearing a smile now.

 

[J.B]

My First Barbel was about three years ago Fro lincoln weir on the severn I was fishing Hair rigged halibut oil pellets on a ledger It was 3.5lb and was followed on the next cast by a barbel just under 4.
I actually fished the same venue today and had a 6lb fish on the same tactic, as meat wasn't working I tryed the pellet but had to wait until near darkness befor the take came.

 

[Steve Spiller]

Get in there Little Sis!

 

[njb51]

I've been thinking about this for a while now, whilst fishing the Thames.

Can you really catch a fish by design? Are there different designs for different fish, really?

My first post on this thread mentions me catching 5 barbel, some bream and a chub.

I used the same rig for the captures and was pretty confident in catching bream, but whether i could say i caught the barbel the bream and the chub by 'design' or not is different.

Catching a barbel by 'design' seems to suggest (to me anyway), that you are only going to catch barbel, and nothing else.


I'm probably not making any sense here, try and decipher my messages.

Have i been thinking too much?? Have i even woken up yet?

 

[Ginger]

Jonny what i meant when i said "by design" was were you targeting Barbel or was the fish caught whilst you were fishing for another species.