Dave Smith aka BarbelDave really lived up to his name this week. The normally quiet and modest Dave was enthused enough to send this email.
“I decided on a couple of hours fishing for barbel this afternoon and, after dropping my mother in law back home following lunch, I went over to the Great Ouse.
I settled into my swim at around 3.15 and put some elipse pellets in. I tackled up and waited a while before lowering in three pellets on a ‘Smiffrig’ then sat back to enjoy the scenery. At 4pm the rod went around and a large barbel was evidently the culprit. Some minutes late I was weighing a barbel that looked a double but refused to pull the scales around more than 9.07. A great start and after putting in some more pellets I went for a long walk.
When I returned I decided to try further down the swim under the branch of an overhanging crack willow. I left it an hour but apart from a few chub raps nothing developed.
I decided to feed under my feet again and then lowered another ‘Smiffrig’ trio of pellets into the swim. The next hour or so was spent watching kingfishers, a mink and a shrew. I had earlier flushed a pair of quail whilst walking along the bank, a rare sighting …
It was really peaceful and my relaxation mode was just approaching total when the rod hooped over again. It was obvious straight away that this was a very big fish. It basically went where it wanted to and I was lucky that there weren’t any snags in the vicinity. After six or seven minutes I got my first look of the barbel and I knew straight away that it was one that I didn’t want to lose so I eased off the pressure a bit. Another six or seven minute passed and eventually I was able to get it in the net. As I tried to lift it the end of the landing net handle broke but luckily I was able to grab the net.
When I lifted it onto the bank and took a look it was obvious that it was my biggest barbel ever. Three separate weigh ins confirmed the weight at a shade over fifteen pounds !
This swim has now produced two twelves, a thirteen and a fifteen along with other fish of eight seven and nine seven in three sessions. Buying a ticket for this stretch was one of the best decisions I have ever made …
Tackle was a John Brough cane ‘Barbel Catcher’ and a Chris Lythe 1915 pin. Pebble courtesy of Huw James …
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All the best
Dave
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Note: Dave will hopefully be describing the Smiffrig in another piece to follow.
