Upper Trent Comes Good

Still lots of water, but a result!

Graham’s 10lb 2oz barbel from the upper Trent

I needed a 5oz clock lead to fish the swim, and I used a soft rod and let plenty of line off to form a bow to keep the bait in position for as long as possible. There was too much pace to feed by hand or catapult, so it was a choice between a feeder (method or open-end) or a PVA bag. I went with the PVA bag of pellets, which was lighter, as I was already swinging in enough weight. I also included a few samples of my hookbait, which was Sonu Bait’s Hali-Hookers.

Less than a minute after that first cast the tip sprung back before I had the wrap-round and I was into my first barbel of the season. I was fishing on my own and I admit to struggling a little to get the barbel in the net; the problem was holding the net in the current and then allowing the fish, which I’d played above the net, to drop into it. It sounds a lot easier than it is, but I managed it.

I knew the fish wasn’t a double but I weighed it anyway, being as it was my first one of the season and it does no harm to get your estimating eye back into shape after a three month lay-off. It weighed 8lb 10oz.

The shaded area was where I baited. It looked good but failed to produce

I had a quiet spell then and spent part of it baiting, and then later fishing, another swim 50yds below, a quiet pocket of water that looked better than it fished as I never had a bite in it.

Later on, about 4.30pm, I had my next fish, another barbel estimated at about 71/2 lb. An hour later and I had my last fish, and this one really did pose me a few problems in the heavy water. But it was mine eventually and it weighed 10lb 2oz, a lovely fat and fit fish.

It spelled the end of my session though, for as I struggled up the greasy slope to my unhooking mat and scales I slipped, putting weight on the rim of my landing net and snapping off the thread where it screwed into the pole.

I was disappointed to say the least, as the best part of the day, the evening, was yet to come, but not too disappointed as I’d had three smashing fish, and one was a double, which are not that common on the upper Trent no matter what else you may hear.

It was the first time I’d fished that particular swim, but I probably won’t be fishing it the next time I go, which will be next week, with Dave Bassett, who made the winning bid in the auction for a day’s fishing with me. I’ll offer the swim to Dave and hope that there is still enough water in the river to keep its present form.

The proceeds from this auction and others on the forum will go to the East Anglia Air Ambulance which is supported by the annual FM Charity Carp Match and James Farrow Memorial Event, currently being fished this weekend.