One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

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Shaun Harrison
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One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Shaun Harrison »

It was a most pleasant and satisfying day yesterday. A stroll down the river before work in comfortable weather conditions followed by 3 hours at my desk before leaving to meet up with SK and Fennel as pre arranged at Mapperley Reservoir for the first view of this historic water for both of them. We turned out to be most fortunate to witness quite a display from the Mapperley carp and both SK and Fennel managed to capture quite a few photographs of them.

Back in my office after the mid-day break I seemed to be a little snowed under with work. I guess that served me right for actually taking a lunch break, something I hardly ever do and possibly the first one this year so I didn't feel too guilty about it.

After work I made dinner and then decided to pop down the River Trent for a couple of hours. It looked such a pleasant evening that it seemed a shame not to be outside in it and what better than sat behind the rods?

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Well, I am glad I made the effort for when the bite came I found myself doing battle with a very powerful fish and when I first saw it my heart certainly skipped a beat. The length of it was incredible and in typical barbel tradition the water exploded the first time I lifted its head to the surface and several yards of line were ripped from the reel, I prayed that hook would hold. A couple more repeat performances and eventually I managed to slip the net under a huge fish that wasn't going to weigh its top weight as it had so obviously recently spawned. The fight indicated it had certainly got over the exhaustion and rigors of spawning though.

Now I am not into repeat capturing fish but I must admit I would truly like to bump back into this one when it is carrying its typical winter bulk.

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Below is a barbel from the same stretch in its normal winter peak condition to show what it should have looked like without its empty belly.

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Shortly after catching the long fish I had another typical 3ft twitch of the rod tip and another barbel was hooked which fought incredibly hard and made me think it was going to be much larger than the 8lb 2oz it subsequently weighed.

What a glorious way to spend a summer evening. The conditions really were perfect last night for most species, a hazy cloud cover and beautifully mild.

A couple of hours after work and back home before dark - you can't beat it! Got to make the most of it though as the nights start to draw back in after Friday!

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Dave Burr
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Dave Burr »

What a frame, I hope you catch it in the winter when its filled out :Thumb:

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Hovis
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Hovis »

Shaun,

I just love the Trent and I am going down on the 22nd. It's been a very kind river to me in the past with double figure barble, 25+ pike, 2+ roach, 10+ zander and 3+ perch along with plenty of carp up into doubled (although I have seen much bigger).

I just love the varity that fishing the river brings and feel that the Trent really is the rver of the moment and all for £15 quid a year! :huray:

Happy days
I have laid aside business, and gone a'fishing.

Izaak Walton

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AshbyCut
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by AshbyCut »

What a superb fish, Sir. I hope you do, indeed, meet up again later in the year.
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.

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Shaun Harrison
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Shaun Harrison »

Just thought I would mention that silver and blue contraption on my ruckbox that possibly looks like a radio. I know it isn't very 'traditional' but I get bit a lot from the nasty flying blood suckers. It is a battery operated mosquito repellent that emits a high pitched tone. Very useful and saves contaminating your hands and bait with liquid repellents. Some modern items are superb :Wink:

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Woolly Bear
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Woolly Bear »

Shaun :Hat: , lovely fish :Thumb: ,popped up to see my Mum last week came back Monday , walked the trent , some of my old haunts , Armourduct , Iron mongers and up to old horse bridge . The sights and smells made me nearly cry , why did I move down here , I miss it a lot . Kindest regards . Woolly Bear . :Hat:

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Kingfisher
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Kingfisher »

A fantastic looking Barbel Shaun and a lovely write up once again. :Hat:

God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling.

Izaak Walton

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Shaun Harrison
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Shaun Harrison »

That fish was very close to your Mum's Woolly - between the weir and the bridge :Wink:

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Hovis
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Hovis »

Shaun,

Do you fish the tidal Trent as I find it a very different beast to the non-tidal.
I have laid aside business, and gone a'fishing.

Izaak Walton

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Shaun Harrison
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Re: One of the longest Barbel I have ever caught.

Post by Shaun Harrison »

No I don't BW. It is a weird one, I don't think twice about jumping in the car and doing a 4 hour round trip for a lot of my angling but when it comes to angling on the Trent I guess because I live so close to it I rarely fish anywhere other than the stretches between Nottingham and Castle Donnington (I live in the middle). There are miles of bank space in this short piece and all within a very short distance from my house.

It just seems silly to travel far when I have so much that is totally unexploited on my doorstep. It seems most have forgotten how to fish rivers, I am hardly seeing anyone about which suits me fine.

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