Small, low stock rivers and big barbel

[Christian Tyroll]

I fished a beautiful old estate lake near Dunmow. Passing just one angler who said he had been there for 4 days without a bite. When the bailiff came to take the money, I recounted this and he repleid." Oh thats nothing, some people fish her 25 times before they get a bite let alone a fish"
No, I have not been back.. Very beautiful place though!

I did about 3 weeks on the lea valley pits one spring for no tench, one eel just under 4lbs and that was my only bite. I was definately out of my depth but beautiful places to be. I’d back myself to do a bit better if I went back.

I’ve also done 15 nights on an estate lake for no carp, although did have some 6lb tench.

Then about 30 Thames sessions for nothing except bream.

Best not question it all too much or I’d go mad, again

 

[Connor Smith]

Have to say I would also echo this. Best barbel book I've ever read. Tony used John Baker's Supermilk with Ala Salar and also caught some huge bonus chub. I would start to trickle the bait in as soon as you can. A few boilies in each likely looking spot and then cut it back to one or two spots as the start of the season approaches. Moderation is the key!
He fished a very simple rig. A lead on a clip to a 8 inch length of Drennan Dacron to a size 6 Drennan Continental Boilie tied on with a knotless knot.

Also my favourite/best barbel book I've read. Definitely recommend it if anyone hasn't read it.

 

[Neil Blood]

If you can see the river bed, be prepared to spend more time walking and fish spotting rather than actually fishing. Introduce small amounts of bait to see how fish react, or to try and draw them out of nearby cover.

Between now and June 16th is the ideal time to do this and if club rules allow access/baiting during the closed season. I’m not talking prebaiting, more reaction baiting as I cant get to the river regularly enough for prebaiting.

I’ll be back on the Upper Severn in Wales, taking this approach from next weekend. In the upper reaches it is a low stock Barbel river.

Last spring I was really surprised to see Barbel sat in the open over shallow gravel areas with zero cover including no ranunculus weed. On one occasion a female Otter with 2 young went over the area where the Barbel like to sit and several minutes later when I walked upstream the Barbel were still in position!

Obviously every river/Barbel population can behave differently. Personally I cant wait to get back with the polaroids and a bag of bait.

An angler I know who historically does/did as well as anyone targeting big Barbel on the Upper Trent and Dove, spent the whole of the coarse close season out with his fly rod on these lengths of river. Through both wading and exploring the river with his fly rod, come June 16th he knew exactly where the Barbel would be residing.