Are Barbel the "new"carp ?

[Graham Elliott]

Loving this thread, some interesting views and opinions, and my turn to give my spin on things.

I grew up with fishing, we used to go to the Hampshire Avon every year for a week on a fishing holiday. We stayed with a couple called Keith and berol. Out of my brothers I was the one who was keenest, so Keith invited me to go fishing with him for the day. I witnessed a traditionalist barbel angler catch a 7lb barbel, I remember the sound of the centrepin, for the first time and that memory will stay with me for ever. He was a legend on the Christchurch angling club ticket. I then started messing about with float fishing for tench and crucians in small ponds and gravel pits, by design, through what I had seen in books and stuff. I had great pleasure in beating the late Keith speers to the best tench swim on the lake, another man I learned a great deal off. He used to use the term “pond pigs” referring to carp. It used to make me laugh. I then moved over to bivvies and buzzer style angling. It was great in the 90’s, there was an element of mystery to some places, a journey into the unknown. Unfortunately that has gone now and it’s just a massive egotistical competition and a tackle fetish like owning designer clothes. The actual “fishing “ is second best, I see people more excited about setting up a new bivvie than catching a fish.
Sorry to harp on, I find the magic of river fishing unbeatable, and it would be a massive shame if barbel angling became like carp angling. I’m not a traditional barbel angler, but I appreciate massively what that is, but I also think fishing has come a long long way, mostly for the good. I also think that traditional methods mixed with modern tackle is a win win, but the scenes on the Trent are somewhat disheartening. Hopefully the carbeling gang catch their double, show their friends and groups and piss off back to the pond pig fishing.

You were Lucky to know Keith Speers Jamie.
I bet you remember his laugh

I think the most times I heard him refer to Pond Pigs was when he was talking/ winding up to Mike (Savay)Wilson

 

[Jamie Warren]

You were Lucky to know Keith Speers Jamie.
I bet you remember his laugh

I think the most times I heard him refer to Pond Pigs was when he was talking/ winding up to Mike (Savay)Wilson

I lived down the same street as him, and the gravel pits where just across the road, he was a larger than life character, I used to live beating him to the best swims on the 16th, I was only a teen. He was a great angler, for all species. He lived it and loved it

 

[Edward Adcock]

Edward,
I think it is down to excessive weight.

Catfish?

 

[Josh Hague]

I went to fisckerton sunday and there were a fee bivvies its crazy barbel are the new carp

 

[Josh Porteous-Webster]

Having grown up around the Match Fishing crowd, the phrase "all the gear, no idea" comes to mind when observing some folk in the carp and barbel world.
Thing is, every venue lends itself to different approaches just as much as an individuals situation dictates what they can do.
Each to their own, it takes all types etc etc..