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Barbel beat carp by a country mile!!!!

You are right Dave, it does depend on the fish in question. The condition seems to make a difference.

I reeled in my PB mirror, which was starting to show signs of spawn, like it was a bream. After spawning, similar size and age mirror punished me up, blistering runs, kiting, diving, thrashing on the surface, charging towards any snag it could find.

Similar with barbel, hook an 8lb fish in the margins of the teme and it's an adrenaline rush from the word go. Hook a similar size fish in mid river on the deep/wide lower severn and the fight is much less spectacular.

Each fish has their merits really.
 
I've caught some Trent Carp this year, all but one have been lean commons without a hint of a belly, biggest just over 20lb, they looked and fought like true River Carp. I've also had a couple of 10lb Barbel this year and River Carp of the same size so on a direct comparison I'd say the Carp were stronger, the Barbel were faster but the Carp just had the edge. Interestingly the only mirror Carp I've caught so far this year was just over15lb and was a thick pot bellied fish that looked like an escapee from a lake and it didn't fight nearly as hard as a 10lb River common.

Happy days 

Steven.
 
Comparing a comercial carp to a barbel is like comparing a pig to a racehourse! I've found Stillwater fish to fight different from venue to venue. I have yet to catch a river carp but looking foreword to it after reading these posts! I have caught some canal carp and they take some stopping!
 
Talking of river carp, I was very fortunate to have a 28lb Thames grassie back in June and that fought like a poof, till I got on the mat that is.

Also had a 7lb Thames barbel last month and I was convinced it was going to be a big fish the way it battled, awsome fight.

D.
 
For me grass carp have a strange semi lunging type of fight, sometimes semi tail walking & then do most of their fighting on the bank! Never caught one from a river mind.

Unusual capture tho & nice one

Cheers, Jon
 
I'd rather catch a 20lb barbel than a 20lb carp any day! ;-)
 
River Carp, even modest sized fish, beat Barbel in the fighting stakes any day of the week. I've caught plenty of both species from several different rivers and can honestly say i've never had a Barbel rip 70-80yds of 10lb line from my reel against a tight clutch - quite a few river Carp have done that to me! Frightening! :eek:

Funny how many anglers get smashed up by monster Barbel - that they didn't even see! Step up the tackle a bit and those unseen monster Barbel usualy turn into Carp! ;)
 
Andrew Boyne Funny how many anglers get smashed up by monster Barbel - that they didn't even see! Step up the tackle a bit and those unseen monster Barbel usualy turn into Carp! ;)[/QUOTE said:
Or catfish in the Trents case:eek:
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