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Helping Barbel that are having difficulty recovering

Graham Elliott

Graham Elliott

Senior Member & Supporter
Especially in warmer water temperatures or an extended fight, barbel sometimes take a lengthy recovery time. A major sign is a fish that doesn't appear to be able to right itself.

Over and above good practice in resting and handling, and any photographing a way that can make a major difference follows.

Especially during the last part of the fight, drawing to the net with the fishes head possibly above the water, typically a fish will gulp air.

This can cause an increase of the normal bouyancy causing a fish unable to right itself.

So a way to quickly address this is when holding the fish in the net, with the head underwater, run your finger, or pair of fingers, quite firmly from the vent along the gut line to underneath the gills area.


You will probably see air expelled. Repeat another time if needed.

Continue to rest the fish that hopefully will be able to right itself soon afterwards. Wait until it strongly starts to kick strongly before releasing.

Generally smaller fish are OK. It's generally the larger ones that may need help.
 
Graham Elliott said:
Especially in warmer water temperatures or an extended fight, barbel sometimes take a lengthy recovery time. A major sign is a fish that doesn't appear to be able to right itself.

Over and above good practice in resting and handling, and any photographing a way that can make a major difference follows.

Especially during the last part of the fight, drawing to the net with the fishes head possibly above the water, typically a fish will gulp air.

This can cause an increase of the normal bouyancy causing a fish unable to right itself.

So a way to quickly address this is when holding the fish in the net, with the head underwater, run your finger, or pair of fingers, quite firmly from the vent along the gut line to underneath the gills area.


You will probably see air expelled. Repeat another time if needed.

Continue to rest the fish that hopefully will be able to right itself soon afterwards. Wait until it strongly starts to kick strongly before releasing.

Generally smaller fish are OK. It's generally the larger ones that may need help.
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Great post Graham.
It’s definitely something that needs to be regularly bought up time and time again as more and more newcomers get involved with our chosen species.

I do a very similar thing in cases where it’s needed and support them with slight pressure under their tummy until the bubbles burst out from the gills. I always think of it as her having a big burp and feeling much better for it as it’s usually pretty instant that once those bubbles expel from the gills, she starts to kick and give positive signs that she’s ready to go and sulk for a bit.

Great post 😎
 
Great info this, I fish the deeper, slower reaches of the Severn and wavon where the flow is never at my feet. I’ve held on to fish for what feels like 10-15 mins before they kick off, will definitely be trying this…thanks
 
With out dowt ever little helps like using anti septic on hook holds and any other damage ..clearing air out ov fish is a great tip .
 
Jon Frisby said:
Do you know what gets me this year is? Well known anglers photo graphing every fish they catch. This is now getting into mainstream Barbel fishing also...
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I find this particularly annoying at a club water I fish. A pair, nice couple, both fish. One catches. The other joins them to unhook. Where are the scales? After weighing it's whose got the camera?. I have timed this performance as I find it so disrespectful for the carp, as regularly over 8 minutes. Sometimes longer. A total farce!
 
Alec Hague said:
I find this particularly annoying at a club water I fish. A pair, nice couple, both fish. One catches. The other joins them to unhook. Where are the scales? After weighing it's whose got the camera?. I have timed this performance as I find it so disrespectful for the carp, as regularly over 8 minutes. Sometimes longer. A total farce!
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8 minutes! I have a feeling the fish is out the water the whole time? Sorry but I’d be intervening here if that’s the case.
 
Barbel Burping by massaging was something my Dad showed me many years ago. Its often worked for me. A mate Paul had an issue early in the morning on the Kennet about 15 years ago. No matter what he did the big barbel could not right itself. After many hours and losing a days pay he phoned a well known barbel expert. The only thought and last resort was to put a thin soft plastic tube into the barbels stomach. Air started coming up the tube and the fish went back ok. Please do not do this unless you are in a similar situation and have tried everything. Just one to put in the memory if you desperate.
 
Some people would call me sad but I’m hyper organised with this kind of thing, same with work. I’m the guy who has screwdrivers in size order.

I have everything in its place and don’t carry dead weight in my bag. I often fish short sessions in the dark, and I can go through long blank spells so setting out a market stall of stuff to stand on, loose or simply set out for nothing is not smart. I need to put my hand on it now not waste time finding it, so everything has its place. There’s a pouch that has all the unhooking gear. Same as the scales and the weigh sling.

The first thing that happens after a fish hits the net is effectively nothing. It stays in the net hooped over the front rest usually, whilst I detach the unhooking mat and pull out the pouch. Then the fish can come to the mat. Hook out and mat snap. If that fish is to be weighed and or photographed further it’s back to the water whilst I arrange things.
Honesty I don’t think the fish is every out the water more than about a minute at a time unless there’s something problematic like a particularly angry fish that doesn’t want you to unhook it.
 
Graham Elliott said:
Especially in warmer water temperatures or an extended fight, barbel sometimes take a lengthy recovery time. A major sign is a fish that doesn't appear to be able to right itself.

Over and above good practice in resting and handling, and any photographing a way that can make a major difference follows.

Especially during the last part of the fight, drawing to the net with the fishes head possibly above the water, typically a fish will gulp air.

This can cause an increase of the normal bouyancy causing a fish unable to right itself.

So a way to quickly address this is when holding the fish in the net, with the head underwater, run your finger, or pair of fingers, quite firmly from the vent along the gut line to underneath the gills area.


You will probably see air expelled. Repeat another time if needed.

Continue to rest the fish that hopefully will be able to right itself soon afterwards. Wait until it strongly starts to kick strongly before releasing.

Generally smaller fish are OK. It's generally the larger ones that may need help.
Click to expand...
Really good pointers there Graham! 👍
 
Stephen Crowhurst said:
Some people would call me sad but I’m hyper organised with this kind of thing, same with work. I’m the guy who has screwdrivers in size order.

I have everything in its place and don’t carry dead weight in my bag. I often fish short sessions in the dark, and I can go through long blank spells so setting out a market stall of stuff to stand on, loose or simply set out for nothing is not smart. I need to put my hand on it now not waste time finding it, so everything has its place. There’s a pouch that has all the unhooking gear. Same as the scales and the weigh sling.

The first thing that happens after a fish hits the net is effectively nothing. It stays in the net hooped over the front rest usually, whilst I detach the unhooking mat and pull out the pouch. Then the fish can come to the mat. Hook out and mat snap. If that fish is to be weighed and or photographed further it’s back to the water whilst I arrange things.
Honesty I don’t think the fish is every out the water more than about a minute at a time unless there’s something problematic like a particularly angry fish that doesn’t want you to unhook it.
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I'm the same. I watch a lot of stuff on YouTube, and am generally quite surprised how long fish are kept out of water, while they talk a load of rubbish about how they just went about it's capture. (I'm thinking I was there just watching it you idiot🤦‍♂️)
A lot of it is unnecessary. And I cringe sometimes.
I'd much prefer to have some audio on its capture, whilst the camera is showing the fish in the net, facing upstream starting it's recovery process.👍
 
It's all well and good saying do this do that most people won't listen,the very hot spell we had 6 weeks ago the river was very low and rammed with barbel anglers I turned up and went home didn't even bother way too hot,my answer is don't barbel fish in very hot low water conditions but when you have so called experts making up every excuse in the book that they are doing the right thing then planting it all over Instagram Facebook etc so people think its ok,I would like to see a close season later than what it is and would save a lot of fish thanks ste
 
Had my first Barbel fish 2 weeks ago.
Ste Whybrow said:
It's all well and good saying do this do that most people won't listen,the very hot spell we had 6 weeks ago the river was very low and rammed with barbel anglers I turned up and went home didn't even bother way too hot,my answer is don't barbel fish in very hot low water conditions but when you have so called experts making up every excuse in the book that they are doing the right thing then planting it all over Instagram Facebook etc so people think its ok,I would like to see a close season later than what it is and would save a lot of fish thanks ste
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Had my first Barbel fish 2 weeks ago.

Better to give Barbel anglers, especially new ones some information that might help. Rather than say nothing.
 
I for one am grateful that some people care to pass on tips to help us anglers.
Doesn’t mean we will all go and fish when conditions are not favourable, I’ve been angling on and off for 30yrs and still prepared to learn, on reading this post will help me care for fish better.
I caught my first barbel one week ago.
 
Graham Elliott said:
Especially in warmer water temperatures or an extended fight, barbel sometimes take a lengthy recovery time. A major sign is a fish that doesn't appear to be able to right itself.

Over and above good practice in resting and handling, and any photographing a way that can make a major difference follows.

Especially during the last part of the fight, drawing to the net with the fishes head possibly above the water, typically a fish will gulp air.

This can cause an increase of the normal bouyancy causing a fish unable to right itself.

So a way to quickly address this is when holding the fish in the net, with the head underwater, run your finger, or pair of fingers, quite firmly from the vent along the gut line to underneath the gills area.


You will probably see air expelled. Repeat another time if needed.

Continue to rest the fish that hopefully will be able to right itself soon afterwards. Wait until it strongly starts to kick strongly before releasing.

Generally smaller fish are OK. It's generally the larger ones that may need help.
Click to expand...
During my last trip to the Trent I had a barbel that was a little slow in recovering, (compared to the earlier ones caught)...
Then I remembered reading your post, ran a couple of fingers along the gut line and a few bubbles were expelled, repeated and the fish instantly came around a shot of like a rocket. Cheers Graham
 
Jon Frisby said:
Do you know what gets me this year is? Well known anglers photo graphing every fish they catch. This is now getting into mainstream Barbel fishing also...
Click to expand...
I snap in the net mainly scales are rarely used.
 
very rarely take pictures of fish. More often than not - the fish don’t even leave the water , I prefer to get in the water to net and unhook then let them rest until they recover , drop the net and let them go when they’re ready only if it’s close to a pb would I retain a fish in the net or go through the rigmarole of getting photos as I’m usually on my own
 
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