One of the "Big" river Lot barbel!

[Deleted member 2708]

I have struggled to catch a barbel of any size from what I would consider the best looking barbel swim I have found. Whilst trying I have caught carp, well just one of 13lb and lost two much bigger in the boulders.

So I decided to try again and got up early for a dawn start. Just enough flow showing , perhaps, to get a fish feeding....

After about an hour my heavy rod, fishing amongst the boulders, showed a few strong nods. Each time the rod straightened and I felt sure a fish had sucked the paste wrap off my double boilie bait.

I decided to keep patience and had confidence the boilies would eventually be taken. Then the rod walloped forwards and the baitrunner did its job, a solid fish was hooked!

This time it was a barbel - FINALLY! My first from this swim after several attempts.....

OK, it was only 7 lbs 6 ozs - but big for this river. Average size barbel on the Lot is about 4 lbs with many only about 1 lb this year.

Due to the carp and the boulders I had to step up my tackle for this swim. Century Boron Stealth 2.75lb tc rod was overkill for barbel, but this fish still had it doubled over for a few minutes. Having lost carp from the beach swim, I had also moved to the opposite bank where a landing stage gave me some height to keep my line out of the snags.

Now to see if I can pull a few more out from this weir. Great expectations!

 

[John Care]

What a glorious looking place!

 

[Neil Smart]

What a glorious looking place!

Seconded.

 

[Jon Frisby]

Looka amazing

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Well done Steve

I feel your pain regards the lack of good sized barbel. This year has been a real struggle because of the weather. I managed one of 7lb 4oz last week and it and the others I caught looked decidedly maigre. The 7lb ought really to have been at least two pounds heavier. There hasn't been as much weed or insect life in local rivers which could be the reason.

When it grows into its tail it might scrape 10lb

 

[Deleted member 2708]

Well done Steve

I feel your pain regards the lack of good sized barbel. This year has been a real struggle because of the weather. I managed one of 7lb 4oz last week and it and the others I caught looked decidedly maigre. The 7lb ought really to have been at least two pounds heavier. There hasn't been as much weed or insect life in local rivers which could be the reason.
View attachment 16449

When it grows into its tail it might scrape 10lb

Maybe we should encourage the carp anglers to throw a few hundredweight of HNV boilies into our barbel swims! French anglers seem reluctant to chuck their money in the river, maybe a strategy to encourage the UK and German anglers here would reap rewards?

Just a bit of "lateral thinking" which may have some unwanted effects as well, thinking the crowded banks on some English rivers!

 

[Clive Kenyon]

I would rather have my barbel swims 'sans carpistes' svp.

I got a bit despondant a couple of years ago thinking that I'd never crack the French double, but I am a lot more optimistic now. I am concentrating in two specific areas, one in the Charente and the other in the Vienne and the average catch size is going up. I've even taken some new mole trapping jobs in in these areas so I can spend more time searching out new swims at the customer's cost.

I had four hours in a new swim this afternoon. It looked perfect, an island had constricted the flow into half the normal width. The depth was ideal and it looked like virgin water. No bites, but worth another couple of sessions.

 

[Deleted member 2708]

Most of the barbel I have caught on the Lot are distinctly lean. This one was full bodied and solid, not fat but healthy.

I sometimes wonder if the lean barbel are carrying parasites, some look "stunted" with very big heads and skinny bodies.

Here is the first I caught on the Lot when I fished at Praysacc......

and the consistently healthiest looking fish caught at Cajarc.......

Still waiting on the Cajarc barbel appearing this year. I think they head upriver to spawn and do not return until well after the holiday season and its water skiers and jet-skis have been taken out. The Cajarc pool was particularly busy with tourists this year!.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

I find that the barbel of the rivers I fish are very lean up to around 5lb then fatten up. This year the larger fish have been mainly on the lean side. There is a distinct lack, of weed and flies this year due to the cool, wet summer.

This was the first one I caught in the Vienne

And a Charente fish from earlier this year.

Both are healthier than the ones caught this summer.

 

[Richard Isaacs]

I find that the barbel of the rivers I fish are very lean up to around 5lb then fatten up. This year the larger fish have been mainly on the lean side. There is a distinct lack, of weed and flies this year due to the cool, wet summer.

This was the first one I caught in the Vienne
View attachment 16465

And a Charente fish from earlier this year.
View attachment 16466

Both are healthier than the ones caught this summer.

Second pic looks fantastic
I Love seeing them laid up next to traditional looking rods n pins.

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men,

France is the theatre of dreams for anglers . I sat below Saint Junien last week on an empty stretch , with fish topping everywhere, there looks to be miles of untouched stretches .

Hatter

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Hi men,

France is the theatre of dreams for anglers . I sat below Saint Junien last week on an empty stretch , with fish topping everywhere, there looks to be miles of untouched stretches .

Hatter

You ought to have given me a shout Mark. That is my nearest stretch of river. If you were on the Il de Chaillac stretch where there is an iron bridge leading to an island, then there is some good carp fishing there, but you have to walk a fair bit.

The problem, as has been mentioned before, is finding and then accessing fishable swims. A lot of swims that look fishy can't be fished due to trees, high banks, weeds, etc. The best barbel fishing on the Vienne is below L'Isle Jourdain, but I have had one 9lb barbel from my home stretch and some nice carp.

Next time that you are over let me know and I'll give you a tour of the likely places.

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men,

The bit I sat on was below the town , down a little track to the waterworks . Really looks the part , but it all does .
L'Isle Jourdain area is my next target for a day or two in April , above or below the aquaduct type crossing , will give you a shout and have a BFW beer .

Hatter

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Just upstream of that track, the other side of the small river is a row of terrace houses. There are some steps down the right hand side of the houses that leads to the confluence. That is probaby the best swim in the whole area. The carp in the photo with the Speedia is one of around 12 to 14 different doubles from that swim along with an 8lb barbel and 5lb chub. It is a snag pit, but well worth the hassle.

The viaduct at the L'Isle is far too popular for my liking. Just like Jousseau. There are better, quieter places that suit my short session, daytime only approach.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

P.s. Mine's a pint!

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men ,

Top Budget , fantastic stuff

Hatter