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Record Barbel

To me, national records are (almost totally) immaterial. I've almost as little interest in a new record for barbel as I have for carp records. One of the reasons for this is, I don't fish the rivers/areas concerned ...so I'm 'unconcerned'.
To me, P.B's vastly trump national records. That is, overall P.B's, river P.B's, and even 'stretch P.B's (e.g. Upper, Middle, Lower sections of a river)
It may be somewhat, maybe highly, parochial but again, the 'value' of fish caught from rivers I'm never likely to fish is about the same as fish caught from say France or Spain etc.
All that said ... now if an 18lb'er came out of the Lower Severn, that would pique my interest. You can only catch what's in front of you, and 'glory' I do not want ;)
 
All comes down to personal preference, really.
I seldom, if ever, weigh any fish, but i might measure the length, as I'm basically a river trout fly angler.
I just love getting out and catching, and if a decent one comes along, all the better, but I'm not bothered about pb's etc.
If people want to chase specimens, fair play, whatever floats your boat.
 
Terry Simner said:
To me, national records are (almost totally) immaterial. I've almost as little interest in a new record for barbel as I have for carp records. One of the reasons for this is, I don't fish the rivers/areas concerned ...so I'm 'unconcerned'.
To me, P.B's vastly trump national records. That is, overall P.B's, river P.B's, and even 'stretch P.B's (e.g. Upper, Middle, Lower sections of a river)
It may be somewhat, maybe highly, parochial but again, the 'value' of fish caught from rivers I'm never likely to fish is about the same as fish caught from say France or Spain etc.
All that said ... now if an 18lb'er came out of the Lower Severn, that would pique my interest. You can only catch what's in front of you, and 'glory' I do not want ;)
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Cracking post Terry, yeah I agree. For me it’s all about the areas of barbel fishing I enjoy the most. If I was a numbers man I certainly wouldn’t be targeting barbel. I’d be more inclined to tackle carp or even pike.
I target barbel for the bite and the fight. Nothing in British waters from my experience can whack a rod tip round like a barbel and as for pulling back........ As we know all to well, do they ever!!!!! The size and weight to me doesn’t mean the biggest fish was the best fish it’s just the biggest.
My biggest this season is a beautiful nene specimen of just under 14lb. My best this season and best for quite a few seasons was another nene fish of 10lb 12oz.
Here she is in the mat.
4C6267F6-8DD1-4708-9E4A-0FC4A53A0617.jpeg

That was the fighter of all fights
She pulled the rest out the bank on the take, she tore half the spool off the reel on the bolt and she pulled back and hard for every minute
3 attempts at the net.
On my toes was an understatement. I’d sooner catch more of these than a potentially bigger but lazier fish.
That’s why I only ever fish for barbel. Nothing else compares imo.
 
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Joe Winstanley said:
I've often wondered what it must feel like to have caught a record fish. I'm pretty sure the captor must have felt completely elated at the time of the capture to have caught such a wonderful fish, and even just witnessing such a capture must feel like a real privilege, and he's probably seriously chuffed that its now been ratified as a official record. But I've often wondered what how catching a record fish could change an anglers mindset.

Obviously most anglers don't go fishing for records, but every time that rod tip hoops over, or my bite alarm sounds (if I'm fishing for other species) there always a that spark of excitement/anticipation that this could be 'the one', and by that I mean PB. I wonder if knowing that it's near impossible that it would be bettered would change things a bit?

Anyway, nice problem to have, first world problems and all that..please excuse the stream of consciousness...I'd better get back to my hastily arranged tour of Suffolk's religious architecture...now is that Phil's van parked over there?
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I was very lucky to witness a British record in 1993 to a friend of mine . Yes I was one of my angling highs ( I been very lucky) but that day change the river. Fair play for such a massive barbel. Trouble is the background gives it away
 
Richard Booty said:
I lost a year of life chasing a dream on the Ivel and it sucked the love of barbel fishing out of me. On one session the fishermen either side of me had both held the barbel record at one stage, and just a couple of swims down was the Perch record holder. To top it all this all took place a stones throw from Dick Walkers back garden (where I believe his widow still lives)
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The ivel was never an easy river even at its prime.
When you did get one it was nearly always a decent double. My pb down there wasn’t considered a huge fish to the ivel regulars.
I wasted 3/4 of a season at fishers green river lea.
Must of had 25 blanks in a row. Then my last 2 sessions at the back end of March saw 2 x 13lbers in the net. I just couldn’t land on a fish holding swim to save mi life until then.
 
Great fish, fair play to the captor for claiming it,. but I would imagine his mates are not happy, the trophy hunters will be there en masse, camped out until march 14th. Not my scene, but it is for a very large number of people, the only plus being it will leave my own fishing somewhat quieter, and who knows just what lurks there!
I would not be surprised if this new record does not last long, several rivers are more than capable, Thames, Trent, and Hants Avon for starters, whether it will be claimed is another matter
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Cracking post Terry, yeah I agree. For me it’s all about the areas of barbel fishing I enjoy the most. If I was a numbers man I certainly wouldn’t be targeting barbel. I’d be more inclined to tackle carp or even pike.
I target barbel for the bite and the fight. Nothing in British waters from my experience can whack a rod tip round like a barbel and as for pulling back........ As we know all to well, do they ever!!!!! The size and weight to me doesn’t mean the biggest fish was the best fish it’s just the biggest.
My biggest this season is a beautiful nene specimen of just under 14lb. My best this season and best for quite a few seasons was another nene fish of 10lb 12oz.
Here she is in the mat.
View attachment 9483
That was the fighter of all fights
She pulled the rest out the bank on the take, she tore half the spool off the reel on the bolt and she pulled back and hard for every minute
3 attempts at the net.
On my toes was an understatement. I’d sooner catch more of these than a potentially bigger but lazier fish.
That’s why I only ever fish for barbel. Nothing else compares imo.
Click to expand...
If you want to feel real power (if you havent already ? ) I would urge you to just once in your life while you still can go to Spain and catch a catfish from the river Ebro
nothing and I mean nothing can prepare you for the power of 3 figure catfish
apparently they can swim as fast backwards as they can frontwards ? if you lockup the clutch they would drag you in the river with no problem Ive only done it once for a week as it was a bucket list thing and after I had caught a couple I took a carp rod and bugged off downstream and fished for the carp for the rest of the week but its a feeling I will never forget bit like hooking a truck that roars off lol
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Cracking post Terry, yeah I agree. For me it’s all about the areas of barbel fishing I enjoy the most. If I was a numbers man I certainly wouldn’t be targeting barbel. I’d be more inclined to tackle carp or even pike.
I target barbel for the bite and the fight. Nothing in British waters from my experience can whack a rod tip round like a barbel and as for pulling back........ As we know all to well, do they ever!!!!! The size and weight to me doesn’t mean the biggest fish was the best fish it’s just the biggest.
My biggest this season is a beautiful nene specimen of just under 14lb. My best this season and best for quite a few seasons was another nene fish of 10lb 12oz.
Here she is in the mat.
View attachment 9483
That was the fighter of all fights
She pulled the rest out the bank on the take, she tore half the spool off the reel on the bolt and she pulled back and hard for every minute
3 attempts at the net.
On my toes was an understatement. I’d sooner catch more of these than a potentially bigger but lazier fish.
That’s why I only ever fish for barbel. Nothing else compares imo.
Click to expand...
Yep they go at that size, the bigger ones different type of fight low and heavy, but just as exilerating imo.
 
Neil Smart said:
I think that some would not claim it Derek.
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I’d be more than happy to catch one but I wouldn’t want to claim it as I wouldn’t want everyone and their dogs turning up ruining the stretches I fish. Although I think it’s safe to say I’m not gonna catch any records fishing the middle Severn anyway
 
Well done to the Man, fantastic fish ! .............. The Photo ... I get the feeling he's not used to taking photos of big fish, he's probably a sort that just isn't into taking pictures of his catches... The church ? .... I doubt he would've given it a second thought, or even a first one ! I don't believe a date of 7th November, possibly October, But it's the record and a fantastic fish, Well done again ! 👍
 
Came to the Ivel long after the big girl had been Ottered. I've had one pristine Barbel about 8lb in 3 yrs . Plenty of big Chub, some lovely Roach and several Perch to about 4lb. All on maggots. 5
The signs stating "no wading, no fishing after 7.00pm in winter and no bivvys after the circus left after the Otterings don't bother me one bit.
It's a great bit of river, much improved by the lack of PB chasing Barbel anglers in my opinion.
At least I don't have to compete with Barbel fanatics to try for a 2lb Roach, a 4lb Perch or a 7lb Chub.
I don't usually carry scales.
To quote the late great Dick Walker, "I don't really care if a fish had a shit yesterday, a fish is a fish."
Or similar.
 
Derek Funcks said:
What a load of crap, not one person on a barbel forum, wants to be the barbel record holder ????? Sorry, but i just can't believe that for one second.
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I’d love for my PB to be that big... but I wouldn’t be bothered about it being a national record, which I think is the difference and the point others are also making.

I fish the Thames, so you never really know what’s going to turn up, but if I was fortunate enough to catch something that huge (not even come close so far, so highly unlikely!), I wouldn’t bother to claim it. As long as I could share the enjoyment of it with close friends, that would be more than enough for me. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want to catch it though! 😊

Absolutely no judgement on the captor though - a fantastic achievement and one for him to enjoy however he pleases! We’re lucky that he shared the story, basically
 
Fair enough Neil, but, being a member of a non disclossure society, i would have to concore,. but if it was my choice, i would scream it from the roof tops.
 
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