Warwickshire Avon - Barbel and Bestiocracy

I've not managed any beasts from this stretch of the Warwickshire Avon yet, but it's an area where Barbel are in numbers, so for quick session like this after work one, it's ideal.

An angler in a very productive peg was biteless despite moving swims prior and a couple more maggot danglers downstream were not fairing any better it seemed.

The river a little out of sorts to be honest, clear again, dropped like a stone and the fishing ain't easy, especially at a reasonably pressured area.

But, as soon as the light goes headed in to dusk, things change, so with the rod made up, (glugged wafter and a pva of freebies) it was positioned in-between some streamer weed.

So with all but me bankside, after 10 minutes of this short hour and a half session the first indication, a tentative chub pull.

15 minutes till official dusk (well app on phone) another couple of pulls, but this time a Barbel me-thinks. Sure enough, another 5 minutes all hell breaks loose, the centrepins ratchet is screaming an a Barbel is on.

I'm still amazed at the fight they give, rod bend double, tip nearly touching the water, after a couple of premature attempted netting's the fish was eventually in the net, a proper scrap.

Rested in the net to recover and a quick pic the fish went 8lb 8oz for a few more bloggers points.

Now with a Lower Severn trip on the horizon and rods to be made up, next week I'm having a rig reccy at an area I can fish properly in to dark. Big Barbel bait this time though and the other rod will have a deadbait.

Next year I might even give Barbel a proper go to try and bank some bigger fish that I know reside in certain areas, a species that has my utmost respect.