Warwickshire Avon - Autothaumaturgists and Authoritarianisms

Now Albuttbarbelbutt (a nickname given by Sam) is a Warwickshire Avon Barbel of brobdingnagian proportions, a fish any angler, especially one that targets this species from time to time would love to catch, however thus far it has been seen but not banked despite seeing it in plain sight a couple of times now.

Now although barbel can be caught all year round, some anglers prefer to fish for them during the colder winter months. At this time of year the most important factor is the lack of weed.

Often in the summer, the angler is winding in a weed-bed rather than a fighting fish, and as a result he is having to use stronger tackle than normal to drag a fish out of weed or to prevent it getting into the weed-bed in the first place.

However, winter is different because you can use tackle appropriate tor the fish itself. Furthermore, winter river fish appear fitter and fight harder, perhaps because to combat the stronger flows during this time of the year they are constantly ‘working out’.

You must not fish winter rivers as though you are in a pegged-down match. It is vitally important to keep on the move, because you must search out where the fish are feeding rather than attempting to bring the few feeding fish to you.

There is no doubt that the barbel angler has to pick the right day to go fishing in winter, although certain conditions can be quite reliable. When choosing your fishing trip, always look for deep depressions in the weather pattern, especially if
they are accompanied by rain, strong south-westerly winds and air temperatures rising into the upper 10 degrees. 

Do not fish within three days of a frost, and choose windy days rather than windless ones. When it comes to the state of the river itself, barbel and roach do not seem to mind coloured water, whereas chub and pike do. Often you will find barbel and chub in the same swim. 

 

When this is the case, it is possible to entice a barbel to take your bait first. luncheon meat is a good bait form achieving this because barbel seem to be quicker in taking it. Another ploy is to feed mashed bread above the swim, and this will have the effect of dragging the chub away, and you must keep loose-feeding luncheon meat in your own swim.

For for this session the conditions looked ideal, the river was dropping the water temperature certainly high enough for a barbel to feed. So a quick smash and grab session this to 'the swim' which is on a bend over gravel, so ideal for a barbel to come out when it felt confident to search for food.

So a pva bag of garlic cheese pellets was lowered in to the swim and a paste wrapped boilie on a long hair was the chosen bait.

 To cut a long story short, dusk came and went and it was only an hour in to dark when the bites started, and sadly not barbel, but chub. Some proper whacking bites on the tip but none hooked themselves despite how determined they were.

I had a curfew time and I would suspect if I made a rig adjustment I'd have probably banked one, but I decided to leave them for another session. Still nice to be out and it breaks up the monotonous week. Albuttbarbelbutt as elusive as ever