Warwickshire Avon - Kimbaws and Kill Devils

One of the biggest Barbel I've ever set my eyes on is from this neck of the woods. A huge fish aptly named Albuttbarbelbutt by Sam sadly never to grace my hook.

I've tried for it a few times now when conditions have been favorable but the best I could muster up thus far is around 11lb. The fish that I've seen here was much bigger certainly hence why it's always remained on my radar.

Conditions seemed ideal for this early morning session where the water looked good enough for Augustus Gloop to take a dunking. Damp, dark and drizzly, autumn is certainly here.

When the water is like this apart from eels and the odd chub, a bite from a barbel is the best bet. I tend to tackle the few hours in the same way, put a bit of bait down in the first swim and then rove around to try and buy a bite if nothing is forthcoming.

If that isn't doing the business I usually return to the first swim and sit it out for the remainder of the session. A bed of bait down is a required to keep the fish if they are there occupied and it's a waiting game.

When I got bankside the river had clearly been over the banks and in the fields recently but the levels were perfect. The first swim downstream of a bend where I've caught Barbel before.

There is some nice thick cover which today was unrecognisable because of the levels, but close in there is a decent undercut where I've seen fish hold up in the summer.

A few casts of the feeder to get the bait out there and I'd fish a spicy boilie with a pungent paste wrap.

The first hour was uneventful so I decided to wander upstream and fish the bend swim. The problem was there was still debris coming down so I had to recast a few times till the frustration got the better of me.

Another swim, much the same so it was back to the first swim. The first indication came quite quickly which appeared to be a line bite rather than a pull on the bait, it certainly wasn't debris this time.

With the session coming to an end and the diary makers to please from out of nowhere the rod top goes from stationary to a violent take with a split second. I lifted the rod and already the fish had powered off downstream heading towards a snag.

With two hands on the rod I had to try and bully it away quickly but it was still taking line from the reel, I had no option but to put my right hand on the spool to override the drag, and sadly the hooked pulled. One bite one lost fish.

Damn !!!!

Thankfully I'm not sure it was the biggy because if the initial run, but it was certainly a good fish that's for sure.