Small barbel boost

I LOVE to fish rivers, and one of the most pleasing elements of this season has been the number of small barbel that I have found.

In previous years, the smallest I would land in a season would be around 7lb. It made me wonder if big fish were not spawning and producing the smaller barbel that are required for a healthy future.

But thankfully all that has changed. I’ve lost count of the fish weighing 3lb or under that I have caught from Midlands rivers.

This is clear proof that barbel are successfully breeding in our waterways. Gareth Newton, Derby