GAME CHANGER Swim switch for big barbel
“AS TEMPERATURES begin to drop, it’s more comfortable for a barbel angler to focus on a single swim from the shelter of a bivvy. But by travelling light, staying active and baiting several swims during my latest session, I managed to bag a new PB River Nene barbel.
“I don’t normally fish Sundays because I prefer to spend time with my girlfriend on a day when we’re both free from work, but with a forecast of 16°C, heavy cloud cover, strong winds and low air pressure I felt this was one of those rare occasions when I just had to be out on the bank.
“So, after getting the okay from my very understanding girlfriend, I headed to the Nene, knowing that a bit of extra water from the recent rains would make fishing conditions even better.
“The area I had my eye on hadn’t got previous form for good barbel and so isn’t particularly popular, but I’d fished it before and liked the look of it. It’s a fair walk from the car park, though, so travelling light was the order of the day. I set off carrying the bare essentials of a rod, rest, net, and a ruckbag for my bait and tackle.
“Despite the unsavoury weather, the brolly stayed in the car.
“Following a 15-minute slog, I eventually reached the area, put down my kit and primed a few likely-looking areas with a small handful of Dynamite Baits 15mm Complex-T boilies, before fishing a few swims in turn.
“The first one that I tried resulted in some enthusiastic pulls from chub but nothing bigger, so I decided on a quick move to see if I could locate a barbel.
“I think I’d only been cast out in the new swim for 15 minutes before something big picked up my legered wafter, wrapped in matching paste.
“It was an absolutely thumping bite that smashed the rod over, and a typical big-barbel fight ensued, with plenty of powerful surges downstream.
“I knew from the off that I was attached to a good fish, and it certainly didn’t allow itself to be bullied quickly into the net, but by showing a bit of patience I was able to persuade it over the cord – and a new Nene PB of 15lb 8oz was mine!
“With little shelter around and gusts of wind blowing to well over 40mph, plus a few heavy rain showers thrown in for good measure, it might have been more comfortable to have stayed in just one swim under a brolly, but if I hadn’t have given myself a few swim options I’m certain I wouldn’t have caught.”
“I felt this was one of those rare occasions when I just had to be out on the bank”