River Trent Barbel Fishing - John McGough

I had my first trip to the River Trent the weekend and I must say this river is something special. A group of us booked the water for 48 hours as a social gathering as we don't often get together as much as we should. The 2 guys in the top pegs caught steadily all day whilst the other 3 of us fishing down below remained bite less until the evening. On my first night, my first fish came at 6.10 pm and I continued to catch steadily on Elips Pellets and Blitz Dumbells throughout the night until 5 am with a total of 24 barbel. This consisted of 7 doubles with the best 2 going 12lb 2oz & 13lb 4oz.

On the second night I decided to switch over to the River Rami Midi Dumbells soaked in the Rami Glug. On my local Hampshire Avon with such a low stock of fish its not often I've used this bait but I felt this would be a good test and fished them with confidence with broken Rami Boilies and Elips Pellets in the bags. The first fish came at 7.20 pm on the second evening and by the time I'd packed up at 6am I took a further 19 barbel with five 11 pounders among them.

I cannot imagine there being a more prolific barbel river in the country for shear numbers and size. The trip consisted of 43 fish with 12 doubles for me. I just may return next year for a reunion….

I must just add with a lot of the recent talk lately with low oxygen levels that every fish we all caught went back strongly with no problems whatsoever.