Tougher baits helped me smash my barbel PB - Adam Bassimeh
“Signal crayfish are a pain on the River Kennet, and love whittling down your hookbait to a crumb before a barbel has the chance to find it.
“During my latest session, though, a slight rig tweak and a change of hookbait helped me catch the greatest fish of my life. After a successful season of chub fishing on the Wasing Estate’s stretch of the Kennet last year, I decided to renew my ticket and have a proper go for the barbel.
“My first few trips were mostly short evening sessions, and although I managed three small barbel on running rigs and 16mm Sticky Krill boilies, I felt like I was only scratching the surface. Unless I had a bite, most of the time I’d be watching my rod-tips dance about as the crayfish dragged my rigs away from my baited areas.
Crayfish can be a nightmare on the River Kennet
“They were damaging my chances, and after a couple of blank sessions I decided to do something about it. I’d discovered Sticky made harder hookbaits called Tuff Ones, so I bought a pot of the 20mm versions and planned another evening trip to put them to use. I also swapped my free-running rigs for 2oz bolt rigs with long braided hooklinks, figuring this would make it harder for the crays to move them.
“That night I got down to the river for 8pm and fed a handful of boilies to a spot in my right-hand margin, and another to a far-bank tree. I cast my rigs over the top and sat back, watching the tips.
“The tell-tale taps revealed the crayfish had returned, although my rigs stayed put and I knew it would take them a while to chew through those 20mm baits! I don’t think five minutes passed before my near margin rod took off and I battled what turned out to be a 7lb barbel.
“My previous PB was only 6lb 7oz so I was happy with this one, but I’d no time to enjoy the moment because my other rod screamed off just seconds after slipping this fish back!
“I struck into what felt like a snag before this fish peeled off 30 yards of line as it headed downstream. Luckily there were no obstacles on my bank so I could follow it downriver and stay in touch with it. After a strong 30-minute scrap in the dark, she was mine.
“I kept staring at it and couldn’t believe what I’d just caught from this tiny, shallow stretch of river.
“On the scales she read 16lb 4oz, meaning I’d smashed my PB twice in an evening – what a session! My new rigs and hookbaits didn’t exactly keep the crays away, but they certainly thwarted them long enough for the barbel to arrive.”
Adam Bassimeh and his PB 16lb 4oz barbel from the River Kennet