Trent barbel have anglers jumping for joy

Numbers of quality barbel continue to be caught from the mighty River Trent. Here are two of the best catches reported to us this week…

Mitchell Godfrey 16lb 7oz barbel

“For the last three weeks I’ve religiously fished this swim on the Trent for barbel. Despite using 18mm boilies I just couldn’t get past the bream and chub. I thought my chance had gone with the recent frosty nights and drop in water temperature, but I had to give it one more go. 

My swim was very quiet with no bites for hours but then out of the blue I got a couple of plucks.

I knew it was something special as it came in slow like a dead weight. I wasn’t disappointed and left that night with a new PB at 16lb 7oz.” 

Andrew Waddingham 16lb barbel

“I haven’t wet a line for three months due to the Trent being in flood, and work commitments, so it was great to get out and treat my nephew Mason to a trip.

We settled in a deep swim but by 6.45pm we hadn’t had a single bite!

Then out of nowhere my upstream rod ripped over and the reel went into meltdown. As I lifted into it I said to Mason: ‘this is a BIG fish.’

When the scales ripped over to 16lb I was jumping for joy, literally running up and down the bank shouting ‘get in there you beauty!”