How to Catch Barbel in U.K. Rivers
Why Go Barbel Fishing?
Many anglers regard barbel as the hardest-fighting U.K. freshwater fish. When you hook a barbel, it feels like you are connected to a torpedo! They will give you a fight to remember and put a bend in your rod. They don’t want to give up. Try barbel fishing, and you’ll be hooked!
Barbel: The Species and Distribution
You can find barbel in many rivers throughout England. They are also found in some Welsh rivers and even in Scotland. (You will find a list of day ticket locations at the end of this article.)
They are also stocked in many commercial fisheries.
In this article, we focus on fishing for barbel in rivers, their natural home.
Barbel are sleek, muscular fish that are perfectly designed for rivers. They have strong stabilising dorsal and tail fins and large pectoral fins, which they use to hold themselves in strong currents. Their heads are elongated, and they have a snout that they use to turn over stones and gravel to get to food.
Probably their most recognisable feature is their barbules. The word barbules is derived from Latin ‘barbula’ (“little beard”).
Barbules are thick, whisker-like extensions around their mouths, which are sensory organs, used to detect food.
British Record Barbel
The current British Record barbel (at 2023) is 21lb 2oz, caught from the River Rother, West Sussex, in November 2019.
Barbel Habitat
Although barbel can be found in all parts of a river, there are some useful pointers that can help you locate them. Early in the season, they can often be found in the shallower stretches. Later in the season, they spread throughout the river system, including the deeper parts.
Gravelly, oxygenated sections are always worth targeting, and weir pools are particularly good areas.
In many rivers, barbel hides itself under cover, like overhanging trees and undercut banks. This is especially true for clear, shallow rivers. They stay there during the daytime and only venture out into other parts of the river when it gets dark.
Barbel Fishing Gear
Gear for barbel fishing needs to be robust, and although you can catch them on light, balanced tackle, strong rods and reels with plenty of cranking power are recommended.
Barbel Fishing Rods
River Conditions
The type of terminal tackle you’re using and the current river conditions will influence your choice of rod and reel.
When you need to use heavy feeders or leads to hold in powerful river flows, you need strong, powerful rods to handle this. Fast flows, floodwater and tidal conditions require heavier test curve rods of 2.25lb test curve or more.
If you are fishing smaller feeders or leads or in rivers with a less powerful flow, 1.75lb rods can be sufficient. Recommended rod length: 12–14 ft.
For small rivers, or when freelining baits, and rolling meat, lighter rods of 1.25lb might be more suitable.
Recommended rod lengths are 9–12 ft.
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Casting Distance
Longer, more powerful rods are required for casting long distances with heavy feeders or leads. If you are only casting short distances, you can get away with shorter, less beefy rods.
Barbel Size
The size of the barbel, which you are targeting, also plays a part. Fishing with rods that are too light can result in you not being able to control the fish and also unnecessarily long fights, which can exhaust the fish.
Bear in mind that even small barbel can put up a heck of a scrap on powerful rods.
Reels for Barbel Fishing
As with rods, reels also need to match the type of fishing and conditions in which you are fishing. Heavy feeders and leads require strong mainlines and powerful reels to retrieve them.
Reels with a good drag system and plenty of cranking power are recommended. 6000 size reels are normally suitable, and bigger, more powerful reels are for more extreme conditions.
Unless you are holding onto your rods, a good bait runner is essential, as bites can be savage.
Mainlines
Mainlines are dictated by fishing conditions, too. For freelining and rolling meat, a minimum of 8lb line is suggested.
For medium feeders and leads: 10 lb.–12 lb.
Floodwater and other extreme conditions: 12-15lb.
The type of riverbed also needs to be considered. In snaggy, rocky rivers, use stronger lines to reduce the possibility of being snapped off.
Abrasion resistance: look for lines with good abrasion resistance.
Korum Barbel Line is a specially designed line for barbel fishing.
Barbel Fishing Hooks
Go for specially designed barbel or carp hooks. These will be made from forged steel and be able to put up with the rigours of hard fighting barbel as well as rocky riverbeds.
Hook sizes vary depending on the brand, but a range of hook sizes from 14 to 6 should cover most types of barbel fishing.
Barbel Fishing Techniques
Freelining for Barbel
This technique is the simplest of all: just a hook on the line, with a large lump of meat, paste, pellet or boilie as bait.
You swing or cast out the bait into an area where you think that barbel might be lying. The bait gently falls through the water and comes to rest on the riverbed. It might waft in the current. It is the most natural way of presenting a bait, with no terminal tackle visible to the fish.
If you need a bit more casting weight, you can add a swan shot to the line.
Casting distance is limited with this kind of fishing.
Rolling Meat for Barbel
Rolling meat is a type of freelining, where a chunk of luncheon meat or something similar is cast out and allowed to bounce down the current. It is a roving approach where large areas of the river can be explored.
Some anglers recommend using braided line when rolling meat because of the increased sensitivity it provides, which enables them to detect even the slightest plucks.
Swan shot or plasticine can be added to the line for more casting weight if required.
As you will be holding the rod for extended periods of time, shorter, more lightweight rods are recommended.
Feeder Fishing for Barbel
How much weight is necessary to keep the bottom in the river flow will determine the sizes of the feeder and lead. A 2oz feeder is a good starting point.
As the power and flow of the river increase, you will need to increase the weight of your feeder. Feeders can be obtained in 4oz-6oz and even 8oz for extreme conditions.
Two Popular Rigs for Barbel Fishing
Running Rig
Running rigs are widely used for barbel fishing. Your feeder or lead is attached to a clip that runs freely up and down your line.
This rig can reduce the risk of fish feeling resistance when they take your bait as the line runs through the eye of the clip, rather than the fish immediately feeling the weight of the feeder or lead.
Several fishing tackle manufacturers sell run rigs, including Korum and Drennan.
Helicopter Rig
Helicopter rigs allow your hook bait to rotate around the main line during casting, which makes it much less prone to tangling.
You can buy helicopter rig components from Korum and ESP.
Fish-Safe Rigs
When creating your rig, it is important to ensure that, in case of a break, the fish will not be tethered or carrying a lead or feeder around with them.
Examine your rig and ascertain what needs to happen if a fish is tethered or the line snaps at various points along your rig or reel line.
Examples:
Using a hook link with a lower breaking strain than your mainline.
Your feeder or lead should be able to quickly drop off by running down your line when your line snaps. Avoid anything that prevents it from sliding off your line, like putting feeders inside loops or using large swivels above the feeder.
Hair Rigs
Hair rigs are effective for barbel fishing. A long hair rig can reduce bites from chub as they often mouth your bait without fully taking the hook into their mouths, whereas barbel tend to suck the whole hair rig into their mouths.
It isn’t a foolproof way of avoiding bites from chub, but it might help.
Float Fishing for Barbel
Float fishing for barbel is exhilarating. Use a large Loafer float or Chubber float with meat or pellets on the hook. It is an especially good technique for exploring shallow runs earlier in the season and can be used to trot under overhanging trees.
Hook-Link Materials for Barbel Fishing
Braided Hook-Link
Braid is a popular choice for hook-link material when barbel fishing. Green and brown materials help camouflage the hook link. Many braids are supple and have good abrasion resistance.
They have a small diameter for their respective braking strains.
They can be prone to tangling. Coated braid reduces the chances of this and adds abrasion resistance. Stripping back a section of the coating nearest to the hook can maintain suppleness at this part of the rig while maintaining the qualities of the rest of the hook link.
Small spools of this material can be expensive.
Monofilament Hook-Link
Monofilament is a widely used material that is low-cost, supple, and easy to tie.
Some brands offer more abrasion-resistant qualities than others. Be cautious with some ‘high-tech’ lines, which, although small in diameter for their braking strain, can be prone to snapping more easily because they have limited stretch. They also offer less abrasion resistance.
Fluorocarbon Hook-Link
Fluorocarbon, although thicker than most equivalent breaking strains of monofilament, is often more abrasion-resistant, stiffer and has a similar refractive index to water, which makes it less visible than traditional monofilament in water.
Fluorocarbon is more expensive than monofilament but can be useful when targeting wary barbel in clear water.
Rod Rests: An Important Consideration When Barbel Fishing
Barbel takes are often savage and come unexpectedly. The first thing that you see is your rod hooping over. Good rod rests are needed to prevent your rod from being pulled into the water.
High-sided, V-shaped front rod rests help retain the rod when barbel takes the bait. Look for rod rests that limit the possibility of line snagging on them. Choose non-angular designs with an in-built notch where lines can run freely.
Clip-in or cup-shaped butt rod rests also add extra security.
Floodwater Barbel Fishing (Safety Advice)
Barbel fishing can be particularly good when the river is carrying extra water. In such conditions, barbel appears to be more active and less inhibited.
When fishing in these conditions, safety is paramount. Choose your swim wisely, which will provide you with a safe place to sit and land your fish. It’s best to fish in areas that you already know well. Be aware of undercut banks and banks suffering from erosion. Ideally, avoid steep banks and fish on the shallower side of the river (such as the inside of bends) and cast into deep water.
Carefully watch the water level. Mark or make a mental note of the height of the river and monitor it throughout your session. It is sometimes surprising just how fast a river can rise. Don’t let this catch you out.
When fishing in floodwater conditions, casting close to the bank reduces the amount of debris that builds up on your line and targets fish sheltering out of the main current.
Night Fishing for Barbel: Comfort and Safety
On many rivers, fishing into the dark can be the most productive time to fish for barbel. They are more active and less wary in the dark. In many rivers, especially clear rivers or those with high predation, barbel remains hidden in tree roots and undercut banks during the day, only venturing out when it goes dark.
You might fish all day without a bite, and then at witching hour, your rod hoops over and you latch on to a barbel.
Fishing in the dark requires preparation. A good head torch is necessary, and a separate backup lantern-style torch is handy.
Get familiar with the bank side during daylight hours, and then you’ll know its features.
Get your gear prepared and organised so that you can easily find everything you need.
Even in summer, nighttime temperatures can fall sharply, so take some extra layers with you.
Isotopes
Isotopes are small items that can be attached to your rod tips. They glow in the dark, and the illumination lasts for years. You see the isotope suddenly move when you get a bite.
They are inexpensive, but they last a long time.
Occasionally, your line can wrap around the isotope, causing damage to the isotope or rod tip.
Staring at isotopes on your rod tips can be tiring, and after a while, you can start to imagine them moving against the black background of the sky.
Glow Sticks
A similar and much cheaper option are ‘glow sticks’, which only glow in the dark when they are slightly bent, which activates a chemical reaction inside them. Glow sticks dim and stop working after a while, but they can be useful for those on a budget and for shorter sessions.
Bite Alarms
Just like in carp fishing, bite alarms are an effective way of indicating bites in the dark. They are more relaxing to fish with. You can do other things that don’t require you to constantly stare at your rod tips.
A downside is that they can be expensive and require batteries. They are also noisy to use unless you turn off the volume and rely on the flashing lights (or vibrating remote control, if you have one with your set) to indicate and bite.
Hook Baits for Barbel
As a general guide, use large, smelly baits at night, when the river is coloured or in flood, and smaller baits in hard-fished, low, clear rivers.
There are always exceptions, but this is a good starting point.
Meaty, garlicky, and fish flavours are typically used for barbel baits, although you can also catch them on fruity flavours, too.
Good meat baits are luncheon meat, Bacon Grill, Peperami, hot dogs and meat balls.
Boilies: sizes 12–15 mm and occasionally larger. Source, Robin Red, and Krill and Crayfish are worth trying.
Pellets: 10-15mm and 8mm in hard-fished, low, clear rivers. Halibut pellets are a favourite.
Groundbait for Barbel
You can often buy groundbaits and pellets to match your hook baits. Dampened or scalded pellets can be used in your feeder. Use a variety of sizes to vary breakdown rates and keep fish grubbing along the riverbed.
Hemp is an excellent attractant and holds fish in your pegs. I’d always add this in decent quantities to pellets and groundbait.
Casters are an excellent barbel bait and can be used in feeders and on the hook.
Make Sure Barbel Fully Recover
Barbel fight extremely hard and give their all. It’s important to make sure that they are fully recovered before releasing them. A good tip is to leave them in the landing net after capturing them without immediately taking them out of the water. Let them rest for a good ten minutes before taking them out to take photos or weigh them. You can then put them back in the landing net until they are fully recovered.
Be aware that in summer, when water temperatures are high and oxygen levels are low, barbel take much longer to recover. In extended periods of hot temperatures, many anglers purposely don’t fish for barbel to avoid causing them stress and to prevent fatalities.
Barbel Fishing Locations: Day-Ticket Venues
You can buy day tickets for some popular barbel fishing venues. Here are a few examples:
Barbel Fishing on the River Wye
The River Wye was voted the nation’s favourite river in 2010. The fishing passport scheme has sixty beats on the Wye and its tributaries for you to book online here:
https://www.fishingpassport.co.uk/fishing/wye
Barbel Fishing on the River Severn
Shrewsbury Town fisheries offer several stretches of the River Severn, which you can book online:
https://shrewsburytownfisheries.co.uk/fisheries/
Barbel Fishing on the Hampshire Avon
The Royalty Fishery in Christchurch is an iconic fishery. Day tickets can be bought from Davis Tackle in Christchurch. Here is a link to the shop’s website:
https://www.davistackle.co.uk/
Barbel Fishing on the River Trent
Collingham stretch (tidal): https://collinghamaa.co.uk/fees/
Fiskerton stretch: https://barnsleyfishing.uk/permits/
Barbel Fishing on the River Swale, North Yorkshire
Cundall Lodge: https://www.cundall-lodgefarmfishery.co.uk/
Summary
Fishing for barbel is exhilarating.
Many rivers are home to these hard-fishing fish.
Barbel fishing gear needs to be robust.
Barbel can be caught with a variety of baits and techniques.
In many rivers, fishing into darkness can be effective.
Fish-safe rigs and giving barbel time to recover are essential.
Stay safe and enjoy your barbel fishing.
Tight lines.
Important Gear for Barbel Fishing
Waders are an essential piece of fishing gear when river fishing. Find out more about what to look for when buying waders and how to take care of them in our article:
What to Look for When Buying Fishing Waders
Other articles that you might enjoy:
River Fishing
Chub: Fish Species Guide
© 000fishing – Mark Elliott – All Rights Reserved
- Customised to suit the needs of the modern big-fish river angler. Complete with white tips for bite detection
