River Kennet - Newbury

0830 - 1145

Warm (ish) and overcast with milky sunshine. River low and clear.

1 Barbel; 5lb 6oz, 2 Perch (both circa 1lb - possibly the same one!), 15 Dace, 4 Roach, 1 Gudgeon, 1 Grayling and a Brownie - un-weighed but must have been close to 2lb...

At last a barbel on the float - but in truth I'd all but given up on getting one and had other plans for this morning's trip! I was in a couple of swims that have given me pike trouble over the last few visits so I actually started with 20mins in each swim throwing a lure around. No interest at all - and no pike attacks when I switched to trotted maggot - so the barbel was a VERY welcome surprise!