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Datum bericht: 15-09-09
When I finally got the first view of the fish I could see it was a very long lean fighting fit barbel, Frans cried “double, that looks like a double” as he netted the fish.( a double is a milestone in English fishing it means a fish that weighs over 10 pounds)
After fighting a barbel it’s very important to let the fish rest in the net before unhooking and taking any measurements, barbel give up a lot of energy in the fight and need time to recover. Once on the scales my fish weighed 5.25kgs and after measuring twice to ensure a correct measurement was taken, a length of 87cm was recorded and agreed by myself Frans and another angler who had joined us.
The fish was allowed to rest before I safely returned it to fight another day, it was only then Frans told me I had just landed and returned a new Dutch record.
After my first visit to Holland in May 2009 to fish for barbel the chance to return in August was too good to miss, so I readily accepted the invitation from Frans Vogels and his lovely wife Tjitske. With my wife joining me on the trip it meant all day fishing sessions were out of the question and it was down to Frans and me to make the most of any spare time we had and fish short sessions whenever possible.
With the days passing by rapidly and after a thought provoking day visiting the museums and war graves in the Arnhem area, I was none too pleased, as with 3 or 4 hours to spare for an evening fishing session I was greeted by a strong wind and rain showers. Frans was all ready to stay at home but I persuaded him to join me on a trip to the Waal even if he didn’t want to fish.
With the days passing by rapidly and after a thought provoking day visiting the museums and war graves in the Arnhem area, I was none too pleased, as with 3 or 4 hours to spare for an evening fishing session I was greeted by a strong wind and rain showers. Frans was all ready to stay at home but I persuaded him to join me on a trip to the Waal even if he didn’t want to fish.
When fishing the Waal my best results have always come when I fish positively, so on our arrival I fed with some big balls of Sonubaits Hemp and Hali crush ground bait to this I added some wheat hemp corn and mixed seeds.
Using a 180grm feeder filled with the same mixture and a small piece of cheese on a hair rig with a size 8 Korum S3 hook. For hook length I use a 6kg mono, I don’t like flouro carbon or braid when fishing the Waal, the rocks will cut through it like a knife, for my mainline I use a 7kg mono.
Not much more than 2 minutes after casting out and a good bite was signalled on the rod tip and a lively barbel of around 2kgs was soon safely landed and returned. I checked the hooklink like I always do and found that it needed changing as it had been damaged on the rocks by the first barbel, I tied a new hooklink and recast with cheese again the bait.
The next bite was very positive and the hooked fish was pulling line from the baitrunner when I picked up the rod and struck firmly to set the hook. The strike met with the solid resistance of a well hooked big barbel using all its power and the power of the river to avoid being landed. I was glad I was using my Korum Neoteric rod with its powerful 2.2lb test curve top section, it gave me the power and control I needed as the fish continued to fight hard and deep. With every confidence in the rest of my tackle I played it hard and kept it moving trying to avoid it snagging me in the rocks, I slowly gained line until the backwash from a large barge forced the fish back out into the main flow.
The fact the fish measured 87cm doesn’t really mean a lot to me as in England we record the weight of our fish but not the length. I firmly believe and I think results have shown that the length of a fish although important says little about the importance of a fish compared to its weight. A fact proven since I caught the 87cm by Rinko who had an 85cm barbel but with a much higher weight of 15lb 2oz, a far more worthy fish than one of 11lb 8oz measuring 87cm
Many thanks to Tjitske and Frans for inviting me over and extra thanks for Frans for his help with the fishing. Also a big thanks to Rinko for the very kind e mails he sent after the capture.
I am already planning next year’s trips and hope to meet up with some of you Dutch barbel anglers very soon.
Many thanks to Tjitske and Frans for inviting me over and extra thanks for Frans for his help with the fishing. Also a big thanks to Rinko for the very kind e mails he sent after the capture.
I am already planning next year’s trips and hope to meet up with some of you Dutch barbel anglers very soon.
Hieronder het verslag wat ik van Ade Kiddell ontving, na de vangst van zijn nieuw Nederlands Barbeel Record gevangen op de Waal.
Ade Kiddell is consultant in Engeland voor Korum-Sonubaits, zijn verslagen konden we eerder al lezen op de site van Frans Vogels - en in de Witvis Totaal.
De website van Ade:
Ade Kiddell is consultant in Engeland voor Korum-Sonubaits, zijn verslagen konden we eerder al lezen op de site van Frans Vogels - en in de Witvis Totaal.
De website van Ade:
