Species › Europe, UK & Ireland · Freshwater › Barbel

Freshwater

Barbel

Barbus barbus · Common barbel, Whisker, Barbeau

Water temp
57–72°F
Peak season
Jun–Oct
Best light
Dawn · Dusk
IGFA record
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Barbel (Barbus barbus2.jpg)

Photo: Gilles San Martin · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Barbel are long, torpedo-shaped fish with a flat belly, an underslung mouth, four fleshy barbels and large, orange-tinted lower fins. They are native to rivers from England and France across central Europe to the Danube and Dnieper, and have been widely stocked beyond that. They hold in fast, gravel-bottomed runs and weir pools, feeding mainly at dawn, dusk and after dark on insect larvae, crayfish, snails and anglers' pellets, often in groups. Barbel fishing is a specialist pursuit in the UK, where fish over 15 lb (7 kg) are caught each season and the power of a river barbel in current is legendary.

Typical size3–8 lb (1.5–3.5 kg); 20–28 in
Trophy12 lb+ (5.5 kg+); 15 lb+ is exceptional
Table fareMostly catch & release — roe is toxic and the flesh is bony

Where & when

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English rivers open June 16 after the spring close season, and barbel feed hardest in warm summer and autumn water; winter fish bite in mild spells with a rising river.

River Trent, United KingdomEngland's most prolific big-barbel riverRiver Wye, United KingdomFast, clear water and huge barbel numbersRiver Ebro, SpainMequinenza stretch; abundant barbel species

How to catch

Feeder fishing with pelletsCast a 2–4 oz feeder packed with halibut or fishmeal pellets to a gravel run and fish a hair-rigged 8–12 mm pellet or boilie on a 2–3 ft hooklink. Recast every 10–15 minutes early on to build a bed of feed, then sit on a rod with the tip bent and wait for the three-foot twitch.
Rolling meatFreeline or lightly weight a cube of luncheon meat and let it trundle along the bottom through a run, holding the line between your fingers. It covers water fast and is deadly in low, clear summer conditions.

Gear

Rod12' 1.75–2.25 lb test-curve barbel rod
Reel4000–5000 baitrunner spinning
Line12–15 lb mono main; 10–15 lb braid or fluorocarbon hooklink

Lures

Soft-plastic crayfish (rarely)Small jigSpinner (rarely effective)

Baits

Halibut pelletsBoiliesLuncheon meatMaggotsHemp

Regulations

England and Wales require an Environment Agency rod licence plus permission from the owner or club, with a statutory river close season from mid-March to mid-June; barbel are returned alive by law and custom. Continental rules vary by country.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: not listed. State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What is the best bait for barbel?

Fishmeal or halibut pellets and boilies are the modern standards, fished over a bed of hemp and pellets through a feeder. Luncheon meat remains deadly, especially rolled through runs in summer, and maggots in bulk will catch when nothing else works in winter. Match the bait size to the fish and the current.

Bite forecast — Barbel

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Barbel.

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