Tees barbel (3)

Date fished 7/9/2025

6am until 10am

I am enjoying the Tees barbel challenge. I chatted with an angler as I walked back to the car, he told me he caught a Tees barbel from the swim he was in a few weeks ago. It's an area, I have never even considered!!! 

I was back in the same swim as the previous trip. This time travelling even lighter as I was planning on wading mid river to present a moving bait in and below the faster water. 

I only had meat and spicy sausage for the hair. 

Third trundle down, the line went slack. I struck and the culprit pulled back. Head shaking and zig zagging around the current and I soon saw the lips! A while ago, I would of weighed this, but today it was just slipped back. 

I changed the line and pace of the rolling meat. I was using the korum touch ledger and at times (not always) I controlled the bait downstream. Parts were so fast, I had no control.

During one of the pacier trotting down, I noted the line was spooling really fast. I closed the bail arm and struck. I was correct, something had intercepted the rolling meat. 

A different fish from the first, however I think the same as last session. A noticeable scar on its flank, maybe from a heron or similar.  

The upstream wind was warm and strong, my rolling took a more static approach as I found dips and places the meat would sit. A few times it came back with corners missing. Something was having a nibble. Not the two pincers buggers, but some whiskered beauty, whom I am always pleased to catch.

I will take this as a sign that I am getting closer to the Tees barbel. 

"Tam prope, quantum longe"