Because the swim was just above a fallen tree that laid across the river and was fairly shallow I changed my normal tactics.

I cast out with a 16mm tough 1 pellet as hook bait and a big bag of 4mm halibut pellets. I was hoping that this would be enough to draw the Barbel up stream and away from the sanctuary of the fallen tree. The bait remained untouched for an hour so I re-baited and then started spraying a few 4mm pellets up stream so they drifted under the tree. After 30 minutes of this and right on dark the rod was nearly pulled from the rod rests as the Barbel tried to make the sanctuary of the tree. At 11lb 4oz it was my third double in as many trips to Burghfield and my third double on the tough S pellets.

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