Mixing It Up On The Trent - Andy Hull

This entry was posted on 3rd November, 2015

Since successfully opening the river season on the Trent banking 7 barbel, I’d been keen to go back for another go, so a week off in October had colleague Richard and I heading off down the A17 for a couple of nights on the bank.

We found the river running very low and clear, far from ideal, but undeterred we headed for swims at the far end of the stretch where Richard had been successful in the past.

I’d brought with me two new Advanta products to try, firstly a pair of the Advanta Discovery RVS Power Plus Rods, a 12’ 2lb test Barbel rod.

My choice of shelter was the new Advanta Low Rider Brolly. These are light to carry but have impressive coverage, giving excellent protection from the elements. Having spent several nights under one, I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them.

We were fishing with big heavy feeders out into the main flow of the river around three quarters of the way across, presenting either pellet or boilie hookbaits with glugged pellet in the feeder. I was very impressed with the RVS rods, easily capable of throwing the big feeders accurately time after time.



I’d been told that the river was also producing a few zander, having never fished for them before I was keen to have a go, so I’d also brought a predator outfit, presenting a small roach deadbait just into flow.

As soon as it got dark the bites started to come, unfortunately they were from bream rather than barbel. I’d just returned a third bream when the drop off indicator dropped on the zander rod and the line steadily peeled off. I struck and was into a fish, which on a light rod fought well. Keeping it away from a tree to my right, I soon had a nice zander in the net. Up on the scales it went 6lb 8oz. More than happy with this as a first zander, I fully intend to pursue them in the future.



The rest of the night only produced more bream, so the following morning we decided a move was called for. We headed to an area where the river was narrower and had more flow. An area where there aren’t usually too many barbel this time of year, but with the unusually low water conditions we felt they would still be there.

Just after dark Richard had a nice chub, then unfortunately lost a barbel to a snag. I still hadn’t had a bite at this point but kept recasting every hour to keep renewing the sent trail. I was rewarded at about 10.30 with a nice chub, closely followed by another.

It went quite for another hour or so, then an unmistakable bite signalled a barbel had picked up my boilie bait. This felt like a good fish, staying deep and refusing to yield. Steady pressure however slowly gained line until I was able to scoop up my prize. A plump Tent barbel of 10lb 4oz. Again the RVS rod impressed, a lovely playing action, performing well above their £50 price tag.



That was the last of the action for me, but it was soon Richard’s turn to smile for the camera with firstly one of 10lb 6oz and just before dawn another of 11lb 5oz. We were more than pleased with the fish we caught considering the difficult conditions.

The Tackle Box Advanta Discovery RVS Power Plus Rods Shimano Baitrunner Reels Advanta Low Rider Brolly Fox Micron MX Alarms Korum Indicators Assorted Korum Terminal Tackle