Barbel fishing has never been more popular. Amongst specialist river anglers the barbel is now the premier fish and, taking coarse fishing as a whole, barbel is second only to carp. The substantial growth in barbel fishing has been accompanied by a great thirst for knowledge about this hard-fighting and fascinating species, and books have been published to help both the beginner and the highly advanced barbel angler. This book, however, is aimed squarely at the intermediate level and will be valuable to the experienced angler who has decided it is time he tried his hand at barbel fishing. Practical Barbel Fishing provides sound advice about how to catch barbell of a variety of sizes in different kinds of rivers. It is easy to follow and understand, full of top tips and always recognizes that fishing should be fun. Topics covered include: Discuss the general behaviour of barbell and their feeding habits Presents in-depth advice on equipment and on how to choose the best rods, reels and accessories Analyses how to choose the right waters and pick the most productive swims Provides detailed information about choosing and using baits Considers the mechanics of how rigs work and how to make basic and more advanced rigs Includes full explanations of various techniques, including fishing in extreme conditions, swimfeeder and float fishing, back-leading, roving, upstream legering and much more Examines bite indication, touch legering, playing, landing, weighing, photographing and caring for barbell Covers how to prepare for longer sessions, night fishing, pre-baiting and baiting strategies AUTHOR: Graham Marsden is a long established angling writer, photographer and tackle consultant. He was, for over ten years, editor and managing editor of the UK's foremost website, www.fishingmagic.com. Graham has fished for barbell for over four decades and for the past thirty years has fished many barbell rivers including the Hampshire Avon and the Dorset Stour. Mark Wintle has fished extensively in the UK for over forty years. A true all-rounder with a preference for float fishing, Mark has now spent many years testing his skills on bigger fish. He has contributed to numerous articles to the angling media and has written two highly acclaimed books with Graham Marsden: Pole Fishing and Practical Carp Fishing. SELLING POINTS: Brimming with practical and sound advice, this is essential reading for all budding barbell anglers, and existing barbell anglers who wish to improve their skills and their catches Barbel has never been more popular, with barbell anglers spread across the UK it is now the most popular river angling specialization and second only to carp fishing in coarse angling popularity ILLUSTRATIONS 191 colour photographs