Searching for a back end barbel

I wonder whether I will get lucky for a back end barbel this year as this mornings session at Scropton was not very productive. In fact it was not productive at all. Suppose I should have known better really with the level reading 1.1m on the EA website at Marston. Lately though I have been reading how barbel can be caught in flood conditions but clearly not by a numpty like me. It was definitely a day for the 6oz lead boys which is not my cup of team so I will give the river a miss in the future if it is reading higher than 0.8m.
Two swims were fished for about 45 mins each before I called it a day, not a sausage to show for it. The picture is taken looking roughly south east with Tutbury Castle in the background. One of my favourite swims can be seen on the far bank just to the left of centre.
It was a shame I blanked really as this was the first outing with my new barbel rod which I had purchsed after my bad luck a fortnight ago. It came from Billy Clarke Angling at Sheffield and the guys there provided me with great service.

Smashed Up

This morning I set out for a couple of hours on the River Dove at Scropton. I was hoping for a winter barbel as the weather was quite mild and there was some fresh water in the river. I was quite surprised how high the river was though, it is currently reading 0.78m at Marston on the EA website.
There was no-one else I saw on the DRAC stretch and so I was soon in my favourite swim, the water here was about 18" than the summer level. My set up was feeder fished pellets and first cast there was a good bite but only quite a large scale on the hook to show for it.

After an hour or so I caught the chub below, it was 4lb dead which seems to be the standard size for this swim unless I keep catching the same one. Then disaster struck. A strong bite met with solid resistance and the fish made for the nearside snag that you can see just downstream in the above picture. I held on as hard as I dared and recovered some line but it all then went solid. I eased off a bit and felt the fish still on so put the pressure on and snap went my rod. Things all then got a bit messy and needless to say I lost the fish. It was either a very good chub, well known of course for their ability to get in a snag, or a barbel.

The rod was my Daiwa Specialist Avon which has left me gutted. It was a great rod to use and the first time I had ever broken a rod whilst fishing. My fault I guess I must have been too heavy on it whilst the fish was in the snag.

Anyone having a good barbel rod surplus to requirements at competitive rates then please let me know. Now, where is my Ebay link........