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.