Barbel on deadbait

[jono88 0]

Hi all yesterday i was fishin on my local river for pike. The river was in flood so i was sat high on the bank placing my bait where i wud usually sit. Went all day without a bit then at last lite i heard the line getting stripped from the reel so i struk into n started playing what felt like a 30lb pike, when i finally got it to the top 2 my suprise it was a barbel with half of the 10 inch sardine hangin out of its mouth, i quikley landed it n weighed it @ 9lb 6oz. I have never heard of anything like this and just wondered if [NO TEXT TALK] has had a similar experience?

[comanche 3,301]

Its not common but not unheard of . In fact a lot of older fishing books mention deliberatly using a minnow as barbel bait.

Good catch

["Earth!" 503]

my father had a 20+ mirror carp a few years ago on 1/2 a mackrel.

[T78 4]

you hear about all sorts being caught on the "wrong" bait! bream,roach and carp on spinners or deads etc. i suppose all fish are predatory under the right circumstances.