If you read one of my previous articles where I wrote on the topic of where to fish for barbel, then this one will intrigue you. We’ll discuss how big the barbel (Barbus barbus) grows and the key factors for the common barbel to grow into a healthy adult size. So dive in and learn the everything about growth and development of this powerful coarse fish from the carp family (Cyprinidae).
4 Key Factors Which Define How Big Does Barbel Grow
These four factors are crucial for any barbel to reach an appropriate specimen size. Not necessarily in this order, but all of them have to be at an optimal level.
Water Quality
Poor water quality heavily affects the growth of arbel similar to other fish species. If a body of water where barbel spawns is heavily polluted or has low oxygen levels, then the chance of baby barbel reaching adulthood is very slim. Keep this in mind when you are looking for the big one. It’s unlikely for waters where people throw a lot of trash and there’s no current to hide a giant.
Water Bed
As you had a chance to read on my blog, barbel is a strong fish that feeds on the bottom and prefers faster water flow. This means that rivers with gravel on the bottom are perfect for barbel growth. Don’t get me wrong, river beds where you fish can have rocks. They be plain ground or can be covered with snags like submerged branches and tree trunks, but gravel is ideal.
Food Supply
It’s not necessary to point out how plenty of food and a variety of food items are important. This river fish is an omnivore and that means the barbel diet consists of worms, insect larvae, freshwater shrimps, and pretty much anything else that can be found in the water, including small fish. In other words, waters that are brimming with life are a good sign big common barbel could be around.
Aquatic Ecology
The last piece of the puzzle for perfect growth conditions is the whole ecosystem in and around the water where adult barbels are. Weed in the water and herbs on the bank invite plenty of insects which provide different types of food for barbel. Additionally, weedy water means plenty of shade and cover. In summary, a suitable habitat where barbel angles should look for a trophy catch is the one with rich life in, above, and around the water.
How Big Does Barbel Grow in Length and Weight
Common barbel is a cyprinid fish that can live for more than 20 years. Logically, fish that can live this long can also grow quite big. But how big does barbel grow in general? The average size of this fish is between 40 and 60 cm (15 to 23 inches) in length. The average weight is 1kg to 5kg (2 to 11 lbs). But, they are known to grow larger than this, much larger.
Over the years, barbel anglers all around Europe reported some extremely large specimens. In other words, the ceiling weight is way higher than the average one.
Biggest Barbel Ever Caught
Barbel is a popular sport fish in most of Europe so it doesn’t come as a surprise that all of the angling records originate here. These 3 record barbels are the biggest ones ever caught. Reports exist about the bigger ones, but those were never proven.
Monster Barbel From the UK
It was caught by an angler named Colin Smithson on the 7th of November 2019. It weighed just above 9.5kg (21lb 2oz). The rig and the single bait that hooked this massive fish were really simple. An 8mm pellet on a size 12 hook, accompanied by an 8lb hook length to 15lb mainline. The bottom feeder was the final piece of the rig. The location where this specimen wasn’t disclosed, but it’s most likely River Ouse in Sussex. A part of the UK which is known for the barbel rivers.
Large Specimen Barbel From Switzerland
River Sitter in Switzerland rewarded one fellow angler with a beautiful 10,49kg (23lb 2oz) heavy B. Barbus. The length of this fish was also admirable because it was longer than 100cm, 104cm (41 inches) to be precise. Angling societies don’t acknowledge this record because it was never determined through which method was fish caught, but I have no reason to doubt this, especially with the picture that was taken with the catch.
The image has been taken from Fishing World Records
Danube Giant Which Was Never Confirmed
I fish a lot on the Danube so I know for a fact that the populations of barbel in these deep waters are huge. The constant flow of water, an abundance of food, and low water temperature (lower than in some smaller rivers) make the Danube one of the best barbel rivers in Europe. So reports of the absolute behemoth which weighed 25kg (55lb) caught somewhere in Austria is not a surprise. However, these are just reports, there is no evidence of any kind so the whole story is questionable. But, trust me when I say that it’s certain Danube is hiding a true monster barbel.