The Barbel Show 2012

adi redfearn · #1 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 12:59

Hi gents new to barbel fishing only ever done carp/pike started fishing the trent after moving to nottingham on the long eaton vic stretch had loads of chub to 5.5lb and carop but no barbel im fishing 2 rods feeder upstream and pva mesh bag lead downstream fishing sources boiles/pellets downstream maggots caters worms upstream any tips would be brill cheers in advance....adi

Ricky3112 · #2 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 13:56

Originally Posted by adi redfearn

Hi gents new to barbel fishing only ever done carp/pike started fishing the trent after moving to nottingham on the long eaton vic stretch had loads of chub to 5.5lb and carop but no barbel im fishing 2 rods feeder upstream and pva mesh bag lead downstream fishing sources boiles/pellets downstream maggots caters worms upstream any tips would be brill cheers in advance....adi

Where abouts are you fishing mate?

adi redfearn · #3 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 17:39

Long eaton stretch below the canal

Ricky3112 · #4 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 17:44

Originally Posted by adi redfearn

Long eaton stretch below the canal

cranfleet? Ferry fields.?

adi redfearn · #5 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 18:05

just below cranfleet lock mate

Ricky3112 · #6 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 19:21

Originally Posted by adi redfearn

just below cranfleet lock mate

Oh I know where you mean. The place has some big beasts not just Barbel but massive Carp I believe that go to 40Lbs. Although there is Barbel on that stretch there isn't loads of them in quantity. I have caught many Barbel on this stretch but because there isn't loads of them it can be a bit of a patience type game. The best I have done is 8 in a session there. The best way I have found is using a groundbait type mix with an open ended feeder. Meat works well as do boilies, the CC Moore's XXX odyssey are fantastic (see my blog) on this stretch.

It fishes best when a foot or two up and colour in the water, the Barbel are generally more than happy to show themselves in numbers then. The best place is as close as you can get to the lock gates, I don't mean on the boat platform I mean at the start of the grass and bank. It's good all the way downstream to the 'arrow' sign. Although the further and closer you are to the lock gates and weir the better it is for Barbel. Generally sending a persistent scent downstream with a very smelly groundbait is the way to go and fishes best with this type of mix. The pegs nearer the 'arrow' sign are quite dangerous and have very steep banks you may have found out so be careful, but they all hold Barbel and very large Chub. The Carp seem to be where it's deeper further downstream and past the bend in the river (past 'arrow' sign).

Get on a open ended feeder around 4oz and fish meat and my mix detailed in my blog or the XXX Odyssey and that mix. I have also had a few on meatballs in the past, worm catches too many Chub but is very good when there's colour in the water for both Chub and Barbel. Fish both with a size 8 strongly forged hook and use a running rig and around 10Lb minimum main line with a 10Lb braided hook length as there's not that many snags there.

Good luck and let me know how you get on, check my blog as it might contain something helpful to you but I hope the advice I have given you will help also Smile

.

Ricky

adi redfearn · #7 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 20:44

Cheers mate thats fantastic I will move upstream and follow your advice

Ricky3112 · #8 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 21:13

Originally Posted by adi redfearn

Cheers mate thats fantastic I will move upstream and follow your advice

No problem, just holla if you need any more info.

adi redfearn · #9 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 21:19

Would you recommend long hooklinks I'm currently using a 18 inch fluro braid combi

Ricky3112 · #10 (**permalink**) 13-09-2011, 21:45

Originally Posted by adi redfearn

Would you recommend long hooklinks I'm currently using a 18 inch fluro braid combi

A Combi-link/rig? It's not something I would use for Barbel mate, not that I haven't though. Barbel are not clever, it's the transition from Carp to Barbel that is not in some ways the same but is in others that's the problem here.

Barbel do not need fan dangled rigs to be caught mate. Fortunately for us Barbel Fishermen they are not that clever, all you need is a braid hook length about the length you've described up to 3ft in light to heavy coloured water (around 10 inches in very coloured water and up to 3ft in light to clear (ish) water). I do not like fluoro personally, preferring instead to use mono when conditions are very clear, (water and in the sky) I use up to 6 - 8ft of Maxima in 6Lbs when conditions are very hard and use a very small hook, sometimes down to a 16 and using a single 8mm pellet on the hair. Best thing to do mate is think un-complicated, if you read my first article on Barbel Behaviour, I started fishing for Barbel like I did for Carp then I realized that I was catching more on more basic methods and it was a lot cheaper if I lost some tackle also.

Hope that helps,

Ricky