jeremyburnside

I caught this on Sunday at Alrewas in Staffordshire as I was passing on a narrow-boat. 4 lb line. 16 hook, worm

I have been using braid as mainline with mono hooklength for most of my fishing ledger & float, river and canal, but have always used mono for Barbel fishing. I havent changed to braid because of the abrasion resistance of mono being far better than braid, fishing for large Barbel on the Trent which is often quite rocky, you can feel where the line has scaped over rock leaving it rough to touch. I like using braid mainline mostly because I dont have to worry about changing it due to deterioration over time. I am now thinking of changing to braid for Barbel and still using an abrasion resistant mono for the hook length. I was going to go for Berkley Fireline 20lbs (but am open to suggestions) and 12 - 15 lb hooklength of Ultima Steel (I dont know of a more abrasion resistant mono). My thinking is it should only be the hook length that needs to be abrasion resistant. Does anybody have any opinions or experience of using braid mainline for barbel fishing in rocky / snaggy rivers? What strength of braid would you use with 12 lb mono hooklength?

I want to buy a 45" lightweight umbrella, most dont state their weight I am looking at ~ Maver Nylon or Waterline Lite Shield Do you know which is the lightest? any other suggestions?

Yes I always use a wire trace when spinning, not new just dont catch fish very often!

Yes it was on the Trent and Mersey A small home made spinner given to me with a load of others about 10 years ago, I hooked another shortly before with a cheap 'Boyes' spinner but I think the fish are not that fussy because they arent fished for that often This is only the 2nd fish I have caught using a spinner so I am really chuffed, using a centrepin spinning is a very fiddly and I got tangled a few times but it worked twice and I got better with practice I think I need a bigger landing net next time

took a little practice!

Caught on float fished worm

....................off my new Narrow boat (GinJer) on the Trent & Mersey canal

I will be fishing on the Trent & Mersey (I have bought a narrowboat ). Can anybody recommend a micro-peletts or do you think any will do / halibut? I will use hemp but I want to have some micro-pellets because they dont need much looking after. I am not targeting any particular species and will be using various hook baits, maggots, worms, meat, sweetcorn.

Have you got any suggestions Jack? I am going to Bridgnorth (from Nottingham) for 4 days fishing on the Severn starting on Saturday.

Both are sold by Dragon Carp

From Garry Mills, The Mill Tackle Company

Yes it was Reel Wars............with Steve Broad and Rob Yorke

A Barbel rod with a test curve about 1 1/2 to 2 lb

With no abrasion of the line how often do you think Fluorocarbon should be changed? Does that also go for Fluorocarbon hybrid lines?

I am mostly a River angler but this summer I did a little Carp fishing on a lake with a friend. I am planning ahead for next Spring / summer in particular for the River closed season to give me an 'edge' on the lake. I have decided to try Ultima Power Carp as a main line since I want to try the sinking abilities of Fluorocarbon, so that I have the line on the lake bed rather than up in the water spooking the fish. I have chosen Ultima because it a hybrid line without the disadvantages of pure fluorocarbon. The Carp are about 10 lbs. My question is what should I use as a hooklength? The same as the main line or is there a better fluorocarbon hooklength? Mono? Braid?

We did catch a couple of Tench and Roach but they were only small. It was too choppy when we went so weren't good conditions for float fishing close in.

I mostly fish the Trent but fished a few stillwaters with a friend during the closed season. Hacketts was probably overall the best we found. We fished the large lake 3 times. Mostly Carp but had Bream (biggest 4 lb 9 ozs) The Carp, Common & Mirror, average about 4 lbs, biggest about 8 lbs. We used a groundbait feeder, 8 lb hooklength, hairigged size 12 barbless with flavoured meat or crab pellet, maggots also good. Any bigger hook stopped the bites almost completely. It was surprising how big the luncheon meat you could use. Cast out into the middle of the lake. Often have matches at weekends but it is big enough to not interfere with the pleasure fisherman. £6 for one rod, £7 for two. Barbless hooks only, no other bans. We fished the swims about peg 20 and caught all three days. Does get very choppy when the wind blows. Has a website, always has bailiff on site, day ticket on bank. Portaloo! As I said I'm not really that keen on ponds but would go back to Hacketts.

............and I have not been before. Can anybody suggest any stretches to try or any other advice?

It is left hand wind only, the line guard is not interchangeable so no good if you are left handed like me

It was bbamboo on January 3rd

I usually use mono - 12lb for Barbel fishing (I need good abrasion resistance due to big rocks) 6lb for river trotting (with or without hooklength) 10lb for Carp float fishing in the river closed season Braid for pike When would you use fluorocarbon rather than the mono, and why? Main line and / or hooklength?

To put the ratchet on there is: an on - off knob a side lever or a caliper What is a caliper? If you had a choice, which one would you choose?

I painted all mine yellow

It could be said that there are two types of people in this world, those who like a lineguard and those who don't.