darrreng

Not sure about all this doctor fish stuff, but I can confirm that barbel fight harder than tench!! Oh and pike do eat tench, just ask Nigel Williams hehehe [ 19. October 2005, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: darrreng ]

I agree with dave. Clear Big Game or Sensor is fine.

Ive had over 30 (lost count after that) on a saturday and sunday session, biggest was a 6.13 male. Ive also fished a weekender, blanked saturday and saturday night, then taken 20 fish on sunday before packing up early afternoon.

Im undecided. Ive caught a fair few barbel on halibuts in winter. Would I have caught more on low oil baits? Couldnt say! Ive also had success using very oily paste!

yuk, I hate scales with a passion. I seem to get through so many scales its unbeleivable! Try looking on ebay for rapala digital scales. They are good, for the money, nice and accurate. Mine didnt stay accurate for very long (because Im cursed with scales - my mates are still going strong and hes had his longer than me). Im upgrading to some avons, hopefully i can make them last longer!!

Many congratulations Chris, fish I can only dream about.

I think Wolfs idea is cracking. When I watch fishing programs I like to see anglers fishing in the same situations as me, ie coarse fish. Watching anglers in some far flung destination having the time of their life doing what I cant just doesnt hold any interest from me.

Thanks for the helpful replies! I had though of supergluing them to the hook, but will use that as a last resort. When using small pellets and smaller hooks, I can see me glueing my fingers together or something!! Expanders sound a bit tricky to use, but if theres a bit of air in them sounds like they might sink nice and slowly? [ 05. October 2005, 09:48 AM: Message edited by: darrreng ]

Hi all, Probably old hat to many of you, so perhaps I could borrow some knowledge! Im looking for a way to fish pellets on rivers. My current method is to superglue pellets to a hair-rig for barbel, however Im now looking for an alternative method that allows me to hook the pellets direct. Another important consideration is pellet size, Im looking at pellets in the 4 to 8mm size range. What are the benefits of using expanders? What are the disadvantages? Is there a way around pumping them? Is there a way to hook normal, smaller pellets direct, without the use of bands or hair rigs? Thanks for the help!

Just read the article again and its not as good as I seem to remember. oh well.

Mate, Im no expert, in fact, I wouldnt even qualify for raw beginner, but if you look on http://www.fishooked.co.uk/taylorscut.asp there is some good info in the roach article. I also recall reading somewhere that roach, big roach like the steady glides... good job you're not on lower, the giant steady glide LOL Good luck, look forward to seeing the piccies [ 28. September 2005, 12:24 PM: Message edited by: darrreng ]

The avon barbel certainly seem to be booming, definately in size, although I dont have the time served to comment on numbers. Chub and barbel compete for the same food, and share very similar habitat, so it goes without saying that the increase in one will affect the other, but as its been said previously, nature will sort its self out and find a happy medium. All I can say is be happy you arent being pestered by chub, elsewhere on the river they can be a downright pain! 7lb is a high average size, there are still stretches where 5lb is the average, although I suspect you are further upstream than my reference.

Its a liquid, I THINK its used predominantly as a horse feed suplement and is available from Countrywide stores or similar. Its dark in colour and sweet.

Moisten the feed pellets and wait until they are ballable, they sink like bricks and breakdown into small particles of food releasing an attractive scent trail.

Where are the rivers thats what I want to know. I went into worcester today, blinked and missed the severn its that low. I agree, autumn and winter rocks! Oh and spring. Summers good for happy times, sun tans and scant clad ladies