Barbel questions

[Anderoo]

Good old AN and its members - always helpful

 

If I am lucky enough to spot a barbel during spawning are they likely to still be in the same area at the beginning of the season?

 

(I really MUST get some polaroids!)

 

Oh, and would pre-baiting a few swims help?

Edited June 7, 2010 by Anderoo

[gozzer]

Good old AN and its members - always helpful

 

If I am lucky enough to spot a barbel during spawning are they likely to still be in the same area at the beginning of the season?

 

(I really MUST get some polaroids!)

 

Many years ago while fishing a match, an EA guy came along the stretch and asked if I'd caught any barbel. I had 3. He was following up on a tagging survey and found all my fish had tags. I asked if he could tell me were they had been tagged. His answer surprised me. They had been tagged on the Yorks Ouse, I was fishing the Nidd, a tributary, but about 7-8 miles away. This was in July, and they were still there after spawning a month or so earlier, although heading downstream from the spawning redds a mile or so upstream. So in answer to your question, yes Andrew there is a good chance they will be around, but I'd fish downstream of where they spawn to get the best chance, if I were you.

 

Try your local Aldi for a cheap pair of polaroids, (if they've still got them). A mate of mine got a pair for 3-99 and they seem decent enough.

 

John.

[Anderoo]

Thanks John

 

As with most fishing, I don't think catching them should be too hard, as long as I can find them. They are pretty rare now but a few do still exist. It would be a huge achievement to catch one. If not, I'm sure the chub will keep me from getting bored

[Rusty]

Thanks John

 

As with most fishing, I don't think catching them should be too hard, as long as I can find them. They are pretty rare now but a few do still exist. It would be a huge achievement to catch one. If not, I'm sure the chub will keep me from getting bored

 

Is that part of the achievement Andrew, catching one specifically from the Thames?

 

If not both TAA & NAA have some very good stretches of the Kennet which respond to both trotting and static bait methods.

 

Edit: I would say yes pre-baiting a few swims would help. I don't think it's necessary to pre-bait days in advance though, just identify maybe three spots during the day, bait them and then keep watch to see if the fish arrive.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Rusty

[Anderoo]

Is that part of the achievement Andrew, catching one specifically from the Thames?

 

If not both TAA & NAA have some very good stretches of the Kennet which respond to both trotting and static bait methods.

 

Edit: I would say yes pre-baiting a few swims would help. I don't think it's necessary to pre-bait days in advance though, just identify maybe three spots during the day, bait them and then keep watch to see if the fish arrive.

 

Exactly Rusty, although I will be concentrating on the tributaries. There are a couple of bits of the Thames that I will be checking out though, based on very shaky rumours!

 

I'm saving the Kennet, I think if I start fishing there the Oxford quest will soon be forgotton!

[watatoad]

Well Anderoo

 

There is a lot of information here for you to take in I will just add good luck with your search and your hunting for the elusive and mighty Barbel...but be warned Barbel stalking is addictive... :bigemo_harabe_net-163:

[Steve Walker]

I was watching barbel yesterday and took a few photographs through my sunglasses - this is the difference polarising lenses make:

 

 

[Chris Plumb]

Good old AN and its members - always helpful

 

If I am lucky enough to spot a barbel during spawning are they likely to still be in the same area at the beginning of the season?

 

(I really MUST get some polaroids!)

 

Oh, and would pre-baiting a few swims help?

 

I've had good sport early season catching barbel from fast streamy, shallow water. Tis close to where they will have spawned and well oxygenated if levels are low. I usually trot for them (no surprise there!) However someone I know swears by trundling a dead minnow - much like rolling meat - as a killer technique for these barbel.

 

When ledgering pellet I don't tend to prebait any more - cheaper (!!) and Kennet barbel get quite enough free food - I'm more worried about feeding them up - it doesn't take many pellets to fill up a fish. When trotting maggots on the other hand you need to keep trickling bait in - and usually you'll get fish taking with abandon!

 

C.

[arbocop]

When trotting maggots on the other hand......you'll get fish taking with abandon!

 

As you know Chris, I fish not far from you and I get barbel with similar tactics - but I would hardly describe it as barbel taking with abandon!

 

I usually end up with a big bag of chub and trout - not that there's anything wrong with that. I never managed a barbel until July last year. More practice this year methinks! My biggest on the trotting gear came in November. That's the one on my on my avatar.

 

On the subject of spawning, the barbel were spawning on a particlalr swim on the stretch I fish on the 18th June last year. There were at least five thrashing around - including one of at least 10lb. I steered well clear.

 

Is anyone getting slightly excited by the way! I was in Thatcham at the weekend and stopped at Thatcham station to oggle the river. It looked lovely. Pity I don't have access to that stretch, I go a little upstream.

[arbocop]

I'm very much an 'open-end swimfeeder crammed with maggots and casters, blocked with a bran groundbait on a running link and as many maggots and casters as you can get on a size 8 hook tipped with a worm' kind of chap on smaller rivers or in low water conditions! Keep feeding balls of groundbait and loose feed, preferably over 3-6 likely swims and wander between them until your rod tip goes mental!

 

As for size, this Teme "tiger" weighed exactly 7lb 8oz and the net is 24" at the widest

 

Rod's a 10' 9" Priory of Bournemouth barbel taper and the reel's a Mitchell 410A (300 with higher gearing).