The river Kennet

[Nicholas S]

Thanks for your reply Nicholas. I always use barbless hooks if possible so it's reassuring to hear other people's experiences about finding it both easier to unhook fish and also that you lose less fish.

 

Watching Robson Green recently (and now foolishly admitting to this on the anglers Net Forum... ) I noted that when fishing for tarpon, he kept on losing the fish when it jumped out of the water.

 

His guide advised him to lower his rod and keep it parallel with the water.

 

Is this a technique known to coarse or fly fishing folk in the UK?

 

It's quite common in both fly and coarse fishing to keep the rod low when playing a fish and apply side strain. In my experience it is quite an effective way of bringing a large fish under a degree of control. Despite the fact that most fisherman are taught to keep the rod tip high when playing a fish this is only actually necessary when netting the fish and possibly can be detrimental beforehand. My guess is that by keeping the rod tip high all the time you are constantly forcing the fish up towards the surface where it is least comfortable, this results in the fish fighting harder or possibly jumping, hence the advice to Robson to keep the rod low when playing the Tarpon. Another tactic which is usually used with large fish that make a habit of jumping is to point the rod directly at the fish every time it jumps putting a bit of slack into the line in order to reduce the chance of the hook pulling. It's not really necessary or common practise in the UK but is certainly done when Tarpon fishing (no that I'm an expert on Tarpon fishing - just watched lots of DVDs . N

Edited November 22, 2010 by Nicholas S

[arbocop]

I'll be going back to last week's barbel spot today but with waders this time, there's a lot to explore and getting in is probably the easiest way. I have a key so no more clambering over/through fences.

 

Mike, I've got the 15th & 16th off and am planning a trip to BC on the Monday, let me know if you'd like me to book you in too.

 

Oh and I couldn't sleep for some reason, hence the post at this ridiculous hour.

 

TT where are you and how did it go?

 

 

Sorry Rusty, I missed this post. My work and family life keeps me from spending too much time on forums most of the time!

[Tigger]

As Matt has eluded, barbless hooks are becoming more and more popular in fly fishing, I know rarely ever use barbed hooks. They make releasing fish much easier and although it took me a while to fully believe this, you lose far less fish (particularly Trout and Grayling - even when they jump). All in all it's a win win situation.

 

 

Can't agree with that, I've found totally the opposite and I loose far more fish with barbless, especially grayling and trout. I never use barbless hooks and much prefer micro barbed...better for the fish also.

[Nicholas S]

Can't agree with that, I've found totally the opposite and I loose far more fish with barbless, especially grayling and trout. I never use barbless hooks and much prefer micro barbed...better for the fish also.

 

Tigger, you should try barbless hooks used for fly tying. The design of these hooks seem far superior to the coarse fishing alternatives and instead of being carbon copies of the barbed model, are designed accounting for the fact that they are barbless, often with a wide gape,short shank and slightly in turned point. Until recently I was completely with you and couldn't get my head around how barbless hooks could lost you less fish. However, when I started using barbless hooks made for fly tying I noticed a considerable improvement. Give them a go! I should also point out that I am mainly talking about losing less Trout and Grayling, I haven't tried them enough on Coarse fish to give a fair verdict. N

[Tigger]

I've used several differant wide gaped hooks and found the barbless have lost me fish which I wouldn't have lost using a semi barbed. It's obvious that a hook with no barb is going to be thrown much easier than a barbed in my opinion.

 

TM maybe a barbless hurts a little less when pulled out but it certainly hurts more going in and it goes in much deeper also. The micro barbed or small barbed hooks are my favourite hooks.

If fishing for a cod or something to eat then a large barb would be my favoured hook.

[Steve Walker]

I do like the ease of removing barbless hooks from nets and clothing, though. I mostly debarb my flies (it's mandatory on some of the catch and release trout waters I fish) and I always debarb trebles when spinning, but I must admit I still mostly go for microbarbed singles for coarse fishing.

[upstream gardener]

Grayling must definitely do jump although it's not that common. As far as I can recall it has only happened to me when using fly tackle and not when trotting, not sure why. Given that you were fishing BC which has an abundance of Rainbow Trout and seemingly no large Grayling (any more) I would bet your lost fish was a Rainbow Trout!

 

As Matt has eluded, barbless hooks are becoming more and more popular in fly fishing, I know rarely ever use barbed hooks. They make releasing fish much easier and although it took me a while to fully believe this, you lose far less fish (particularly Trout and Grayling - even when they jump). All in all it's a win win situation.

 

Matt, where you fly fishing the Avington stretch as part of the syndicate there? I've only glimpsed the water from the bridge at the upstream end on BC but it looks a lovely stretch, you're a lucky guy! N

 

Nicholas,

 

Sorry for the tardy response - work commitments!

 

Yes its a stunning piece of water and I was really priveleged to share a rod there with a friend - we had a day each weekend - each! and it wasn't silly money either. Then the estate put the fishing in the hands of agents who banged the prices up and I couldn't justify the cost anymore. Also the membership changed from a few really nice local retired people (who preferred to fish during the week - result) and the place became overrun by unfriendly city types in chelsea-tractors with poor skill levels and even less etiquette.

 

The keeper used to let the local club (not sure which one) have some coarse days after the trout season - but some anglers abused the privelege and he stopped doing it. I know that as a paying rod I could have had the odd day but I never had the time. When I fished there, the keeper (top coarse angler himself) ran it very much as a mixed fishery - coarse fish were not definitely not nuisance fish then, and there were some mouthwatering specimens. I personally had roach to over 2 on the fly and the chub were like like donkeys!

 

If anyone wants to contact the keeper, please PM me and I'll find the contact details - but I think a rod is over £1200 now.

 

Matt

 

PS having suffered a barbed longshank 6 black lure in my earlobe once - I would definitely say that there are other benefits to barbless! Cut the leader and bled like a stuck pig until I'd finished obviously! But I would always use barbed for fish I intended to kill and eat, and barbless at all other times.

[Rusty]

If anyone wants to contact the keeper, please PM me and I'll find the contact details

 

Matt, I don't think you have sufficient posts to send/receive pm's. My e-mail address is chris.brasier@zen.co.uk if you wouldn't mind whizzing off the keeper's contact details.

[Nicholas S]

Thanks for the reply Matt, you were lucky to fish the water when you did! It's so frustrating when estates lease their water out to agents. N

[Chris Plumb]

If anyone wants to contact the keeper, please PM me and I'll find the contact details - but I think a rod is over £1200 now.

 

 

chris.a.plumb@gmail.com

 

 

C.