Big mouth barbel?

[Ed Matysiak]

I just bought some of them Partridge loaded hooks as when the new season start im going after some big barbel. I bought size 4 which looks a bit big. I will be using lumps of cheese paste and lumps of meat as bait. I was just wondering how big a bait a barbel can take? Some people say they have very large mouths but the look small compared to chubs and other species??

 

P.S. I will be free lining and im after an 8 lber!

[Rob Ward]

Big Barbel have big mouths, an eight pounder would easily take a quater of a tin of luncheon meat.

[Guest pholt_uk]

Matt Hayes caught one on the TV the other day with what looked like HALF A TIN of meat on the hook.

 

I also caught a 6lb barble from Makins last week with a piece of paste the size of a golf ball but I was really aiming for the carp (didnt realise there were barbel present)

 

I guess a better question is what is the optimum bait size for barbel of that size as they seem to eat any size bait if they're hungry.

 

Paul

[Ed Matysiak]

Cheers guys, my confidence is now boosted!

[Lurking Pike]

I've caught a 8lb 12oz barble, as pinted on my signature,(My first ever one!!). and i caught that on two minute pieces of spicy spam, about 1cm by 1cm. so you don't need to use big baits. sorry to be a odd one out.

[Ed Matysiak]

I understand that Lurking. To tell the truth it doesn't seem natural to use such a big bait to me, but as i want to free line a bigger bait is needed. Cheers for the input.

[Lurking Pike]

May i suggest a sort of freelining method that might help. a 2 ssg shots about 2 foot away from your hookbait. you can tighten up on the shot but still have a loose presentation.

[Ed Matysiak]

I will give it a go if the fish arn't into big baits!

Cheers

[Steve Randles]

I think its a Midlands angler by the name of Lol Brakespear who gets one tin of meat..one bait!!

[Ed Matysiak]

I could never afford that! Cheese paste is cheaper!