Barbel bites in the cooler months

[Rob Ward]

Went out after Barbel on Saturday, the river was low and clear so we knew it was going to be a struggle.

 

We couldn't buy a bite from our usual swim other than a couple of salmon parr and a trout so moved downstream late afternoon to slower steadier water.

 

We started getting bites fairly quickly that weren't like the usual Barbel bites, sharp plucks and then nothing. Sitting on our hands did us no favours and we began to wonder if Chub were the culprits so decided to hit the next twitch - 6lb Barbel!

 

Has anyone else noticed a difference in Barbel takes in cooler water?

[lutra]

Went out after Barbel on Saturday, the river was low and clear so we knew it was going to be a struggle.

 

We couldn't buy a bite from our usual swim other than a couple of salmon parr and a trout so moved downstream late afternoon to slower steadier water.

 

We started getting bites fairly quickly that weren't like the usual Barbel bites, sharp plucks and then nothing. Sitting on our hands did us no favours and we began to wonder if Chub were the culprits so decided to hit the next twitch - 6lb Barbel!

 

Has anyone else noticed a difference in Barbel takes in cooler water?

Yes they can be a little finicky in the sort of conditions (clear water with borderline temps) you will have had on Saturday. As a general rule for most of the colder winter months when the river is low and clear, its not warm enough for the barbel to feed or show much or any interest in your bait. But this time of year and with the warmer weather they will start to show a bit of interest, especially later in the day and early evening when the water temp is at its best and the light is going or gone.

 

Well done on catching one in such borderline conditions.

 

ps. Didn't you tell me in the past that the slower water at the bottom of that stretch would be the place to go for your winter barbel fishing?

[Rob Ward]

ps. Didn't you tell me in the past that the slower water at the bottom of that stretch would be the place to go for your winter barbel fishing?

 

Yeah but with it being so low and trickling through headed for the swim we'd done so well in last summer/autumn.

 

Forecasts looking good for this weekend, think I'll get back up there Saturday evening.

[lutra]

Yeah but with it being so low and trickling through headed for the swim we'd done so well in last summer/autumn.

 

Forecasts looking good for this weekend, think I'll get back up there Saturday evening.

I don't really know the stretch you fish that well Rob, but if its like other parts of the river i would be surprised if the barbel made much of a move back to faster water before the end of the season even if the flow is low as i think temperature plays a big part in them doing that.

 

Tight lines for the weekend.

[Rob Ward]

I don't really know the stretch you fish that well Rob, but if its like other parts of the river i would be surprised if the barbel made much of a move back to faster water before the end of the season even if the flow is low as i think temperature plays a big part in them doing that.

 

Tight lines for the weekend.

 

Thanks Brian, forecasts changed now though

[Rich_]

This may explain the bites I was getting the other day. During the late afternoon I was expecting to catch chub, but in one particular swim where I have often caught barbel during the Autumn in the past. I was getting quick solid pulls on the tip using decent sized bits of luncheon meat as bait which I just couldn't connect with. I tried using small size 12 hooks with small bits of meat but the bites stopped until I changed back to the bigger baits. I actually felt one fish on the end for a couple of seconds before it let go, it seemed decent and I assumed it was a chub , but now I'm not so sure?

[Tigger]

This may explain the bites I was getting the other day. During the late afternoon I was expecting to catch chub, but in one particular swim where I have often caught barbel during the Autumn in the past. I was getting quick solid pulls on the tip using decent sized bits of luncheon meat as bait which I just couldn't connect with. I tried using small size 12 hooks with small bits of meat but the bites stopped until I changed back to the bigger baits. I actually felt one fish on the end for a couple of seconds before it let go, it seemed decent and I assumed it was a chub , but now I'm not so sure?

 

 

When it's like that I shorten the hair right down so the hook is touching the bait, use a smaller bait and hook also. I shorten the hooklength right down to several inches and fish bolt style.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Tigger

[lutra]

This may explain the bites I was getting the other day. During the late afternoon I was expecting to catch chub, but in one particular swim where I have often caught barbel during the Autumn in the past. I was getting quick solid pulls on the tip using decent sized bits of luncheon meat as bait which I just couldn't connect with. I tried using small size 12 hooks with small bits of meat but the bites stopped until I changed back to the bigger baits. I actually felt one fish on the end for a couple of seconds before it let go, it seemed decent and I assumed it was a chub , but now I'm not so sure?

IMO one thing about barbel is they have just about the best mouth for hooking of any coarse fish I've caught. Its like very soft but really strong leather and once that hook gos in it don't come out. I'm not saying you couldn't have hooked a barbel Rich, but if you did there would IMO have to be a good chance it wasn't in the mouth. Which is what there is a good chance of when you start striking at bumps and little plucks.

[robtherake]

IMO one thing about barbel is they have just about the best mouth for hooking of any coarse fish I've caught. Its like very soft but really strong leather and once that hook gos in it don't come out. I'm not saying you couldn't have hooked a barbel Rich, but if you did there would IMO have to be a good chance it wasn't in the mouth. Which is what there is a good chance of when you start striking at bumps and little plucks.

 

I haven't fished for barbel regularly for yonks, but used to virtually live on the banks of the Swale. Number 2 son goes fishing with me these days and his handicaps make him clumsy so I'm uncomfortable fishing rivers with him. Being a poor swimmer myself I'd have no chance of getting him out if he took a tumble....

 

Anyway, in the colder months I used to find that for every "three foot twitch" I would get another 4 or 5 bites that pulled the tip round an inch and held it there. Assuming they were chub, I would wait for a solid pull (which rarely came), but started striking them after a while out of frustration and was connecting with a barbel on maybe 2 out of 3 occasions. All of these fish were hooked just inside the mouth and I don't remember foul hooking any, which would suggest that on this river at least their feeding patterns changed in the colder weather.

 

Bites weren't twitchy; they were like a stillwater bream bite, where the tip slowly pulls round about an inch and holds there.

[Rich_]

I was using a hook length of about a foot to 16", maybe going shorter would have been something to try as mentioned if it was finicky barbel? The 2 chub I managed to catch from another swim did give confident bites which I had no trouble hooking