Trotting for Barbel - advice please

[Nicepix]

The deviation to fly fishing came about because I suggested using a fly fishing nymph instead of bait when trottinginresponse to the question about barbel baits to avoid small dace. The OP then asked about Czech nymphing. Simple if you take the trouble to read the thread.

 

I have caught barbel on the fly, both trotted under a float and by deliberately fly-fishing for them. I have never caught a barbel on the fly whilst trout fishing, although I once hooked and lost one. How or why more fly-fihermen don't hook barbel could be down to where and how they fish. I can't answer that. Trundling a heavy nymph in the narrow gap between streamer weed was the best method of hooking barbel, if not landing them. Trying the same method in more open water usually resulted in chub, grayling or trout.

[Sportsman]

Fly fishing for barbel is perfectly reasonable

 

http://www.flyfishingbarbel.com/travel-fis...theredghost.htm

[Tigger]

Hopefully everyone will start fly fishing for barbel now after seeing all this expert advice on how good it is .

[Phone]

Tigger,

 

You're oozing with contempt. What's bad fishing like? Chill.

 

Phone

[Matthew Simmons]

Sorry, I just read the original thread again. Trout wouldn't slowly move off - it could be chub, but they don't bang their heads, the odd thump, but not headbangers. Maybe it is barbel then.

 

What hook was it?

 

Mike

 

Mike it was a#14 Kamasan Animal. And there really aren't that many chub in this particular stretch - loads of trout but they go spare immediately they are hooked! Definitely not trout. M

[Matthew Simmons]

Hi,

 

An update from last night's exploits in the same spot. With bag of cubed of meat as a change bait. Ran maggots through, ran casters through, ran meat through, ran big bunches of maggots, same held back, laid on hard, stretpegged but just dace and really tentative. Might have something to do with the huge dog otter that eventually surfaced 6 feet from me, after I'd been there a couple of hours!

 

Actually, it was an unexpected pleasure to see him - I have no problems with otters that occur naturally (as opposed to restocked) - its the crays and cormorants that really hack me off. And likewise an unexpected pleasure to bump into Chris Plumb on the bank.

 

I feel that I've had some great advice on this thread and feel motivated to persist. Hopefully next time I go, the otter will be hassling someone else!

 

Thanks all.

 

 

Matt

[Tigger]

Tigger,

 

You're oozing with contempt. What's bad fishing like? Chill.

 

Phone

 

 

Phone,

 

I think that's been lost in translation across the atlantic.

[Tigger]

Hi,

 

An update from last night's exploits in the same spot. With bag of cubed of meat as a change bait. Ran maggots through, ran casters through, ran meat through, ran big bunches of maggots, same held back, laid on hard, stretpegged but just dace and really tentative. Might have something to do with the huge dog otter that eventually surfaced 6 feet from me, after I'd been there a couple of hours!

 

Actually, it was an unexpected pleasure to see him - I have no problems with otters that occur naturally (as opposed to restocked) - its the crays and cormorants that really hack me off. And likewise an unexpected pleasure to bump into Chris Plumb on the bank.

 

I feel that I've had some great advice on this thread and feel motivated to persist. Hopefully next time I go, the otter will be hassling someone else!

 

Thanks all.

 

 

Matt

 

 

It was worth going just to see the otter so close by . It's wierd how you can fish a swim that seems to be chokka with fish then even the very next day it seems totally void of fish. It always makes me wonder if they're still there but simply not in feeding mode or if they've swam off to another swim. Just gotta find they're new haunt. Never mind Matt there's always tomorrow .

[Chris Plumb]

Hi,

 

An update from last night's exploits in the same spot. With bag of cubed of meat as a change bait. Ran maggots through, ran casters through, ran meat through, ran big bunches of maggots, same held back, laid on hard, stretpegged but just dace and really tentative. Might have something to do with the huge dog otter that eventually surfaced 6 feet from me, after I'd been there a couple of hours!

 

Actually, it was an unexpected pleasure to see him - I have no problems with otters that occur naturally (as opposed to restocked) - its the crays and cormorants that really hack me off. And likewise an unexpected pleasure to bump into Chris Plumb on the bank.

 

I feel that I've had some great advice on this thread and feel motivated to persist. Hopefully next time I go, the otter will be hassling someone else!

 

Thanks all.

 

 

Matt

 

First report of an otter I've heard of on the river this season - by this time last summer I'd had multiple sightings of 2 different animals over quite a few venues - the big dog otter tends to get sighted between Brimpton and Lower Benyons with a smaller animal (female???) in the Hambridge/Widmead area. I'd hoped they'd moved on - seems not!

 

I had a 5lber first cast - and didn't get another bite - though a 11¾lb fish came out not far downstream of where you were

 

 

C.

[Matthew Simmons]

First report of an otter I've heard of on the river this season - by this time last summer I'd had multiple sightings of 2 different animals over quite a few venues - the big dog otter tends to get sighted between Brimpton and Lower Benyons with a smaller animal (female???) in the Hambridge/Widmead area. I'd hoped they'd moved on - seems not!

 

I had a 5lber first cast - and didn't get another bite - though a 11¾lb fish came out not far downstream of where you were

 

 

C.

 

Hi Chris - well done on the 5, I watched the 11.11 coming out - beautiful fish that was deceptively heavy - we put it at high 9s to ten and a half before it was weighed! And a chap just downstream of him lost one about the same time - 10ish - time not size.

 

The otter was a good 3ft long with a big head - I assumed it was the dog. I've never seen one on our water - saw one on the Loddon three years back.

 

See you soon.

 

M