Barbel On A Flyrod Anyone?

[argyll]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,4-1840557,00.html

[Paul]

I think every type of fish takes the fly!

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,4-1840557,00.html

 

ah a new use for my newly accquired fly rod

[Paul Boote]

Yes, I have done some of this. After reading the Clarke article earlier today, I felt sufficiently moved to post on another, whiskery, forum:

 

http://p081.ezboard.com/fbarbelfishingworl...icID=8719.topic

[trent.barbeler]

Dear Lads,

 

I note that low clear rivers are best for this method. Thats me stumped then as the Trent has an average depth of 7 feet. Try wading in that Mr Bailey.

 

I also noted that this particular method is "not" for the novice. Then again, signing up for some fishing with Mr Bailey will I'm sure turn the novice into an expert.

 

And are there any other established barbel angling guides out there that have been quietly perfecting this method? For a more modest price perhaps?

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[argyll]

'Thats me stumped then as the Trent has an average depth of 7 feet'

 

 

Dear Lee,

 

Does the depth not drop considerably when you pull the chain?

 

regards

Gerry

[Paul Boote]

Dear Lads,

 

I note that low clear rivers are best for this method. Thats me stumped then as the Trent has an average depth of 7 feet. Try wading in that Mr Bailey.

 

I also noted that this particular method is "not" for the novice. Then again, signing up for some fishing with Mr Bailey will I'm sure turn the novice into an expert.

 

And are there any other established barbel angling guides out there that have been quietly perfecting this method? For a more modest price perhaps?

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

 

 

 

Lee

 

Find some Trent weirtails or weeded shallows where you know barbel to hold. If you can see some of them, so much the better.

 

Buy yourself (I tie all my flies) some very heavily leaded "Czech nymphs" (sometimes called "Bugs"). Plus some heavily leaded cased caddis larvae imitations.

 

Wade as close to the barbel as you can get and fish one, two or three of the flies (with droppers) on a 7 to 12ft fluoro or mono leader of 6 to 10 pounds or so. Fish with the shortest line you can get away with.

 

Alternately, you place a tiny styrene or polyprop yarn "strike indicator" (we call it a float) a few feet above the tail-end fly, cast slightly upstream and across, then allow the whole caboodle to come back, across then downstream of you, watching FOR THE SLIGHTEST STOPPAGE IN ITS PROGRESS. If you see ANYTHING, hit it - it could be a fish, though it will probably be 'bottom'.

 

But oh, when the bottom moves off!

 

 

PS - Google 'Czech / Polish nymphing technique" (or summat like it), and you should get my drift. I have used the method since the 1980s, after being taught it by some incredible Austrian grayling fishers of the fast Alpine rivers. It has caught me a lot of fish hre, there and everywhere, including several sea-trout of well over 20 pounds in far-off southern South America.

 

There, you didn't have pay - NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO.

 

Good luck.

Edited October 24, 2005 by Paul Boote

[trent.barbeler]

Cheers Paul,

 

I'll bear all in mind should I have a go at this method.

 

Might have a problem with those Trent weir tails though. Hard to imagine casting a fly amongst all those bivies!

 

Gerry,

 

Read your email matey. Somewhere there must be Trent shallows I can't get the canoe up.

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[Alan Roe]

Mr Bailey is some way behind the times I'm afraid there are a number of people who have been doing it for years it has a small but loyal following of proponants on the Ribble and others on the Teme including myself most of us though tend to keep quiet about it there is no need for any fancy gear your old reservoir gear will do nicely and a few heavy nymphs, goldheaded varieties are my personal favourites if you want to be modern and 'with it' you can use polystyrene 'strike indicators' Floats to you and me! but being the dear old reactionary that I am I still just grease up the tip of my flyline and watch that!

 

The trick in spate rivers is to fish the pots in the river either where a run enters them or at the tail of the pool most of the time the barbel will tend to be found in these areas.You will be fishing blind but it works well.

 

On smaller clear rivers where the barbel can be seen individual fish can be cast to and the induced take can be effective. This involves raising the rod tip as the nymph approaches the fish this action causes the the nymph to rise in the water in much the same way as a natural on it's way to the surface the fish can rarely refuse the challenge of a meal avoiding it and will grab it. This technique is simple enough but requires a bit of practise and effort to learn. For that reason alone I suspect barbel fishing on the fly will remain a minority pastime as anglers are often too lazy to get off their backsides and expend the effort in learning something new

 

However those that do will be rewarded with an experience that they will never forget as the fight of a barbel on a fly rod has to be experienced to be belived.

[Paul Boote]

Cheers Paul,

 

I'll bear all in mind should I have a go at this method.

 

Might have a problem with those Trent weir tails though. Hard to imagine casting a fly amongst all those bivies!

 

Gerry,

 

Read your email matey. Somewhere there must be Trent shallows I can't get the canoe up.

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

 

 

Lee FYI

 

The following recently posted on the Fly Fishing Forum by a very good Sheffield-based angler (fly now, but he used to fairly thump the Trent chub once upon a time) in response to my 'weirtails' suggestion here earlier (though he probably hasn't seen all the bivvies you mentioned):

 

 

FFF

 

Barbel on the fly

 

Well said Paul! There's a brilliant length for wading below Beeston Weir. It's from an island about 300 yards downstream towards the true right bank. It is good wading (especially in Summer) right up to the sill of the weir.

 

Upstream from Averham is another very safely waded, gravelly run round an island below another weir.

 

It's true that most of the Trent is deep but anywhere bypassed by a navigation is worth a try. Both the places mentioned above have such long wadeable stretches that you can fish there certainly for half a day before you've fished it all.

 

richard