balanced feeder

[The Flying Tench]

If you read stuff by matchmen who use a feeder regularly on pacey rivers they nearly always recommend a balanced feeder, going for drop-back bites. But none of the barbel anglers I have seen were obviously doing this. I can understand why this is for fishing downstream on the near side, but many seem to fish far bank swims more or less straight across close to bushes etc. The general advice from successful anglers is to wait till the barbel pulls your tip right right round!

 

The only barbel I've caught from this type of swim responded as they've said, but I'm a bit puzzled what is going on. Surely, in a pacey river, the line from the feeder will be tending to pull it downstream before coming back upstream in an arc towards the angler. So, unless the feeder is tremendously unbalanced (like being wedged in some weed), you'd expect the immediate effect of a barbel bite to be to dislodge the feeder to give a drop-back. But the barbel anglers I've spoken to don't seem to talk much about drop-back bites. Am I missing something?

 

I guess the advice I'm really asking for is whether there is any point in trying to balance the feeder for barbel.

[Guest Rabbit]

Drop back bites generally occur when up stream ledgering John.... and those wack round bites I am still waiting this season, my best barbel this season was a 'trembler'

[GlennB]

..... Surely, in a pacey river, the line from the feeder will be tending to pull it downstream before coming back upstream in an arc towards the angler. So, unless the feeder is tremendously unbalanced (like being wedged in some weed), you'd expect the immediate effect of a barbel bite to be to dislodge the feeder to give a drop-back....

 

I'd say it depends hugely on the depth of the river, the pace of the water and the elevation of the rod - i.e. how much line is in the 'bow' and how the water will take the feeder away if it does get dislodged.

I must admit that when fishing fast deep water I stick to "under the bank", or at least distinctly downstream, so drop-backs are not much of an issue.

Look at it this way - if a geezer was fishing from the opposite bank, he might really fancy fishing right across by the features on your bank. So why not fish there yourself? So much more convenient (as long as you're quiet)

[The Flying Tench]

Drop back bites generally occur when up stream ledgering John.... and those wack round bites I am still waiting this season, my best barbel this season was a 'trembler'

 

Neil, I speak from limited experience, but surely, if you balance the feeder, you should get drop backs if you are fishing across and even slightly downstream, assuming there is some bow in the line.

 

By the way, I forgot to say - congratulations to Anthony on his 12lb barbel!

[Steve Walker]

Fishing match-style on the Severn at Ironbridge, most bites on the feeder were drop-backs. That was straight out at about 30-40 yards, though, in fast water 4 feet deep. The fish dislodged the feeder and the tip sprung back and then pulled round.

[The Flying Tench]

Fishing match-style on the Severn at Ironbridge, most bites on the feeder were drop-backs. That was straight out at about 30-40 yards, though, in fast water 4 feet deep. The fish dislodged the feeder and the tip sprung back and then pulled round.

Were you fishing for barbel, or was this maggot fishing?

[The Flying Tench]

Drop back bites generally occur when up stream ledgering John.... and those wack round bites I am still waiting this season, my best barbel this season was a 'trembler'

Neil, when do you strike at a trembler bite? I've been told I've got to sit on my hands cos I tend to strike too soon. I'm told you mustn't strike at the little pulls and knocks. So I guess a trembler is something specific?

[Will Wilkinson]

Were you fishing for barbel, or was this maggot fishing?

 

When I used to live in Telford and match fish most of the matches on the Severn were won with barbel using maggot or caster - so it could be both.

 

Will

[Steve Walker]

Were you fishing for barbel, or was this maggot fishing?

 

Like Will says, both! Actually, I was usually using hemp and caster in the feeder rather than maggots, because casters are slightly less susceptible to minnows, but this was fishing for barbel and chub match-angler style.

[bluerinse]

most anglers I see on the Avon fishing for barbel these days use a bolt rig, bite alarms and Donkey chocking pellets, They set up sit back have a kip, drink a few beers and wait for the fish to hook its self.

 

Were's the skill in that?