Hooklength material for barbel fishing

[mark brailsford 2]

The ESP and Drennan stock is supposedly the same stuff, etherway it's still a lot cheaper than Kryston!

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

Thanks folks, lots of food for thought there. I have 10lb ESP Ghost and Soft Ghost at home, I have to say that even in the "soft" version, it's always seemed to be a little un-supple to me? I bought both for carp fishing but never had the confidance in it to stick it out....

I've also used 10lb drennan sink braid, which is what I'd always change to when the above mentioned confidance started to wane.... so very happy with that. My reluctance on rivers tended to be in that I'd want to fish a longer hooklength (than I would carp fishing, likely 6inches max)... also, when carping I'd tend to use some form of pva offering, as much for the anti tangle properties as for the feed.

Interested to know how those who reccomennd a braid tip on a longer length of mono go about linking the two? Allbright knot? Mini swivel? Small ring? I had a go at tying the allbright knot last year, I got a couple to work really well but then i seemed to lose the knack which was a bit bizzare. I guess whichever you use, its best to tie a few up at home. There's nothing like losing a good fish to render your hands absolutely incapbale on the bank.... My conclusions for the next trip will be to tie a few different permutations and see what works best.

I guess the length of the hooklink is a subject enough for its own thread.... my preference for a longer link came on my last trip to the wye when having caught a few fish on a 3 foot link, I got snapped up... I had some pretied links in a wallet with me, they were about 18'', i put one on and stoppeed getting bites.... after 30 mins or so, I retied a new link of about 3 foot and got a bite straight away. Having said that, it's probably just a case of something working on the day... I'm always open minded to the idea that tinkering a little with the bit thats nearest to the fish can sometimes pay dividends!

Thanks again for the comments folks. Will let you know how things go when I get to put it in to practice.

cheers
Jim

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Mr Maynard is right. Don't use a non stretch low diameter mono as a hooklink onto something like braid as it will crack off. Especially on a rocky river.

Also I would suggest a 9-12" inch hooklink is all you should be using, because of the nature of the river bed. Then it's your main line that needs to be tough. Gardener GT80 GR60 are ideal for mainlines.


Either powerpro in 15lb or same mono as above in 10lb are ideal as hooklink.

My guests had over 60 Wye barbel this weekend, in very tough conditions topped with a cracking 13.2.

Graham

 

[Weeman]

Another vote for Ultima Power Steel as a hook length - absolutely brilliant stuff.

GR60 as main line - used it for years, tough as ol boots, strong as an ox, can't see me using anything else.

 

[binka]

And for the exception to the rule... add seven strand twenty four pound trace wire to the list after I bagged a nice barbel around 9lbs this evening whilst fishing lamprey section on a size two hook for eels!

I did get my eel later... damn nuisance barbel!

 

[barbelboi]

Nice one Binka, I've had barbel on live minnow but never on a dead bait (freshwater or otherwise).
Jerry

 

[binka]

Thanks Jerry... It was a first for me, i'd heard rumours last year that pike anglers were picking up some nice barbel on lamprey and I had my suspicions as soon as the reel Zzzzzz'd off.

For a split second I hoped it was the mother of all eels but quickly changed my mind lol

 

[garethdwatkins]

And for the exception to the rule... add seven strand twenty four pound trace wire to the list after I bagged a nice barbel around 9lbs this evening whilst fishing lamprey section on a size two hook for eels!

I did get my eel later... damn nuisance barbel!

There's a group of predator anglers in Paris that have photos on their site of several big barbel taken with rubber lures. In fact its quite a common occurrence to get them on lures... probably while after Zander.

cheers
Gareth

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Following on from Jim Crosskeys comments about using a longer hooklink and his success.

The key is the type of feed style you use. On the Wye a pva bag will nearly always mean most of the free bait will work downstream very quickly........even on a moderate river push. In any sort of decent flow it will whizz away very quickly! with the fish genearlly holding up downstream.

Thats why I always use a feeder with damp mix that will hold the feed and particle mix in for a nominal 10 mins at least. The fish will come up to the source.........and reduce the cut offs.

Graham

 

[Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)]

Thanks folks, lots of food for thought there. I have 10lb ESP Ghost and Soft Ghost at home, I have to say that even in the "soft" version, it's always seemed to be a little un-supple to me? I bought both for carp fishing but never had the confidance in it to stick it out....

Not a fan of Ghost, used the original briefly for carp fishing... like a slinky...

Incognito 7lb and 9lb covers most sitations for me in daylight these days...

Superb stuff... palomar and knotless knot... hooklinks 4-6 foot with feeder above... I favour small hooks (14s/16s) and small hair-rigged hookbaits

 

[johnnyfby]

Sorry Graham but using a mainline such as 15lb power pro as a hook length is unsuitable in my opinion. Its extremely thin and could lead to cutting a fish, either through an hard fight or entanglment. I have seen what mainline braid can do and it was a sad day for me. So for anybody looking in be responsible and buy a suitable hooklength braid. I know you are a responsible angler Graham and your word packs a punch on the angling scene but for me its unsuitable.

Jon

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Jon. No Problem, it's good to have differing views.

I would say however that I genuinely have never noticed any damage to fish being caught with powerpro braid use. And of course on river like the Kennet and Loddon there are a fair number of recaptures.


Now, I can't comment on other braids like spiderwire, fusion, etc, because I never have used them. BUT, if there was a problem, over the thousands of barbel caught by me or my guests, I would have noticed.


Low diameter lines of insignificant b.s. are surely more damaging than anything possibly used. I have used it for about 10 years.

There's some research done. I will try and find it.


Here

http://www.fishingmagic.com/news_events/news/11635-the-truth-about-braided-lines.html

Fair bit of advertising, but note powerpro although probably the main competitor not highlighted as it flattens.

NO idea of the braid used in the incident you quote Jon.

Cheers

Graham

 

[Paul Morley]

This is all good stuff; I'm familiar with powerpro as a mainline but... I thought it floated, so wondered about its hooklength use?

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Hi Paul

Any sort of flow puts it on the deck.

I would consider it neutral buoyancy.

Graham

 

[Paul Morley]

Not much flow out there at the mo, Graham... Can I put in a word for 12lb x-line with an alleged dia. of .26mm? I'll defo have a look at powerpro as I have 15lb on my light lure rod, have often fiddled with it. Regarding long hooklinks on snaggy rivers and 'tethering', use a rotten bottom to the feeder reducing that occurence - couldn't afford not to on the Ribble, plus homemade feeders of course.

 

[sam vimes]

There's some research done. I will try and find it.


Here

http://www.fishingmagic.com/news_events/news/11635-the-truth-about-braided-lines.html

Fair bit of advertising, but note powerpro although probably the main competitor not highlighted as it flattens.

NO idea of the braid used in the incident you quote Jon.

Cheers

Graham

Graham,
it's an excellent article that I often refer to and refer others too. However, have you read all of it? The reason I ask is that it says the following

"BRAIDED MAINLINES NOT RECOMMENDED!"

You will be aware that I have written at length about properly designed braided lines manufactured for hooklengths. There are now braided lines on the market made for use as reel line or mainline. These lines are of an extremely low diameter and should never be used as hooklengths! Some are braided very tight with an extremely high pick count to reduce the diameter and are constructed too tight to flatten. Some are lines made from filaments which have been fused together using modern-day resins. All braided reel lines should be used on the reel and not the hook due to their cheese-cutting abilities. There are many braided reel or casting lines available, Fireline, Fusion, Spiderwire, Suffix, plus many, many more. Once again I would recommend only purpose designed braided lines for use as hooklengths."

As good as Powerpro is, it is definitely intended as a mainline. Personally, I wouldn't use the stuff as a hooklength. One of the big selling points of the stuff is the round profile. I don't believe it's of the type that will flatten.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Good Point Paul.

I was more concerned regarding being cutoff when playing fish.

This is almost always above the hooklink if its sensibly short. This however very rarely happens with Gardener GR60 / GT80

If anyone chooses to use a long tail (over 2' ) then I wouldn't use PP because it is not the most abrasion resistant, but then again. I never need to.

I always use a running rig.

Graham

---------- Post added at 12:55 ---------- Previous post was at 11:03 ----------

Hi Sam. I certainly did read it through thats why noted the fact that powerpro wasn't mentioned.

I noted also re advertising......re competitor product.

The proof of the pudding is in the using....so I suggest you try some and then give an honest opinion.

I would also argue that it does indeed flatten to a degree, when wet. More so than mono..........

However, taking your view further, no braid should ever be used, because fish have flanks and fins and tails etc etc.


There are huge numbers of anglers using powerpro because its excellent as mainline and hooklink, and do you really think they would if it was carving up fish????? One other positive of using both is that those taps, via stretchy mono are often firm hookups.


One angler I met was using some thick coated stuff, safer he said.............doesn't damage the fishes mouth. Hinged rig set up it was.......................

Seriously Sam. Try it despite your reservations, and once you have compared it with your standard setup, seen caught fish, let us know.



Graham.

 

[Fred Bonney]

Sam, I've always had great confidence in anything written by Dave Chilton, having met him on a couple of occasions, you couldn't meet a more honest individual when it come to his companies products.

 

[binka]

I was more concerned regarding being cutoff when playing fish.

This is almost always above the hooklink if its sensibly short.

Simpleton here

Thanks for all the info Graham and good reading, the one thing i'm battling with is this "sensibly short" hooklength thing... are you referring to mono hooklengths or braid?

Only reason for asking is that I've always believed mono to have far better abrasion qualities than braid and have found this to be the case and usually when I carry out the usual feeling up the line after landing a fish to check for abrasion wear the wear is on the hooklength which in my case is four feet plus and on the mono, had it been on the braid i'm thinking it would have pinged and sensibly short would have been pretty catastrophic?

Have I got this all wrong?

 

[sam vimes]

Hi Sam. I certainly did read it through thats why noted the fact that powerpro wasn't mentioned.

I noted also re advertising......re competitor product.

The proof of the pudding is in the using....so I suggest you try some and then give an honest opinion.

I would also argue that it does indeed flatten to a degree, when wet. More so than mono..........

However, taking your view further, no braid should ever be used, because fish have flanks and fins and tails etc etc.


There are huge numbers of anglers using powerpro because its excellent as mainline and hooklink, and do you really think they would if it was carving up fish????? One other positive of using both is that those taps, via stretchy mono are often firm hookups.


One angler I met was using some thick coated stuff, safer he said.............doesn't damage the fishes mouth. Hinged rig set up it was.......................

Seriously Sam. Try it despite your reservations, and once you have compared it with your standard setup, seen caught fish, let us know.



Graham.

Graham, I do use Powerpro, have caught plenty of barbel with it, and am happy to do so, but not as a hooklink.

Sam, I've always had great confidence in anything written by Dave Chilton, having met him on a couple of occasions, you couldn't meet a more honest individual when it come to his companies products.

I was casting no aspertions whatsoever on Dave Chilton. I quite agree with every word he has written, including the bit about mainline braids not being used as hooklinks. Regardless of whether he mentions Powerpro specifically, there's no doubt in my mind that Powerpro is intended as a mainline.