Jim Crosskey 2
Well-known member
Last year I started a thread on hooklength materials for barbel fishing, as I was about to have a first serious go for the species on the river teme.
Fast forward a year, and now I've actually managed to catch a few, however these have come from the far more prolific river wye.
On my most recent session there, my chosen hooklength material (brown drennan double strength in 10lb b.s.) gave me some serious cause for concern... it parted pretty easily on a couple of fish. This did happen mid way up the hooklength (rather than at either knot end) which did make me wonder if a sharp rock had got in the way? However, i'd usually expect some sense up the line of that and there was none - it just felt like the fish surged and then everything was slack.
So I'm interested to know what others recommend? 10lb maxima chameleon has been put forward as a possible alternative on another thread (thanks jacksharp!) and I will check that out, I'm also wondering if 8 or 10lb daiwa sensor could be worth thinking of?
(BTW, i'm using 12lb daiwa sensor as main line which I'm very, very happy with)
Is there any consideration here for stealth? Part of me is starting to think that when wye barbel are really on the feed, you could hang a pellet on a piece of tow rope and they'd bite.... and equally, if they're not having it - then you just need to hurry up and wait until they are.
However, given the kind of trip I need to make to get there, I would hate to end up losing the only bite of a day that I get to an avoidable, broken hook length.
Any thoughts welcome... if you have a preference, what is it? And in what lenght? I tend to start at about 3 foot, which is longer than i'd use on the thames.... but it does seem to work.
Fast forward a year, and now I've actually managed to catch a few, however these have come from the far more prolific river wye.
On my most recent session there, my chosen hooklength material (brown drennan double strength in 10lb b.s.) gave me some serious cause for concern... it parted pretty easily on a couple of fish. This did happen mid way up the hooklength (rather than at either knot end) which did make me wonder if a sharp rock had got in the way? However, i'd usually expect some sense up the line of that and there was none - it just felt like the fish surged and then everything was slack.
So I'm interested to know what others recommend? 10lb maxima chameleon has been put forward as a possible alternative on another thread (thanks jacksharp!) and I will check that out, I'm also wondering if 8 or 10lb daiwa sensor could be worth thinking of?
(BTW, i'm using 12lb daiwa sensor as main line which I'm very, very happy with)
Is there any consideration here for stealth? Part of me is starting to think that when wye barbel are really on the feed, you could hang a pellet on a piece of tow rope and they'd bite.... and equally, if they're not having it - then you just need to hurry up and wait until they are.
However, given the kind of trip I need to make to get there, I would hate to end up losing the only bite of a day that I get to an avoidable, broken hook length.
Any thoughts welcome... if you have a preference, what is it? And in what lenght? I tend to start at about 3 foot, which is longer than i'd use on the thames.... but it does seem to work.