Starting out

[morph78]

I normally only pike fish in the winter months, but a ticket I have for some pits that also has a stretch of the River Lea.

I have rods and reels for barbell fishing but want some pointers on the terminal tackle side of things.

What mainline lb?
What hook length?
How long a hook length?
Hair or straight to hook?
What size hooks/ What hooks?
What size net? (Have a 28" Korum but don't want this to be to small, also have 42" that I use for pike but don't want this to be too big.)

Just looking for recommendations and pointers on what people have found works for them.

Thanks

 

[binka]

Hello mate, welcome to FM

I'm not familiar with the Lea but a fair bit of what you're asking was also covered recently here if it's any help...

https://www.fishingmagic.com/forums...0-new-barbel-could-use-advice-few-basics.html

I don't know about the net but I use a 22" Drennan Super Specialist which is fine.

Good luck with it, I hope you bag a few.

Edited to add:

I'm not overly fussy on hooks, as long as they are strong and sharp I'm happy but I tend to favour wide gape. Korum do a good hook (Korum Xpert Specimen) which are widely available and Korda too if you don't mind paying a bit extra in the case of the latter, I honestly don't think it's necessary though.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

I think you will likely get a lot different answers from different anglers, but for what it's worth, my opinions as follows:

What mainline lb? Depends on the fish size and the river bottom, however I like to use 12lb daiwa sensor as it's what's already on the reels for carp or pike fishing.

What hook length? between 8 and 10lb b/s, either mono or braid. Just the last 6 inches or so (see below re the adjuster stop).

How long a hook length? I use and enterprise adjuster stop so I can vary this without having to tie a new length, but my total hooklength tends to be between 18 and 36 inches, of which the last 6 inches or so are the lower b/s length referred to above

Hair or straight to hook? Hair rig every time

What size hooks/ What hooks? Varies a bit dependent on bait size but usually between a 12 and an 8. ESP raptors, also another vote for the Korum Xpert, I use the power version and it's good and relatively cheap compared to the carp patterns (ESP, Nash, Korda etc)

What size net? (Have a 28" Korum but don't want this to be to small, also have 42" that I use for pike but don't want this to be too big.) I use the Korum 26inch folding net and it's just the job, sure your 28 net will fit anything in you're likely to encounter.

 

[morph78]

Thanks for the replies.

Have 12lb mainline (Shimano Technium as I've never got on with Daiwa sensor)

Will get some hook lengths tied up with the recommended hooks.

This is the net I have:

https://www.korum.co.uk/products/nets-and-handles/folding-triangle-nets

Will have a look around the forum regarding baits etc.. rather than ask the same old questions again.

 

[Keith M]

When I'm not trotting a smaller bait for Barbel on the Lea then I'll usually use 8lb mainline; sometimes dropping down to 6lb if its low and clear and stepping up to 10lb when in flood conditions or if I am fishing in a particularly snaggy swim

I will usually use size 6 or 8 or 10 wide gape teflon hooks with offset points which don't glint too much in the light or blunt easily over gravel and whether I use a hair is largely dependent on the bait I'm using at the time and how many unwanted chub are in my swim picking up my bait.
NB: Sometimes I may want to catch Chub as well as barbel and if so I will tend to use a hook mounted bait or use a very short hair with the bait resting against my hook shank.

If I'm trotting then my bait will dictate the size hook that I use; anything from a size 10 down to a size 16 and my line will usually be 5lb or 6lb.

Outside of flood conditions the Lea isn't that powerful, or particularly wide, and a lead of half an ounce up to 1oz is usually all you will need to hold bottom and because I like to be able to occasionally trundle my bait down stream a little every now and then I will usually use anything from just 4 or 5 SSG on a short nylon link up to a half ounce flat lead and I rarely use any heavier leads on the Lea.

NB: when I say lead I mean lead substitute.

As for baits I tend to use use either a spicey flavoured luncheonmeat or 7mm pellet_O's (crab or halibut flavour) sometimes coated in a little paste to leave a flavour trail leading up to my hook, and I loose-feed a mixture of 4mm pellets and hemp. Or if I'm trotting a stick I will usually use maggots but will occasionally use small slivers of luncheonmeat.

Anyway that's how I fish for Barbel on the sections of the Lea that I fish anyway.

Tight lines

Keith