Leads or feeders ?

[associatedmatt]

As I'm a barbel novice and going to have a few trips on the Severn before end of the year I'm unsure where to take leads or feeders or both as I see lead approach you can hook pva bag with meat or pellets in .

Don't want to take loads of kit with me due to travel light to carry it all easily . Before you know it with leads upto 4oz and same with feeders your carrying a fair bit of extra weight .

Any advice on this As I see pva bags similar to feeders except you can put out more bait.

Cheers

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[tigger]

I usually use leads myself. I don't usually bother with ground bait either and catapult heavy pellets into my chosen area then just fish over the top with my own pellet/bait. Halibut pellets give off plenty scent as they are without messing about with all kinds of bits.

 

[associatedmatt]

I usually use leads myself. I don't usually bother with ground bait either and catapult heavy pellets into my chosen area then just fish over the top with my own pellet/bait. Halibut pellets give off plenty scent as they are without messing about with all kinds of bits.

Thanks , I have got a mix of pellets 6 and 8mm in hinders little gemz and some large elips. But have got 8 and 14 for on the hair and take a few tins of meat .

To be honest I don't use groubdbait much only when when using a cage feeder for tench .

When using meat what sort of size lump of meat ? 2 " cube ?

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[tigger]

Thanks , I have got a mix of pellets 6 and 8mm in hinders little gemz and some large elips. But have got 8 and 14 for on the hair and take a few tins of meat .

To be honest I don't use groubdbait much only when when using a cage feeder for tench .

When using meat what sort of size lump of meat ? 2 " cube ?

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I don't use such large pieces of meat. I don't know why people keep on saying barbel have massive mouths as they haven't! I'd say for their size they are smaller than a lot of other species. If using meat the average sized piece i'd use would be an inch or so and half as thick.

 

[john step]

I have found the PVA stocking more convenient than bags for barbel. You can leave a tag, cut it down the centre to make two tabs and then tie it to the ring of a watch lead.
I have a bag of groundbait next to me to dry the lead off in when using PVA stocking.
Thats quite heavy which is probably why I have taken a bit of stick on here for the robust tackle I sometimes use

 

[associatedmatt]

I have found the PVA stocking more convenient than bags for barbel. You can leave a tag, cut it down the centre to make two tabs and then tie it to the ring of a watch lead.
I have a bag of groundbait next to me to dry the lead off in when using PVA stocking.
Thats quite heavy which is probably why I have taken a bit of stick on here for the robust tackle I sometimes use

Sorry , I should of explained better when say pva bags I did mean pva mesh . Not the solid bags . Tried to use solid bags but I prefer the stocking types and with hook bag on or thread down the hooklink

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[associatedmatt]

I don't use such large pieces of meat. I don't know why people keep on saying barbel have massive mouths as they haven't! I'd say for their size they are smaller than a lot of other species. If using meat the average sized piece i'd use would be an inch or so and half as thick.

So an Oxo cube sort of size ?

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[thecrow]

When using meat what sort of size lump of meat ? 2 " cube ?

Some very successful Severn Barbel anglers use half a tin with a size 2 in it.

 

[associatedmatt]

Some very successful Severn Barbel anglers use half a tin with a size 2 in it.

That's a big ol lump I got hooks in 10 , 8 and 6

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[tigger]

So an Oxo cube sort of size ?

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Yeah, about that, maybe a little bigger.
Imo there's no point in making fish struggle to get a bait into their mouths which risks them leaving it because they've been pricked with the hook etc, something that fits into their mouths without too much of a struggle or better still is just sucked straight in is a far better option....jmo of course.

Graham....you must have plenty coin to splash about if you'd use half a tin of meat in one go .
Half a tin would be more suited to catfish fishing surely.

 

[associatedmatt]

Yeah, about that, maybe a little bigger.
Imo there's no point in making fish struggle to get a bait into their mouths which risks them leaving it because they've been pricked with the hook etc, something that fits into their mouths without too much of a struggle or better still is just sucked straight in is a far better option....jmo of course.

Graham....you must have plenty coin to splash about if you'd use half a tin of meat in one go .
Half a tin would be more suited to catfish fishing surely.

Surly that be a while tin for a catfish or a 6lb carp !

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[tigger]

Surly that be a while tin for a catfish or a 6lb carp !

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I reckon the carp would be the better option :wh.

 

[associatedmatt]

I reckon the carp would be the better option :wh.

Or a pigeon !

Getting back , after a cast with a mesh bag on how long would you leave for re casts ? About an hour ?

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[thecrow]

.you must have plenty coin to splash about if you'd use half a tin of meat in one go .
Half a tin would be more suited to catfish fishing surely

One of the anglers that I know uses baits of that size is very well known and catches plenty of very good fish on it, lots of them on a pin as well

 

[tigger]

Or a pigeon !

Getting back , after a cast with a mesh bag on how long would you leave for re casts ? About an hour ?

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I don't like leaving my bait in for long before winding in and casting out again. Ten to 15 min's on average i'd say.

 

[tigger]

One of the anglers that I know uses baits of that size is very well known and catches plenty of very good fish on it, lots of them on a pin as well

Prolly catch more with a smaller piece on, and he'd save a wallet of coin n'all.....for his sausages .

 

[associatedmatt]

I don't like leaving my bait in for long before winding in and casting out again. Ten to 15 min's on average i'd say.

Cheers , I see people use hooklings around a foot or 2 and more she would I use a shorter hooklink to a long one ? Different river conditions ?

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[tigger]

Cheers , I see people use hooklings around a foot or 2 and more she would I use a shorter hooklink to a long one ? Different river conditions ?

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As you say the conditions dictate the length of hooklink. For the biggest part i'd say I use about a foot. If I use a method then it's a few inches long.
Actually I forgot to mention using the method feeder and it is a great method for barbel. I use brown cumb as a binder and add corn, maggots and pellets etc. I make it very sticky and squeeze it hard onto the feeder, so hard that it's often left on the method when I wind in .

 

[associatedmatt]

As you say the conditions dictate the length of hooklink. For the biggest part i'd say I use about a foot. If I use a method then it's a few inches long.
Actually I forgot to mention using the method feeder and it is a great method for barbel. I use brown cumb as a binder and add corn, maggots and pellets etc. I make it very sticky and squeeze it hard onto the feeder, so hard that it's often left on the method when I wind in .

That's interesting idea as would have to be very sticky not to wash off downstream

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[geoffmaynard]

The power of the flow needs to be considered. At the moment, the Wye where I live is up to its banks and powering through. Anyone trying to use a feeder or a PVA bag in the fast water will just have it washed straight downstream. Putting groundbait in is a futile exercise - again, a washout straight away. The only purpose for it at the moment is to use as a vehicle to introduce heavy pellets, which are the only freebies with a chance of staying in the swim. Golfball sized balls rather than orange sized.
So I use a straight lead with a big bow in the line to fish the fast water in flood conditions. I might introduce free samples via ground bait balls and might not... Fish the slacks and the feeder or pva works fine.
I had two barbel in a 2 hour session this afternoon fishing just hookbaits.