John Wilson Barbel Quiver Rod

[James.Wray89]

Hi guy's,


Bought the 'John Wilson Barbel Quiver Rod' a few months back have only used it once. I just need a bit of help with any suggestions in regard's to set up.

I am using it with it's Avon tip which is rated at 1.75lb along side Shimano Alivio 4000 R match fishing fixed spool reel with Drennan ESP Syncro XT Fishing Line.

I just wanted to know reel wise if that's good enough for general fishing as well as what lead's i should be using etc? i'm use to fishing with a more 'beefy' set up for carp but want to start getting in to using my barbel rod.

Any suggestions, please fire away!

 

[stillwater blue]

The reel will be fine.

Use a lead that easily allows you to cast the distance you need/want to cast. As a rule of thumb for every LB of test curve you can cast an ounce of weight.

 

[108831]

Imo it depends on the rivers being fished,then ranges on these rivers,the reel is fine for general barbel fishing on most rivers until flood water is encountered,or big feeders are used,3-4ozs upwards,plus bait.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

Some of this will depend on the type of river you want to fish - can you tell us that? Maybe give us some examples?

Also, you don't mention the b/s of the line you're using. Generally, most opt for 10 to 12 lb line for fishing somewhere like the wye, though some of that strength is based on the rigours that the river will place on the tackle (current, weed, rocks etc).

I use a 1.75lb tc rod for nearly all of my barbel fishing on the wye, it will cast a loaded 3oz feeder ok but I have to be careful... its a bit of a lob cast rather than a full-blooded over-head thump. I suspect my range whilst doing so is about 30m comfortably and 40-ish-m pushing it... so well short of what you might be used to casting whilst carp fishing

 

[john step]

I have one of those. I have been abusing it for about 10 years. As Jim says it will lob rather than heave a big feeder. Having said that it has a lot of poke lower down.
!0 or 12 lb b s is quite OK to go up to if you need to although with that line I would feel more comfortable with a 50 or 60 reel size. If you are fishing lighter at close range with perhaps 8lb bs then the 40 is fine.

Judging by your stated location I doubt there is any really strong current flows near to you on the Thames, Lea or Kennet so the 1.7 will be fine.
I abuse mine on the Trent in normal/low conditions until the water really gets going through.

 

[108831]

I have one of those. I have been abusing it for about 10 years. As Jim says it will lob rather than heave a big feeder. Having said that it has a lot of poke lower down.
!0 or 12 lb b s is quite OK to go up to if you need to although with that line I would feel more comfortable with a 50 or 60 reel size. If you are fishing lighter at close range with perhaps 8lb bs then the 40 is fine.

Judging by your stated location I doubt there is any really strong current flows near to you on the Thames, Lea or Kennet so the 1.7 will be fine.
I abuse mine on the Trent in normal/low conditions until the water really gets going through.

I've fished the Thames a fair bit,Jim a lot more than i,most barbel fishing is done later in the year(unless weirpool fishing),then the Thames is a different beast needing three ounces to hold ten yards out,in summer an AA shot could often hold,this never used to be the case.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

I've fished the Thames a fair bit,Jim a lot more than i,most barbel fishing is done later in the year(unless weirpool fishing),then the Thames is a different beast needing three ounces to hold ten yards out,in summer an AA shot could often hold,this never used to be the case.

Yes indeed, it used to flow substantially more year round... I can't help thinking that some of the decline in the thames barbel population is due to that decreased flow (managed through the weirs no doubt)... and then just when the fishing might get good with a bit of extra water, its turned in to an absolutely charging torrent, again I suspect by careful management of the weir system to ensure that nowhere gets flooded. Thought I might have a chance of a very early season barbel at the opening but the river wasn't anything like as high as it could have been. I've been told that some of this might have been due to filling up farmoor reservoir...

 

[108831]

In summer they don't let much water over the weirs,saving it for the countless lock operations in a day,this the flow one minute,standing the next....

 

[john step]

then the Thames is a different beast needing three ounces to hold ten yards out,.

OK then, a tongue in cheek retort from an ex Thames fisher now a Trent fisher.................Yes 3 ozs to hold, thats what I meant by a slow benign flow:wh:wh:wh

 

[108831]

I must add,I don't like using beach gear for barbel fishing,so three ounces is my limit,thus limiting me to slacks,or insides of bends,not the best places for barbel in the main,so fishing within the yards of the bank is,or was my domain,I've nothing against the use of heavy leads/swimfeeders,just don't enjoy using them myself.
I tried to put a smile on the the beginning of the above post and a never seen heading came up,I believe page 403,not allowing me to post with said emoji,so....

 

[john step]

Yes I know what you mean about beachcasting. Obviously there are places there where you can fish otherwise but so many places which are good are on the inside bends where the flow is greater and if using a ledger you simply cannot afford to let light terminal tackle roll into the tackle hungry rocks.

I have a few favourite places where I can get away with lighter leads particularly on the non tidal by casting bigger distances just over the nearside slacker water on outside bends but usually in summer when the boats stop in the evening. I know the barbel dont seem to take any notice of the boats but it doesn't feel right to me.

Last winter I finished the river season with a couple of nice doubles doing this on my Acy distance rod.

I know what you mean about more pleasure from closer in barbeling though. I make the effort now and again to go up to Nth Yorkshire to fish a narrow fast water where I can catch them under my feet against the bank. Thats heart stopping stuff.
Tight lines.

 

[108831]

I've fished the Trent and there are places you can cast to the far bank and hold with three ozs,I don't get the buzz from big snaggy rivers as I do ones that have visible features,but I enjoy and have enjoyed catching them anywhere.

 

[Keith M]

James, I haven’t tried Barbel fishing on the Thames yet but I’ve fished three of its tributaries the Kennet, the Lodden and the river Lea many hundreds of times over the years for their Chub and Barbel using a link leger with little more than a few SSG’s up to about one ounce for longer ranges in normal summer flows, unless I am using a feeder; which isn’t that often as I’m usually fishing within loose feed range or using PVA stockings or bait droppers.

If I want to keep my bait occasionally moving downstream every few minutes then I’ll just use a few SSG for my weight then when I lift my rod tip slightly my rig will trundle a foot or more downstream, and if I need a more stationary bait then I’ll use a half ounce to an ounce flat lead.

75% of the time I’m using small link ledgers as in the diagram below:



During the summer months I’ll usually be using lines of around 8lb but in really low water during a really dry period I sometimes use 6lb line. If I’m fishing in flood water then I’ll step up to 10lb or 12lb line and use heavier leads to suit.

For normal flows I use rods of 1.5lb or 1.75lb test depending on the location and the size of the Barbel in that stretch, and for floodwater then Ill usually step up to a 2lb TC rod.

NB: In the autumn when the fish are putting on weight to see them through the colder months I will tend to leave my lighter tackle at home and will not go lower than 8lb test line and my 1.75lb rod as I have most of my better sized Barbel at this time of year.

James your 1.75lb J.Wilson Barbel rod should be fine for the Thames and its tributaries using similar tactics and these rivers are not too far from where you live. The hardest part would be finding your best fishing.

This is how I tackle up for Barbel on these rivers when I’m fishing on the bottom (and not Trotting of course) but of course others might fish differently.

tight lines.

Keith

 

[Tree123]

Hi guy's,


Bought the 'John Wilson Barbel Quiver Rod' a few months back have only used it once. I just need a bit of help with any suggestions in regard's to set up.

I am using it with it's Avon tip which is rated at 1.75lb along side Shimano Alivio 4000 R match fishing fixed spool reel with Drennan ESP Syncro XT Fishing Line.

I just wanted to know reel wise if that's good enough for general fishing as well as what lead's i should be using etc? i'm use to fishing with a more 'beefy' set up for carp but want to start getting in to using my barbel rod.

Any suggestions, please fire away!

Are looking at the travel one I'm tempted for my perch fishing?