New to trotting any advice appreciated,

[wye steve]

Hi guys I'm Steve and new to the forum.

After a number of years of barbel/chub fishing with static baits I'm keen to get into float fishing on the river Wye (the hereforshire area as i have discovered through this site that there is more than one river Wye).

I've read with interest a number of threads and articles about floats, shotting etc and realise that variation in tactics is far and wide and at times quite subjective.

I've come to the conclusion that my best bet is to just get out there and put the hours in and give things a try, but would like to get some specific advice in regard to my objectives and circumstances in which i'll be fishing.

I'll be targeting primarily barbel and also chub in smooth steady swims to start with and i'm a little confused about presentation.


Firstly, what is the aim in terms of bait movement and depth?

Should I be fishing at the swim depth or over depth and if so how much?

Should i be trying to hold back the float to let the bait go through ahead of it or just let the rig go through as it wants to?

(planning on using soft pellet, meat or maggot so do the tactics vary in terms of which bait?)



If you've managed to read all that without nodding off, any help would be gratefully received.

 

[Mark Wintle]

The best advice I can give is to go and talk to Woody in his Hereford tackle shop. He knows it like the back of his hand and there are few better Wye float anglers. Spend some money in the shop (it's unfair to ask for advice and spend your money elsewhere) - he has the floats that will do the job perfectly - and he will put you on the swims and help a great deal. A few years ago I did just that and had two great days catching barbel (plus the odd chub) on a big waggler fished well over depth using hemp and caster. The summer swims I fished were shallow narrow gulleys on a low river.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

For a start the where, two venues spring immediately to mind if you want chub and barbel fishing on the float, the tennis courts and Bartonsham both in Hereford. Both can be fished using a stick, a chubber/avon but easier with a waggler.

The how is more difficult because float fishing has to be learned through experience and it is true that the more you do it the better you get. The depth at which you fish is dictated by the way the fish want the bait presented on the day, in fact it can change during a day so its a suck it and see thing basically but start with the bait tripping bottom and adjust as necessary (barbel as you know are bottom feeders so thats the place to be). As Mark says the mine of information that is Woody will put you right but though he will give you the right approach what he won't be able to do is teach you how to do it.

Floatfished pellets might work but the fish on both those venues respond well to maggot, lots of them, the more you feed the more you will catch so its no use going with half a pint and thinking thats enough you will need two or three pints at least. Feed regularly and that means EVERY cast and try to feed and fish the same line every time. In the autumn the roach fishing takes off and there is no finer river roach fishing than the Belmont section in Hereford. This is your traditional stick float water and can be prolific not only for quality roach but dace and chub as well. Woody's phone number and address.

 

[tigger]

The how is more difficult because float fishing has to be learned through experience and it is true that the more you do it the better you get. The depth at which you fish is dictated by the way the fish want the bait presented on the day, in fact it can change during a day so its a suck it and see thing basically but start with the bait tripping bottom and adjust as necessary (barbel as you know are bottom feeders so thats the place to be). As Mark says the mine of information that is Woody will put you right but though he will give you the right approach what he won't be able to do is teach you how to do it.

Floatfished pellets might work but the fish on both those venues respond well to maggot, lots of them, the more you feed the more you will catch so its no use going with half a pint and thinking thats enough you will need two or three pints at least. Feed regularly and that means EVERY cast and try to feed and fish the same line every time. In the autumn the roach fishing takes off and there is no finer river roach fishing than the Belmont section in Hereford. This is your traditional stick float water and can be prolific not only for quality roach but dace and chub as well. Woody's phone number and address.

Not much else to add to that. I have caught barbel up in the water though when trotting but as a norm I do prefer tripping bottomm or no more than several inches up in the water on most occassions.As has been said you've gotta play arround until you start to get results.
Good luck !

 

[dezza]

I've never fished the Wye, but when I used to fish the Severn for barbel and chub with the float, I never used less than 1/2 a gallon of maggots a day.

Red ones!!!

 

[Wag]

I never used less than 1/2 a gallon of maggots a day

Would you use the same amount trotting on the Trent Ron?
Or more/less?
Or is a heavier bait required to get down to the bottom?

 

[alan whittington]

I feel Graham is spot on,its one thing saying your going to floatfish the Wye,but it might be easier tying a rope round a bull,IF you havnt had a decent bit of experience trotting a pacy,powerful river,one thing though you have no shortage of fish to hone your methods,enjoy.

 

[theo1carp]

All the advice here is spot on especially the woody bit. I will add though that perhaps it would be better to start with a waggler or chubber float as they are probably a lot easier to master than a stickfloat. They do like a red maggot on the wye as well as hemp and caster.
Best of luck