Maggots + Hemp

[Andy M]

I have just watched a youtube video of a guy trotting for barbel on a fairly shallow ca. 4-5 ft fast flowing river. He recommended little and often feeding alternating with maggot and hemp but I noticed he was throwing the hemp into the same spot as he was feeding the maggots. Given the relative sinking rates of maggots v hemp surely the maggots will hit bottom far further downstream than the hemp. Does anyone else feed maggot and hemp into such a swim and if so do you make allowance for the different sinking rates?

 

[theartist]

If it's really fast the maggots wont be hitting bottom till the next swim anyway but that's not too important this time of year as the barbel will come up for the bait (and it's amazing how far they will rise off bottom) feeding maggots upstream can be a lot of work too so maybe he's being economical with the effort as a lot of barbel on the float can be knackering lol

I'd be more aware of feeding too much hemp as ideally you want them more focused on the maggots, too much hemp can lead to them rooting around on the bottom when you want them up in the water, I know others may disagree but I catch most my barbel in summer fishing less that 2ft deep in 4ft swims

 

[tigger]

As artist says others may disagree with what hes says regarding catching barbel by fishing 2ft deep in a 4ft swim.
I don't doubt that that works for him where he fishes, I do much better by tripping or dragging bottom.
I did once catch a barbel on a floating caster in about 3 or 4ft of water but that was pretty much a feak imo.
Only recently I was watching the barbel feeding only several feet from my own feet!...in about 18 to 20 inches of water and they where hugging the bottom. They wouldn't touch my trotted baits and I had to remove the float, add some swan shot and roll the bait at them before I got any results.
It is interesting how artists barbel come up in the water so readily.

Regarding the hemp, I use sweetcorn as it's cheaper and easier to get hold of than hemp and I find it a much better bait. When using it I throw or catty it to where ever I think is the appropriate spot going off the speed of flow and depth of water etc.

 

[theartist]

As artist says others may disagree with what hes says regarding catching barbel by fishing 2ft deep in a 4ft swim.
I don't doubt that that works for him where he fishes, I do much better by tripping or dragging bottom.
I did once catch a barbel on a floating caster in about 3 or 4ft of water but that was pretty much a feak imo.
Only recently I was watching the barbel feeding only several feet from my own feet!...in about 18 to 20 inches of water and they where hugging the bottom. They wouldn't touch my trotted baits and I had to remove the float, add some swan shot and roll the bait at them before I got any results.
It is interesting how artists barbel come up in the water so readily.

They come up so readily cos i'm after roach lol

Seriously the the 2ft in 4ft swim reference is whilst roach fishing, on cloudy days. It has to be noted they rarely come up so readily when it's super bright although I did have that scenario a few weeks back. If i'm after barbel on hemp and maggot i'll prob be around a foot to three inches off bottom, touching it at a push but holding back as I find dragging bottom leads to too many foul hooks in the pec fins, on my gear foul hooked barbel isn't a good idea so I fish shallower, with patience and regular feeding they will come up.

How when dragging bottom do you avoid foul hooking?

 

[tigger]

They come up so readily cos i'm after roach lol

Seriously the the 2ft in 4ft swim reference is whilst roach fishing, on cloudy days. It has to be noted they rarely come up so readily when it's super bright although I did have that scenario a few weeks back. If i'm after barbel on hemp and maggot i'll prob be around a foot to three inches off bottom, touching it at a push but holding back as I find dragging bottom leads to too many foul hooks in the pec fins, on my gear foul hooked barbel isn't a good idea so I fish shallower, with patience and regular feeding they will come up.

How when dragging bottom do you avoid foul hooking?

In all honesty I don't avoid foul hooking, it does happen but quite rarely really. It seems to happen more when the fish are in tight shoals, and on smaller rivers but I suppose that's obvious. I think this season i've had one foul hooked fish which came off as I reached for it with the landing net. I lost another fish after a few seconds which is often a fould hooked fish, as you know they seldom come off if lip hooked. As far as I can remember that's it for foul hooked barbel so far this season.
I haven't done anything like as well as I have in previous years for barbel....had a bumper year for gudgeon though lol.
For some reason the fish in my regular river don't seem to want my trotted bait and want it pinned to the deck....I really have no idea why?
My best two sessions so far have been when I resorted to touchlegering and I had 14 and then 18 and then 8. Best trotting session was 10 but they where all small and went from about 8 ounces to 2 or 3lb.
Ido getthe impression that the numbers of larger fish have dwindled but unlike the other regular anglers I don't blame otters as otters have always been present on this river.

 

[108831]

In six feet of fastish water I would feed them around six feet apart,hemp obviously downstream,hemp in perhaps a third the amount of maggot.

 

[Philip]

just to throw another option in the ring...I would actually bait dropper the hemp out first to create a carpet and then feed the maggots regularly by hand upstream of that. Perhaps topping up the hemp from time to time depending on how the fishing is going

 

[108831]

That's great if you want fish tightly packed,but for trotting the pitter-latter of the hemp-maggot combination,along with both falling through the water is generally more attractive,or has been found to be so by many.

 

[Philip]

You might be right Alan, its just another way. I dont see it as being any different to balling in some dense groundbait at the start and then loose feeding over the top which the continental match boys seem to use quite allot.

 

[108831]

Philip,as has been said before,it's what works for you,on your venues,along with the choice of target species,most things work,some outdo others on any given day,angling is all about having all options open.