barbbel baits
- Thread starter neilcod
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Morespiders
Senior Member
Ehhh up Neil, nice to see you back, any bait you can think of is good for barbel, its just that some are better than others, where you fishing
dezza
Well-known member
Chandler's greaves together with bullocks brains and pith!
Baits?
Don't bother with bait, just get onto the Trent; there are allegedly so many Barbel there that they just jump on yer bare hook . . . . . .
Alternatively:, they will take; Corn, Maggot, Pellet, Boillies, the 'pink indispensible' otherwise known as Luncheon Meat, chunks of dog meat and worms.
In fact they are pretty much the vacuum cleaners of the rivers, but of course only those that flow Eastwards, oh, and haven't been stocked, right Ron?
flightliner
Well-known member
Been trying trotted minnow on my last two trips out to the Trent as the margins are full of them, no joy as yet but I will keep trying.
As a matter of interest, as anyone had a Barbel using these as bait????
As a matter of interest, as anyone had a Barbel using these as bait????
Derek Gibson
Well-known member
Yes, we had Barbel on float fished minnow at Sheephill's on the river Swale many years ago. For some inexplicable reason it didn't last long, perhaps three or four trips. Maybe the Chub and Barbel had thinned down the shoals.
Tried it on the Nidd and Wharf too, when there was evidence of small fry, but the results were very dissapointing.
quickcedo
Well-known member
To the best of my knowledge, Minnows and Gudgeon are very good baits at the very start of the season as it is believed the Barbel are actively seeking high protein food to aid recovery after spawning. However that said high grade fishmeal boilies seem to do just as well.
There is of course also the theory that after the 3 month lay off the fish need time to get used to anglers bait again.
There is of course also the theory that after the 3 month lay off the fish need time to get used to anglers bait again.
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
hair rigged pepperami, garlic sausage, crust of bread , large prawn, double lobworm....
all catch, but .. if you can present them right, fresh casters with a few fake ones on the hook/hair are king for barbel. IMHO.....
all catch, but .. if you can present them right, fresh casters with a few fake ones on the hook/hair are king for barbel. IMHO.....
quickcedo
Well-known member
The best barbel bait bar none, is the one cast in the right place!
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POLO
Active member
Baits
I love to use pellets but I've found recently that the Barbel have become shy around the larger pellets. I tend to use x2 6 or 8mm side by side on a hair. This has proved more successful for me over that last 2 years. I don't mind boilies but will only fish these with a very large bed of particles and i won't use any large that 10mm.
I love to use pellets but I've found recently that the Barbel have become shy around the larger pellets. I tend to use x2 6 or 8mm side by side on a hair. This has proved more successful for me over that last 2 years. I don't mind boilies but will only fish these with a very large bed of particles and i won't use any large that 10mm.
David Marrs
Well-known member
I've been very unsuccessful on the 4 or 5 trips I've done this year (as have everyone else I've seen on the stretch) with my Barbel fishing and have had next to nothing on baits I previously scored on over the last fewyears. I've been using 15mm boilies (cut in half mounted to maximise scent / change shape etc) of various fishmeal vintages, smaller Halibut pellets and have also been trying some new 8mm fishmeal pellets but with no real joy at all. All fished over various Hemp flavours, spicy and garlic etc.
The thing is, I haven't seen anyone else catching anything much either so I am not sure whether the fish have vacated the stretch (I doubt it, it's a big old stretch and at night big fish show themselves all over it) or if they are preoccupied with natural food or indeed, if they haven't just stopped feeding for whatever reason? Low water / heat / conditions? Something isn't right as a good mate of mine who normally nails these fish isn't catching either, I could understand if it was just me.
I'm going to order some new bait and try some new tactics, glugging etc to see if I can turn things around but will also wait until we get a bit of rain to flush the river through a bit.
The thing is, I haven't seen anyone else catching anything much either so I am not sure whether the fish have vacated the stretch (I doubt it, it's a big old stretch and at night big fish show themselves all over it) or if they are preoccupied with natural food or indeed, if they haven't just stopped feeding for whatever reason? Low water / heat / conditions? Something isn't right as a good mate of mine who normally nails these fish isn't catching either, I could understand if it was just me.
I'm going to order some new bait and try some new tactics, glugging etc to see if I can turn things around but will also wait until we get a bit of rain to flush the river through a bit.
barbel basher
Member
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Been fishing the Nidd, Wharfe & Swale this season and 90% of barbel have caught been on caster mainly due to low clear water conditions ? Had one session on the Yorkshire Derwent at Stamford bridge were after nearly 3hrs of hardly a touch ! a swich to corn produced 5 chub to 4lb and a 9lb 9oz barbel 
Planning a session on the trent were pellet would be my first choice !
Planning a session on the trent were pellet would be my first choice !
quickcedo
Well-known member
It may also be that someone unknown to you is either feading bucket loads of high oil pellets or milk protein boilies. Thus putting the fish down for days on end. This happened on a stretch of the Kennet a few years ago. Nobody could understand why they weren't catching untill the culprits were observed feading high quantities of milk protein boilies.
Paul H
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That is the best bit of advice here. Barbel will take pretty much any bait if you present it to them in the right way and right place.
The most commonly used baits have also all been mentioned, basically, anything meaty, fishy, sweetcorny, wormy or maggoty.
David Marrs
Well-known member
Cheers Mark, I haven't been back Barbelling as yet as I thought I'd wait until Autumn time when the banks quieten down a bit mate but you have provided a bit of food for thought (please excuse the pun). Certainly perhaps one positive point of what you say, is that when eventually I do manage to get a run on this stretch - hopefully it'll be from a finely conditioned and well fattened up Barbel.
Rgds,
Dave
quickcedo
Well-known member
Good man Dave. Imo, if you have confidence in your Barbel bait then stick with it. If anything look to change the way you present it. I use a homemade paste/ boilie which has caught me fish from many rivers and at all times of the year. I therefore am always confident that if it's well presented and in the right place I will catch.
A
alan whittington
Guest
Its great to read how different anglers on their rivers cope with the bait issues,i find it un-fathomable from my fishing on the middle Thames,to use boilies no bigger than 10mm,or small pellets,because until winter the 'littluns'(mainly roach)are pecking away,last week i was catching roach on 1.5 10mm boilies and the bu**ers wouldnt let go either.My problem with pellets is it seems there are that many small fish,baits are being whittled and badgered until either very little is left or pushed downstream with even slight flows,boat traffic induced lock operation seems to affect laying decent beds down due to uneven lapping movement,im begining to wonder whether single hookbaits would be more successful.
quickcedo
Well-known member
I must be honest Alan. If I feed at all it's usually only 1 or 2 (stringer?). If i'm fishing the Thames I sometimes use a feeder but, having had the luxury of watching the fishes reaction (The Teme) I am confident of pulling fish to my bait. That said, The constant whittling of bait from smaller fish and of course Crayfish is still an issue. I have over the years become quite patient with this. I will wrap a bait in paste and allow the smaller fish to whittle this away. I'm pretty sure this feeding activity helps to draw the better fish to the bait.
A
alan whittington
Guest
To be honest Mark ive just returned from Christchurch(family break)and fished every evening on the Stour,my brain is continually spinning on whats going on and i found on the feeder i generally caught quickly,1-3 casts,but after this chances seem to be reduced,my mate who lives down there uses small pva bags with just a few pellets and doesnt use many of them,it confuses me a little when i watch Bob Roberts dvd's and the comments are that the fish need to be fed,i feel every water varies so much that a large pinch of salt is needed.
quickcedo
Well-known member
I couldn't agree more. It's just my way and it works for me. I fish very few rivers where i fish 1 swim so my usuall tactic is catch 1, throw a little bait in and move. Returning to the original swim no less than an hour later. If I do fish 1 swim then i might feed a little more so the fish return quicker. I don't fish rivers with large shoals of Barbel so my tactics and bait have evolved to suit.
It is truely amazing how many tactics work. None are right or wrong. Just right or wrong on the day.
It is truely amazing how many tactics work. None are right or wrong. Just right or wrong on the day.