Still Water Barbel Fishing

Chris Campbell · Aug 17, 2012

Have been catching still water barbel on a water near me. Big chunks of luncheon meat do the trick. Has anyone fished for still water barbel and come up with any unique ideas? For example targeting chub on a still water is completely different from the river.

stuart mitchell · Aug 17, 2012

Still water barbel......??????.....wrong...wrong...wrong.....!!!!!

Bluenose · Aug 17, 2012

*Opens crisps*

Dicky (Angling Trust PAC) · Aug 17, 2012

Bluenose said:
*Opens crisps*

I'm enjoying some Quavers at the mo, Eddie...

Standard packet, not the 'grab bag'...

peter crabtree · Aug 17, 2012

Wake me up when it kicks off.....

sam vimes · Aug 17, 2012

Stop the random posting. I set a bite alarm on seeing the OP. All I've had since is one good solid pull and three false bites!

dangermouse · Aug 17, 2012

Bluenose said:
*Opens crisps*

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Aug 17, 2012

How big is your barbel keepnet Chris?

sam vimes · Aug 17, 2012

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) said:
How big is your barbel keepnet Chris?

I have different sized ones for the river and stillwaters. The one for the river is called a barbel tunnel and is approved, despite being smaller than a proper keepnet

. The one for stillwater barbel is relatively small because stillwater barbel are all pasty, skinny things that are wasting away.

Merv Harrison · Aug 17, 2012

sam vimes said:
I have different sized ones for the river and stillwaters. The one for the river is called a barbel tunnel and is approved, despite being smaller than a proper keepnet. The one for stillwater barbel is relatively small because stillwater barbel are all pasty, skinny things that are wasting away.

Not necessarily Sam, some of the three to four pounders are nice and meaty, and a couple are ideal for a family barbecue.

cg74 · Aug 17, 2012

OMG, despite a poorly presented bait the inevitable will happen and it's starting to head that way already....

Chris Campbell said:
Have been catching still water barbel on a water near me. Big chunks of luncheon meat do the trick. Has anyone fished for still water barbel and come up with any unique ideas? For example targeting chub on a still water is completely different from the river.

I don't think you need to alter your approach greatly, they can be a little more cagey though (chub that is).

Chris Campbell · Aug 17, 2012

Well would fish for river barbel if I did not have to travel 200 miles to do so. I will get round to having a go at proper barbel fishing some time in the future the only barbel river I know in Scotland is the Clyde and I think unless your part of the secret squirrel society the fish are hard to find.

The bad one · Aug 18, 2012

Chris Campbell said:
Well would fish for river barbel if I did not have to travel 200 miles to do so. I will get round to having a go at proper barbel fishing some time in the future the only barbel river I know in Scotland is the Clyde and I think unless your part of the secret squirrel society the fish are hard to find.

But Chris there in lies the challenge for a true angler. To catch the Clyde barbel. To find and ultimately catch the fish.
Down the years there have been many articles written on catching low stock density barbel from many English rivers.
Seek them out so you are not reinventing the wheel as a starting point and apply the knowledge to the Clyde. It won't be easy, It'll take dedication, lots of it. But when the first Bill slips over the net the sense of self-satisfaction and achievement is better than any drug ever grown or invented. And you'll know you did it your way on your own terms!
Oh BTW turn on your PM facility as well Chris got something for you.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Aug 18, 2012

Where's Fred B when we need him

nikolas · Aug 18, 2012

hello from Greece
A lot of lakes hold a good amount of barbel and reach in very large sizes.The big barbel at summer generally prefer to search for food early in the morning,very good baits are : sweet and salted taste boilies from some local spicy extracts , strawberries from the bank, salmon egg based pastes. The fish totally ignore pellets,corn etc.Only one boilie (of the top UK companies worked for us although we have tried a variety of them) Cheers

MarkTheSpark · Aug 18, 2012

nikolas said:
hello from Greece
A lot of lakes hold a good amount of barbel and reach in very large sizes.The big barbel at summer generally prefer to search for food early in the morning,very good baits are : sweet and salted taste boilies from some local spicy extracts , strawberries from the bank, salmon egg based pastes. The fish totally ignore pellets,corn etc.Only one boilie (of the top UK companies worked for us although we have tried a variety of them) Cheers

Hello Nikolas from Greece. I think your barbel may be southern barbel, a different species.

Ours are sleek and powerful river fish which are perfectly adapted to fast water. In fact, that's where they are always found as long as some **** doesn't steal a load from the River Teme and lob them in a lake. Like putting a racehorse in a rabbit hutch.

By the way, sorry to hear about your economy. Hope it gets well soon

904_cannon · Aug 18, 2012

Chris Campbell said:
Well would fish for river barbel if I did not have to travel 200 miles to do so. I will get round to having a go at proper barbel fishing some time in the future the only barbel river I know in Scotland is the Clyde and I think unless your part of the secret squirrel society the fish are hard to find.

Well here's a little info that might make your life easier, Chris. Last year whilst I was talking to one of the EA Fisheries Specialists from the Newcastle office he told me of a fish he'd been sent (photograph of) taken from the Tweed to identify, turned out to be a barbel. Small but definitely a barbel.

I'm not sure just which section of the Tweed it was taken from, but if they get established ...

Small numbers of barbel are also now showing on the main Tyne in very isolated areas, and of course they are now well established on the Wear, from the tidal water to above Bishop Auckland. We, DCAC, have a couple of members in Edinburgh who occasionally travel down.

River Wear barbel (so they do exist) Not weighed but taken by DCAC Treasurer Frank Bell on a size 20 whilst roach/dace fishing

nikolas · Aug 19, 2012

MarkTheSpark said:
Hello Nikolas from Greece. I think your barbel may be southern barbel, a different species.

Mark i think you are right, mainly the body is much deeper and can reach very big sizes also they fight more hard than a same size carp. The big fish prefer sandy and rocky bottoms eating especially mussels. The only disadvantage is that were live barbs its a bit difficult to catch other species (carp,tench)

barb released after a hard fight

Fred Bonney · Aug 20, 2012

Hi Nikolas welcome to FM.
Tell me, your "lakes"where the barbel reside, are they dammed rivers for fresh water/electricity, or natural lakes?

,

Stuthebroo · Aug 20, 2012

john m h said:
Well here's a little info that might make your life easier, Chris. Last year whilst I was talking to one of the EA Fisheries Specialists from the Newcastle office he told me of a fish he'd been sent (photograph of) taken from the Tweed to identify, turned out to be a barbel. Small but definitely a barbel.

I'm not sure just which section of the Tweed it was taken from, but if they get established ...

Small numbers of barbel are also now showing on the main Tyne in very isolated areas, and of course they are now well established on the Wear, from the tidal water to above Bishop Auckland. We, DCAC, have a couple of members in Edinburgh who occasionally travel down.

River Wear barbel (so they do exist) Not weighed but taken by DCAC Treasurer Frank Bell on a size 20 whilst roach/dace fishing

Hello John,
nice to hear from you again. The problem on the Tyne & Tweed, and I won't need to tell you as you know from experience on the Wear, is it is mostly private and very expensive syndicates witht little access to the coarse angler. I also worry that some game anglers might show the darker side of their nature as has been evidenced on the Wear.
As for barbel fishing on the Wear it is more closely guarded than an MI5 file unless you want to sit it out with the numpties on the free stretch. I know some rough areas that produce and one day will get around to taking up your offer and join DCAC as it has a great book of waters.

Regards,
Stuart

Still Water Barbel Fishing

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