mikench
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Have yet to see these let alone catch them! What is recommended?
Best baits for Stillwater chub and barbel
- Thread starter mikench
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mikench
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I have otherwise I wouldn't have asked! One of my clubs waters supposedly have both! Unnatural or not it seems quite common particularly on commercials.
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
The lake I fished today caster is the bait for barbel. Mostly tight in the margin at 12" deep. Just keep pinging them in with some hemp and fish it at dead depth...
I just used my topkit with a light float and a size 18 B911 to 2lb12 Hooklink ..
I just used my topkit with a light float and a size 18 B911 to 2lb12 Hooklink ..
sam vimes
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I have fairly limited, and fairly out of date, experience of stillwater chub and especially barbel. However, I've never found any particular bait to single out stillwater barbel. They turn up when they want on whatever bait they fancy. It might be intuitive to suggest that whatever bait you use should be fished on the deck, but occasionally one will surprise you by being caught well up in the water.
Chub are a little bit of a different proposition. If we are talking of small ponds/commercials, rather than dirty great gravel pits, they have a nasty tendency to disappear in the warmer months. They also often tend to favour certain areas. If I actively wished to catch chub on the odd pond I know that holds them, I'd be fishing wagg and mag/caster up in the water. They often turn up when you think you might be getting to the point of overfeeding. Once they do appear, dropping the feed rate can often see them vanish.
Chub are a little bit of a different proposition. If we are talking of small ponds/commercials, rather than dirty great gravel pits, they have a nasty tendency to disappear in the warmer months. They also often tend to favour certain areas. If I actively wished to catch chub on the odd pond I know that holds them, I'd be fishing wagg and mag/caster up in the water. They often turn up when you think you might be getting to the point of overfeeding. Once they do appear, dropping the feed rate can often see them vanish.
Chefster
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Maggots and casters,sometimes meat
mikench
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Thanks chaps. I had given up on maggots but will give them a try.
itsfishingnotcatching
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Try them on a river Mike
Chefster
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Maggots are the best bait for stillwater barbel,feed quite a lot,and fish big bunches of maggots on a strong 14 or 16 hook,if your not catching ,your probably not fishing in the correct area of the swim,rather than it being down to the bait
mikench
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I fully appreciate that barbel and chub are best caught on rivers and I intend to give this a go. I will try the lake that is supposed to have them first!
Chefster
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Nothing wrong in catching barbel in lakes,my regular match venue ,has 8 pools,and most contain a good head of them,they provide good sport,and variety,and are lovely to catchI fully appreciate that barbel and chub are best caught on rivers and I intend to give this a go. I will try the lake that is supposed to have them first!
no-one in particular
Well-known member
Another possibility is a dead bait, half a sprat. minnow or something like that, I am not sure about barbel but chub love this sometimes. Pike etc could be a problem but it will sort out chub from roach, bream etc. Fly fishing for chub can be fun, if you know where the chub are, dappling a big bushy black fly for one especially if he waters clear; this can be done with normal float rod, again specific, avoids the roach etc and the good old big slug maybe. Lump of cheddar, chub and barbel, at least I have caught both with it. A bit more selective than maggots, sweetcorn, bread etc. Up to you Mike but I would try something a bit more specific to these fish first maybe.
Was the record chub a lake specimen, I believe they grow bigger in lakes and don't they find their way naturally into lakes on occasions, barbel as well, rare possibly but eggs and fry washed into them with floods or sticking to birds legs weed etc. I don't know, just thinking aloud. I think they can thrive but breeding is the problem in the still water.
Was the record chub a lake specimen, I believe they grow bigger in lakes and don't they find their way naturally into lakes on occasions, barbel as well, rare possibly but eggs and fry washed into them with floods or sticking to birds legs weed etc. I don't know, just thinking aloud. I think they can thrive but breeding is the problem in the still water.
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Graham Elliott 1
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I'm afraid I'm old fashioned enough to say I wouldn't knowingly fish a stillwater with barbel in it.
So can't help I'm afraid.
So can't help I'm afraid.
rayner
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A venue that I used to fish (Straight mile) had a good head of chub, they were caught with meat or maggot.
The meat was cut into big chunks about the size of a match box, this worked well through the summer. Maggot was always far better when it turned colder.
The meat was cut into big chunks about the size of a match box, this worked well through the summer. Maggot was always far better when it turned colder.
seth49
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One of the ponds on the fishery I go to most, has some nice barbel in it, but it's also full of small Rudd, so maggots etc would be gone in seconds.
The baits used most often on here are large i.e. 8 or 10 mm pellets, or a chunk of peperami, All seem to work best close in, in the margins.
The baits used most often on here are large i.e. 8 or 10 mm pellets, or a chunk of peperami, All seem to work best close in, in the margins.
flightliner
Well-known member
Notts gravel pits hold a few from time to time both on account of flooding and the odd "introduction". Back in the eighties I fished one over several winters for chub, turning up before dusk the bait of choice was always mackeral strip.
It wasnt unusual to get between 1/4 fish after dark with some screaming " butt ringers".
We never bothered with freebies, the chub just homed in on it.
Great fun,
It wasnt unusual to get between 1/4 fish after dark with some screaming " butt ringers".
We never bothered with freebies, the chub just homed in on it.
Great fun,
Bob Hornegold
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20mm Boilies seem to work quite well, they certainly did on a big Gravel pit in Hertfordshire when I was fishing for Carp.
A friend and myself had those nuisance Chub to over 7lbs !!
Bob
A friend and myself had those nuisance Chub to over 7lbs !!
Bob
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Same as Graham I wouldn't go targeting barbel on a still water. I've nothing against other people doing it but it's just "not my scene man".
I reckon pellets would be the best option fished on the deck, float legerd or quiver tip. Possibly a bunch of worms, maggots or a piece of meat....i'd be hoping for a nice tench though.
I reckon pellets would be the best option fished on the deck, float legerd or quiver tip. Possibly a bunch of worms, maggots or a piece of meat....i'd be hoping for a nice tench though
.
Chefster
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Where i fish,you need to target F1,s and mirrors,in the main,but silvers can play a big part in winning matches,i generally tend to try to catch everything in front of me i can,F1,s,carp,bream,skimmers,barbel,ide,perch,roach,chub,tench..sometimes you find a little "nest" of barbel,and they can be weight builders...When using maggots,the barbel soon push the small fish out of the peg,i find with maggots ,i tend to miss less bites...i suppose you could fish meat over a bed of hemp,but you,ll still catch other species,you cant specifically target just barbel,in a mixed commie,its impossible