Boilies : Where to start ?

S-Kippy · Aug 22, 2009

OK...lets assume [correctly] that I'm a bit of a numpty when it comes to boilies.I understand the logic etc but I very,very rarely use them and I never have for barbel...but I think I'm missing out so I'd like to try.

But there are so many sizes/flavours etc I dont know where to start and rverybody says theirs is the best naturally.So is anybody prepared to steer me in the right direction please ?
I'm on a small river with a reasonable head of barbel and they tend towards being good ones.I'm bothered about feeding too like how much/often etc.

Rigs I think I'm OK with but grateful for any thoughts.I normally fish pellets on a hair back leaded with PVA bags...I've done OK but not brilliant.

Skippy

Stealph Viper · Aug 22, 2009

Bloody Hell S-Kippy,

That is a very good question.

I like the Nutrabait Boilies, anything fishy :

BFM - Salmon, Caviar and Black pepper
Trigga or Trigga Ice

Around the 14mm size with a size 8 hook.

As for feeding for Barbel, sorry i don't know what to suggest.

klik2change · Aug 22, 2009

Try Dynamite halibut. You probably know someone who uses them so cadge a few to try. That may be a good tactic any way. It'll save you a fortune in money and precious freezer space! Frozen are far better.

There are other Dynamite boilies known to work with barbel: monster crab [only shelf life available], spicy shrimp and prawn, and Source. I've caught on all of them, but none seem as good as halibut, at least for the present. The Dynamite glugs are too expensive, but cheaper than, say, Mainline.

geoffmaynard · Aug 22, 2009

I too would go for fishmeal. But something tells me that if using fishmeal you may as well stay with pellets. At least they break down and everything will eat them.

Any particular reason why you are moving over to using boilies?

S-Kippy · Aug 22, 2009

I'm moving to boilies for a few reasons

1.Because I've not tried them yet and I feel I ought to at least try
2.Because I think everyone and his uncle is on pellet and I want to show them something different.
3.I dont think the pellets are selective enough this time of year.

I have a feeling in my water that they are wise to pellet now and I want to see if I can get an edge.This is not a big river but I know it quite well and I think I ought to be doing better....the presentation and location I'm fairly happy with but I have a BIG doubt in my mind over bait.

geoffmaynard · Aug 22, 2009

Okay then. My experience with boilies and barbel is that you need to run a prolonged baiting campaign for several weeks before you can assume they are onto the bait. Boilies rarely supply the instant results that pellet brings. However once you get the fish on a particular bait, they will have it forever with gusto.
Which is another reason I'd stick with pellet!

The bad one · Aug 23, 2009

If you want to give em a change, give em some meat. It has and always will be an instant bait for bills.

Try combos with pellet, bread, corn, small bits of meat even maggots. BUT don't to forget to add them to the feed you're giving them

klik2change · Aug 23, 2009

Is anyone else using boilies? If so, ask them what they use.

Somewhat wistfully, I have to agree with Geoff Maynard and the Bad One, from an environmental point of view, when they suggest if the river doesnt already have boilie users that it may be better not to start.

Having said that, if you stick to a few at a time, then they are not likely to do much harm.

Nobody has private barbel rivers so the likelihood is that several others are already using them. You might like to consider whether you will or will not use them, as a matter of principle, before you start...

Sean Meeghan · Aug 23, 2009

I have to disagree with Geoff in that I've always found boilies an instant bait. OK I can't guarantee that they haven't been used before on the rivers I fish, but I've not had to do a a prebaiting campaign.

One boilie I'd recommend giving a go is the 14mm Quest Rahja Spice, but I've also had success with The Source. To give yourself some confidence crush your chosen boilie and mix it 50-50 with some pellets. I'd dump the pva and fish them in conjunction with a feeder. Using a glug such as The Source also seems to help.

Remember it's not what you've got on your hook, but what you feed that really matters. In my experience once you've got barbel in your swim and feeding then your hook bait doesn't matter.

By all means give boilies a go, but if you're not being as succesful as you'd like with pellets then I'd have a serious look at what you're doing. Making small changes to your method can have a dramatic effect on your success.

S-Kippy · Aug 23, 2009

I know boilies/pastes are being used but those using them are not saying what...and I dont blame them either.Its a very shallow river and I'm therefore a bit wary of using a feeder but,thinking about it,my best barbel days have been on the feeder.Maybe I'll give that a go first.The Source was one I had in mind.I think I will try that too.

But first I will jump back 35 years to my first barbelling trips and try the humble maggot.I really should have done this before but I've been a bit pellet blinkered.

slime monster · Aug 23, 2009

I agree with the Bad one ,If I had to catch a Barbel to save my life a big ragged piece of chopped ham and pork would be the bait.

S-Kippy · Aug 23, 2009

Good Evening Slimey

Normally I would agree but fishing meat I had a decidely unpleasant experience with an eel t'other night which I'm hoping never to repeat.How blokes that fish for them deliberately ever get them to lie still for the camera is beyond me !

Skippy

Stick_Float · Aug 23, 2009

Judging by your location Skippy, you'll be fishing the Colne like me and I've had a fair bit of action on the shelflife dynamite baits fresh prawn and spicy shellfish boilie fished over a small bag of feed pellets and a few crumbled boilies.

I can't say if it is because of this I've had a few barbel but it does give me confidence y'know! I've had them on pellets and meat too however so generally I don't think they're too fussy. The chub bloody love them too, whether you like that or not.

Paul Morley · Aug 24, 2009

The Source. Use half a 14mm in day a full one in dark. Sean's right, they aren't that arsed what's on the hook, but this is a nice bait, very reliable. Feed as he advises or do something no-one else is doing, meat or worms....

S-Kippy · Aug 24, 2009

That's helped to narrow it down a bit and confirmed what I was thinking.

Stickers..you are correct but for some reason I seem to have lost the knack of catching barbel at the moment.Time was my mate reckoned I could catch them from a damp sponge.Sadly...times change.

Morespiders · Aug 24, 2009

Time was my mate reckoned I could catch them from a damp sponge.Sadly...times change.[/QUOTE]

Why dont you try there again then if it was so good.

S-Kippy · Aug 25, 2009

Sadly the sponge I used to fish is now an exclusive syndicate sponge with access restricted only to people with more money than sense and/or on nodding terms with a micro angling celebrity.

So that's me out on both counts !

Boilies : Where to start ?

S-Kippy

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Stealph Viper

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klik2change

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geoffmaynard

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S-Kippy

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geoffmaynard

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The bad one

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klik2change

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Sean Meeghan

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S-Kippy

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slime monster

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S-Kippy

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Stick_Float

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Paul Morley

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S-Kippy

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Morespiders

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S-Kippy

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