Lost Barbel!

I've just got back into fishing and have had some great sport on the Swale at Cundall Lodge. I didn't know fish grew that big! I've had 4 Barbel(2 @ 8lbs+ & 2 @ 5lbs) in three sessions! Although I'm over the moon with this success I've lost a few fish on the strike.I'm using an open feeder full of all sorts of particles, with a ledger stop on 8lb line straight through to size 10 hooks with meat. A very simple rig. The fish seem to be taking it but I keep missing, on a number of occasions I've felt the fish but I seem to be pulling it out of their mouths without the hook penetrating. Any advice please would be very welcome because the tally of four would be into double figures by now!

Try hair rigging the meat. tear the meat into rough lumps, not cubes.

And by the way Brian, how long is your hooklength?

I would try a larger hook say a size 6 or 4 as perhaps the 10 is to small and on the strike just pulls out from the meat missing the mouth.

im having the same problem sea fishing but im using 1/0 hooks any ideas

I have tried fishing for barbel on the Lodden in Hants near Stratfield Saye using quiver tip with a running ledger with 18" to 24" before the stop, bait being corn, luncheon meat, and even the new QB from Iycf magazine.Albeit I am a newcomer after 30yrs non fishing I get a little knock on the tip, waiting to pick the rod when it bends right over, but after a few min nothing, then I find the bait has gone, any ideas please what I am doing wrong totally frustrated

Bob

could be the other way round alan, ie your hooks too big. what bait? try binding it on with elastic so it wont come off so easily

dave ive usd rag worm, mackeal, white bait and crabs i changed hook size from a size 8 becaue of the same problem. i get lots of bites and normaly wait for the second bounce before grabbing the rod. sometimes i can feel the fish and they get off(happened sunday watched a nice bass get off the line in the surf and swim off). i dont plan on giving up its a nice break from the kids but it would be nice to catch more

guess this should be on the sea forum, ut...
i've found the trick with bass is to leave it. if a bass wants it, it'll pull the rod in. when using sandeel, peeler etc, they seem to "kill" the bait, then come back to finish it off. if using whole squid, always put the hook thru' its head, as they always go for that first, but rarely seem to come back after taking the head.
maybe the bites are crabs?

knowing my luck they probalry are but cheers any how

brian, barbel need to be respected.if the fish have a short run to a snag i always
fish with 10lb line.in fact it is my standard set up now.i lost 2 very good barbel last season on the dane fishing 8lb line and i worry about the hook left in the fish.i have been fishing long enough and should have known better.make sure the clutch is set right before you start.we all forget sometimes.

Try a wide gape hook. I fish the Tees at Darlington, and I always use a wide gape size 8 barbless, when on the meat. It's all down to personal preference/experience. I found out the best size/type of hook by trial & error.
Just experiment with different sizes and types of hook, til you find the one that works best.

And Brian - I'm jealous of you! I prefer to catch Barbel, but I aint had a sniff from one all season so far at Darlington!

It's all chub, chub, chub at Darlo!

Thanks to all of you for your advice, I also discussed it in my local tackle shop, Tackle Box, Station Rd, Billingham on Tees.( A very friendly place full of nice people who take the time to make everybody welcome) Anyway I've had 4 further trips to the Swale at Cundall Lodge. The first 3 were Barbel free unfortunately, but a
3 1/2 lb Perch & lots of smaller bits made up for that! Yesterday I visited again and started on the swim were I caught the Perch but the wind and sunny conditions weren't helping. I moved to the peg where I'd caught barbel previously and what a session!
I caught 3 more @ 8lb 8oz,8lb 6oz & 5lb 8oz plus 2 Chub up to 3 lbs (first sign of this species in my visits). I also lost one fish early on when it found a snag I didn't know was there!(it shed the hook! how do they do that?) I caught them all on meat & feeder using Ron Clay's advice of a hair rig with a 3 foot hook length. I also added a second stop 3 inches above the feeder stop which acted as a simple bolt rig. I also took advice from others and upped my line to 10lb with a 8lb hook length.
As I said in my first message I've just returned to angling after nearly 20 years and the size of fish I'm encountering were only seen in magazines then. I don't know if fish have got bigger or more available during that time, but its great to see. Tight lines everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brian