Rolling meat.

Went for a few hours on the Hampshire Avon yesterday(Friday). Fished light for roving so decided to fish the rolling meat. Pound and half TC tench rod, 10lb line, size 4 double T hook. First swim a small chub, second swim, first roll down, WHACK and the fish is heading towards Christchurch, 20 minutes later and the fish is back within 20 feet of me and I'm thinking its gotta be 15lb plus, into the net first time and I can clearly see that it is over 15 pound. Only one problem, it's a bl***y carp. I can't get away from the things....

You did well boilie boy!.. they are quite hard to catch on meat!

Cheers Ray but boilies are only a small part of my armoury......

Ray/Carp Angler I am yet to get a bite from a Barbel while the meat is rolling (although the Pike seem less fussy), but lack the patience to keep it static for more than a few seconds.

Do you reckon I would have more sucess leaving it static for longer, or is a few seconds OK?

Have either of you caught fish with the meat on the move? Although this posting sounds a little niave, I have caught a few, but would like to add rolling to my armoury (sic), your advice would be appreciated.

At the risk of sounding stupid "rolling" is an upstream method isn't it? And do you need fast/shallow water for it to work or will it work on most rivers?

If the bait is coming back towards you how do you keep in contact for bite registration or is that down to experience?

Thanks for any help.

D and Chris, I generally cast across and slightly upstream (8 to 10 feet), then let out a large bow on the surface to allow the meat to follow the line, I have caught fish when the bait is moving and static, but I'll pass over to Rollin' Ray and he will give you the definitive answers as he is the king at this method........Ray, all yours..

Ray's been a bit quiet on this one.


I was looking for rolling meat articles etc...

I'm wanting to give it a try but have no idea where to start other than what's described here.

I've tried Ray's site Barbel shack but it seems to have vanished.

How do you prevent the hook from slicing through the meat?

And how do you register shyer bites than the carp above?

He's been given 6 years to answer it, come out from under your mushroon Ray.

Paul, if you use braid then if a fish breathes on the bait you will know about it.

Trevor West is a past master at the rolling meat method using big hooks (No.2) with lead wire wrapped arount the shank and very large lumps of meat on the hook. If you can find an article of his describing it, it sounds simple enough, cast slightly upstream, allow a small loop to form but always keep in touch with the bait.

Well, he says its simple but you must remember most of his barbel fishing is done on the narrow River Teme and I think even I could cope with it on there. Its the differing speeds of the current between you and the bait that cause the headaches I should imagine.

I suppose basically its a bit like freelining cheesepaste, well the principle is anyway.

" I was looking for rolling meat articles etc...
I'm wanting to give it a try but have no idea where to start other than what's described here.

How do you prevent the hook from slicing through the meat?

And how do you register shyer bites than the carp above? "

rolling or trundling bait down a swim is all about criticly balanced baits either directly via the hook or by a dragged weight or combination of both and is probably better suited to moderate to slow rivers and not too deep and prefably clear but you should be able with practice use this method on any river with suitable swims,

you need to find the point where the bait will hold on the bottom against the flow you then have the choice of either imparting movement by lifting the rod tip or give the line a tweak to temporarily lift the bait just clear of the bottom & so be pushed along a short distance by the current or you can after you find the point of balance against the flow to just pick away at your bait or weight so the bait resists the flow but just moves along the bottom at the speed of flow or slightly less if thats possible on its own accord

this is a extention of touch ledgering,you need to hold the line or have it run over your fingertips at a 90°ish angle to your rod and about 10-12" away in a bow which can be facilitated by using a centrepin but this isn't neccassary

you can cast up or down stream you need to think about where to cast so it starts above where the fish are/might be so the bait enters the fishes semi panaramic field of vission asto look and behave like a free othering.

critically balancing the weight of your bait is done by adding lead wire to the shank of the hook near to the eye and/or a weight can be added directly to your line which will act as a drag on the bait its a good idea to use a weight that can be freely pulled off the line under tention in case the mainline breaks or you encounter a snag (most likley sooner or later )so your mainline doesnt get stuck fast or act as a tether to any fish.a good weight [covering wrap}is non-toxic plasterzine type modelling clay or heavy tungston this can be used on its own or used to cover a small olivette or splitshot
the placement of the weight on the line will affect how the bait behaves and moves through the swim it can be placed as close as a couple of inches to a foot or so much depends on the swim and the flow so some experimenting whilst fishing is needed to fine tune the rig a good starting point is 8" the closer to the bait the more it'll be kept near the bottom but there is the size of bait to be considered as well

baits can be anything from a couple of grains of wheat/hemp to big chunks of luncheon meat.

a softmeat bait can be prevented from hooks pulling through by pushing the hook through it ,turn the hook & slip a maggot onto the bend of the hook then sink the point back into the meat or use a small piece of dried spagetty or bit of dried straw or grass as a hairstop between hookbend and meat.

braid gives better registration of bites than to fine mono but a stiffer (florocarbon) line should give a good responce

bites can be very subtle ping or great big tugs the differculty is in distinguishing the bites from bottom bumps and crashes ect

but finer words from rays own words
ROLLING ON A RIVER

its not a cut & dried tactic in which all possabilities are fixed you need to work with it to tweak it to suit yourself,its not just a chuck and see method as it requires you to think about the underwater environment & conditions to adjust youe set up accordingly.there is a definite skill's you'll learn like guiding a bait by subtle tweaks and lifts to maneuver your bait to where you want it to lurning the different types of bites and how they differ from bumps and crashes and you'll learn a little more watercraft in reading swims ect.

Doh! forgot to mention casts,this technique lends itself to gentle underarmed lobs nothing rushed or forced either from one side or in tight swims a gentle pendulum underarm motion or by the old single loop side cast from 1 to three rod lengths out the further out you cast you'll need to give line to a loop to soak up the surface current to allow your bait to travell along the bottom in a controlled manner (as you would with standard upstream ledgering).all reels are suitable even small bait casters !!.rod length isn't too critical but a avon style
rods are a good choice

Excellent, thanks guys. I shall have to experiment, I've got braid which I use when piking and some low stretch Sufix Xelon mono in 12lb.

I'll get some plasticine this weekend and give it a try.