Barbel Fishing – Attacking the Swim

[Paul Boote]

After 49 years of getting the now knotless meshes of my 36-inch triangle, barbel landing nets caught in brambles, barbed wire and heaven knows what else, I have found a solution...

http://www.alltackle.com/aftco_gaffs.jpg

 

[cg74]

Keepnet, 6lb mainline, pre-stretched lo-diameter hook length and hi-oil pellets..... 'Full house'

I've got some rope, lets hang 'im!!!


*Didn't notice an unhooking mat either, come on lads, lets string 'im up.

Dave Roberts, for what it's worth my post quoted above was placed in jest. It really cracks me up when I read of the (perceived) ills of keepnets and watching Matt Hayes last night really brought it home; he gets a barbel in his landing net, with a split in its dorsal fin and immediately points out this injury and states "this is caused by using a keepnet for barbel"
I wouldn't mind but the oh-so-superior condescending Matt Hayes has a barbel in his net (a net made of bog standard woven mesh, not closed mesh carp-sack type material or a latex coated mesh) and puts it down on a pile of rocks; now that's fish care....

A well written article and I'm gradually learning to ignore product placement.
Just one question; why do you use shrink tubing, why not just do 5 or 6 more loops on your knotless knot?

 

[jasonbean1]

daves article was pretty good, as an angler that still match fishes on rivers and canals regularly it was a good take on match fishing tactics on the wye...which is as close to a a commercial barbel fishery as you can get with bagging tactics, the need to feed regular and heavy if needed and tackle as to be balanced and strong enough to get you through 5 hours. the guy lives and breaths the river which is apparent in his article and replies so i have no reason to doubt that the care of fish is upmost....well done, would not want to pegged next to you in a match on the wye as i would expect a stuffing!

right take the match head off and put the specy barbel head on........i fish the wye every now and then...just spent the last 10 days of the season on there. all the fish caught particularly barbel were in excellent condition...and i mean physical, lean muscular, no pot belly, up for the fight and little if none fin or mouth damage. i was fishing hereford town waters, possibly some of the heaviest pleasure fished and match Fished stretches in the country....keepnets being used constantly....so my perception is these fish are not suffering from being caught and occasionaly being put in keepnets

So the way i see it is...each to there own, look after your fish, if you use a keepnet for barbel or any fish for that matter makes sure its big enough for your catch and make sure it is in the flow, not in dead water on a river.....and i would say definetly 6 hours max in a net for the fish!

Dave lets see you do some more articles on the wye...chub, perch roach or dace...take your pick!

Cheers
Jason

 

[cg74]

Hi All

Thought I should come on and say a few words as it's disappointing to hear negative comments when you've bothered to get off your arse and do something that some people may actually enjoy and find useful.

Firstly let me state that this article was written from a match anglers perspective as that is what I do. That said I am an angler first and spend many hours just fishing the river that I have had a love affair with since the age of 4. Now that the River coarse season has closed I spend the spring/summer wandering along with a spinning rod hoping for a Spring run salmon but generally enjoying exploring the varied water and surroundings to be found along the Wye valley. I am a consultant for Bait-Tech and Tri-Cast as well as a qualified angling coach who teaches on a variety of running and stillwater coarse angling disciplines.

Anyone who lives in or around Hereford will know the time I devote to this river and how much I care when it comes to the modern day threats to our fish stocks. I am pleased to say that I am not a threat to these fish and I feel the negative comments on this thread are born from a 'them and us' attitude with regards to Match anglers. I'm also not foolish enough to think this attitude isn't reciprocated by match anglers towards specimen anglers. They are attitudes that help no one and cause unnessesary division in an age where anglers should be singing together to protect what we have.

To address a few points.....

The use of a keepnet is not a crime. I use a 4 metre keepnet on the river and no fish has ever been harmed by me keeping fish in one.

As for an unhooking mat I don't understand this point. When I land a barbel I lift the net to sit between my legs. I pop the hook out then lower the fish in the landing net into the keepnet. The fish is out of the water a lot less time that it would take to transfer it to an unhooking mat, kneel down, unhook it, weigh it, photograph it then return it to the water. At a time when the fish has just scrapped it's heart out it's back in the water to recover in double quick time.

As for so 'Trophy shots' I'm affraid the business we're in requires proof. In an article instructing how to build a match winning catch of barbel and chub a picture of one barbel wouldn't really cut it, just like an article on specimen barbel would require something more substantial than picture of a 3lb fish. The Actual catch shot on this day doesn't contain all of the fish I caught for the safety of the fish. They are rested on top of a keepnet which in turn is on top of grass. The landing net is there to stop the fish bouncing off and possibly damaging themselves. The whole proces of obtaining a catch shot is very short when you're working with skilled photographers.

As for 6lb line and pre-stretched, low diameter, hooklengths I don't get that? It's all about balance. Using the right gear to get the job done without going over the top. Anyone with an ounce of angling ability will tell you the same. The article was shot on a big river. I use a mainline up to the job but not too thick as to create a lot of resistance in the flow meaning the use of more lead than is required. If I were fishing for one bite and a possible double figure barbel then sure the tackle would change but it would still be balanced.

Unfortunately many people read a lot of garbage that is written about the Wye and then come armed with the latest vogue Rods, Reels, Rigs and baits thinking every fish is going to be a double when in reality there are very few double figure fish in the Wye but there are lots of shoal fish up to 9lb.

The river is over run with tourists, eastern europeans, Cormorants, Goozanders, mink and otters. The Wye was always a salmon river and whilst the barbel were spreading through the system many stretches were untouched by coarse anglers. Now the salmon fishing has declined these stretches are being opened up and the wild uneducated fish are easy targets. So many 'would be' celebrity anglers are jumping on the bandwagon but when the river declines, and we're left with another Great Ouse they will have moved on leaving people like me to mourn what once was. This probably has no interest to this thread but at least I'm using a forum in a constructive way by raising awareness to probable future problems.

If anyone wants to discuss the article or The river wye in general with me feel free to send me a PM

I hope someone finds it interesting because a writing articles is something I enjoy a lot but it is a lot of hard work getting it right.

Best Regards

Dave Roberts

---------- Post added at 16:38 ---------- Previous post was at 16:28 ----------



HA HA how foolish are you to assume that I was on Wye Usk Water!

That's kind of what I mean. You thought you were dead clever lifting a list of rules off the wye usk website and posting them. Why didn't you think before making such a foolish comment?

The fact you call it a death rig shows how little understanding you have of balancing your gear.

You're welcome to book me for a coaching session.

An excellent riposte Dave; TOUCHE!!

 

[Judas Priest]

Sorry Dave if this upsets you but I find the "trophy" shots of any fish crammed into a landing net head totally abhorant. There is absolutely no justification for it and is purely to make the angler look like billy big socks.
Please do not go on about "the business we're in" as if it's justification,as if it's the choice between a couple of quid for an article or booked guiding day or fish welfare then there should be no competition.

The Sea angling press banned those sort of shots years ago yet it still appears to be commonplace in the freshwater press, to the detriment of the sport.

In this day and age when so many spend a lot of time and energy trying to educate others on the subject of fish welfare this sort of article drags us back ten years.

 

[cg74]

Sorry Dave if this upsets you but I find the "trophy" shots of any fish crammed into a landing net head totally abhorant. There is absolutely no justification for it and is purely to make the angler look like billy big socks.
Please do not go on about "the business we're in" as if it's justification,as if it's the choice between a couple of quid for an article or booked guiding day or fish welfare then there should be no competition.

The Sea angling press banned those sort of shots years ago yet it still appears to be commonplace in the freshwater press, to the detriment of the sport.

In this day and age when so many spend a lot of time and energy trying to educate others on the subject of fish welfare this sort of article drags us back ten years.

Only "abhorrent" surely heinous is nearer the mark..... I'd say it stops the doubters saying (like they always do); prove it!
Simply a means to quantify a catch?
Does it do the fish so much harm, if yes then the suitability of your landing net needs considering, I'd reckon?

As for liking it to the sea angling press banning it; was that brought about because the multiple sea fish pics featuring dead fish?

No worse, in fact potentially less harmful than standing up for your trophy pic, like these, eh Phil?
Welcome to the Barbel Society Website. The national organisation for all barbel anglers.

So this begs the question; which type of pic is potentially more harmful, a large fish being held up for the camera at a height of say 4ft or a group of fish in a landing net at ground level?

 

[Judas Priest]

Hello Colin glad to see you're still altering your principles to suit the "angler" you are talking to at the time.

You constantly whitter on about your beloved Windrush and lack of fish yet appear to condone pictures such as these.
Unless you are suggesting stocking rivers on a continual basis as they do commercial fisheries where this practice is condoned then really you aint got a leg to stand on.

The Sea angling press took the stance not to publish pictures containing large quantities of fish whether they be dead or alive.
Salmon anglers have finally got the message to not abuse your catch and return it as best can. B.A.S.S anglers have for years led the way on conservation and welfare, at no time will you see them with multiple catches strewn around.

As for the picture.
Cheers mate as I was kneeling at the time, with an unhooking mat underneath the fish on a muddy field. Nice try but not good enough.

---------- Post added at 21:35 ---------- Previous post was at 21:29 ----------

Whoops just seen your add on

A medium sized single fish held securely in soft hands. Slightly different to fish of equal size (and smaller) crammed together in a net head built to house one fish at a time.

If you are really going to try to justify your ever changing stance Colin then you really do need to get better at it.

 

[cg74]

I haven't altered any principles of mine for anyone, if I have; show me where.

The reason my local rivers have so few barbel has ****** all to do with angling pressure or predation, they simply don't offer suitable environments, habitat degradation.

"As for the picture.
Cheers mate as I was kneeling at the time, with an unhooking mat underneath the fish on a muddy field."

And how did I know that answer was coming?

For the record I haven't condoned either practice, but I haven't vilified them either. From a personal perspective I can't be bothered to take trophy pics, I haven't bothered for about 20 years now, that said, I've got hundreds of unhooking mat/ground shots of fish; taken purely for identification purposes. But the question I posed in my last post still remains unanswered; which type of shot offers the greatest potential for harm to the fish (moreover, lethal harm)?

 

[Judas Priest]

"As for the picture.
Cheers mate as I was kneeling at the time, with an unhooking mat underneath the fish on a muddy field."

And how did I know that answer was coming?

Well obviously in your haste to try to score points you assumed wrongly and didn't.

As for answering your question please read the last paragraph of my previous post, in other words open eyes before mouth.

 

[Fred Bonney]

What puzzles me Colin, is what drives an individual to go trawling through the internet to trace an individuals past actions!!!



I only ask because of past experience of course

 

[cg74]

Well obviously in your haste to try to score points you assumed wrongly and didn't.

As for answering your question please read the last paragraph of my previous post, in other words open eyes before mouth.

No I never assumed wrongly at all hence me writing; "And how did I know that answer was coming?" Rather suggests I had pre-empted your answer.

This doesn't actually answer the question of which type of picture pose is most likely to bring about harm (moreover lethal harm); "A medium sized single fish held securely in soft hands. Slightly different to fish of equal size (and smaller) crammed together in a net head built to house one fish at a time."

"If you are really going to try to justify your ever changing stance Colin then you really do need to get better at it."

How and what have I changed my stance on?

---------- Post added at 23:19 ---------- Previous post was at 23:07 ----------

What puzzles me Colin, is what drives an individual to go trawling through the internet to trace an individuals past actions!!!



I only ask because of past experience of course

"Trawling the internet" rather implies I spent sometime looking, it must've taken all of 2 seconds, as for why; all very well preaching on about others wrong doing but its good for balance to see if they are indeed whiter than white themselves.

 

[bennygesserit]

wow what is it about barbel that gets everyone so uptight ? they aren't even a native species.

 

[sam vimes]

wow what is it about barbel that gets everyone so uptight ? they aren't even a native species.

While I can't answer the first part of your statement, I can point out that the second part is factually incorrect. Barbel are native to many of the Easterly flowing rivers in England.

 

[jasonbean1]

Judas Priest....on your logic then, seeing as it is unnaceptable to place multiple fish in a landing net as it harms them...so in a match they weigh multiple fish in a weigh sling...that must harm them also....so you would say match fishing is unnaceptable on fish welfare grounds and should be banned?

I dont think the barbel society go that far...

 

[Fred Bonney]

Indeed not!

10. The Barbel Society recognises that barbel are retained in keepnets during matches. However, we appeal to match anglers to use the largest barbel friendly nets they can and to position them where the fish can obtain maximum through flow of water and minimum overcrowding. Staking the closed end of the keepnet up-river will greatly help in this matter. We also ask that a weigh and release policy is considered where large fish in particular can be weighed individually and released soon after capture.
We would also ask that soft slings are considered and used for weighing and that all barbel are nursed so as they are fully recovered before release.

 

[Paul Boote]

Vis-a-vis nobody specific and nothing at all, I had a flashback on waking this morning to a little me sitting in a church or sometimes village hall in childhood, sucking sweeties (so many for a penny or two, Black Jacks and Fruit Salads) to get through an hour of face scrubbed, in my best shorts and Aertex shirt, Sunday School. Then it hit me, a story that that nice, kindly, devout spinster, Miss So and So, told us one day, the story of The Tower of Barbel, I think it was - it wasn't, after checking, it was this: [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Babel"]Tower of Babel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] - and how so much conflicting collective bolli was spoken in one man-made towering construct at the same time in so many tongues before its utterers spread all over the earth (and, latterly, most riverbanks).

I really must stop having these flashbacks.

 

[bennygesserit]

Vis-a-vis nobody specific and nothing at all, I had a flashback on waking this morning to a little me sitting in a church or sometimes village hall in childhood, sucking sweeties (so many for a penny or two, Black Jacks and Fruit Salads) to get through an hour of face scrubbed, in my best shorts and Aertex shirt, Sunday School. Then it hit me, a story that that nice, kindly, devout spinster, Miss So and So, told us one day, the story of The Tower of Barbel, I think it was - it wasn't, after checking, it was this: Tower of Babel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - and how so much conflicting collective bolli was spoken in one man-made towering construct at the same time in so many tongues before its utterers spread all over the earth (and, latterly, most riverbanks).

I really must stop having these flashbacks.

Do you mean as anglers we should be united ? Thats hardly human nature is it ?
I love the Breugel depiction on your link it looks a bit like Minis Tirith , or Minstroney as it is called in "bored of the rings" - great book by the way.

 

[Paul Boote]

Sorry, benny, come again, I can't understand a word you're saying...

 

[bennygesserit]

Sorry, benny, come again, I can't understand a word you're saying...

ha ha is barbel fish ?

---------- Post added at 10:20 ---------- Previous post was at 10:15 ----------

Actually My wife ran a social club for a good few years , she kept a very good pint , but of course you have to deal with a committe. Now not only are they usually a bunch of thieving b******* , but of course they are all power mad , back stabbing , ignorant know alls usually, but that's just human nature after all.

Probably the first humans as they emerged from the primordial forest and gazed across the wealth of those first Savanahs were heard to utter "well the first thing we need is a well defined set of rules that we can bicker about for the next 50,000 years" and that is how it started.

 

[Fishingdownthewindy]

No FDTW, no need for a mob... this kind of shot is IMO un-necessary whatever the species... only expressing an opinion not being judge and jury...

I agree with you ****y! The images are enough to get the pitch forks out...the match angle or not in this article, the barbel were kept in a keep net, ok fine but all in a landing net for the trophy shot.

The author appears to be a committed angler; however the article reflects a poor image of fish care and modern day angling and for the anglers sponsors bait-tech and tri-cast.

Shakespeare has no shame in it either.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjjqe-9IySA]River Feeder Fishing on River Wye - Part 2 - YouTube[/ame]