Give up those secrets!

[pointngo]

Here is an alternative line of thought on additives and flavours. Not new but worth thinking about? I first heard of it in an angling magazine years ago.
I believe flavours(smells) work on different levels. Obviously they seem to attract fish and that gives confidence but I started using garlic and cod liver oil years ago as I believed I had bad hands! I also used to rub my hands in the grass as a smell camouflage. I had very greasy skin and became convinced that put fish off. Nowadays, with age they are not so greasy and I catch a lot more even without enhanced baits.
That may of course be with more confidence but as a youngster I did experiment by getting a mate to bait my hook and it did seem to make a difference.
Anyone else think along these lines?

you're not alone mate.. I still rub mud into my hands before handling bait at the start of a session.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

We read though Sean that barbel's eyes, mouth and errr barbules are situated such that sight may not be the first thing working for them, unlike with species where their eyes and mouths are otherwise arranged, eg chub? Isn't the reason you use some soft braid as the last part of your hooklink to avoid a negative 'feel' rather than a visual clue?

True Paul, but but whilst barbel might not be able to see the item they are just about to eat they can see things well enough a bit further off. Longer hook lengths certainly improved my results. I'm not sure that critically balanced baits make a lot of difference except when a fish picks up a bait. I suspect that you get fewer abortive pickups on these baits, but I've not witnessed it enough when sight fishing to be certain.

One thing I am certain of is that barbel will often ignore baits with no smell and that it often takes a few chub stirring up the bottom before they switch on to casters. Maggots seem to have just enough movement for them to recognise them as potential food.

 

[David Dalton]

Has anyone ever used POL VITAMO and found it to their advantage.

I have used it a few times on worms when fishing for bream, but have not found that it has helped. However, I probably haven't used it enough to have given it a fair trial. I was fishing in difficult conditions in winter, so maybe nothing was feeding anyway.

I find the whole question of baits/flavours a very interesting one, for barbel as well as other species. There are few people who have delved more into this subject than Archie Braddock. I have tried some of his curry mixes and flavours this year, and sometimes have taken some good catches using them. On one occasion though, I tried maggots flavoured with his Xotic spice for perch, and failed to catch any - when I switched to plain maggots, I caught several! To be fair though, this was in the summer, and Archie warns that hot spice flavours can be counter-productive in warm water, and work much better when it is cold.

One thing I have found is that some of his flavours draw eels like a magnet. I was fishing a small club lake in summer with flavoured maggots and caught three eels. When I told the bailiff, who fished the lake regularly of this he was surprised, as he hadn't even known that the lake contained any. Whe fishing the Royalty recently, again with flavoured maggots, it was an eel a chuck, and this for a species that is supposed to be very rare nowadays.

Does anyone use spicy or chilli hemp in winter for barbel? I mean to give that a try next.

 

[richiekelly]

Don't know if pepperami has been mentioned on this thread but I found something in aldi today while following the wife about, it is the same kind of thing as pepperami but a lot cheaper, its called "Meatster" and costs £1.29 for 5, it was in the area near to the cheese.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

No Aldi here Blanker. In Royal Berkshire we tend to shop at Waitrose.: p

 

[Paul Boote]

Shop at Waitrose as much as you like, but you almost certainly won't have the loot or be the Right Type to fish the John Lewis Partnership's Leckford Estate on the Test. I have, of course, for free, in the days when Angling was still comparatively non-profit normal.

---------- Post added at 20:50 ---------- Previous post was at 20:31 ----------

Shop at Waitrose as much as you like, but you almost certainly won't have the loot or be the Right Type to fish the John Lewis Partnership's Leckford Estate on the Test. I have, of course, for free, in the days when Angling was still comparatively non-profit normal.

From humble origins on Acton Hill (Acton High St / Uxbridge Road) almost opposite that once-thriving Aussie pub, The Redback. A mate of mine was living there a few years ago; showed me a plaque set into the pavement outside the site of the old shop.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02324/First-Waitrose-190_2324410k.jpg

 

[bennygesserit]

Shop at Waitrose as much as you like, but you almost certainly won't have the loot or be the Right Type to fish the John Lewis Partnership's Leckford Estate on the Test. I have, of course, for free, in the days when Angling was still comparatively non-profit normal.

Oh Paul just when you were becoming one of the lads

 

[Paul Boote]

Oh Paul just when you were becoming one of the lads

Not a chance, whether Lad or Establishment Posho. I refer you to my CV:

http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/photography/343308-botoxing-ones-cv-grrrr.html#post1264971

 

[richiekelly]

No Aldi here Blanker. In Royal Berkshire we tend to shop at Waitrose.: p

You wont have seen their small tackle bags they do now and again, good bags for a few quid.

 

[binka]

You wont have seen their small tackle bags they do now and again, good bags for a few quid.

Three of the best things I ever bought for the price

 

[Paul Boote]

Not to mention the LIDL stores (excellent European food items, some quality domestic items, too - like a Steamer the other month - and, say, some electrical kit which lasts more than five minutes) that, together with ALDI, is doing Britain a great service at present: slowly but surely putting TESCO out of business.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

I wish there was an Aldi. Great prices and win lots of food awards.
Of course I would havr to go in my PB disguise.
http://www.riverbank.ie/shows/bob-dylan-the-poetry-of-the-blues"]http:// http://www.riverbank.ie/shows/bob-dylan-the-poetry-of-the-blues

 

[Paul Boote]

No disguise. Never. So-called (Scene) Anglers who know or knew me flee in their own self-realising terror from me.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

I love your posts Paul.
G

 

[wdd1200]

I find that Maggots, plus a little effort from me, works fine!!

---------- Post added at 15:42 ---------- Previous post was at 15:40 ----------

Oh and by the way, Aldi Fluerie and Chablis were excellent this Christmas.:w

And their Mince pies were beyond excellent!

 

[Keith Speer]

Ignore that idiot above, he would not know a decent Chablis from a bottle of Vimto.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

I bet you had a few bottles of fine wine after that cracking 3lb roach last week Keith! !!

Graham

 

[Keith Speer]

Someone did give me a rather nice bottle of Fleurie at Christmas, I drank it with my fillet steak Saturday evening, I followed it up sitting watching the football with some Stilton and several glasses of Port.



I have no idea who played or what the scores were?


I went to bed a very happy man.

Lavish, I know but it is not every day I catch a 3lb Roach from a river on the float.

 

[Keith M]

Wow that's a fabulous Roach Keith, Congratulations; I would have been on cloud nine.

(NB. Didn't see anything on the VAC forum).

Keith (BoldBear)

 

[Tee-Cee]

I love the casual way a 3lb roach is mention, almost in passing...........

God, how I hate clever people!!!