Hey all,
So......my friend and I have never caught a uk barbell. We are hoping to get away somewhere at the end of sept/early October to hopefully be in the chance of catching one.
Now, we could do with some help if poss. We want to travel somewhere and stay in perhaps a pub/bed and breakfast etc for a couple of nights and fish a few days. We have no clue where we would be best to do this. We are based around Milton Keynes/Northampton and we are not fussed about how far we travel.
We also need some advice on tackle and bait etc.
Anyone able to help us? Size of fish is not of any concern as we would both be well chuffed just to get a bend in the rod.
All help appreciated.
So......my friend and I have never caught a uk barbell. We are hoping to get away somewhere at the end of sept/early October to hopefully be in the chance of catching one.
Now, we could do with some help if poss. We want to travel somewhere and stay in perhaps a pub/bed and breakfast etc for a couple of nights and fish a few days. We have no clue where we would be best to do this. We are based around Milton Keynes/Northampton and we are not fussed about how far we travel.
We also need some advice on tackle and bait etc.
Anyone able to help us? Size of fish is not of any concern as we would both be well chuffed just to get a bend in the rod.
All help appreciated.
In reply to Post #1
I did my first Barbel session this year on the river Wye on a mile long stretch near Hay-On-Wye. Was only there for a few hours as that was all the missus would allow. I think the ticket was about £10 for a day from a shop in Hay.
Had a 5/6lb Barbel on a piece of hotdog.
I did my first Barbel session this year on the river Wye on a mile long stretch near Hay-On-Wye. Was only there for a few hours as that was all the missus would allow. I think the ticket was about £10 for a day from a shop in Hay.
Had a 5/6lb Barbel on a piece of hotdog.
In reply to Post #2
Thx. I will take a look 👍
Thx. I will take a look 👍
In reply to Post #1
As Joe says, meat is a good bait for barbel.
Fished on a leger set up to fix it in flowing water. They strong and streamlined fish who will give you a fun scrap on a 2lb test curve rod.
Lots of companies do specialist barbel rods, sonic do a decent priced one, as do fox for about a tenner more.
As Joe says, meat is a good bait for barbel.
Fished on a leger set up to fix it in flowing water. They strong and streamlined fish who will give you a fun scrap on a 2lb test curve rod.
Lots of companies do specialist barbel rods, sonic do a decent priced one, as do fox for about a tenner more.
In reply to Post #4
Had mine on a korum 1.75lb rod, 10lb mono and a feeder set up. I think the hook length was around 4ft of 8lb flurocarbon to a size 10.
But the river was running low with little flow, I'd imagine if there's a bit more you'd need to step it up a bit. Plenty of smelly ground bait is the way, and look for slack water on corners etc.
Had mine on a korum 1.75lb rod, 10lb mono and a feeder set up. I think the hook length was around 4ft of 8lb flurocarbon to a size 10.
But the river was running low with little flow, I'd imagine if there's a bit more you'd need to step it up a bit. Plenty of smelly ground bait is the way, and look for slack water on corners etc.
Thx guys.
Anymore sections of river I can look at? I'm not after exact spots just more the river itself. We have been looking at the river Wye but really don't know any sections that I can pick up a day ticket on.
Anymore sections of river I can look at? I'm not after exact spots just more the river itself. We have been looking at the river Wye but really don't know any sections that I can pick up a day ticket on.
In reply to Post #1
You could stay at any hotel/B&B in Newark and fish Bobs Island during the days (or bivvy up if you wanted as it's 24hr fishing). It's £10 7am-7pm or 7pm-7am.
They have a Facebook page that has a load of info on, and the bailiff (Simon Ince) is active on there and will give any help you need.
Tackle wise you want 15lb line and either coated braid or fluoro as a hooklink. Meat, boilies and pellets all catch loads of fish, as do maggots. Generally, if the water is clear then use long fluoro hooklinks during the day, up to 6 foot. Coloured water or night time it doesn't really matter, I always change to shorter, heavier hooklinks at dusk or if it's coloured.
Rod wise, anything from 1.75 to 2.75lb, bearing in mind you may need to use 4-6oz of lead to hold bottom if there's some water on. Plenty of people do use 3lb carp rods though and they'll be fine if you don't want to buy specific rods just for a session.
I've had Barbel to 14lb from there and there are loads of Chub, Bream, Carp, Zander and Pike around too, as well as 2lb+ Roach.
The Collingham stretch is another option, night fishing is now banned (apart from members), so it's much much quieter than it used to be and there are 300+ pegs to choose from.
You could stay at any hotel/B&B in Newark and fish Bobs Island during the days (or bivvy up if you wanted as it's 24hr fishing). It's £10 7am-7pm or 7pm-7am.
They have a Facebook page that has a load of info on, and the bailiff (Simon Ince) is active on there and will give any help you need.
Tackle wise you want 15lb line and either coated braid or fluoro as a hooklink. Meat, boilies and pellets all catch loads of fish, as do maggots. Generally, if the water is clear then use long fluoro hooklinks during the day, up to 6 foot. Coloured water or night time it doesn't really matter, I always change to shorter, heavier hooklinks at dusk or if it's coloured.
Rod wise, anything from 1.75 to 2.75lb, bearing in mind you may need to use 4-6oz of lead to hold bottom if there's some water on. Plenty of people do use 3lb carp rods though and they'll be fine if you don't want to buy specific rods just for a session.
I've had Barbel to 14lb from there and there are loads of Chub, Bream, Carp, Zander and Pike around too, as well as 2lb+ Roach.
The Collingham stretch is another option, night fishing is now banned (apart from members), so it's much much quieter than it used to be and there are 300+ pegs to choose from.
In reply to Post #7
Thanks mate, I will take a look at this one for the next trip.
We have booked the Red Lion pub in Hereford (just outside I believe) early October.
I have 1 x Drennan specialist 1.5lb twin tip rod would I be undergunned with this as if not I will get another. I have 2 x Diawa 2600's that I will put 8lb line on.
Any thoughts on this set up?
Thanks mate, I will take a look at this one for the next trip.
We have booked the Red Lion pub in Hereford (just outside I believe) early October.
I have 1 x Drennan specialist 1.5lb twin tip rod would I be undergunned with this as if not I will get another. I have 2 x Diawa 2600's that I will put 8lb line on.
Any thoughts on this set up?
In reply to Post #8
With that kit you won't be doing heavy stuff with feeders etc,
I'm no barbel expert but 8lb line is very light ,
Hope you enjoy it, check a few u tube videos out
With that kit you won't be doing heavy stuff with feeders etc,
I'm no barbel expert but 8lb line is very light ,
Hope you enjoy it, check a few u tube videos out
So.......we went and done ok. A few barbel caught with some chub too. We got caught out a little by our lack of experience though! The river came up by 1m in the first afternoon and brought everything down with it! We never had enough weight to keep bottom and got wiped out every 5 mins of so. It was frustrating but lesson learnt.
So, next question as we now want to get into it. What pods are you using as I took individual bank sticks and it was far too rocky in areas to put them in. Any suggestions?
So, next question as we now want to get into it. What pods are you using as I took individual bank sticks and it was far too rocky in areas to put them in. Any suggestions?
In reply to Post #10
I've not used one, but I've ben considering buying one myself...I have a few other Korum bits and they are quite good quality
https://www.korum.co.uk/en/products/rod-support/kp-10662
I've not used one, but I've ben considering buying one myself...I have a few other Korum bits and they are quite good quality
https://www.korum.co.uk/en/products/rod-support/kp-10662
In reply to Post #11
Thanks. Yes I have gone down the korum route myself. All seems like good stuff so far. I will check this out 👍
Thanks. Yes I have gone down the korum route myself. All seems like good stuff so far. I will check this out 👍
In reply to Post #12
As Karlos say's, that's the one I've been using for the past 4 years now
As Karlos say's, that's the one I've been using for the past 4 years now
In reply to Post #13
I think I first spotted it watching one of your YouTube videos Mark...
I think I first spotted it watching one of your YouTube videos Mark...
In reply to Post #14