I'm Ready.

[NEWKID 27,124]

Let's see what Ossie says. :-) You don't really need a bolt rig for barbel - in fact you could lose your rod like that. I find they often hook themselves even if I only using a single swan shot. Agree with specimen set up comment though .

Very traditional in my methods mate,

I love running the stick through, or fishing the waggler.

 

If it's on the bottom it'll be a feeder, bomb or link ledger... Just stuck in my ways.. Lol

 

I'll get on the tidal Exe this weekend, first outing on the rivers since they opened.

[R.A.W 1,987]

I had a look Sunday night and Blanked

 

It's funny I've been fishing the same peg on the same stretch for a few seasons and never failed for a barbel.

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

LOL @ you guys.

 

Not a bolt rig as such. The lead clip is semi free running, stopped by a swivel, and a 3 Foot hook length. Hardly Carp styleee bolt rig.

 

 

 

..........2oz was the lightest bomb i could get away with. It's the river Dove, a tributary of the Trent. I wasn't even fishing in the strongest part of the current, I was on the slacker bit just past the fast run. My feeders have a 4oz loading and iv'e got plenty of "Dead cow" leads to add more weight. Iv'e not even started on the Trent yet. Lots of weight needed to hold bottom on there, even if you do fish the "Bow"

 

 

I must admit, a Stick float and Bronze maggot method would go down real nice. But i'm not after everything in there (Although there are some nice Grayling in the Dove) I'm targeting the Barbel at the moment, needs must.

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

 

Tonight's peg. The one I would have liked to have fished, someone had just beat me to it.

[Lid 194]

Have you had a bite yet?

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

Not yet.

 

Different tactics tonight. G/b feeder down the middle, with drilled pellet on the hook. Straight lead down the edge with some sort of boilie.

[Lid 194]

I hope you pick one up soon. If you got two rods, have you considered trying a rolling bait on one? I don't think it will reduce your odds. Whatever happens, hoping to see a nice barbel on this thread tonight.

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

TBH a big lump of meat trundled down the swim might not be a bad shout. Only problem, I ain't brought any. The pegs crying out for a big waggler down the middle and search the whole swim.

 

The guy I spoke to earlier said this stretch does hold a lot of the rivers bigger Barbel.

[dytkos 17,784]

Well, no barbs where I'm going tomorrow, never fished it before, about 2 acres of still carp water, trucks loaded, sandwiches in the fridge, bait ditto (missus is thrilled lol)
Hopefully get some pics up Thursday of my massive bag (don't mean the missus)

Hope I don't forget anything

 

Cheers, D.

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

Hope you do better than I'm doing. Not so much as a bite here yet. Never seen so many Kingfishers as I have done in the last 3 trips though.

[Lid 194]

Is anyone else catching on nearby swims?

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

Not as far as I know. Only seen one other angler and he's 100yds away.

Just don't think there is that many Barbel in the river.

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

That's it, rodding up. Blanked again.

[Lid 194]

Sorry to hear that. Maybe you should drive further afield to a river with more fish in it!

[Ossie n Arch 1,682]

Not really an option when iv'e just paid over £100 for a Burton Mutual ticket i'm afraid. Her indoors would go mental when I say to her "I just need a Milton Keynes AA ticket, I'm off the fish the Great Ouse" Maybe the odd trip up to Collingham could be on the cards. But, for my own health, i'm better sticking at it here.

 

I'll crack it. I don't think my rigs are that wrong, or my bait. The hook baits my need some fine tuning. I struggle to get my head around how a fish thinks that a small round hard object, is actually food ?? But Pellets and Boilies are the in bait now and thats what is going in on the river. I'm going to put some Hemp down at the start of the session with a baitdropper and tinker around with different Feeders/Leads. But other than that, I'm not that far away I believe.

 

I think it's all down to location and fishing the correct stretch, which is what the guy last night said. He'd been a member for 4yrs and had never fished the sections downstream of where we were last night. He said all the bigger Barbel come from this section or above the bridge, so thats where he's going to fish. Can't really argue with that.