Recent content by Hugh Bailey

:-) - had a mole swim the width of the Wey on opening day year before last, right to my swim - never seen anything like it! TBH a lot of the best experiences on trips are nothing to do with fish.

Was going to say Florida, where you can go after pretty much anything. I don't have much international experience but I've never been anywhere before where fishing is such a big thing, rather than being a minority activity for a load of weirdos.

Thank you for that. I want to go as sensible light as possible so maybe 8 main and 5 or 6 hook will be a good start. Now to find the time to give it a go!

Dave, I know from your posts, you have fished the Wey (probable understatement alert!). Do you think 10lb mainline would be necessary here? I was sort of thinking, on the relatively snag free stretches I go to, maybe 6-8ld with a slightly lighter (5-6lb) hook-length would be ok, so that e.g...

If it's the guy I think, (Thomas), he writes a really good blog https://thatsfrenchfishing.wordpress.com/. He is a good bloke, not just a barbel angler - more of an all-rounder. Posts on Maggotdrowners now and again.

Although the current situation is probably not ideal, it is at least national and widely known (by non-anglers also). Your question raises issues such as rivers with multiple clubs all imposing different restricted periods, pretty much on an ad-hoc basis, (and maybe even different times for...

This forum is called "Barbel Talk". To me there is no Barbel in this thread. Politics will always cause a lot of issues and disagreements - there are plenty of forums for this. To me - this needs modd'ing to avoid pointless, avoidable fall outs.

Blimey - that is a good effort. It is basically a stream - "up" my way (it's not very long), it's not a rod length wide. Caught plenty of chub and dace in it. May have to think about this.

Nice one - thanks Chris! I think this is the way to go for me.

By the looks of that quiver, it could be used for 3-part (11/12 foot) feeder rods - do you think this would be a goer?

I've only ever caught 2 barbel in the UK. Still come on here every day though. :) Happy Christmas to all!

I can't remember using it...

Gave it a go today on the Wey. Wimped out a bit on the casters - 3 pints + a tin of hemp. Used a massive Fox dropper I bought years ago to dump it all in , then tackled up & waited (for about 1.5 hrs). Tried the fake casters for 2.5 hours without anything - the odd large pull that...

Bugger. I read an article about inline feeders that was going on about fluro. I have no idea about this. I have some braid hook-link material - I'll tie some up on this. :-( I

Nice one Dave - thanks! This is sort of where I got to in the end - I am using flurocarbon - so I used a bating needle & threaded a few on each hook-link. Had to start sorting out dinner so will continue tomorrow getting set up. Have also taken heed of your advice and will head to a stretch...