Recent content by Neil Blood

Yep whatever you are comfortable with. I’ve rested fish close to 13lb in mine. If I expect bigger fish, then I use my 30+ Middy Barbel net.

Watching Alfie Russle on youtube using a powerful spotlight at night to stalk big Perch with lures changed my opinion! He didn’t just find Perch under the light 👍🏻

Depends what size Barbel you expect to catch? Personally I find the SS 26” perfectly adequate for fish up to 13lb’s in weight on the middle/upper Severn.

There was a recent article in Angling Times, where an angler rolling meat was using Sufix Tritanium line in bright red. The line was easier to track on the eye and made no difference to his catch rates. Sufix Tritanium is a cheap bulk spool sea fishing line.

Size 2 Patridge Barbel hook pulled through the meat and turned 90 degrees. Hooklength material Drennan Dacron, which doesn’t cut through large heavy baits like cheese wire. Both discontinued unfortunately. Just read Lawrence’s historical writings and take it from there.

Not really Ben, when fishing very big baits, you are trying to be selective in terms of singling out the biggest fish. The fish don’t associate massive hookbaits with danger, as anglers don't have the confidence to try it. Its not a new method and it goes back to the 1980’s when anglers used to...

In my experience, different river Barbel populations respond differently to different baits. Take the Wye for example, if fishing pellet feeder, always include corn in your pellet feeder mix, as on the hook, it can completely outfish pellet hook baits! In comparison corn doesn’t work as well on...

Most of my larger Barbel come to meat, mostly large chunks inc half tin size. I never fish cube shapes and 100% during general Barbel sessions and especially after dark or in coloured water, it can out fish boillie/pellet approach.

There are two types of Barbel float rods: 1, Very powerful stepped up float rod where you want to fish 10lb+ line. 2, More general stepped up float rods rated at 6 to 8lb mainline. For me personally this is more of an all round rod, which I’ll typically use to target Chub and which will deal...

It would be nice if the 1.5lb TC was an 11ft model

I personally think these make good float reels due to their small compact size: https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/shimano-baitrunner-reels/16572-shimano-baitrunner-dl-2500-fb-reel.html I also use them for all of my Chub and Perch tip fishing in the winter. Overall great all round reels 👍🏻 And...

I moderate the PA web forum and bailiff in this area too. You’ll find the PA forum more helpful, due to the general non-publicity rules.

Yes good numbers, desperately needs a flush through and I’ve personally had some very good Barbel by middle Severn weight standards Judging by the lengths you mention, I’m assuming you are a PAAS member? If you go on the club forum, there’s a good annual Severn thread.

Re Vertex rods, the main problem is the metallic turquoise bling finish! I actually love the 11ft Vertex Medium Feeder and 11ft Vertex Carp Feeder rods. Both fitted with a 1.5oz glass tip covers the majority of my Chub and Perch tip fishing on small to medium sized rivers. Yes they have the...

I recall an article from a number of years back, where an angler stalked Barbel sight fishing using Haribo Starmix! It was more for a laugh and to prove that they’d eat anything. He did catch as I recall 🙂