Recent content by Tim Lawrence

I love the sun, I can happily spend all day in it feeling my bones warm up and banishing the depressing memories of the six months of cold, wet, dark weather. 30°c is lovely, but it’s not so good for fishing. I won’t fish for barbel in this heat, it’s asking for trouble in my opinion. Go enjoy...

I’d say 80% of the barbel I’ve ever caught have been on 8mm pellet. I’ve far more confidence in them than bigger sizes, which probably perpetuates me using 8mm more, skewing the results. Reading the thread though and it’s encouraged me to try 6mm when I’m not getting bites.

I’ve used the Bank Tackle wide gapes in size 8 and 10 and found them ideal when I need a big hook. My favoured hook in 10 and 12 though is the Guru SWMG, I’ve found these to be excellent for a few years now.

I’ve got the same rod and it feels bomb proof to me. Must have been a weakness in the there from some un noticed damage or a manufacturing fault.

There was no pot of gold, bag of barbel or even a bream at the end of this rainbow. But it didn’t brighten up a blank on the Tidal Trent.

Me too (mine though, not yours 😆) I often use the 2.5oz tip because it looks nicer than the 1.25 tc Avon top and it’s more sensitive so I can read what’s happening in my swim better. It’s a joy to use and you can feel the fight even in a small chub, yet it’s still got plenty of power and I’ve...

Barry would’ve been perfect!

That is a stunning fish, barbel of a lifetime for many, and an excellent photo. Pasted here to save people searching.

Surely the most shocking/surprising thing about this, is that it’s £35?! That’s one hell of a margin for Matrix. My digital stopwatch* cost £5.50. *yes I know it’s more ‘pure’ to don an antique wind-up pocket watch, but I don’t wear one to fish and would rather not keep using my phone to...

I’ve got a pair of Vass 700E, and I think they’re spot on. They’re fairly light and easy to walk, crouch, clamber up banks in. I’ve worn them in 25°c heat and yes you can sweat a bit, but I sweat when it’s hot anyway so it doesn’t bother me. Good value for money imho.

I fished the tidal Trent for the first time yesterday and had my first ever barbel on sweetcorn, two of them in fact. Pellets, boilies and casters didn’t get a touch.

8mm pellets are by far my most successful hookbait. More often than not I just fish one in a band, with a knotless knot hair. Rarely have problems with them coming off or breaking down, but then I rarely leave a cast in for more than 30 mins. The only other bait I’ve caught barbel on are...

Firstly, no fish is worth losing your life for. I’m lucky that I’m only 43 and still fit and healthy, but I’ll think twice about getting down steep banks where there’s a chance I could slip in to deep water. It’s all about calculated risk though, if there are trees on the way down that I can...

Even more concerning was when he casually dropped in the fact he can’t swim!

Few more recent ones of the Dearne.