• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Low Oxygen, and feeding.

Neil Smart

Neil Smart

Senior Member
It is well understood that a low o2 level puts of fish, larger species especially from feeding. Not completely of course, but larger food items are difficult to digest due to decreased vigour in the fish metabolism.

I recently was suffering a biteless few hours using the conventional pellet and or meat approach, and then dug out a tin of Green Giant corn, hair rigged 4 grains and it really saved the day, albeit Chub, no Barbel. I did think if I had bread that possibly would have worked too, maggots are fine but attract the very small bits.

I know our good friend on here Martin James is a huge fan of bread baits, I attended one of his Barbel Society talks a few years back and was convinced by his methods around bread, not only Chub etc but Barbel too. I must admit to forget to pack bread as a bait, we seem perhaps a bit to obsessed with pellets and boilies perhaps?

Maybe an easily digestible offering of corn or bread flake might make so the difference at the moment?
 
Martin is a lovely chap, and a fountain of knowledge, I have listened to his advice and always it has paid dividends, so much so that when fishing for other species, my bait tub in the main contains bread, sweetcorn, and sometimes worms. No visits to tackleshops to buy off the shelf baits, everything can be found in the supermarkets. Maggots, or as Martin calls them Gentles , do have a place but not often.

Last year Martin gave me some of his paste baits, no idea what is in them, but the fish love them. Some form of sausage meat I do know, but I am sure that there are other ingredients as well.

So far as low O2 levels are concerned, tend to agree, inasmuch as I think the fish perhaps react to increased temps the way humans do, if its a sweltering hot day, you dont want to be wating a full English Breakfast followed by a 3 course lunch and evening meal, a salad will do.

David
 
Yes the raffle at the end as is usual in such events, contained some of Martin's bread baits, I didn't win it, but I did stump up for his book, which is a great read.
So Martin if you read this, would love to try your bread baits. 😐
 
I am only using bread since early July, although I am float or surface fishing. But for one ledgering session I did last, I was biteless with pellet and meat as well, and had instant bite after switching to bread
 
The problem for bread is same as maggot, it attracts too many small fish, and doesn’t stay long on the hook
 
As much as i fished bread on the dove for chub, (and had lots of them) i've never had a barbel on bread, even though they were there with the chub,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top