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I don't believe you can ever be sure in any particular conditions. You never know what's running into the river in high water conditions do you? They feed when they want to feed and this isn't always when you think they will is my conclusion! Obviously stock levels will have a bearing on whether...

Fair enough Robert. Have you tried moving it back up the rod a bit? I personally fish mainly in the day and occasionally for an hour into dark and would rather have nothing on the rod during the day but if you mainly fish at night I can see the attraction. I would think though you'll still get...

What, they shared the cost! 🤣

I only have one Free Spirit Barbel rod. The original Seeker. I was very disappointed with it when it arrived. Too thick in the tip and tip heavy. Not a good rod for the Stour or Avon imo but I've used it on the Severn where it's better. I broke the tip on my Torrix 11' Specialist ( my fault) and...

Why not Robert? If you put them behind the first eye along from the tip you won't get many wrap rounds. Sure it's not quite as sensitive as by the tip but for Barbel does it really matter? You'll still see knocks and rattles well enough if you fish with a nice fine tip rod such as a Torrix...

I think Paul Boote passed the Graham Phillips banner to Nick Whip but as to whether either still build rods I've no idea. There will be plenty of recommendations for rod builders forthcoming I'm sure.

Give me Shimanos any day.

Big reels for Barbel surely? I had a 5000t ( I think that was the size). Didn't have a very good line lay and all in all was a basic reel that I gave to my son in law for sea fishing. I guess the 4500 is a bit smaller but even so big reels. I have the SS2600's and I would think they're a much...

Sounds good. 9 Barbel is a season's total for many on the Wessex rivers now and that's not float fishing either! 👍

Sounds like the perfect excuse to take a few days off and go fishing!

Evil stuff. Smells like sick! 😩

Of course it might be he can't get the ingredients/ flavour components any longer. Don't know.

John is of the opinion that flavours and by the sounds of it bases blow. He dropped the original Search4 flavour for example and I'm not sure he still does ASM yet I have never experienced any change in results. Once a good bait, always so imo. I think the shape and size of the bait in which it...

My wife can't stand any of them!

Don't give too much away Paul! 😅

Best thing to do Adrian is to just get on with what you do and enjoy it and try not to worry too much. It's the Carp fishing mentality and all some know. I do worry about how that sort gear affects the health of the Barbel. Torn mouths are normal on many Carp fisheries caused by over powerful...

So won't

Good helpful information Steven. Thank you. Don't worry I'm not local do Don't be there often.

I use this arrangement in all water conditions. Generally I use a hooklink about 2 1/2 - 3 foot but will use a 9 inch hooklink with a backlead 3 foot above on occasion if there's weed that might hang up a longer hooklink or if I need to sink the rod to avoid drifting weed etc because it may...

Hi Mark. I use a nylon or fluro hooklink not noticed any real difference but I then tie in a short piece of braid ( usually Drennan Gravel Braid or Bank Tackle which is a bit more robust if I feel it's needed). I use a carefully tied 4 turn water knot to join the two though many use a swivel (I...