Ian/Chris
Like with any angling there are several aspects that you need to get right, first off you need to know you have fish in the swim, might seem obvious but guessing that Barbel are there is not as good as knowing Barbel are there and there is no substitute for good old fashioned watercraft.
The second thing that you need to get right is the presentation, not as important as location, we have all seen Barbel searching out bait on the bottom, I watched a fish several years ago nosing a house brick off the bottom because it thought there were maggots under it, when fish are feeding that well, bait presentation may not be so important, but you can not always be sure just how well they are feeding, so getting the bait to pass through the swim in as natural a way as possible is quite important
But I think the most important part of my fishing this year has been all about how to feed, getting this right is the key, but the problem with this is, that the right amount of feed changes from day to day!
Typically for a Summer /Autumn day I take Two pints of Casters, Two pints Maggots (Red/White mixed), 6 pints of the large Hemp seed and a shelf life pack of black dyed Tares..
This seems quite a bait bill but if you are smart the cost is not that expensive.
I buy Hemp from a seed merchant in 25kg sacks, good housekeeping ensures that un-used Hemp goes in the freezer and is used next trip out, so I never waste any.
Caster has to be used as they won’t keep, but Maggot will keep in a second hand fridge and if you are smart they can become Caster in 3 weeks time.
If you get into a situation where you have to use it all, well that probably means you have had a good day and the bill won’t matter!
Winter time, for Barbel I don’t bother with the Caster, while it makes a difference in warm water, the first frosts in November seem to negate any advantage Caster has.
I also cut down the hemp to about two pints but in cold water I cut down the usage a lot, in very cold water all the Hemp tends to go home with me, the only constant is the Maggots, but as a rule of thumb the colder the water the less you use, so this winter my bait bills have been very affordable!
The main tip I would pass on is that you need to feed regularly, in summer I start off with 10 grains of Hemp twice a trot and about six to ten casters twice a trot, if for any reason you think most of your loose feed is being taken before the getting to the bottom, change the feed pattern and increase it, if you have to, then use a dropper, but I must admit for me the trick is getting bait constantly going past their noses, if you get this right the Barbel WILL start to take the odd grain or Maggot, they simply cannot help themselves, when that happens you are in business.
The more they compete the more likely they are to take your hookbait!
One important tip that the Match boys will know, when you hook a fish hit he swim with a big load of feed, it is not surprising how a hooked fish will spook others but it is surprising just how gullible they are, the fish see a hooked fish going nuts, then they see a big dose of Maggot and just assume the hooked fish is on a feeding frenzy and carry on chomping!
You have to fish specifically for Barbel, you will catch other fish by accident, but to catch Barbel you have to have your Barbel head on, if you want to catch Chub then the feed pattern needs to change, I tend to feed more heavily for Barbel than Chub and also on smaller rivers you tend to find the Barbel in the deepest part of the swim, where as Chub tend to hug reeds and specific features.
The Barbel may be in the features to start with but get the feed pattern right and you will draw them out.
I always decide before I fish, where I want to catch my fish, for example I sit on my Box (I can’t be a proper Barbel angler I’ve got a Seat Box) and watch the swim, I decide where the current goes, what the cross section of the river is and most important of all, where my bait will end up, it does not get washed away and not all of it gets eaten, so decide where it is going to end up and ensure this is also where you wish to catch your fish.
I also decide where this zone is on the basis of where the fish will go when hooked and where I am going to let it get to while I play it!
Computers often work on the basis of a default option, this is deciding upon doing a certain thing in a certain way beforehand, because when you don’t have time to think, you don’t want to HAVE to think!!
If you already know some of the answers you stand much more chance of landing the very big fish when it happens.
The most important point is keeping the feed going, regularly and monotonously, if you make your bait seem as normal and natural as the weed or stones on the bottom the fish will loose all inhibitions and set about your bait with gusto.
Fishing this way is bloody hard work, I am quite glad the season is over in a way, as I don’t think my feeding arm could take another session, Tennis elbow is not funny!
Some days I fish for one or two bites, the difference is that every fish I have taken this year has been in daylight and that in it ‘self is a delight.
As to, will this work on northern rivers or southern rivers or whatever? I think the answer is yes, why not? It has worked for me on the Hants Avon, The Teme, The Severn (Dave Harrel won a shed load of matches on the float on The Severn), The Wye and The Lugg and Barbel have not changed that much, the thing that has changed over the years is how we are directed to fish by those that have a self interest (the bait makers won’t like me), the fact is there is an alternative to a paste wrapped boilie fished at midnight.
Mind you I do have a pair of perfectly good Barbel rods and Reels that did not get used once last term and may not see an outing next term either, I suspect I will keep them to hand, just in case!!
