Steve Williams
Senior Member
Angling Times 'Better Barbel Fishing' Video
Introduction
Those of you that have come across this video might immediately be asking why I decided to review it for BFW as it is not a new production (Copyright 1999). My reasons are twofold: firstly despite being a few years old it is still a good watch, particularly for the less experienced and novice barbelers. Secondly its real interest is in how it illustrates quite how fast barbel fishing has moved in the last few years.
The video opens in summer right in the centre of 'barbel alley' on the middle Severn with Matt Hayes and Dave Harrell discussing matchman style feeder tactics. The full range of rods, rigs and baits for this style of fishing are all covered in detail with Dave catching a few fish to illustrate the technique.
Matt Hayes then continues the video showing his 'big fish' approach on the Lower Severn bellow Worcester. He details his way of locating the fish by pre-baiting a number of swims and fishing them in rotation. Touch ledgering and the resting of barbel after capture are also covered.
The third part sees Matt join Trefor West on the banks of the Teme and the Bristol Avon in summer and autumn. This part of the video will be by far the most interesting for those with more experience. Trefor covers mobile fishing, trundling, upstream ledgering, feeding, and the 'bait-and-wait' approach in some detail, finishing with a discussion on bait. It is during this discussion that the video looks rather out of date although prophetically Matt does say, "it's changing all the time" during the talk about modern barbel baits.
Conclusion
Okay this is not Stuart Morgan and Guy Robb there are no record breakers on this video and some of you might consider it a little basic in parts. But for those of you like me that love watching fishing if you cannot actually be fishing then I would recommend it. A tiny bit dated on baits but full of good ideas for all but the most experienced.
Rating
9/10 for novices and beginners
7/10 for the more experienced
Availability £14.99 from Beckmann Visual Publishing Welcome To Beckmann Direct : Index or 01624 816 777 or quite regularly on eBay for about £6.99
Guy Baxendale
November 2004
Introduction
Those of you that have come across this video might immediately be asking why I decided to review it for BFW as it is not a new production (Copyright 1999). My reasons are twofold: firstly despite being a few years old it is still a good watch, particularly for the less experienced and novice barbelers. Secondly its real interest is in how it illustrates quite how fast barbel fishing has moved in the last few years.
The video opens in summer right in the centre of 'barbel alley' on the middle Severn with Matt Hayes and Dave Harrell discussing matchman style feeder tactics. The full range of rods, rigs and baits for this style of fishing are all covered in detail with Dave catching a few fish to illustrate the technique.
Matt Hayes then continues the video showing his 'big fish' approach on the Lower Severn bellow Worcester. He details his way of locating the fish by pre-baiting a number of swims and fishing them in rotation. Touch ledgering and the resting of barbel after capture are also covered.
The third part sees Matt join Trefor West on the banks of the Teme and the Bristol Avon in summer and autumn. This part of the video will be by far the most interesting for those with more experience. Trefor covers mobile fishing, trundling, upstream ledgering, feeding, and the 'bait-and-wait' approach in some detail, finishing with a discussion on bait. It is during this discussion that the video looks rather out of date although prophetically Matt does say, "it's changing all the time" during the talk about modern barbel baits.
Conclusion
Okay this is not Stuart Morgan and Guy Robb there are no record breakers on this video and some of you might consider it a little basic in parts. But for those of you like me that love watching fishing if you cannot actually be fishing then I would recommend it. A tiny bit dated on baits but full of good ideas for all but the most experienced.
Rating
9/10 for novices and beginners
7/10 for the more experienced
Availability £14.99 from Beckmann Visual Publishing Welcome To Beckmann Direct : Index or 01624 816 777 or quite regularly on eBay for about £6.99
Guy Baxendale
November 2004