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Balanced Tackle

Craig Wood

Craig Wood

Senior Member
Interesting topic i think..personally i use 20lb braid mainline because i feel it has better presentation qualities and doesent seem to spook fish in clear conditions..But it would be interesting to know what others on here ideas of balanced tackle are?;)
 
hi craig, personally i think that balanced tackle starts with matching the rod to the recommended line for eg a 1.5lb tc rod to something like 4 to 6lb line.Then adjusting the clutch on the reel so as to give line under resonable pressure. Works for me
 
Taken from https://barbel.co.uk/articlefr.htm
Barbel Society Handling Code
"The popularity of the barbel has exploded over the last few years and continues to grow into what is now the most sought after river fish. It is the duty of all barbel anglers to protect this exciting and powerful species and ensure that it is returned, after capture, in the same or even better condition as that when it was hooked. Today's four pound fish may well be tomorrows "double" or even record. We recommend to you the following code when handling barbel":

1. Always use well-balanced tackle, aiming to land your barbel as quickly as possible, but without undue pressure or bullying. Playing fish to exhaustion on light tackle causes unnecessary stress. A minimum of a through action rod of 1lb.4oz test curve and eight pound line should be used, with much heavier tackle advisable in snaggy swims or flood conditions.
 
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Alot of my fishing for big Barbel usaully happens at very close range after spotting them and theres absulutely no way you would land them on anything less than 10lb mono or braid due to many factors such as when fishing on small clear patches in heavy weed during the summer months..You need strong gear for stalking big Barbel during summer months..;)
 
John Syer said:
i think that balanced tackle starts with matching the rod to the recommended line for eg a 1.5lb tc rod to something like 4 to 6lb line.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with the first part of that sentence but not the second. Six pound line would be the bare minimum that I'd be matching up with a 1.5lb tc rod.

So, to answer you, Craig. There really isn't anything definitive about balanced tackle and I doubt that there will ever be a consensus. However, I believe that mainlines are a bit of a red herring anyway. I'll happily use 8-10lb line with a bog standard float rod provided my hooklink is of a more sensible rating for that rod. Braid further skews the issue in the way that most braid users use much higher breaking strains than they would with mono.

Hooklengths are the important bit to achieve balance and should be matched appropriately to the rod (or pole/elastic) being used. Once that's sorted it's time to start thinking about an appropriate and proportional hook size, guage.
 
I was led to believe (as a guide) test curve of a rod should be matched to line of approx five times greater then +/- 2lb,, ie

1.5lb test curve rod x 5 = 7.5lb mainline approx plus or minus 2lb.

I regularly use 1.5tc rod with 10lb mono but personally would not feel "balanced" if using it with say 5lb line.
Others will describe it better than I can but,,,
"You know when it is right and you also feel uncomfortable when it is not"

Interested to hear more about importance of hooklink strength in relation to the above though.
Any offers for discussion ?

Also

I have 3 Free Spirit rods all 1.5tc
One is a very delicate 1.5
One is a sensible affair,whilst the other is a 1.5 stepped up and a fair bit more powerful.

So I thought I also knew how test curve was measured but it seems the makers of the rods cant get it right so maybe there is more to it than my simple theory.:confused:
 
I use 8lb line when floatfishing for Barbel on the Trent, i could get away with 6lb, but the Barbs dont half fight in this large waterway 20yard runs not uncommon with near doubles. I also am aware that i should get the fish landed reasonably fast. My reason was watching a double die in a friends arms, after a long fight. I do believe on the trent fishing below 6lb mainline could prolong the fight considerably especially as the barmy nines are a handful.
I couldnt comment on a small river, but was surprised by Keith Speer catching such a fab fish on a 3lb bottom, to me thats insane, but i dont know how small river barbel fight or if the stretch hasnt got any snags, and even how a Barbel fights in such a surrounding. All i know is Keith knows his river and thats good enough for me.
I only look at test curves as a guide, its more to do with the action, having a wiggle with it and before purchase putting some line through and put a bend in and knowing in my minds eye what i require the rod to achieve.
 
In my opinion, the phrase 'Ballanced tackle' means a set of tackle in which each componant part is in harmony with every other part...they are ballanced so that no one part is out of proportion to any other. It does not, as some people seem to think, have any relevance to the type or size of fish being angled for. In other words, it is a description of the relationship to each other of the parts of a set of tackle, not that tackles suitability for catching any given fish.

If any one part of the tackle outguns any other part, then the other parts become more vulnerable and prone to failure. A rod that is too heavey/light for the rest of the tackle is an obvious problem, but a mainline that is disproportionately heavey is another, if less obvious one. The heavey line will have no cushioning effect to help the hooklink, because it's inherent stretch (which is what does the cushioning) will not be available before the strain becomes too much for the hooklink...therefore the link will snap earlier than it otherwise might. If you up the BS of the hooklink significantly to compensate, then you may be in danger of snapping the rod.

Once the whole tackle is ballanced, each item of tackle will have a complimentary and cushioning effect on the other, making the whole much stronger than each individual item would imply when viewed separately. Match angling tackle is entirely based on those principles...food for thought?

If this question was (as I suspect) asked as a result of Keith Speers catch mentioned in another thread, then I would say that Keiths achievement is an outstanding example of what properly ballanced tackle can achieve. It IS possible to land large, strong fish on very fine tackle, if (A) it is ballanced tackle, and (B) You are experienced and skilled at using such tackle for that purpose, and (C) The swim is of a nature to allow what is required in those circumstances.

Just my slant on things.

Cheers, Dave.
 
The venue you fish and the obstacles present should dictate what tackle is needed. Keiths an exception and obviously very talented at what he does and he matched his tactics to the venue and the time of year perfectly. That said im sure Keith would be first to say those tactics would not work during summer and autumn months when lots of heavy weed is present and the Barbel are harder fighting, perhaps im wrong only Keith knows that. As said it depends on the venue, where i fish on the Hamps Avon & Dorset Stour you would be lucky if you could even fish the float let alone have any chance of landing Barbel on light gear during summer and autumn. The club im a member of even say you shouldent use anything below 6lb bs..Dont take this thread as a dig at Keith because it simply aint, im just saying that your methods and tactics should represent the venue and its obstacles that may make it harder to land Barbel safely without leaving hooks and line in its mouth..:)
 
I fish the River Nidd and the phrase 'Nidd nutters' is frequently used by others regarding the resident Barbel. In all fairness they probably fight no harder than anywhere else, but the close proximity of numerous snags on this small rver is a significant factor in the choice of tackle. I err on the heavier side for this reason.
 
I remember my early days on the Royalty when the use of 3lb line, 16-18 size hooks was promoted by the fishery for barbel. However, the amount of hooked fish far exceded the amount landed. It was very common to catch barbel with 1-6 hooks embeded in their lips causing ulcers and growths to where the hooks corrode over a period of time causing problems. It was common to hear anglers bragging about "I hooked ten and landed 3". In fact, it still goes on today although not to any degree as before.
On many occassions have I seen an angler float fishing light for silver fish and unexpectedly bumps into a medium sized barbel say 7lb. After watching for some half an hour or so playing the fish with the clutch loose, and scared to tighten in case the line breaks, you would think it was a monster on the other end. To the unsuspecting angler, it no doubt felt like it.
Deliberately fishing for 17+lb barbel with 3lb line can and has been seen as an irresponsible approach by a respected angler and defies the generally accepted Barbel Society Handling Code (which most take note of) and which has been placed on BFW to promote good practice when fishing for barbel. It know seems that the advised line strength minimum has been thrown out of the window by most of the BFW members and owners of the website.
It is also rubbish that barbel will only take particles in cold conditions to where light lines and tiny hooks have to be used to get bites. It is another fact that many experienced barbel anglers do not wish to fish in very cold water and air conditions in winter as they know the fish are semi-dormant and 'lethargic'. Yes they can be stimulated to feed at times when they have acclimatised to the lower water temperatures, but most know the barbel will be fighting fitter when the temperature rises and in peak condition and it is much easier and safer to catch them.
Although i have caught barbel in snow conditions in the 1980's when experimenting with water temperatures, I realised that it could be damaging to bring barbel out of the water in freezing air temperatures and with snow and ice on the bank. Although i cannot expand on this, i think it could have a similar effect to fishing and catching them in very hot sunny weather, and similar precautions might well be advised.
One barbel i did catch in the snow at a water temp of 36F did make me aware that all was not well. I hooked it inside the mouth and it would not stop bleeding to where the hook penetrated. Obviously there was a problem here where the coagulation and thickening of the blood (in so many words) could not take place as seen warmer temperatures.
The point is that is it necessary to promote the use of light lines and flimsy tackle where there is a big chance of leaving hooks and line trailing on barbel unessesarily especially when kids and novice anglers use the website and are easily led to believe it is the norm.
It seems there is a move here to also promote pole fishing for barbel on rivers also. Although it is done, i can imagine that some anglers will now be out there trying to catch a 17-18lb barbel on the Ivel on a 1lb bottom which would obviously be a line strength world record for the species similar to what they practise in the USA.
No offence to Keith and others here who are experts in their fields, but some are not experienced to handle such light gear with big fish which takes a lot of time to master.
 
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Hi Ray,
Taking on board your comments, and as someone who uses 12lb main line, and 10lb hook length summer and winter, i can see where you are coming from, and i for one have critisised people for what i see as overplaying - or fighting - would probably be a better word.

Whenever i've seen it or been told of it it's always been with line strengths in the ' accepted ' range of BS's that are used in ledgering for Barbel, i've come to the opinion that in these instances people are either not confident in their tackle or are savouring the fight to the detriment of the Barbel, and have voiced my opinions on that on this forum in the past.

I do think though that the circumstances of this Barbels capture indeed all of Keiths captures with this method, have to be viewed in a different light, you cannot 'fight' a barbel much less a near 18lber on a 3lb bottom the result will be inevitable.

Many years back i saw for myself a chap trotting a swim as i passed him ( i wasn't fishing ), he was baiting his hook with bread punch and red maggot, haveing a chat with him, he told me he was using a 1.3lb bottom and fishing for 'bits' hopeing for a decent roach or dace.
Walking back about a half hour later i saw him with a bend in his rod, though not overly so, ' been catching a few then ' i said ' no ' he said with a panicked look on his face but i'm pretty sure i've got a Barbel on, i stood watching for what must have been well over an hour, whilst the Barbel trundled up stream up to maybe 10 yards and back again, and the same down stream.
Each time it passed him he tried to tease it in towards the bank where he could net it, but not daring to put pressure on it, eventually his mate came along and took over the net, and eventually they did manage to trick it, and i do mean trick it into the net, what took place over that hour could not in any description be called a 'fight', and i commented at the time the Barbel looked for all the world to me to be to be still feeding on the bottom !

The Chap after the fish was landed was visibly shaking, and looked wacked.
The Barbel i reckon ( joking aside ) likley wondered how the hell it was happily mooching around, and all of a sudden found itself in a landing net.

My point being there was no way that fish was exausted or even close to it, now this was an accidental capture, where Keiths was not he obviously was fishing with the intention of catching a Barbel, but in reality using the method he was, he could have hooked roach, Dace, Chub, Perch, - well just about anything that swims in a river really.
So would you never go out with Maggots and a float, fearing that you may hook a Barbel ? Now i accept - well actually applaud Keiths ability to find, tempt, and hook a Barbel especially in these conditions, but in reality the vast majority venturing out using these techniques for Barbel in these conditions wouldn't come close to hooking one much less a 17lber, and if they did, and provoked the Barbel into a fight with a 3lb bottom would get busted toot sweet, yes that would mean leaving a small hook in the Barbels mouth, and i won't dispute what you have said regarding hooks being left in the fishes mouth Ray, but i can only think of once where i've found a hook ( a 16 ) in a Barbels mouth ( and i always check ) but how many times do you hear of people losing a Barbel ? i can only conclude the vast majority of hooks barbed or not work themselves out eventually, that may also be because of much smaller even micro barbs being used nowadays.

Taking your comments to their conclusion especially with regard to excessive bleeding, we wouldn't dare go out fishing in winter Ray, and as far as some anglers going out now targetting 17-18lb barbel .... Most would grow an even longer beard than Keiths while they were trying :D :D :D :D

I Reckon Keith with regard to the tackle he used knew what he was doing and chose the area well, and i doubt very much would have laid the fish on snow, obviously i can't know that i wasn't there, but i'd have a bet on it.

And for those who think i'm having a go at Ray, you couldn't be more wrong, disagreeing yes, having a go no, I also have a huge amount of respect for Ray as an angler and a conservationist.

Regards
Ian.
 
I can't claim to have good float fishing skills as I gained my apprenticeship at the hands of a feeder expert. However; I can claim to have landed thousands of middle Severn barbel on a 4lb mainline, 1.7 bottom, a size 18 Drennan super specialist hook, a 1.5oz Drennan feeder, and a 3500 size reel fixed to a 1.25 lb tc John Wilson Avon Quiver. That's balanced tackle.....And I put most of them into a keepnet....In the winter I would drop down to a 20 or even a 22 and fish pinkies or squats instead of the usual maggot or caster and hemp.
On reflection I probably lost less fish then than I do now with my 1.75 Chimera and 10lb line.
 
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Ray Walton said:
Deliberately fishing for 17+lb barbel with 3lb line can and has been seen as an irresponsible approach by a respected angler and defies the generally accepted Barbel Society Handling Code (which most take note of) and which has been placed on BFW to promote good practice when fishing for barbel. It know seems that the advised line strength minimum has been thrown out of the window by most of the BFW members and owners of the website.
.
Click to expand...

If you had read Keith Speers account of the capture of his 17+lb Barbel, you will have read that he changed down to 3lb 6oz line to fish for Chub. To suggest otherwise is just plain wrong.

Oh....I fish 10lb line on the lead Summer and Winter, and on the float between 5lb and 6lb, If I'm targeting Barbel.
 
You have to take your hat off to Keith, he,s certainly provoked alot of comments & thought..I used to fish in contests on the river Severn and my feeder rig was 6lb mainline with 3 to 4lb bottoms and used to have fairly reguarly 50 to 70lb of Barbel & Chub. My float set up was usually 3lb straight through but back then the Barbel were generally in the 3 to 6lb bracket..I actually dont know whats right or wrong to be honest because end of the day its up to the angler concerned..But it is true to say that on certain match venues where Barbel are reguarly caught particually on the river Severn i have removed countless hooks and line from Barbels mouths..Nowadays i dont match fish and just fish for bigger Barbel which usually is hard going so in my eyes when i eventually get one on i dont want to be under gunned tackle wise simply because all the hours and cost of bait will have been for nothing..:)
 
John Pain said:
If you had read Keith Speers account of the capture of his 17+lb Barbel, you will have read that he changed down to 3lb 6oz line to fish for Chub. To suggest otherwise is just plain wrong.

Oh....I fish 10lb line on the lead Summer and Winter, and on the float between 5lb and 6lb, If I'm targeting Barbel.
Click to expand...

John...Would it have altered your view if the fact that Keith hooked and landed a manificent barbel while tackled up and fishing for 'barbel' (not chub) with a 3.6 bottom. Having read Keith's explanation again it seems he 'lowered' the line strength knowing that barbel were in the swim! Too late however.
Again, what do you think of Keith's companion Dave Currell (former record holder) targeting and catching the same and other barbel to 14.9 on the 'Pole' on the same river with similar light tackle? Surely this should be applauded even more so.:)
 
Line Past & Present

With regard to line strengths past and present, is it not true that diameters have reduced whilst maintaining breaking strains? I couldn't imagine getting a bite in the early 70/80s with a 10lb line hence we had to use lighter lines.

regards
Al
 
Just out of interest for those of you that use up to 30lb braid in an effort to get your barbel out as quickly as possible, what happens if the fish gets snagged and you can't free it? Does this mean the fish is tethered without the possibility of getting free, if the hook hold is good enough. People rolling meat often use very heavy braid and very large hooks, which don't pull out too easy.
 
I'm guessing more than a few fish have died as a result of being tethered by a high breaking strain braided mainline attached to a large hook.
They don't stand a chance.

Whereas, if we were all using 3lb hooklengths...
 
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