Barbel on the Bread

[Keith Speer]

Nick
It can be surprising what WILL take a nice piece of trotted flake at this time of year.
But as Alex says don't be afraid to use a big hook and make sure the bread is fresh for flake.
Over the years I have managed to take everything from Dace to Salmon on winter flake.
Can be deadly, particularly if you move about, you won't need any mashed bread or groundbait, a pinch or two of bread, hookbait sized, squeezed and introduced just before you trot is more than enough to get some interest.

A few years ago when my Dad was still alive we had a morning and afternoon (it was bloody cold so we lunched in a local pub for an hour or two) on the Thames, between us we had 2 Chub, a Roach, a Dace, a Bream and a Barbel.
Our bait bill was a split tin loaf, cut in half and shared.

Happy memories!

 

[Nic Costar]

caught a nice 7lber last aumtmn on my local stour on bread is quite slow would imagine be hard to cast and also keep on hook on bigger faster rivers like the severn

If you microwave a slice of bread first for 10seconds then place in a sealed bag it will became moist and tacky, it will last even the hardest cast

Nick
It can be surprising what WILL take a nice piece of trotted flake at this time of year.
But as Alex says don't be afraid to use a big hook and make sure the bread is fresh for flake.
Over the years I have managed to take everything from Dace to Salmon on winter flake.
Can be deadly, particularly if you move about, you won't need any mashed bread or groundbait, a pinch or two of bread, hookbait sized, squeezed and introduced just before you trot is more than enough to get some interest.

A few years ago when my Dad was still alive we had a morning and afternoon (it was bloody cold so we lunched in a local pub for an hour or two) on the Thames, between us we had 2 Chub, a Roach, a Dace, a Bream and a Barbel.
Our bait bill was a split tin loaf, cut in half and shared.

Happy memories!

Cheers Keith, don't worry i always use large hooks when fishing flake I can added to your different speices Keith, i've even had a perch of 2lb on bread flake before

Going to give the flake ago at the weekend nothing to lose !