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Barbel on the float

S

Steven Palmer

Senior Member
Hi All,

I'm getting to grips with that there trotting lark and managed to winkle a few out last season, so far so good, but there are a couple of swims I'd like to try which are more suited to far bank/shelf waggler style fishing.

The swims in question I would say are about 8' deep with a fairly steady flow over a gravel bottom. My question is what's a good shotting pattern and size of waggler in such a situation? Typically with wagglers on Canals I'd bulk the shot around the float but is that right for steady deep Rivers where if I was using the Stick/Avon I'd be using an Olivette? Would you have a bulk shot down the line rather than a traditional waggler shotting pattern?

My main aim is the Barbel but some Chub and decent Perch are also likely to be around.

Never tried waggler for Barbel before so any rig suggestions will be gratefully received :)

Cheers,

Steven
 
Steven,
I recently started to use a waggler on the river Severn for Barbel & Chub so am by no means an expert, but I did catch few.
I used a loaded 5AAA or 6AAA straight bodied waggler, so all the weight was at the float, then 2 or 3 No4 shot about half depth, then some No8's strung out towards the hook.
I used a fairly heavy waggler for two reasons , one to cast the distance and secondly as I beliebve a heavier float will be less affected by the bow of line behind it.
I will be interested in other replies as well
Michael
 
Check out some of Dave Harrells new floats he uses on the Severn and Wye could be just the job!



Brian
 
Many moons ago in AT, Dave Harrell did a feature on Waggler Barbel fishing where he used big long extra think peacock wagglers, which had the bulk shot around the float and then shirt button style shotting with No 4 and No 6 shot. The float was under shotted with around 2 to 2.5 inches of the top showing, and the depth was set at 12 - 18 inches over depth (no shot dragging on bottom).

I used to fish this method myself on the Severn at Atcham, and over a flat gravel bottom, the float will run nicely through the swim, without pulling under.

Bait wise it was bucket fulls of hemp and caster with 2 or 3 maggots on the hook (casters on the hook don’t last long if you try and drag them across the river bed).

I still have some of the floats that I used which were made by Flagship Floats (best stick floats and wagglers ever made IMHO), but no longer available sadly.
 
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Hi Steven,
My advice.... have a look at Keith Speers article on this site, then for your more specific questions, i'd drop him a PM, unless he see's your post first.
The master of his art is Keith, you wont go far wrong by talking to him ;)

Ian.
 
You need to be looking at Steve Maher/Dave Harrells speci wagglers, they come in 2 types a light and a dumpy variety. they can be fished laid on and tripping the bottom which is ideal for gravel, just ensure you dont fish with the tip dotted down, you want the shot dragging on the bottom and pulling the float down but not under.
I could go on but take a look at Dave harrels vids, and look up Steve Maher aswell for tips, these are probably the best river anglers in the country and what they dont know about fishing the wagg really isnt worth knowing.
I generally fish the wag when the wind conditions are rubbish or if I need to fish further out, a great method which I caught a fair few barbel on last term.
 
If you have any kind of an upstream wind, just go for a bulked shotted chubba. If not, just pop across to the opposite bank and trot a stick. :p
 
Chris Guy said:
If you have any kind of an upstream wind, just go for a bulked shotted chubba. If not, just pop across to the opposite bank and trot a stick. :p
Click to expand...
Hear, hear....all that casting....far too much like hard work.
I also second the Dave H floats. It will make a trip to the BS conference worthwhile this year as he will be having a stall I am told. For the first time I may actually buy something there!
 
Got to be a Drennan chubber here too, 3-4 swan version for that depth with the bulk 3/4 depth to 18" from the hook and a cople of no.6's below. I fancied a go at barbel on the float and managed to find a fox kevlex 13' barbel float Rod to try this year as my normal float rod was a bit light, looking forward to new season to give it a go;)
 
Sorry but why do we have to use Dave Dee Dozy or whoever's 'must have' float at the time.
Any angler worth his salt will have a float to meet any conditions, and you certainly don't need a 'named' float to do a job, the crucial thing is accuracy and shotting, as said bulk shot 3/4 down otherwise you will be in a right pickle with tangles, this will get the hook bait down asap and cast 'dart' like.
 
Neil, he was asking advice on methods, floats etc, as you say any angler worth his salt will have a float to meet all conditions, but some people dont have a clue where to start, some have been looking up at the sun watching 2 rods for many a year and fancy catching a Barbel on the float. As for Dave Dee dozy it just happens his floats are extremely well suitable (I dont have them but being an anglers "worth His salt" know they look OK)......I must also point out its worth looking at Woodys floats and Steve Mahers they have floats for 95% of all river conditions.
 
I take your point Jon, I really should have considered the fact that perhaps some have never rigged a float, and if that is so boy do they have some real enjoyment ahead.
Of course fishing far bank with any sort of float needs a considerable amount of skill, and I have only ever seen a handful of Anglers that have been on the money, possibly the most demanding of all our modest skill sets:)
But sure beats the hell out of watching a motionless rod tip, apologies if I was a bit curt, very twitchy at the moment:(:(
 
Hi All,

Thanks for the replies and advice, I cut my teeth fishing far bank waggler for Chub on the Grand Union in Watford and reckon my casting accuracy should return fairly quickly :) My main concern was that I've never really fished a big waggler on a river such as the Trent so the suggested makes were much appreciated and I've just ordered some of the DH Speci Wagglers :)

There still seems to be differing opinions on shotting patterns for this type of waggler fishing though, some have advocated bulk around the float and a few droppers whereas others have advocated bulk 3/4 below the float which is the sort of pattern I use on top/bottom chubbers, sticks, Cralusso's etc. I guess some good old experimentation will be needed but the pointers provided and the differing opinions all provide a good starting point so thanks to those who took the time to reply :)

Cheers,

Steven
 
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I used to fish the far bank of the River Don on border of Sheffield and Rotherham a cast of about 40yrds if you were short you didnt get the quality roach but got plagued with gudgeon and skimmers , things to consider regards shotting are fish present and bait been used , example if I'm stick float fishing couple of rod lengths out on trent for barbel with maggot and hemp then I use an ollivette couple of feet from hook and couple of no6 shot spread out to within 10 inches of hook and that way it keeps the rig stable when mending the line , if fishing further out with waggler using same tactics and assuming an even clean bottom then would under shot float and drag a couple of no6 shot on the bottom fishing upto a foot over depth
 
There is a Dave Harrell video on U Tube using a speci waggler on the Severn, talks a bit about shotting on there as well, worth a watch
 
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