• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Hooks

We came to the same conclusion when carp fishin
g and avoided the clear leads .
 
Jon Frisby said:
I have caught lots of Barbel using black amnesia in 15lb, for me if they can see it its ok, fluoro is supposedly non visible, that may be the problem.
Glad the majority liked the hooks I mentioned.

Jon
Click to expand...

I use the clear amnesia now with kryston supernova for combis brilliant and its memory free. I was browsing youtube a few month ago and found a video with barbel spooking on flouro since then i havn't used it.
 
Adrian Williams said:
Since I stopped using braid and went back to stretchy old mono I find Drennan SS are more than adequate for all my fishing.
They don't open up and they're not so long in the point they fold over when they touch a bit of gravel
Click to expand...

I am stopping using the Drennan Super Specialist Barbel hooks for this very reason.

They are fine on silt or weed but fishing over gravel and rocks the tip soon goes over.

I have changed to the Korda Wide Gape X hooks. Very strong and no hook point issues.

Stephen
 
Wayne Glossop said:
I use the clear amnesia now with kryston supernova for combis brilliant and its memory free. I was browsing youtube a few month ago and found a video with barbel spooking on flouro since then i havn't used it.
Click to expand...

Pretty much the same except i use Big Game for the main part of the hooklink and Trickster Heavy for the supple link on the end.

About as good as you can get at the moment IMO. Anyone still using fluoro because it's invisible needs a slap! It's stiff and easy to detect by the Barbel - best of all it's brittle and has poor abrasion resistance compared to the better mono's. Coated braids do the same job as a combi but at ten times the price!

Hooks wise, i'm using the beaked point WG Talon Tips more and more these days - simply because they DO last longer when bagging up in the rock gulleys on my local rivers but i must say straight points will turn more pick ups into hooked fish - Drennan SS's are still the best for that.
 
Not only are they overly expensive Andrew, in my opinion they are not that good either. I have never thought that any of the much vaunted coated braids come close to what you can achieve with a true combi. In general, the coated part is not stiff enough, whereas the braid tends to be not supple enough...there is just not enough contrast between the two elements to make them work as they should.

Mind you, I am looking forward to using the Rigmarole gear Simon Lush recommended...a different concept that I like the look of, though I am a bit slow in becoming aware of it.

Cheers, Dave.
 
Last edited:
David Gauntlett said:
Not only are they overly expensive Andrew, in my opinion they are not that good either. I have never thought that any of the much vaunted coated braids come close to what you can achieve with a true combi. In general, the coated part is not stiff enough, whereas the braid tends to be not supple enough...there is just not enough contrast between the two elements to make them work as they should.

Mind you, I am looking forward to using the Rigmarole gear Simon Lush recommended...a different concept that I like the look of, though I am a bit slow in becoming aware of it.

Cheers, Dave.
Click to expand...

David/Andrew, I would be interested to know- with the combi rig, are you looking for a stiffer section on the hooklink to avoid tangles on casting and by kicking the hooklink out, ensure that the bait is positioned well away from the lead when resting on the riverbed? And is this predominantly on larger rivers where an underarm lob doesn't really cut it when you need distance on the cast? Cheers.
 
Howard Cooke said:
David/Andrew, I would be interested to know- with the combi rig, are you looking for a stiffer section on the hooklink to avoid tangles on casting and by kicking the hooklink out, ensure that the bait is positioned well away from the lead when resting on the riverbed? And is this predominantly on larger rivers where an underarm lob doesn't really cut it when you need distance on the cast? Cheers.
Click to expand...

I can't speak for anyone else Howard but for me the combi is the perfect hooklink because the short supple braid section makes it hard for Barbel to detect the hooklink when it moves over the bait, the long mono section does keep the bait away from the lead but it's main purpose is for abrasion resistance. In a stillwater situation you would want it to be very stiff to kick out the hooklink but in runnig water it doesn't matter as the flow straightens the hooklink out for you. I use it for the bulk of my barbel fishing on big rivers where short hooklinks and backleads are not practical due to casting distance or snags.
 
David Gauntlett said:
Not only are they overly expensive Andrew, in my opinion they are not that good either. I have never thought that any of the much vaunted coated braids come close to what you can achieve with a true combi. In general, the coated part is not stiff enough, whereas the braid tends to be not supple enough...there is just not enough contrast between the two elements to make them work as they should.

Mind you, I am looking forward to using the Rigmarole gear Simon Lush recommended...a different concept that I like the look of, though I am a bit slow in becoming aware of it.

Cheers, Dave.
Click to expand...

Interesting points, David. What can be achieved with a true combi? Do you use them for their supple and abrasion resistant properties, á la Mr Boyne?

I agree there are a good variety of coated braids, with varying degrees of stiffness. I usually use Kryston Jackal, as its stiff/supple properties work for me.
 
David Gauntlett said:
Not only are they overly expensive Andrew, in my opinion they are not that good either. I have never thought that any of the much vaunted coated braids come close to what you can achieve with a true combi. In general, the coated part is not stiff enough, whereas the braid tends to be not supple enough...there is just not enough contrast between the two elements to make them work as they should.
Click to expand...

Agree with you 100% Dave.
 
Andrew- many thanks for that. Hadn't fully appreciated the point around abrasion- currently I only fish the Kennet. Thanks again.
 
Powerpro is supple and thin and suits me as a hooklink.

If you use a pointed tulip bead (as per the korum ones *) over a size 8 diamond swivel - that your hooklink is attached to.

Plus one of the Enterprise snagfree links for your feeder/lead. It kicks the hooklink out beautifully for casting as the snagfree sits over the rubber tulip point. Pretty much tangle free.

Both items available from Andys shop

Graham
 
Andrew Boyne said:
. Anyone still using fluoro because it's invisible needs a slap!
Click to expand...

Ouch! I use flourocarbon mainline on the Yorkshire rivers. I use it because it is low diameter (so i use 15lb) and sinks like a stone. I can let a bow out safe in the knowledge that the line will sink and be unobtrusive to any feeding barbel. It negates the need for a back lead, leadcore or any other encumberances which may snag or be visible to barbel.

I also use 20lb stiff flourocarbon on my combi rigs on the bigger rivers or in flood conditions on the Yorkshire rivers. It is almost impossible to break! and has excellent abrasion resistance. As long as you take care to straighten it out, i am confident it lies flat on the bottom and causes little consternation to feeding fish.

I have caught some really big catches on the Trent in bright, sunlit conditions with clear water - with both casters and pellets as hookbaits - so i see no reason to change what i'm doing.

However, i wouldn't rule out an experiment with a good mono in future ;)

*posted in case the barbel newcomers thought they'd better burn their spools of flourocarbon!*
 
Similar set up to Graham but i use the gardner covert buffer bead along with the quick lock swivel plus an anti tangle sleeve, tie my hooklinks with a tiny ring on the end then just clip it on the quicklock swivel and away you go, all neat and tidy....Again all from the BFW shop, ashamed to admit that i got them from the tackle shop:eek:
Have to say that i dont use any type of breakaway lead clip but i should, we all should! i remember looking at the original enterprise clip but left it at that:rolleyes: i will get some from the BFW shop and if i dont like them i will sell them to Foxy:)
 
John.

Look at the tulip beads I mention. The Gardener Covert tulip or the Korum ones in Andys shop.

The base slips over a size 8 swivel (you can add a quicklink) but the main advantage is that when the snagfree clip runs down the mainline it sits on the pointed bead end and kicks out the hooklink, preventing tangles on casting and doing away with any additional sleeve.

Graham.
 
Last edited:
Graham,

Yes i see the point you are making with the gardner covert tulip beads in the shop i will order a pack and have a look at the set up. i am going to order a few bits from the shop.

What size enterprise lead clips did you get the standard or the large??

Hope Andy is reading this...I would like quick delivery please:)

John
 
Hi John,

I've just been cleaned out of the Snag Safe Large but have more coming tomorrow.

I do have plenty of the standard, and 'new' Snag Safes...

Thanks to all who have ordered from me recently, it really is appreciated :)

Regards,

Andy F
 
Cheers Graham,

What weight leads are you using with the standard clip?

Thanks Andy:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top