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Hooks

Richard good point you cant catch what isnt there what ever your rig!!!! If you can find the fish then thats most of the battle won...
 
The SSS I was thinking about was that "if my life depended on catching a barbel" swim. When you have little fishing time available it's a real draw as you feel it gives you the best chance of having your string pulled. Sometimes though, it would be nice to break free of that and try new swims which force you to think and adapt more. It's just that when you get down to the river, you start to waiver a bit, get less brave and if your fav swim is free, get all comfy and in position.
 
I have just given up a ticket on one of the most prolific stretches of one of the most prolific rivers in the country because it's no challenge.

It reminded me of the story about the angler who woke up dead one morning standing by the side of a wonderful river with a 10 lb barbel feeding in 4 ft of water at his feet. His guide was who was with him explained that he had passed on and this was his first day of eternity, he then handed him a baited rod and urged him to have a cast, within a few minutes of his perfect cast the fish took his bait and after a short but spirited fight a stunning fish lay in his landing net. After the congratulations were over and the fish was returned the guide pointed out another fish had taken up the same lie and urged the angler to have another go, minutes later another pristine barbel was banked and returned.
This went on for half an hour or so with three more fish hitting the net before the guide made his excuses and left saying he would return later.
The angler had the time of his life that afternoon and when the guide returned and showed him to his bivvy he was asleep as his head hit the pillow.
What seemed like moments later he awoke again on the side of the river and a few minutes after his first cast a fine barbel took his bait and was landed.
Later that afternoon after another red letter day his guide arrived to taje him back to his bivvy, during the short walk the angler said, "My first couple of days in heaven have been wonderful and if this is eternity I can't wait to see what other pleasures await me". The guide stopped and looked at the angler and said,
"Other pleasures? There are no other pleasures, there is nothing else, this is your eternity. And this is not heaven, this is Hell.
 
Adrian Williams said:
I have just given up a ticket on one of the most prolific stretches of one of the most prolific rivers in the country because it's no challenge.

It reminded me of the story about the angler who woke up dead one morning standing by the side of a wonderful river with a 10 lb barbel feeding in 4 ft of water at his feet. His guide was who was with him explained that he had passed on and this was his first day of eternity, he then handed him a baited rod and urged him to have a cast, within a few minutes of his perfect cast the fish took his bait and after a short but spirited fight a stunning fish lay in his landing net. After the congratulations were over and the fish was returned the guide pointed out another fish had taken up the same lie and urged the angler to have another go, minutes later another pristine barbel was banked and returned.
This went on for half an hour or so with three more fish hitting the net before the guide made his excuses and left saying he would return later.
The angler had the time of his life that afternoon and when the guide returned and showed him to his bivvy he was asleep as his head hit the pillow.
What seemed like moments later he awoke again on the side of the river and a few minutes after his first cast a fine barbel took his bait and was landed.
Later that afternoon after another red letter day his guide arrived to taje him back to his bivvy, during the short walk the angler said, "My first couple of days in heaven have been wonderful and if this is eternity I can't wait to see what other pleasures await me". The guide stopped and looked at the angler and said,
"Other pleasures? There are no other pleasures, there is nothing else, this is your eternity. And this is not heaven, this is Hell.
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Thats brilliant ! spot on !!
 
Great post Adrian. It would be exactly the same if every single morning you woke up to find Kyle staring down at you holding a tray with a full english on it wearing nothing but gold hot pants and a smile. Imagine that, every single day for eternity. Nightmare.
 
Howard Cooke said:
Great post Adrian. It would be exactly the same if every single morning you woke up to find Kyle staring down at you holding a tray with a full english on it wearing nothing but gold hot pants and a smile. Imagine that, every single day for eternity. Nightmare.
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I could live with that as long as she didn't sing or bring her sister.
 
Hard to avoid the requirement to compromise isn't it. To prevent her from singing, talking even, she would need to eat your sausage. Your full English wouldn't be full then.
 
Adrian - love the story and I see where you're coming from there. I haven't reached that point yet, thankfully, but when I do I'll take a look at tinkering with my rigs. :)
 
Howard Cooke said:
The SSS I was thinking about was that "if my life depended on catching a barbel" swim. When you have little fishing time available it's a real draw as you feel it gives you the best chance of having your string pulled. Sometimes though, it would be nice to break free of that and try new swims which force you to think and adapt more. It's just that when you get down to the river, you start to waiver a bit, get less brave and if your fav swim is free, get all comfy and in position.
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Yes, know what you mean in that respect, Howard. I only get out once a fortnight or so (young family, etc, etc) and a blank definitely isn't the desired outcome. Sometimes I've sat in a peg all day and thought "right, I'll move in half an hour" only to then procrastinate about the barbel and the fact they might be feeding in an hour and I'm fishing a great looking swim. My indecision often makes me laugh at myself, especially when I hear the next day that a chap half a mile downstream had a red letter day.
 
Getting SO confused by all these combi rig, pointed beeds, etc etc, i use a simple running rig, using a Greys swivel covered by a rubber beed/sleeve both sides of the swivel, to stop the lead/feeder. If i knew how to, i,d post a pic, a pic is so much easier to understand. :)
 
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Howard Cooke said:
Great post Adrian. It would be exactly the same if every single morning you woke up to find Kyle staring down at you holding a tray with a full english on it wearing nothing but gold hot pants and a smile. Imagine that, every single day for eternity. Nightmare.
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I don't know if I could do a full English every day !! :)
 
Just thought id add drennan babrbel super specialist is the worst hook iv ever used straightened 5 out onn a snag with 15lb line!!!!
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayne Glossop
Just thought id add drennan babrbel super specialist is the worst hook iv ever used straightened 5 out onn a snag with 15lb line!!!!
The same snag

Stephen

Same rig ? 5 hooks sounds illegal to me pmsl
 
Wayne Glossop said:
Just thought id add drennan babrbel super specialist is the worst hook ive ever used straightened 5 out onn a snag with 15lb line!!!!
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first of all why keep casting into a snag which sounds substantial?
im sure the fish will move away from the snag if tempted from above!

secondly the line your using is doing the job its supposed to do, straightening hooks is better than losing the lot!

my opinion of drennan barbel specialist is very good on low clear rivers where a light lead and a gentle underarm cast. this is due to the small size and finish and that the lead wont be bouncing along the gravel/bedrock causing the hooks to blunt!
on a snaggy river like the ribble/wye where the flow is fast and full of rocks and bedrock i use the korda kurv shank hooks or similar pattern.
 
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