How much bait?

[Mark Evans 2]

Hi guys,

For those of you who fish the W.Avon, how much bait are putting in?

I'm concentrating my efforts on Barton again this year on the BAA waters. I'm always unsure if to feed very little and move after 30-45mins or sit it out in one swim and feed consistently throughout the session.

To try and keep it simple and not chop and change I'm using the Dynamite baits big river range, the glugged dumbbells and the big bags of mixed size pellets in either meat furter or kril and squid. I also have the Mainline Big River Barbel dumbbells. I don't use ground bait and just loose feed the pellets.

 

[Barry Peck]

Hi guys,

For those of you who fish the W.Avon, how much bait are putting in?

I'm concentrating my efforts on Barton again this year on the BAA waters. I'm always unsure if to feed very little and move after 30-45mins or sit it out in one swim and feed consistently throughout the session.

To try and keep it simple and not chop and change I'm using the Dynamite baits big river range, the glugged dumbbells and the big bags of mixed size pellets in either meat furter or kril and squid. I also have the Mainline Big River Barbel dumbbells. I don't use ground bait and just loose feed the pellets.

I just slide a mesh pva bag down my hook length Mark . Then I'll feed a few loose pellets over the top every now and again or hemp .
Unless there are a lot of barbel present and I'm catching (doesnt happen) then I'll feed more lose offerings . My theory is I don't like using big groundbait feeders as i believe the fish spook off them . I use a long hook link of around 3-4ft as its gin clear . I slide the PVA (bomb) down so the hook is covered by it . This stops it melting and rolling off down steam . Also it leaves a little food parcel right on the hook for any fish to home in on...... Chub love it

 

[Mark Evans 2]

It's just I've read and watched a few Barbel related articles/videos where it's been said a pint of hemp or PVA bags do very little.

Now I'm obviously skeptical if these anglers seem to be trying to sell the bait they are sponsored by but no mention of any brand was present.

The one angler feeds and fishes nothing but boilies, other used large amount of pellets and third uses softened pellets mix balled in.

I guess even the Avon at Barton which is narrow in most places, a PVA bag or a couple of Spopper full of pellets is a tiny amount on the bottom really and anything loose fed I guess doesn't even hit bottom before it's washed away (I watched the guru underwater video on how long various baits take to reach bottom).

Regards any scent trails, I don't feel dry bait like pellets or boilies give off anything substantial in the water and catch us as anglers in the shop more than it does the fish?

 

[Barry Peck]

My pellets are soaked in hemp oil and Mainline big river barbel liquid . I keep them in a big bucket and soak them for months .

I've caught plenty of barbel on my bag approach. No point piling bait in when you don't have lots of fish in the swim . I fish for one bite at a time personally and I move around from swim to swim . At most I may bait drop a couple of small droppers in a swim .

As for scent trails etc .. barbel get caught on single baits a lot .

I think it's more vital to actually find the fish or hot areas than hair application .

All the best

 

[Mark Evans 2]

Thanks mate, think I'll soak the rest of my pellets in a liquid

 

[Neil Smart]

Thing is there are not enough Barbel at the moment to shoal and be a feeding frenzie on the feed, also by introducing large amounts we are bringing in unwanted attention from Bream
The Wye and middle upper severn are more aligned to carpet bombing I would think. I too use pve bags which gives me confidence.
But above all, DON'T KEEP RECASTING leave it out there the bait and wait article on here is the best advice I believe we can have, I for one need to take that on board.
Also if you are confident you are in the right swim stick it out, they will find you.
I believe solitary barbel that we fish for on the WA, are pretty canny and are very cautious, they don't need to compete for food like shoal barbel.