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Martin Bowler Podcast

J

Joe Winstanley

Senior Member & Supporter
I found parts of this podcast with Martin Bowler from last December really interesting, it's well worth a listen. Particularly around 1h 37 min in when discussing rigs. Of particular interest to me is his opinion on coated braided hook links for barbel in clear water/daytime conditions, that's about 1hr 47 min.

 
Hi men ,

Funny , I stopped using it rapidly , seeing their reaction on the Kennet put me off a bit 🤔. We were lucky as the way we fished let us do that , although an agler on the same section caught on in front of me to prove me wrong , no rules eg 😁

Hatter
 
An interesting programme and I don't for a second doubt his experiences. Trouble is there are other videos out there that show barbel spooked by flourocarbon yet happily feeding with coated braid in the swim. I guess that they're wild animals and as such their behaviour will vary day to day and with changes to the conditions and the bad experiences they have had................pretty much like us really. Just goes to show that we can't rely on one tactic to work in every eventuality and the need to be adaptable.
 
Kevin Siddle said:
An interesting programme and I don't for a second doubt his experiences. Trouble is there are other videos out there that show barbel spooked by flourocarbon yet happily feeding with coated braid in the swim. I guess that they're wild animals and as such their behaviour will vary day to day and with changes to the conditions and the bad experiences they have had................pretty much like us really. Just goes to show that we can't rely on one tactic to work in every eventuality and the need to be adaptable.
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Agreed, and to be fair to Martin does make the point a couple of times in the podcast about there being no absolutes in angling. And that all rigs work.

I'd be interested to see some footage of barbel being spooked by fluoro hooklinks. I know there is footage of them bumping/rubbing against fluoro mainline and spooking because they supposedly could not see it.
 
Most fluoros just feel too stiff for me, even for combi rigs. I like Drennan Supplex but shame it's not available above 0.30mm diameter.

Tried the Seaguer AH fluoro and found it didn't knot well. Ideally I'd like Supplex in around 0.33mm diameter. My mate reckons ESP Ghost Soft is the same as Supplex, and that it's been improved from when first put onto the market, so will give that a go when on the Havon in Oct.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Agreed, and to be fair to Martin does make the point a couple of times in the podcast about there being no absolutes in angling. And that all rigs work.

I'd be interested to see some footage of barbel being spooked by fluoro hooklinks. I know there is footage of them bumping/rubbing against fluoro mainline and spooking because they supposedly could not see it.
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I wouldn't mind seeing that too actually.
I fished for a couple of seasons with Avid Outline Camo and it is a very dark line albeit with a camo fleck to it but felt it reduced catch rates, but that is fishing a clear river which I think is possibly the most important factor.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
I found parts of this podcast with Martin Bowler from last December really interesting, it's well worth a listen. Particularly around 1h 37 min in when discussing rigs. Of particular interest to me is his opinion on coated braided hook links for barbel in clear water/daytime conditions, that's about 1hr 47 min.

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Had to have a chuckle when he started talking about rig complexity and it being largely of questionable benefit. I might not even know what to call the rig I use as it has so many elements. 😂
 
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