Richard Dawson
Senior Member
I'll be trying it one one rod tomorrow night for sure, just need some big hooks now, I never usually fish bigger than an ESP Cryogen curve shank size 10
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Drennan Continental boilie hook is the one you want...size 2 or 4...I'll be trying it one one rod tomorrow night for sure, just need some big hooks now, I never usually fish bigger than an ESP Cryogen curve shank size 10
The best thing to stop the hook pulling through it a small piece a pva nugget on the bend of the hook before you pull it back into the meat, within 20 seconds of being in the water it dissolves and the bait is still on the hook and the hook is in the same position...Pull a size 2 hook through the meat with a stringer needle, then turn 45 degrees. I use a soft supple hook link material, like Drennan Carp Dacron, which doesn’t act like cheese wire. Long shank hooks also help, fortunately I have a stock of the now discontinued Partridge Barbel hooks in size 2. You also don’t need to wedge anything under the hook, such as a bit of grass, as IMHO this will hinder hookups. Remember you are swinging the bait out into position, rather than a long cast. Both Spam and bacon grill work well, as they are reasonably tough baits.
The best thing to stop the hook pulling through it a small piece a pva nugget on the bend of the hook before you pull it back into the meat, within 20 seconds of being in the water it dissolves and the bait is still on the hook and the hook is in the same position...
Meat reacts to water temperature in both ways, a water temp of 20c can make the meat soft ( I use SPAM) whereas a water temp of below 15c hardens the meat off I don't use big meat when water temp falls below 10c, I use smaller pieces i.e. oxo cube size on a hair, the Barbel can suck the meat straight towards its back teeth...Ive never found the need Lawrence and I generally always wind an untouched piece back in, with the hook still where I placed it. As said I tend to use spam, which is quite tough and a 200 gram size tin, gives me 2 perfect sized hookbaits
Have you ever landed a Barbel, where it’s hooked in the mouth and it’s spat the big meat halfway up the hooklength? It’s happen on a few occasions for me (fish and meat still attached in the net) and I just can get my head around the physics, of how that actually happens
Big barbel will fit it in easy but you’re right in a way as sometimes they will bite the meat where the hook is and get hooked and occasionally when you land the fish you still have half your meat that has slid up the hooklink.I'm always interested about this half tin of meat thing, in the sense of the Barbel must nibble bits off initially as their Gobs aren't that big?
Glad someone else is catching pike on ledgered meat. I’m getting fed up with catching the things from the Hampshire Avon! Perhaps the pike boys should try it as an alternative to deadbaits in rivers?
Dave
I caught more pike than barbel on the meat last winter, I was surprised when I first caught one, but I figured they just live it after a few.Funnily enough Pike season is right around the corner.
I will for sure try this tactic on proper Pike gear on a water near me to see if i can tempt one of the big girls.
It also happened to me in the last couple of seasons,more pike fairly hooked on meat and pellets than barbel.However not had one so far this season.I caught more pike than barbel on the meat last winter, I was surprised when I first caught one, but I figured they just live it after a few.
Does the big lump of meat work in crayfish infested rivers? I am concerned that the little gits will form a rugby scrum around the meat.