Rolling fish question

[Roger Hopkins]

Out yesterday fishing with a swim feeder for barbel and had a good sized barbel roll right above it, then a couple of seconds later a load of bubbles appeared, then nothing. This focused my efforts for the remainder of the evening somewhat!
I sat on my hands ignoring the chub knocks waiting for the rod to pull round, but alas, another blank!
I’ve not seen many fish roll and unsure what it means, obviously shows fish locations but does it mean anything else? Are they feeding? Or what? The water was 7degs, and overcast a couple of hours before dark.
Any help please guys…

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Out yesterday fishing with a swim feeder for barbel and had a good sized barbel roll right above it, then a couple of seconds later a load of bubbles appeared, then nothing. This focused my efforts for the remainder of the evening somewhat!
I sat on my hands ignoring the chub knocks waiting for the rod to pull round, but alas, another blank!
I’ve not seen many fish roll and unsure what it means, obviously shows fish locations but does it mean anything else? Are they feeding? Or what? The water was 7degs, and overcast a couple of hours before dark.
Any help please guys…

I think it’s an awesome question. I’ve only seen it afew times myself and always on the aquarium waters. I’ve seen them jump clean out the water on the middle Trent.
It’s great as you say as the guess work of “are they here?” is answered unquestionably. I can only take a guess it’s possibly a playful thing. A daft 5 mins where they have a bat about and break the surface.
In all honesty I don’t know but I can’t wait to read others thoughts on it.

 

[David Craine]

Apart from Barbel rolling on a warm summers evening on the Wye, my main abiding memory of such was at a private estate lake , during a summer thunderstorm when a huge Tench decided to surface roll only 10 ft from the bank in front of me . It was just about over my bait which was frustrating .

David

 

[Jon Frisby]

Probably dislodging a few leaches, after being sat dormant.

 

[Alex Gowney]

Out yesterday fishing with a swim feeder for barbel and had a good sized barbel roll right above it, then a couple of seconds later a load of bubbles appeared, then nothing. This focused my efforts for the remainder of the evening somewhat!
I sat on my hands ignoring the chub knocks waiting for the rod to pull round, but alas, another blank!
I’ve not seen many fish roll and unsure what it means, obviously shows fish locations but does it mean anything else? Are they feeding? Or what? The water was 7degs, and overcast a couple of hours before dark.
Any help please guys…

I have seen this also on the Warks Avon and the Cherwell. Supposedly it is a sign the fish is about to feed. The bubbles coming up are the fish adjusting it's swim bladder apparently. There was one particular swim on the W. Avon where fish rolled constantly above a snag but never seemed to take a bait. On the other hand, barbel rolling on the Cherwell frequently led to a bite shortly afterwards.

 

[Simon Archer]

Probably dislodging a few leaches, after being sat dormant.

This is my guess. ^^

This is worth a watch, very long and Carp orientated, but some of what he talks about is fascinating and talks about fish rolling and breaches.

Edit; 2hrs 5mins in if you don't want to watch it all.

 

[Terry Harman]

Almost certainly trying to rid itself of leaches or argulus

 

[Kevin Brown]

I’ve seem em roll on the Wharfe , usually when the rivers rising fast with warm water , almost certainly preludes a good session !

 

[Mike Hodgkiss]

I don't neccesarily think that rolling Barbel is a sign of feeding Barbel , however it certainly boosts your confidence when it's going on in front of you ! I have seen this behaviour on all the Yorkshire rivers that I fish regularly [ Ouse , Nidd and Swale primarily] . It seems more common in the summer and autumn when the river is high and seems to happen more frequently in the evenings . I have also often seen them enthusiastically leaping well clear of the water ,almost like Salmon . Perhaps there just having fun or giving us the the Barbel version of the two fingered salute or more likely two pectorals salute , who knows ....

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

Reminds me of this discussion

Why do fish roll?

Does it serve a purpose to them? Or are they just playing? I've watched the koi in my pond doing it, during a large summer flood the bream, chub and roach started doing it and on the lake yesterday the carp were doing it all over the place, I've been told that barbel do it too. So what are...

www.fishingmagic.com

 

[Roger Hopkins]

Thanks for everyones help,
Makes sense that fish leap or crash out probably to dislodge parasites,
And just rolling and taking a big gulp of air to clean the gills out,
Maybe a little bit of fun…
But have to agree with Mike, it’s got to be ‘the Barbel version of the
Two fingered salute’

 

[Steve Kenchington]

Thanks for everyones help,
Makes sense that fish leap or crash out probably to dislodge parasites,
And just rolling and taking a big gulp of air to clean the gills out,
Maybe a little bit of fun…
But have to agree with Mike, it’s got to be ‘the Barbel version of the
Two fingered salute’

I posted about this a couple of years back. There were some interesting and insightful theories in reply.

 

[Mark Swaby]

Seem to remember reading something years ago where Barbel that are on the move from a swim often roll. Something to do with changing from a deep swim to a shallow one. Which might be the reason for you not getting a bite. The bubbles are probably due to silt being dislodged by the fish. Do you think you might have spooked the Barbel by casting a feeder on their heads and off they went ?

 

[Roger Hopkins]

I was fishing the Warwickshire Avon, the whole stretch is 7footish deep and evenly paced, it must have happened a few minutes after a cast, maybe a hour after I started, the fish surfaced like a dolphin once and a few seconds later a mass of bubbles then nothing. Thought at the time it must have ment something but the rivers really clear again so didn’t really expect too much.

 

[Graham Tremble]

I was fishing the Warwickshire Avon, the whole stretch is 7footish deep and evenly paced, it must have happened a few minutes after a cast, maybe a hour after I started, the fish surfaced like a dolphin once and a few seconds later a mass of bubbles then nothing. Thought at the time it must have ment something but the rivers really clear again so didn’t really expect too much.

Warwickshire Avon again….fishing a new area with the river 2 feet up and coloured. I was ‘swim hopping’, giving each swim a couple of hours and then moving if nothing happened…..just as I was preparing to move a large Barbel porpoised right under my rod top……I bought my bait closer in to just where the fish ‘breached’ and 15 minutes later had a 9lber in the net. This never happened again but that swim was a banker that I used to like very much and rewarded me with some lovely fish.
G.T.

 

[Ian Grant]

Personally I think when they roll they’re taking fry or other water life from near the surface, I’ve watched them chasing minnows and fry, and at the point they take them they always roll upside down

 

[Mike Hodgkiss]

Personally I think when they roll they’re taking fry or other water life from near the surface, I’ve watched them chasing minnows and fry, and at the point they take them they always roll upside down

Yes I an , I have seen Barbel chasing fry in the shallows , seems to be an early season/ summer phenomena

 

[Paul Verity]

My question is, is it a given fish rolling and breaking surface, will this be the line they are feeding on? I spent some time in a swim Wednesday. I plumbed the swim and found it dropped from 8' to 10' in front of me from up stream, then from opposite bank to near bank, 6' to the area of 10'. This was on the inside of the flow line creating a noticeable crease line. Fishing maggots my thought process was to fish the line of the deepest part of the swim on the edge of the flow. However, come dark when the fish started rolling they were most definately over the shallower section of the swim blowing my confidence further. I blanked

 

[Ian Grant]

My question is, is it a given fish rolling and breaking surface, will this be the line they are feeding on? I spent some time in a swim Wednesday. I plumbed the swim and found it dropped from 8' to 10' in front of me from up stream, then from opposite bank to near bank, 6' to the area of 10'. This was on the inside of the flow line creating a noticeable crease line. Fishing maggots my thought process was to fish the line of the deepest part of the swim on the edge of the flow. However, come dark when the fish started rolling they were most definately over the shallower section of the swim blowing my confidence further. I blanked

The Barbel won’t nessesarily feed in any particular line, they’ll feed wherever they find food to their liking, if you’re using maggots you’ll need at least 3 pints for an average session, you’ll have to make a rough judgement as to where to feed your maggots if you can’t see where they fall, feeder is ok, but I prefer to hand feed most of them, I hair rig a size 14 to a size 6 ( talking drennan ) if you’re patient you can get as many as 25 on the 14, keep the maggots going in, every few minutes about the amount you would put in a feeder, or use the feeder, don’t worry about small stuff they can’t get the maggots off, though I’ve had a Roach of about 12oz ! But I don’t mind that keep the small stuff active, the Barbel won’t ignore the commotion, and make sure the rod is well secured if you’re not holding it, the takes can be very violent good luck mate

 

[Paul Verity]

The Barbel won’t nessesarily feed in any particular line, they’ll feed wherever they find food to their liking, if you’re using maggots you’ll need at least 3 pints for an average session, you’ll have to make a rough judgement as to where to feed your maggots if you can’t see where they fall, feeder is ok, but I prefer to hand feed most of them, I hair rig a size 14 to a size 6 ( talking drennan ) if you’re patient you can get as many as 25 on the 14, keep the maggots going in, every few minutes about the amount you would put in a feeder, or use the feeder, don’t worry about small stuff they can’t get the maggots off, though I’ve had a Roach of about 12oz ! But I don’t mind that keep the small stuff active, the Barbel won’t ignore the commotion, and make sure the rod is well secured if you’re not holding it, the takes can be very violent good luck mate

I have no doubt in the method I was using and how it was applied. Same river, same technique yielded 5 barbel in 2 hours the following morning (Thursday). The question was more on my potential watercraft failings.