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when to stop fishing for barbel

Hi Mic,

I agree! Everyone please stop fishing until June on rivers!!!

I must say that December is a bit of a bogey month for me. Despite spending many hours tring, it's probably not worth it and as others have suggested, it's easier to fish for pike or chub or grayling. We have had two very cold winters in a row and my results would show this but we must surely be due for a milder one? I hope so.

Best regards,

Jeff
 
Neil Smart said:
But ...(there always is) if the weather buffs are right this winters forecast is gonna make last winters look like a poor summer :(
Click to expand...

An accurate weather forecast, that'd be a first!!


What I look for regards weather patterns/water temps for winter barbel is simple:
-Prolonged periods of stability, cold or mild, though mild is preferable.
-Small rises in water temps, whether brought on by an influx of warming rain or an air temperature rise.
-Stabilizing water temps after an influx of warming rain.

Total avoids for me:
-A rapidly rising river.
-Influxes of cold water (snow melt etc).
-Sudden changes in water temperature, up or down.

I've found most winter days offer two windows of opportunity; 11.00am to 1.00pm and a hour before sunset to a hour into darkness.
Regards bait selection; daylight I opt for maggots slowly but continuously running through your swim.
Dusk/dark, I tend to offer a 10mm pellet or boilie wrapped in a strongly scented oily paste, usually with no free offerings.
 
A few nights with minus temps predicted and the usual frosts,time to mix the cheese paste and blitz some bread to use through the feeder for the old chavender
 
No need to stop in my book. Just view it as horses for courses. If you're happy to take the blanks with a hope of a cold weather Barbel then so be it, although there's better fish to target in these conditions. There's certain times when I know I'm in with a chance of a Barbel and tbh that could be any month of the year if conditions are favourable.
 
Regardless of conditions il be there all winter every weekend and il expect the blanks but it's a sure fact I definately won't catch if I'm sat in warm house. And that one colossal barbel will be priceless for me. Fish are just like humans we drive past a shop if we want summat we call in. fish are same with bait they swim past your bait if they are hungry they will take it.
 
Couldn't have put it any better Lee,Wayne i admire your enthusiasm but it won't be easy if we have a winter like the last two,can only remember one short mild spell last winter,happy hunting and hope you get that big girl your after.
 
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Cheers Rick, I am very enthusiastic and I will walk 40 mile on broken glass and spend every single weekend up to the end of the season for that one big girl. And same as next year and year after etc mate. People will look at me and think what is this bloke doin and my reply to those people would be..... I'm living the dream :):).
 
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