A couple of weeks into the new river season, once the rivers have settled down a bit, is a great time to get on with some early season barbel fishing. On most rivers the barbel have now spawned, the heavy rain of the past few weeks has passed, and the rivers are starting to run clearer. Although not everyone’s favourite conditions, if you adopt the right approach then there are still plenty of barbel to be caught.
Timing
Whilst I appreciate its often not possible for everyone, whenever possible time your session to be either a few hours at first light or the last few hours of daylight into darkness. Saying that, don't despair if you can only make a few hours in the middle of the day. Get it right and catching barbel is still possible.
Location
With the water temperature higher the barbel need water with a high dissolved oxygen content, so water above and below shallow or broken water, as well as mill pools and weirs, are the places to head for. These also happen to be the same areas where the barbel will have recently spawned. With a good pair of polarised glasses you’ll often be able to see barbel flashing in these areas. Take your time spotting them as they often drift in and out of the streamer weed and often the only thing that gives them away is their bright orange pectoral fins. Once the light starts to fall barbel do tend to move about a bit more and they often give themselves a way as they crash out of the water as they move.
Tactics
Regardless of bait, swim feeder tactics are key to my early season. Simple block-end feeders are ideal if you’re using maggots or castor, or open end feeders if you’re fishing with pellet or boilie. I always use the Korum running rig: it’s simple, tangle free, and very effective. The only time I don’t use a feeder is if I am going to fish a piece of luncheon meat, in which case I’ll use a straight lead or drilled bullet.
Bait
In the early season during the day the number one bait has to be pimped up maggot. It’s dead easy to pimp up your maggots, simply riddle off all the dust or maize flour and add a good helping of curry powder – simple cheap as chips curry powder will do – it gives the maggots a real boost of flavour and with each cast a trail of flavour will wash from the feeder. I fill the feeder with 50% maggot and 50% cooked hemp. It’s a must to cast regularly with this method and I’ll often cast my first 10 casts in the first 10 minutes. After that, casting at five minute intervals, with the odd cast left for 10, ensures the flavour stays fresh. This method also works well with castors mixed with hemp. If small fish are a nuisance and your maggots or castors are getting shelled, try tipping a couple of real ones with a fake bait. It can keep you with an active bait in the swim much longer. Don't over do it on your hook size – a strong 14-16 with a triple bait is my preferred option, combined with a 10lb hook link and minimum 3 foot in length.
Another deadly bait, even on the brightest of days, can be pellet, but forget your big pellets. Try a single 8mm pellet, I recommend a Sonubait pre-drilled pellet O, soaked in fish oil to give it an added boast and prolong the time it takes to breakdown in the water. Key to this method is a long hook-link, around 6 foot works well. There is no need to add any shot to the line as the weight of the hook will be enough to give it an almost natural behaviour in the swim. I fish this in conjunction with an open end feeder crammed with mash pellet. When I say crammed I mean it and it is vital that you press the feed into the feeder as tight as possible as you want it to stay there and slowly release an odd pellet over a 15-20 minute period. This draws fish up the flavour trail and onto your hook bait – BANG goes the rod top and Mr Barbel can’t resist my hook bait wafting in the current!
After Dark
Once darkness falls you can forget the maggot and castor and turn to the pellet. Increase the size to a 10-12mm and shorten the hook-link a little. A good alternative can be a 12mm boilie, or you could try tipping a pellet off with half a boilie.
A large lump of luncheon meat can also work well early season, fished close in under weed rafts or overhanging trees with either hair rig, if fishing clean gravel, or by burying the hook, if the swim is a bit snaggy.
Fish Care
With raised water temperatures comes lower oxygen levels, so good fish care is vital if your barbel are going to live to fight another day. Firstly, if my guide above works and you hook and net your barbel then its vital that as soon as he is in the landing net that you don't lift him straight from the water. Leave the fish resting in the net for a good couple of minutes, making sure the fish isn't wrapped tight in the net mesh and also not laying belly up. A large barbel spoon is much better than any triangle net for this, that’s for sure.
Once rested, keep the fish out of the water for the least time possible. If you are taking pictures and weighing your fish then make sure camera and scales are all ready before removing fish from the water. Always use a well wetted un-hooking mat, too.
With fish weighed and photos taken then return the fish as soon as you can and allow it to rest again before making sure it is able to swim away strongly.
For more guidance on barbel handling, consult the Barbel Society handling code either on their website or YouTube.
That’s all for now! Get out there and try my advice, and remember to enter your fish for the King of The Catch!
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Early Season Barbel Fishing - Ade Kiddell
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