I love all wildlife even when the pack your boots asking for more!
My once preferred way of fishing for barbel. But not anymore!
Another very nice day trotting on the river Trent. (Despite having to go back home to fetch my landing net.) Two barbel one just under 10lb, the other around 8lb. Both fell to a speci waggler in a swim of 7' deep. Both incredible fun on the float rod and pin. Feeding hemp and maggots for the best part of 5 hours paid off. I'm sure a big bag of fish is on the cards if I can just get the right swim and conditions. We need some decent rain, as the river is still painfully clear.
All fish regardless of size bring joy when trotting with a centrepin.
Back on the river and another blank! I really thought I'd cracked it after my last trip, but despite the conditions being unchanged, the barbel didn't play. Like all my trips good or bad, I try to analysis what happened when I get home.
First the water seemed even clearer, one friend I know swears you simply need some colour in the river. I'm sure that's true in part. But as I mentioned before, I think these fish are more nomadic than we think, and there are few outstanding barbel swims on the whole beat. They seem to turn up in most swims that get well fished. Clearly when trotting your looking for certain types of swims, with good depth and flow close in. Then your trying to get the fish to come to you by baiting with a constant stream of food.
I few swims up from me a angler ledgering with two rods also blanked. I could hear the constant splash of the big leads hitting the water, then the buzzers being set. The more I think about this style of fishing ( in particular during such low clear conditions ) the more I think trotting offers the best choice, providing your on fish. And that's the key, finding fish, it's difficult on the Trent as you simply cannot see fish in this part of the river.
What Float Should I Use?
In the past all my trotting has been done on small rivers with Loafer style floats, or simple peacock wagglers. When you first fish the river Trent, it seems daunting. Parts are very deep and quick, others deep and slow, I've yet to find any shallow swims, they do exist, but not on the club waters I fish currently. The barbel seem to prefer fast water to hold and feed in, I'm told they don't lay in slacks or eddies unless the river is in full spate.
The Trent has been famously known in the past for it's stick float fishing, mainly for silver fish like roach, bream, and bleak. It's anglers being some of the best in the country. Wind is a big factor on the river, it's wide so the wind can howl across it at times. I've tried the stick, but it's much more difficult fishing it effectively than I thought. The waggler is much easier to use, and stays on track in an almost constant wind the Trent seems to suffer.
On floats I cannot recommend those sold by Dave Harrell. (www.daveharrellangling.com) not only is the choice outstanding, but all come with a paragraph on what their for, and how to fish them. You can find a lot of interesting clips on YouTube done by Dave, and it's clear as well as being an innovator in float design, he is also a very creditable angler.
Two of his floats that stand out for me are his Wire stem stick floats, and Speci wagglers. They cover 90% of my Trent fishing. I only have to add a selection of his large top shallow sticks, and I'll be 100% sorted.
The difference between success and failure is such a thin line, in this case minutes.
I arrived at the fancied swim at 11.30am. With advice new in my mind from a discussion on the Barbel forum, I switched from a stick float to a Harrell speci waggler, and bait dropper-ed six large droppers of hemp and maggots, along with a few pellet, and small pieces of luncheon meat. Maybe total two pints.
From mid-day to 3.30pm nothing, not even a small roach or perch and it was now raining. I was just moments from packing up in truth, I never use a brolly on the Trent as they are so difficult to set up. I took a tea from the flask, and decided on one last cast. In fifty years of fishing, the last cast has never brought me a fish, but today the float disappeared.
The big fish moved out into the middle of the river, where the current was at it's strongest. Then it simply hung their. The new rod performed wonderfully, and at no time did I feel outgunned, but I did take my time, I simply could not bully this fish it was so strong. After maybe five minutes a stunning, thick beautiful barbel was in my large oval net. 11.lb 7oz was followed up with a 8.lb+ fish, then I lost one that left a large scale on the 14s spade hook, maybe fouled hooked.
My first long trotted Barbel from the River Trent.
After six blanks doing almost the same thing, a subtle change of float brought success. I'm pleased I have stick-ability in my character. I'm not a great thinker even though I do experiment, but sometimes you need a little help and advice? Thanks guy's.
I'm still at it, fishing the Trent for barbel, the fish are proving elusive however! I've had several trips armed with 4 pints of maggots, and pints of hemp each time, but apart from some nice roach and perch, the barbel have beaten me. I'm convinced it only matter of time, as the 'two rod in the air' boys are struggling too.
The fish in this part of the river are very mobile, and can turn up any place. Many more experienced trotting anglers tell me it's just a matter of time, and I'm doing the right thing. Feed on a regular basis making the barbel have it. Feed plenty, 6 pints of maggots and hemp, it's expensive fishing several times a week. There is an alternative I think and it's this..
One chap told me he feeds hemp, but instead of maggots he uses tiny pieces of luncheon meat, and the odd pellet. It has to be worth a try, as I only want one bite to get me going. Sweetcorn could be another cheaper alternative? I'm told the key is consistency of feeding something every cast, even if it's only 10 pieces of hemp, and 3 tiny cubes of meat. Next trip out I'm giving this a try, what can I lose?
The water is still amazingly clear still, and to date early October, we have had no appreciable amount of rain. The water is well fished, the barbel well feed, many of today's baits stay in tact for days so the barbel can feed anytime on day old baits. I'm guessing these wise fish know your about, no matter how quite you are.
I've found another nice long trotting video you may like, enjoy.
I'm simply loving fishing with a floats again, it's how it all began for most of us. I'm sure EBay would sell less nearly new fishing tackle if more anglers returned to their roots. Baiting and waiting (trapping) is a form of fishing I've done many times over the years, but mostly I've been a stalking hunter. Roving on a river with just a fly rod after wild trout, or with a light Avon rod after chub, roach, and barbel.
I'm guessing many new folk coming to our sport now start as trappers. Laying out a table and waiting for fish to feed, for me this style has too many downsides. One is the amount of gear you normally take with you, some now take up to five rods, three to fish with, one to bait with, and one to take the contours. That requires the same amount of reels, and accessories! No wonder you need a barrow to move it all on.
This fishing style is the style most people also fall away from quickly because it requires little skill, compared to being a hunter, and in many ways, deters you from learning. If the fish are not there, or you've picked the wrong area, your stuffed. If this happens often enough, you become very despondent, and end up selling all the gear you've accumulated for a fraction on the price you paid for it. It's gear you really believed you needed to catch fish at the time. It's very sad because had you had the right advice or experience when you first started, the financial loss would not have occurred. I've had some amazing bargains on EBay, but always feel sad when I see whole sets of gear being sold. It seems the carp scene suffers the most from this.
The best advice anyone can give a potential fisherman is to start float fishing, both on stillwater and rivers. Ŵhen float fishing you learn so much about the water. As time goes by, learn some hunting skills, in other words finding your quarry. All you need to start hunting is a simple match rod, maybe a slightly stepped up one. A reel, some floats, weights, net and a decent seat, be it a box type or one with a back on if your my age. This set up will allow you to fish various places learning watercraft, watercraft is the skill that keeps you from selling your gear, and buying a set of golf clubs.
Over time you should find a style of fishing that suits you, it could be the competitive style of match fishing, or tying to single out bigger fish of various species, once called specimen hunting. Time will be a big factor in what ever style you choose. If you specialise in carp fishing, bare in mind it can be very time consuming. If your new to it, you could find that even with all the best gear, and bait, it's just not worth the return, hence EBay sales mentioned above.
Fishing the stick gloat is new to me. I've done simple trotting, but not with ultra fine tackle, and stick floats. Fortunately, it looks like I've found one that can give me the help I need. I'll feedback how we get on, warts, and all.
I'm trying a method used successfully by Dave Harrell in the Wye, trotting with pellets. I've failed spectacularly, landing only a handful of small roach, when big chub and barbel were what I wanted.
It's a much simpler method than hemp, and caster, requires less preparation, and is much cleaner in handling. Possibly the Trent is just to clear at present, and it's why I struggled. Or maybe I have to concede the fish are not interested, I'm not that good at it. I doubt the latter as I did catch roach?
Speaking to other anglers however, I'm not alone at the moment in finding fish hard to come by on the river. The standard two rod in the air guys are not catching much, and I'm guessing the heavy gear in such clear water stands out. But few change anything even when not catching. One angler I spoke to having 13 blanks in a row, fishing the same tactic every time. It's not his fault entirely as some success, with one method can result in that method being used as your mainstay.
This style, two rod set up, pva bag and pellets does catch fish. And these guys feel no need to change anything. So it becomes a 'self for-filling prophecy', and they don't experiment. Not all, but most fish this style as they feel it offers the best option. A match angler, fishing the same swim would try different things, as I'm doing at the moment. Don't get me wrong, I come from the two rod pointed skywards school, and I've taken many good barbel doing it. But when I had the 'Road to Damascus' moment it all changed.
I simply want to go fishing, and catch a few, thirteen blanks would do my head in, as they say now days. I'm still wanting to target those better fish, but not at any price. Hence why yesterday I found myself with a kilo or two of pellets trotting with both waggler, and stick float. Dave used a big waggler and had complete control of his presentation, I felt a little out of my comfort zone, but felt I could master it with practice.
I thought I'd pass on a nice little recommendation for leader and tippet material. Nylon for fly fishing is simply extravagant due to being grossly over-priced. For a long time coarse anglers, and some fly fisherman have used plain nylon co-polymer in the high tech (pr-stretched) form. Drennan double strength was the first of this kind of nylon I believe. Giving thinner diameter with decent line strength.
I've used Preston Innovation Reflo power line for almost a decade and also Stroft gym co-polymer. Both excellent, and well priced compared to fly fishing line. With both you get 100 meters rather than 30 or 50 with fly tippet. However I'm always looking and prepared to try new stuff if I think it works, or is better.
So I stumbled upon a new line (to me) Shakespeare Mach XT a pr-stretched co-polymer at an amazing price, for such a high quality line. It's very thin, supple and most important very strong. It's clear too, not white like some 'clear lines' are advertised at. No this is proper clear, and supple. It's not say to kink, and made in Japan. www.Shakespeare-fishing.co.UK The price is just £3.99 for 100 meters. The line reminds me of Frogs a Hair tippet you can buy at £4.99 for 30 meters. That's £15 for the same amount of line with the same specs?
When trotting for chub and barbel on the Trent, I use .22 as main line, and .16 as hook link. That equates to 9.5 lb and 7 lb. amazing.
For fly fishing the .16 and below have huge potential for tippet. If you tie your own leaders, well the options are endless, and cheap. Give it a go.
