Get settled down in a spot that has recent form for barbel and you can feel extremely confident that fish will still be sat in front of you. Renowned for their extremely territorial behaviour, they find swims that suit their needs and remain there for months on end.
Just because the peg is home to the species doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to catch them, though, especially when dense snags are present. Overhanging trees and bushes that protrude several metres into the river will be an attractive prospect to them, but that in itself creates issues from the word go. Even if you plop your rig within inches of the cover’s edge, it could still be well away from where the barbel feel comfortable.
In this scenario you need a baiting approach that can tempt the fish out of unreachable spots deep within the foliage, and Mark Dunwell has the ideal solution.
“Regular feeding and casting aren’t an option when fishing for barbel close to features as the commotion can push them out of reach,” said Mark.
“That said, you need to give them a reason to come close to your rig. Packing a stinky paste into your lead creates a constant scent trail that will do just that."
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Pick the perfect swim
You could have your approach perfected to a tee but, if you aren’t in a swim where the barbel live, you won’t get a bite.
Reports from recent matches or on social media will give clues as to where to look but, in the absence of that, certain characteristics will give you plenty of confidence. Cover is the first thing that I look for, with overhanging trees and bushes a good starting point.
Depth is also important at this time of year, and a swim will need to have at least 6ft for the barbel to want to shoal up there for long periods. Last, but by no means least, is a decent flow. Barbel love oxygenated water, and a little pace will create conditions that they thrive in.
IF YOU ARE NEW TO BARBEL FISHING, OUR BEGINNERS GUIDE IS FULL OF HEPFUL ADVICE.
Seasoned baits
Half a bag of pellets and a bottle of flavouring are all you need to get going. Mark uses a pungent pair that leak off aromas within a split second of them hitting the deck.
I tip my 3mm SonuBaits Cheesy Garlic Halibut Pellets into a bait box and then cover them with water. This is drained off 30 seconds later before they are left to stand for a while. Check them half an hour later and they’ll have turned mushy. It’s then a case of giving them a generous squirt of Hemp & Spicy Sausage Liquid to further enhance the flavours, and they are then ready for use.
LET DR PAUL GARNER EXPLAIN HOW TO FLAVOUR YOU BAITS TO GET THE MOST FROM THEM.
A small quantity is firmly packed inside a gripper lead, so that they develop a paste consistency. Wedge them in so that they never come out unless scraped out with a baiting needle or similar. This makes sure it is constantly leaking off scent underwater, and this will slowly draw the barbel out from areas of the snag that can’t be reached.
Half a pouchful of 6mm pellets that have the same flavour as the 3mms are fired over the top immediately after each cast is performed before the rod goes on the rest and the waiting begins. I’ll leave the rig in place for between 25 and 45 minutes. The fewer bites I am expecting, the longer I’ll keep it in for. The last thing I want is for a barbel to be getting close to where my rig is, only for me to spook it at the very last moment.
BARBEL FISHING CAN BE A WAITING GAME, THE BEST FISHING CHAIRS WILL KEEP YOU COMFORTABLE WHILE YOU WAIT.
Win every battle
Succeed in getting a barbel to take your hookbait and all hell is going to break loose just seconds later. Bites will be vicious and, with dense snags nearby, you’re going to need to pile the pressure on immediately to make sure you don’t lose your prize.
You might get half a dozen bites in a session if you’re lucky, so this isn’t the time to go taking risks with your terminal tackle. It’s important to have full confidence in your kit so that you pull as hard as you feel is necessary without fear of a breakage. I prefer 12lb Korum Barbel Line to a 15lb coated braid hooklength that is 3ft long, and strong size 12 hook.
THE BEST BARBEL RODS WILL HELP YOU STEER BIG FISH AWAY FROM SNAGS!
There’s very little bait in the peg apart from a few pellets, and a barbel that decides it wants to eat will be forced to take your hookbait if it wants to feed. Cheesy Garlic flavoured SonuBaits Mini Oozing Barbel & Carp Pellets are my favourite hookbait because their yellow colour can be spotted visually by the barbel, with the strong scent also helping them to locate it.
If a swim has all the hallmarks of a barbel hotspot, it probably is one. Don’t let a previous blank stop you from visiting it again – create a deadly scent trail and you’ll soon have those big specimens exactly where you want them.
