The Forums of Pike and Predators and Coarse Angling Today

pete foster

God Member

Offline

Calm down it's only fishing
!!

Posts: 1195

Are Barbel........
Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 8:07pm

Stupid and therefore the easiest target for a big fish?

I will start by saying 'Yes' to my own question.

I almost dare not type this next bit. On Monday just gone I fished the Tidal Trent for Barbel with a mate which turned in to a bit of a social. We fished side by side with two rods each. After putting 10 kilo of bait out and after only 5 minutes, my friend Mark had a take on his rod nearest to mine, just as he picked the rod up, my rod thumped round and we were both playing fish. We had only hooked the same fish of about 9lb's Shocked

Both hooks fair and square in the mouth.

We went on to catch 19 Barbel between us which begs the question I put forwards.

Pete

Back to top

Come on you Owls

IP Logged

davelumb

Global Moderator

Offline

"I don't like work, no
man does..."

Posts: 13961

Re: Are Barbel........
Reply #1 - Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 9:10pm

Definitely the most stupid fish that swims.

I lost a barbel a few weeks ago on a boilie. About an hour later the other, pellet, rod was away. When I came to unhook it I couldn't work out why the fish had a boilie in it's gob. Yup. It was the one that I'd lost. Roll Eyes

I only landed nine that night. Cry

But I probably used less than a pint and a half of bait... Wink

Back to top

Layabout, legend and mild-mannered maverick...

IP Logged

DaveGreenwood God Member Offline Who cares wins Posts: 3291 North West Gender:	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #2 - Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 9:36pm I caught a double figure Barbel on my second attempt and it actually put me off them a bit, if the conditions are right they are easy to catch. Still lovely fish though and pound for pound possibly the hardest fighting course fish
Back to top	Linky To Maximouse IP Logged

Stevo PAC Senior Member Offline Hit it! Posts: 492 Bridgnorth, Shropshire	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #3 - Sep 4^th, 2009 at 8:58am Yep, pretty simple to catch, just made complicated by experts. The key is, IMO conditions, but that goes for most fish. Steve
Back to top	www.kinverfreelinersac.com IP Logged

Graham Daubney Newbies Offline I love fishing! Posts: 12	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #4 - Sep 4^th, 2009 at 12:33pm Thick as bricks but good fun.
Back to top	IP Logged

JakePAC Senior Member Offline yep we're in! Posts: 374 Norfolk Gender:	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #5 - Sep 4^th, 2009 at 6:49pm I expected the rest of the question to be....any good as live baits . In all seriousness I was always under the impression they were hard to catch...is it just the barbel purists leading us on (never fished for em)
Back to top	Jake Laws IP Logged

Ratty Fitzpatrick God Member Offline Ghetto Pike Angling Massive..init! Posts: 545 EAST LONDON Gender:	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #6 - Sep 5^th, 2009 at 8:33pm barbel are stupid..pretty easy to catch, but as said they go well!
Back to top	'IF ITS A FISH...AND IT PREDATES..I WILL CATCH IT!' http://inpursuitofpredators.blogspot.com/ AKA Russell IP Logged

Jonnyboy PAC God Member Offline Posts: 2671 Gender:	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #7 - Sep 6^th, 2009 at 9:15am I reckon this thread would go slightly differently if it was on BFW
Back to top	IP Logged

davelumb Global Moderator Offline "I don't like work, no man does..." Posts: 13961	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #8 - Sep 6^th, 2009 at 9:18am Only because the majority of BFWers aren't as bright as a barbel...
Back to top	Layabout, legend and mild-mannered maverick... IP Logged

Sluice Ben PAC

God Member

Offline

R.I.P My old mate Bazza

Posts: 982
Preston
Gender: male

Re: Are Barbel........
Reply #9 - Sep 7^th, 2009 at 9:45pm

davelumb wrote on Sep 6^th, 2009 at 9:18am:

Only because the majority of BFWers aren't as bright as a barbel...

Another classic Mr.Lumb Grin

I agree, Barbel aren't the brightest fish in the world but to coin a phrase - "Don't they 'ang on".

They are stunning creatures too, like solid bars of gold. I just wish I could catch one in daylight so I could enjoy the fight a bit more.

If we're discussing fish intelligence then I hate to say it but surely C*rp have to be right up there, after all they were considered uncatchable not that long ago, until the birth of the hair-rig.

Back to top

2010 is the year of Ben!!

IP Logged

Jonnyboy PAC

God Member

Offline

Posts: 2671
Gender: male

Re: Are Barbel........
Reply #10 - Sep 7^th, 2009 at 10:30pm

Sluice Ben PAC wrote on Sep 7^th, 2009 at 9:45pm:

If we're discussing fish intelligence then I hate to say it but surely C*rp have to be right up there, after all they were considered uncatchable not that long ago, until the birth of the hair-rig.

Until you get a group of them to be competitive, then they are as dumb as anything.

Back to top

IP Logged

Sluice Ben PAC

God Member

Offline

R.I.P My old mate Bazza

Posts: 982
Preston
Gender: male

Re: Are Barbel........
Reply #11 - Sep 8^th, 2009 at 6:52pm

Jonnyboy PAC wrote on Sep 7^th, 2009 at 10:30pm:

Sluice Ben PAC wrote on Sep 7^th, 2009 at 9:45pm:

If we're discussing fish intelligence then I hate to say it but surely C*rp have to be right up there, after all they were considered uncatchable not that long ago, until the birth of the hair-rig.

Until you get a group of them to be competitive, then they are as dumb as anything.

I see what your saying but I'm going have to disagree to some extent mate. The Cockney Weapons underwater footage proves that carp are easily spooked and are very aware of every aspect of a rig, they become adept at sussing out hook baits.

So with Carp, once you have located the fish then presentation is the key, in my opinion that's not the case with Pike or Barbel, if you can locate the fish then they'll pretty much take whatever bait you throw at them.

Anyway, what the hell am I saying here!! I'm a Piker come Barbel hunter not a Carper!!

I retract all of the above, Carp are dumb mud pigs

Back to top

2010 is the year of Ben!!

IP Logged

Cookiesdaughtersdad God Member Offline I like fishing Posts: 536 Cambridgeshire Gender:	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #12 - Sep 11^th, 2009 at 2:28pm Sluice Ben, you wrote " in my opinion that's not the case with Pike or Barbel, if you can locate the fish then they'll pretty much take whatever bait you throw at them." Have you fished for clear water barbel very often, they can be very "riggy" but agree with the pike bit.
Back to top	IP Logged

davelumb Global Moderator Offline "I don't like work, no man does..." Posts: 13961	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #13 - Sep 12^th, 2009 at 8:46am Cookiesdaughtersdad wrote on Sep 11^th, 2009 at 2:28pm: Have you fished for clear water barbel very often, they can be very "riggy" What you need to do is use a very long fine hair and bury your end tackle in gravel....
Back to top	Layabout, legend and mild-mannered maverick... IP Logged

Adam Ford God Member Offline Turbo smelts at the ready! Posts: 571 Bucks Gender:	Re: Are Barbel........ Reply #14 - Sep 12^th, 2009 at 2:43pm Pressured barbel are completely different down here on the Ouse, they can be a nightmare to catch at times. Couple that with the low numbers of fish, testing isn't the word!
Back to top	Give a man a fish, and he can eat for a day. But teach a man how to fish, and he'll be dead of mercury poisoning inside of three years! IP Logged