First attempt

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Shaun Harrison
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Re: First attempt

Post by Shaun Harrison »

Ian wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 1:49 pm The Clyde isn't like the wye or the Severn as far as numbers are concerned in the fact there will be barbel in most runs,far from it.i can see them being in small groups and nomadic to a point of never being in the one place for too long.
In my experience a lot of barbel take a lot of moving once they find somewhere suitable to live. I used to see the same 6 barbel most mornings on my walk. These 6 were spread between 3 swims and all lived with chub (not a lot of barbel in the river). They hardly moved and as if to prove this scenario Jack Perk's the underwater camera person contacted me to see if I could put him somewhere to film a live barbel. I took him along and the water was not quite as clear as it usually was and the solitary fish that was always on its own and had a white nose on it couldn't be seen. I offered to guide the camera into place where it was always laid up by means of a tiny camera attached to a roach pole. it was filming blind but moments after Jack getting home and downloading what his cameras had seen he sent me an image of White Nose. It was where it always was and had tolerated a camera being poked into its lair right in front of its face.

Another example is the mighty river Trent that I have barbel fished a lot. The few repeat captures I have suffered have always come from the same swims as I have caught them from before, despite fishing swims either side. Some of these repeats have been a few years apart too.

So, it is quite possible their cousin's on the Clyde will hang around where your friend has found them for quite some time.

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Ian
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Re: First attempt

Post by Ian »

See what I mean,I haven’t a clue.
The first one I ever remember being caught was 25-30yrs ago,it weighed 9lb and fell to an angler fishing for salmon so they will be established but because only a handful of very secretive anglers target them they are still a bit of a mystery.
I’m definitely going to start fishing for them with lobs in future,they are a lucky bait for me so why not.
I would love to catch one especially out the clyde,I cut my teeth on that river,it would be the hilight of my fishing career
Don’t cast doubt,cast out.

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SeanM
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Re: First attempt

Post by SeanM »

I think a prebaiting campaign is the way to go, but I suspect that you're probably a bit late in the year for it. If I had to choose one bait in a river like the Clyde it would be pellets. They are pretty much an instant bait with barbel and they will have been used a few times on the river. Buy sinking carp pellets from an animal food supplier.

It's probably worth fishing for the barbel until the first frosts and I'd use either pellets and a few crushed boilies in the feeder or heavy fishmeal groundbait with 4mm or 6mm pellets in it. Hookbaits don't matter much - use either a small fishmeal boilie or a drilled pellet. I'd only fish when the river is up and coloured and I'd target obvious flood water swims - smooth steady water, creases on the edge of slacks and steady water below obstructions. Fish somewhere near where they were seen, but don't worry too much about location as barbel will move a long way to find a source of food. Bait up a few swims and give each one an hour or so.
Quot homines, tot sententiae.

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Santiago
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Re: First attempt

Post by Santiago »

I would pre-bait a likely deep hole with several kg of hemp, corn, chopped luncheon meat (all mixed together, and then fish with fresh lobs, corn, or meat a few days later. Works a treat on the Thames. Your biggest problem is locating a good spot ; pre-baiting just increases the chances of getting the barbel to move and stay in your selected swim. And add chilli flakes to the mix.
"....he felt the gentle touch on the line and he was happy"

Hemingway

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Ian
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Re: First attempt

Post by Ian »

That's the whole problem with the Clyde,it's a big river and most of it has overhanging trees firebird.a lot of deep slow glides which can run for 3 or 400yds with overhanging trees on either banking.i wouldn't know how to recognize a likely ly to place a bait within such a big run that doesn't have obvious features.i instinctively know where the trout and grayling would be but not barbel.i will be fishing for them a lot more in future and I might get one.i saw a couple of videos on utube about the Clyde barbel the other night and it was good to see.
Hopefully I can catch one in the next couple of years but it will take a lot of time,effort and money.
Don’t cast doubt,cast out.

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