The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I've travelled up to fish the Trent a few times in the last two seasons. It's been very enjoyable, sometimes successful and not very traditional.

I use rods between 1.75lb and 2.25lb test curves, 12lb/15lb line and leads between 3oz and 6oz which seem both necessary and what everyone else seems to use.

I imagine when I was intently reading the Angling Times as a child and there were numerous articles and match results from the Trent, that anglers were not using that kind of gear - simply because it did not exist back then?

So I was wondering was it all float fishing or did people use heavier gear and I was not aware of it?

Thanks.

I used my cane Sharpe for a spot of Barbel fishing last year and under the guidance of another forum member... (Barbelseeker) the rod was one of my 9'3" carp rods approx 1.75-2lb test curve and resulted in a 10lb 2oz Barbel


It handled the fish very well and put a healthy bend in it
6 Barbel and a Chub was the tally for just a few hours fishing

(Many Thanks Peter )

The Trent has changed over the years.
I fished it a lot in the late 70’s and 80’s, when the standard approach was the stick float and up to a gallon of bronze maggots. This was on the middle stretches around Newark, and the tidal river as far down as Dunham Bridge.
The target fish were chub to about 3lb, roach, bream and gudgeon, and an early start often produced a net of 40 to 50lb by 10am.
I’m sure the river was dirtier then. It became much cleaner and clearer and harder during the 90’s, and to some extent became a big fish river - hence the beachcasting approach used by many anglers these days.
Some blamed an explosion of zebra mussels filtering the water, others the lack of warm water which the power stations used to put in. On some cool mornings we couldn’t see to trot a float because of the thick mist rising from the warm river. Others blame predation by cormorants.
Whatever the reason, t’aint what it used to be, if a day’s trotting for a mixed bag is your thing.

Apologies, I quoted my own post instead of editing it.

Thanks for the replies, I can remember reading about the warm water outfalls from the power stations. Allegedly they used to support populations of guppies that people had released in to the river?

Aitch, that's a lovely Barbel.

I do like the wild remote bits of the tidal river, very different to where I usually fish.

Always on cane, often on centrepin. Rod of choice a Sharpes 9' 6" salmon spinner and this reel is a Mill Tackle Barbus. This one was 13.15 but I have had them to over 15lb on the same tackle. 15 lb BS line necessary for abrasion resistance rather than pull strength.

Bob Brookes wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 8:49 am Always on cane, often on centrepin. Rod of choice a Sharpes 9' 6" salmon spinner and this reel is a Mill Tackle Barbus. This one was 13.15 but I have had them to over 15lb on the same tackle. 15 lb BS line necessary for abrasion resistance rather than pull strength.

Very impressive, perhaps I should have a bit more faith in my cane rods!