Inside Lancashire Sport

Brendan from Blackburn asks...

Hi Martin

I have been fishing now for about 1 year - carp fishing - and I joined Wigan DAA this year to fish heapy but there is a magnet in my head that is pulling me to the River Ribble for barbel.

Please could you recommend a good book or even a coach to take me fishing?

Martin's advice...

Dear Brendan,

The book I suggest you buy is Quest for Barbel by Tony Miles and Trevor West published by Crowood Press.

Having known and fished with them for many years, these are two excellent anglers The ISBN number is 1 86126 277 9.

Barbel are not the brightest fish to catch, in fact, they can often be very easy. Do not be blinkered into buying special barbel rods baits, etc. A rod designed for line of 8 or 10lbs with a progressive or Avon action is what you want. Grauvell do an excellent rod the Allrounder 12 foot 2 pieces which will cover all your barbel fishing needs for about £70.

I have caught many double figure barbel when chub fishing with bread or meat. You don’t need to go to the cost of boilies or pellets; in fact the later bait would be at the bottom of my list in winter. I use bread, lobworms, cheese paste and luncheon meat, this latter bait is still good bait which barbel love to eat. I also use a lot of sausage meat which the butcher in Chatburn makes up. Just ask for the sausage meat Martin buys for barbel fishing. Don’t use ordinary sausage meat it's too soft and the flavour leeches out very quickly.  

The Wigan stretch on the Ribble has a good head of fish. My advice is free line chunks of sausage or luncheon meat, you might need to use 1 LG shot pinched lightly on the line about fifteen inches from the hook. That’s all the weight you should need under low water conditions.

Of course you will need to find the barbel; they are not spread around like currents in a pudding. It’s all down to water craft which cannot be learnt from a book. It’s down to experience and going out with someone who will show you the areas where barbel are likely to be.

You are welcome to join me for a day when conditions are suitable. I am not prepared to attempt to fish the Ribble for barbel when the water level is low, oxygen content, high water temperature high. I don't feel happy causing any more distress to what is a fish that fight very hard. You can of course - if you're interested and have three or four days to spare - join me on the Kennet, London, Avon, Teme or Thames. During the winter I usually fish one of these river three days a week, sometimes a full week.

Kind regards,

Martin

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