Barbel Tips.
Barbel love maggots to say that maggots are barbel magnets is a bit of an understament.
But there are also many other species of fish that also love maggots and as such using maggots to catch barbel will attract other fish also.
Therefore if you are determined to catch a barbel on maggot then you will have to take plenty of maggots with you to feed and feed the other fish to the point that they lose interest bacause they are full of maggots. This means many pints of maggots but unless you arein a water that contains only barbel then this will be your only option.
Maggots.
1
Bait the swim you are fishing with loose feed and do this and leave it for t least half an hour to three quaters of an hour before you commence fishing
2
When temperatures drop fish a static bait as barbel will only take a static bait. When the temperatures rise then barbel will take a moving bait so trot away!
Senses.
Barbel have four sensory tenticles on the front of its mouth. These act like eyes for the barbel who use them to identify the food in front of them before they swallow the food. They help the fish as just before the fish takes the food they cannot see the food therefore the tenticles act as a second pair of eyes.
The barbel will also move its mouth from side to side to centre the food before it takes it. Therefore when the line twitches let it.
Wait until the rod slams and the fish has taken the bait before you reel it in.
3
In well fished barbel waters that contain big fish that will have been caught many times then plan to fish at night when success will be more certain. Start feeding the swim you intend to fish an hour before dusk
4
In the well fished waters traditonal barbel slayers such as meat will be less effective therefore try using salmon pellets or bollies instead
5
Barbel love over hanging trees and other features that protrude into the water. The only way of fishing these potentially difficult swims is to get in the water to get access to the fish. Therefore a pair of good chest waders are recommended with a good pair of soles to ensure the angler is less likely to slip on the water bottom.