Hi guys, just after your opinions on the best set up for barbel i have always fished free running leads, mainly for no other reason than thats how i was taught by my dad a long, long time ago. I know people who always fish semi fixed leads and i'm interested in your views.
Semi fixed for chunks free running for fillets 
I always fish a running lead and a very long hooklink. 2 foot if I am just on a lead, around 4 foot if I am on a feeder. One tip though, use a braid hooklink and not flourocarbon. If you can find some clips, or even buy a copy, get the barbel days and ways videos by bob roberts and stew walker. Great underwater footage and loads of tips on rigs. The best barbel dvds out there mate. Volumes 1 and 2 are out now and I have seen the footage for volume 3 and it looks fantastic.
Cheer Karl, i'll look out for those dvd's, I usually use a mono hooklink of around 2 foot.
I'm just ignoring you Eric!! lol
Haha - got my 2nd hyperloop by the way so deffo gonna get on the Severn a bit this year.
I don't think that there is a definitive answer to this one!
I have caught barbel using free running leads/swimfeeders and on semi-fixed leads/swimfeeders. I think it depends on what gives you the greatest confidence.
With regard to length of hooklink, I would tend to agree with Karl, but have caught using a 2 inch hooklink when using Pallatrax Stonzes.
As for hooklinks, I mainly use fluorocarbon unless I know that there are a lot of snags, then I will use a coated braid (Pallatrax steamlink) with 2 or 3 inches stripped off at the hook end to give a more natural presentation.
At the end of the day, I am not convinced that any of these will make a huge difference. If there are barbel in the swim and they are on the feed, it's just a matter of time before the rod wraps round.
As long as they like your bait that is???
You really should watch those dvds adrian and see the barbels response to flourocarbon. Its amazing to see how they spook when they brush against it purely because they cant see it. When they come in feeding with a braid hookling they will root around, there is cracking footage with one fish with the braid across its nose as it feeds. Its brilliant. They dont give a monkeys because they can see it and know its there. Would lend you my copies mate but I would be doing my mates out of some dvd revenue. Oh and trust me the underwater footage of the third one looks amazing. Stew filmed when you would think the river was too flooded and murky to see a thing. Its amazing the visibility underwater.
Thats very interesting that they spook because they can't see the hooklink. kind of makes you rethink everything. Do you think the same applies to main lines? if they brush against a mainline they can see, does it spook them less than one they can see? It goes to show that flourocarbon is not some kind of panacea for bait presentation.
I will have to get a copy of these dvds.
It is strange though. I have been using a fluorocarbon for years and have been quite successful. I have taken 7 barbel in an afternoon before using fluorocarbon as a hooklink and that was in daylight!!!
If the barbel are really on the feed, I am not sure hooklink will make a huge difference but if the fish are very cautious then there may be something in it?!
Perhaps I will switch to braid on the Thames, as I still haven't managed to winkle one out of there!!!
They feed hard its when they bang into it they spook. You think you are getting chub knocks or line bites but its the barbel spooking. I have always fished braid for barbel and had ten in ten casts in 40 mins out of the dove up to just under 10lb. 4 in four casts out of the swale. If you get a good sinking braid like the drennan super specialist braid you cant go wrong. The bonus is its only £4 for ten meters. Again its one of these things of being your preference but please see this footage, its wonderful. If I can get stew to send me another copy I will send you one down mate.
If you can get a copy I would appreciate it. Cheers.
Will try my best for you mate. If not I will post mine down, as long as I get them back!! lol.
Just watched volume 2 of Barbel days and ways, a realy good dvd and its certainly answered the question of free running or semi fixed for me. Now to get hold of volume 1!
So you enjoyed it then mate, the underwater footage is great, and what about fishing with the rod tip on the river bed. Never thought of that before. Will e-mail stew tomorrow and get the links for you to get the first issue mate. What did you think to the importance of sound in fish feeding behaviour?
Yes lots of good stuff on the film. I wouldnt fancy trying to fish with my rod tip on the bottom on a big river like the Severn or Trent though. I'd probably end up losing my rod! Unsure about the whole sound thing really however, cats are attracted to clonks, carp will zoom in on a bagging waggler, splasher float and method feeder so there must be something in it. Certainly a lot of food for thought. Rather than putting a bed of food in with a dropper then resting the swim, a better tactic maybe to use a feeder with out a hooklink on until the fish assoiciate the sound of the feeder going in with food. Then put a bait in after an hour or so of regular casts with a feeder. this also means they will be far less spooked if you have to reposition your bait etc. What are your thoughts on this?
Will watch my copies tonight but if ita not on them, then its on the next one showing the barbel still feeding as the bait dropper plunges in next to them, I have even had them attack the bait dropper, and even know people who have fished a hooklink from a bait dropper. Its the best way of getting a large bed of bait down quickly, and resting the swim allows the barbel to move in and not spook by catching chub early, as you tend to do when fishing a swim from fresh with a feeder.
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