Paul Richardson
Senior Member & Supporter
Hello everyone.I've just joined the forum and this is my first post.
I'm also relatively new to barbel fishing, having been a hardcore piker for many years, but my circumstances changed and I moved from the fertile hunting grounds of East Yorkshire( River Hull/Barmston Drain) back to North Yorkshire and so my fishing changed.And how.
Currently I fish the Swale almost exclusively and have to say I love it. I've had some nice pike off the Swale but they are hard won,and to be honest I've caught more specimen chub whilst piking than I have pike! However..barbel.And I still can't work out how a 5-6lb barbel fights harder than a 15lb pike - buts that's another story, and one that my piker friends refuse to believe.
Having never really encountered this phenonema before I'm after some advice on peaty water in the river.It really does seem to be the kiss of death when 'tea-coloured' water comes into the river. I have tried changing my tactics and fish natural baits but to no avail, tried rolling baits, smelly baits, small baits - nowt.The fish are there and crash about but just don't seem interested in feeding. This has lead to the above 'Peaty Blankers' nickname for a number of us.
Presumably other people experience this on the spate rivers?
Out of interest can anyone shed any light on why this happens with the fish and is there any tactic worth employing , other than fish a stillwater/ different river until the colour drops out?
Cheers
I'm also relatively new to barbel fishing, having been a hardcore piker for many years, but my circumstances changed and I moved from the fertile hunting grounds of East Yorkshire( River Hull/Barmston Drain) back to North Yorkshire and so my fishing changed.And how.
Currently I fish the Swale almost exclusively and have to say I love it. I've had some nice pike off the Swale but they are hard won,and to be honest I've caught more specimen chub whilst piking than I have pike! However..barbel.And I still can't work out how a 5-6lb barbel fights harder than a 15lb pike - buts that's another story, and one that my piker friends refuse to believe.
Having never really encountered this phenonema before I'm after some advice on peaty water in the river.It really does seem to be the kiss of death when 'tea-coloured' water comes into the river. I have tried changing my tactics and fish natural baits but to no avail, tried rolling baits, smelly baits, small baits - nowt.The fish are there and crash about but just don't seem interested in feeding. This has lead to the above 'Peaty Blankers' nickname for a number of us.
Presumably other people experience this on the spate rivers?
Out of interest can anyone shed any light on why this happens with the fish and is there any tactic worth employing , other than fish a stillwater/ different river until the colour drops out?
Cheers