Meat baits for opening week
Why this convenient bait is my first choice for earlyseason chub and barbel
HAVING only just finished spawning, river fish will be on the lookout for an easy meal, especially one that’s packed with protein and fat to replace the reserves lost through reproduction.
For hungry chub or barbel, a cube of luncheon meat fits the bill perfectly. It’s also a highly convenient bait, which can be stored in the boot of the car all year round. It’s pretty versatile too in terms of the many ways it can be customised. This is really important because I find that I need to adapt my approach over the weeks ahead to keep the bites coming.
BIG CUBES
One of my early-season rituals is to spend some time rolling meat for chub and barbel.
In clear water you might even spot fish eating the bait but, more often than not, you’ll feel the bite as a fish intercepts the offering as it trundles downstream.
Don’t be afraid to use quite a big bait. A 20mm-square cube of meat is large enough to hide a size 8 hook inside. Not only does this give a firm hold on the bait, but the buried hook is much less likely to pick up weed and become stuck on its journey.
SELECTIVE BARBEL BAITS
Rolling meat can lose its effectiveness quickly, especially if there are a few other anglers doing it on the stretch. After the opening couple of weeks I normally switch to other, more stationary, tactics, and if the river is high and coloured after summer floods then legering a really big chunk of the pink stuff along the near-side crease can be absolutely deadly.
Fishing further out and baiting accurately are both likely to be impossible with the river carrying extra water, so a big smelly single bait on your side of the river is often the way to go.
Although bigger baits mean bigger fish, they can lead to fewer bites. Still, if your target is a double-figure barbel, using a bait the size of a matchbox will help to pick out the better fish.
“Although bigger baits mean bigger fish, they can lead to fewer bites”
FINING DOWN
We shouldn’t get hung up on using big lumps of meat for big fish, though. As summer progresses a more finessed approach is advisable, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t still use this versatile bait.
Small 6mm cubes of meat are a great alternative to maggots or casters when river fishing for chub and barbel. Combined with hemp, these cubes make a great feed and a durable hookbait, whether you’re feeder fishing or trotting a float.
Bear in mind, when fishing meat in a river, that it’s a slow-sinking bait due to its fat content. In deep or fast-flowing rivers any loosefeed can end up a long way downstream of where you introduce it. Using small cubes in a feeder is a good way of ensuring that the bait ends up where you want it, as it will slowly disperse.
If you’re floatfishing, then use a bait dropper to get your loosefeed on the deck exactly where you want it.
So, whether you’re running a big Avon float down a glide on the River Wye, or flinging a big feeder into the middle of the River Trent, make sure you pack a tin or two of meat in your bag this summer!