PAUL GARNER Grab and go barbel baits
Try my instant attraction approach on your river
“I use PVA sticks rather than feeders when fishing short sessions”
THESE days my barbel fishing revolves mainly around short sessions, trying multiple swims for no more than an hour each. Fishing in this way means using baits which offer instant attraction.
It’s a great way to learn about a stretch of river, and if one swim fails to produce, you simply move on to the next.
When looking for that quick bite you should carry only what you need. With just a kilo of feed and a small selection of hookbaits in my bag there’s zero waste, making it a cost-effective way to fish. Here’s what I carry for these ‘grab and go’ sessions...
PVA STICKS
I use PVA sticks when fishing short sessions. Combined with a few leger weights of various sizes, they’re more flexible than swimfeeders and less likely to snag. Dry pellets loaded into PVA sticks are also light to carry, and they last much longer in the water than the soft pellets I normally use in a feeder.
I make up my PVA sticks at home, roughly 10cm long and containing a mix of 3mm, 6mm and 8mm halibut pellets. The small pellets fill in the gaps between the larger ones, making a more compact stick. They also help to pull in small fish, which in turn attract the barbel.
HOOKBAIT OPTIONS
I’m convinced that hookbait choice can make a massive difference to barbel catches, especially when your time is limited. Visual, smelly baits are easy for fish to locate on the riverbed and really stand out alongside the contents of a PVA stick.
However, fish can wise-up to them – just look at how luncheon meat often loses its effectiveness as summer progresses. A partial solution is to use smaller baits, such as two small 8mm pellets instead of a much larger one, or to trim down a larger bait to keep the bites coming.
Often, I will start on a large bait. This can pick up a few unwary barbel while remaining immune to small fish. If I’m getting line bites and no proper bites it can be best to switch to a small bait on a size 10 hook to bring some action.
DIPPING SOLUTIONS
Small 12mm boilies are among the most convenient hookbaits, but I find they bring fewer bites compared to softer baits. Adding a paste wrap gives you the benefit of the tough core, with a soft, attractive coating on the outside – but try to keep the overall size of the hookbait as small as possible.
I also like to carry a few boilies and pellets that have been left to soak in flavour. My favourite additive for this is cheese & garlic oil, which barbel (and chub) love. Beware, though – it’s rather anti-social stuff!
If you have a barbel river close to home then why not grab the odd evening session midweek when the banks are quiet and the fish at their most obliging?
Often bites can come within just a few minutes of casting out, especially if you get your bait choice right!