Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Dai Gribble
There’s no doubting the pulling power of pellets, but Dai Gribble explains how picking the right type will see your barbel catches soar
Five pellets no barbel can resist
IT’S no secret that pellets are one of the deadliest barbel baits going. Happen across an enthusiast of arguably the most powerful species in our river systems and you can pretty much guarantee they’ll have at least a few pints in their bait bucket.
But with so many shapes, sizes and colours on offer, does it actually matter which ones you actually use? Dai Gribble strongly believes that considerable thought should be given to what you plan to feed on your next session.
He explained to IYCF why he wouldn’t dream of arriving on the bank without the rights pellets when barbel are his target.
“They are fed heavily in pretty much every river so the fish have come to view them as their primary food source. Randomly chosen pellets might fluke you a fish or two but if you want to increase the number of successful sessions you have, you need to feed the correct pellets in the correct quantities.”
Feeding decisions
Dai travels light when barbel fishing but always carries five different types of pellets which will cover any scenario he’s likely to face.
“I rely on five types of pellets and they all offer something a little different that can help get that important bite,” said the experienced specimen angler.
Buying five bags of pellets may sound like an expensive game but only a small amount of each are used during a trip and you will be able to enjoy three or four sessions before a new batch is required.
A small portion of each is included every time Dai casts out and he blends them with groundbait. This makes sure they can be packed into the feeder and stay in
place until it hits the deck.
Swim selection
Barbel are a curious species and will roam around a swim searching for their next meal. That makes it almost impossible to predict exactly where they will be sat in the peg so Dai uses two rods to enhance his chances of locating a fish or two.
“I always look for an area with far bank cover because this is where the fish naturally live and I will cast a feeder as close to the overhanging trees as possible,” he said.
“However, I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve caught barbel in the middle of the main flow, so this is where my other rig goes.”
There is nothing complicated about Dai’s favourite rig. He uses a Korum Camo Bolt & Run kit which enables the feeder to be fixed in place on the cast for accuracy and to reach the distance required, but as soon as a fish takes the bait and bolts off it slides off the bead. This makes the rig completely fish- friendly and in the unlikely event of a breakage the feeder will slide off so the fish can’t become tethered.
The rest of the set- up comprises 12lb mainline, a 2oz or 3oz feeder and a 3ft, 15lb braided hooklength to a size 10 hook.
Filling the feeder
With the tackle ready and bait mixed to perfection, the excitement of making that first cast is bound to have peaked. But hold on. Minor details still need to be checked before doing so.
How the bait is packed into the feeder could have a big impact on whether that cast results in a bite.
“It is important to pack the groundbait into the feeder quite firmly. If it is too loose, it will flush out of the feeder quickly and be washed away in an instant. If it is tightly packed it remains in place for longer, creating a target for fish to investigate.”
Attaching the hookbait appropriately also matters and Dai fixes a 10mm elliptical pellet inside a sliding grinner knot. The absence of a bait band makes the offering look natural and blend in with the freebies, resulting in more takes from wary barbel.
The increased pressure on rivers in recent years has made the fish trickier to tame but Dai’s baiting plan will make the barbel drop their guard in no time at all.