Bluemoon Angling Thread

[Didsbury Dave]

Will catch up on the thread a bit later as really enjoy reading everyone's updates. I had a day off today, as my boss wants us to take at least 50% of our holiday allocation before the end of June, so we can support the recovery in the second half. What should I do? Cooked breakfast.. Check. I know, I will have a few hours roving on my local river tributary. Got some halibut pellets and plenty of tinned hemp. Had 4 hours down there and nothing until the arrival of a 12lb 10oz barbel. Absolutely made up. Made my season and not the end of June yet!

Thats an incredible piece of luck. I’ve fished for barbel for 20 years in more or less every river in the country and not had one that big! Well done mate.

 

[Scouse Blue]

Thanks DD.
I am incredibly lucky, in that the tributary I fish is 10 minutes from home, does not hold huge amounts of barbel, but most are large. It was quite quiet for many many years, but is now becoming very popular. Whilst I love to see as many people fishing as possible, it is a little depressing.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Yes, absolutely made up thanks. Didn't get a photo unfortunately as never took my camera as wanted to keep light roving for miles. Left phone in glove box as I only have a works android phone and it never stops. No way I am answering a Google Hangout when I am in the wilderness :-) Now thinking if I can wangle a few hours tomorrow. Definitely after work is the plan.

A pic is a good momento but oh well, no worries then. What river was it from mate?

 

[idahoblues]

Planning to take next Monday and Tuesday off for an overnight river trip, I'm thinking the Salmon flies might be out, fingers crossed

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Finally getting on the Wye Saturday camping 4-5 nights now campsites are open.

Tackle sorted. 2 x 2.2lb TC rods on Shimano 6000 reels loaded with 13lb Fox camo mainline. You can't fish light for big barbel in a pacey snag laden river.

Heavy 1.5lb TC stickfloat rod to a Diawa 3000 reel loaded with 8lb Guru pulse line. May use a 5lb trace if swim.is snag free and bites are finicky. Guru Pulse is not best line to use on a river as it sinks well so I'll grease 20m from float tip. This helps line control, vital when trotting a float.

Also lighter stickfloat and ledger gear for a couple of stillwaters.

15kg sack of hemp. Several tins of corn and luncheon meat, halibut pellets of varying size, groundbait. Boilies for hook. Will buy maggots down there.

Really looking forward to the weekend and hopefully breaking my PB 10-4 barbel and 5lb chub.

Fingers crossed the river level is decent. See you weekend Snorky mate: )

 

[Tuearts right boot]

I wasn't aware snappers were partial to a booby.

Grouper...

 

[Saddleworth2]

Finally getting on the Wye Saturday camping 4-5 nights now campsites are open.

Tackle sorted. 2 x 2.2lb TC rods on Shimano 6000 reels loaded with 13lb Fox camo mainline. You can't fish light for big barbel in a pacey snag laden river.

Heavy 1.5lb TC stickfloat rod to a Diawa 3000 reel loaded with 8lb Guru pulse line. May use a 5lb trace if swim.is snag free and bites are finicky. Guru Pulse is not best line to use on a river as it sinks well so I'll grease 20m from float tip. This helps line control, vital when trotting a float.

Also lighter stickfloat and ledger gear for a couple of stillwaters.

15kg sack of hemp. Several tins of corn and luncheon meat, halibut pellets of varying size, groundbait. Boilies for hook. Will buy maggots down there.

Really looking forward to the weekend and hopefully breaking my PB 10-4 barbel and 5lb chub.

Fingers crossed the river level is decent. See you weekend Snorky mate: )

Have a brilliant time mate.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Have a brilliant time mate.

Very kind of you sir, thank you: )

 

[kevin horlocks wand]

Does anybody on here use , or have any views on

prawns; or

muscles

as a general course fishing bait?

I tend to use meat , bread and corn but I think all the fish have had an AGM and decided that they will boycott corn for the foreseeable so looking for an alternative.
Thanks

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Does anybody on here use , or have any views on

prawns; or

muscles

as a general course fishing bait?

I tend to use meat , bread and corn but I think all the fish have had an AGM and decided that they will boycott corn for the foreseeable so looking for an alternative.
Thanks

Prawns are a great bait for carp barbel and chub. Tench love mussels. Try swan mussels if you can get any, they are a really good bait. Carp love them too.

Halibut pellets are also worth considering. Tight lines.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Prawns are a great bait for carp barbel and chub. Tench love mussels. Try swan mussels if you can get any, they are a really good bait. Carp love them too.

Halibut pellets are also worth considering. Tight lines.

I find prawns are more effective sauteed in garlic butter, whilst Mussels in a white wine and taraggon sauce. Cant go wrong. Lobster bisque is deadly for Bream.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I find prawns are more effective sauteed in garlic butter, whilst Mussels in a white wine and taraggon sauce. Cant go wrong. Lobster bisque is deadly for Bream.

Haha. You're right mate. Sod wasting money to feed fish on seafood, too expensive nowadays. Used to use prawns and mussels in the 80/90s before boilies trout and halibut pellets were widely used. Seafood will work as a bait though, but it works better in my belly: )

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Haha. You're right mate. Sod wasting money to feed fish on seafood, too expensive nowadays. Used to use prawns and mussels in the 80/90s before boilies trout and halibut pellets were widely used. Seafood will work as a bait though, but it works better in my belly: )

Prawns are quite heavily used by “in the know” perch anglers. I don’t use them as I only lure fish for them.

30 years ago I was float fishing with maggots for Rudd on a big pit in Reading. I wasn’t much more than a beginner really. My swim kept erupting in patches of bubbles and even back then I recognised that big fish were on the prowl. All I had were maggots but a carp angler came in my swim collecting swan mussels.

I cadged one off him, threw it in on a free line and ten minutes later the line started flowing out. I couldn’t believe it. Despite using a float rod and 4lb line I landed a massive, scabby old bream. I’ll never know the weight but IVe never had one bigger.

Good luck on The Wye. I’m jealous as hell as an injury is keeping me away from the rivers.

 

[snorky]

My mate had an 11 lb freshish salmon off the beat I fish on the Wye yesterday.
In the old days this wouldn't be news.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Prawns are quite heavily used by “in the know” perch anglers. I don’t use them as I only lure fish for them.

30 years ago I was float fishing with maggots for Rudd on a big pit in Reading. I wasn’t much more than a beginner really. My swim kept erupting in patches of bubbles and even back then I recognised that big fish were on the prowl. All I had were maggots but a carp angler came in my swim collecting swan mussels.

I cadged one off him, threw it in on a free line and ten minutes later the line started flowing out. I couldn’t believe it. Despite using a float rod and 4lb line I landed a massive, scabby old bream. I’ll never know the weight but I've never had one bigger.

Good luck on The Wye. I’m jealous as hell as an injury is keeping me away from the rivers.

Thanks pal, really looking forward to fishing the Wye and Snorky's salmon beat especially. I feel privileged that I am allowed one session per year on there as a guest. It's the best stretch of river I've ever fished in this country. I think I had 14 Barbel in an hour last season on feeder. Some arched the rod round before the feeder hit bottom!
It is pretty easy as barbel and chub aren't fished for there. Snorky catches 5lb plus chub on the salmon rod and feels gutted it's not a salmon, lucky sod!

But the feeder rod is in standby if the flow is right, I'll hopefully be christening my heavy float rod with bait apron and waders on. A good sized barbel on a stickfloat is as good as it gets course fishing I think.

May even try freelined slug, now there's a cracking bait for old Mr chub: )

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Thanks pal, really looking forward to fishing the Wye and Snorky's salmon beat especially. I feel privileged that I am allowed one session per year on there as a guest. It's the best stretch of river I've ever fished in this country. I think I had 14 Barbel in an hour last season on feeder. Some arched the rod round before the feeder hit bottom!
It is pretty easy as barbel and chub aren't fished for there. Snorky catches 5lb plus chub on the salmon rod and feels gutted it's not a salmon, lucky sod!

But the feeder rod is in standby if the flow is right, I'll hopefully be christening my heavy float rod with bait apron and waders on. A good sized barbel on a stickfloat is as good as it gets course fishing I think.

May even try freelined slug, now there's a cracking bait for old Mr chub: )

you’re a lucky man, pal. Looking forward to hearing your results. That’s every Angler’s dream. I visit the Wye once a year and have tried to catch them on the float and only managed to hook and lose one. Sweetcorn is a good bait for the float I believe.

If my foot recovers I’m going to have a couple of days on the Wye PAAS stretch in a fortnight. The Ribble is bang on at the moment after all the weed has been flushed out and I’m sat at home seeing pictures of doubles on my Facebook timeline.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

you’re a lucky man, pal. Looking forward to hearing your results. That’s every Angler’s dream. I visit the Wye once a year and have tried to catch them on the float and only managed to hook and lose one. Sweetcorn is a good bait for the float I believe.

If my foot recovers I’m going to have a couple of days on the Wye PAAS stretch in a fortnight. The Ribble is bang on at the moment after all the weed has been flushed out and I’m sat at home seeing pictures of doubles on my Facebook timeline.

Cheers DD I'll give an update when I'm down there.

I think (In my experience) choosing the right stickfloat peg is vital to catching barbel. 3-6ft deep gravel bottom.and steady flow is ideal. Then it's a matter of feeding regular and often. I'll sometimes feed a swim upto 40 minutes with hemp pellets and 6-8ml cubes of meat. I'll feed without running a baited hook through. Gives them confidence on the feed and usually the smaller nuisance fish are full up or been forced off the feed by the barbel and chub.

Never had any luck trotting corn, definitely never caught a barbel on it. One or two chub and a few roach on the rare occasions I've used corn. I may try 6-8ml banded pellets, something I've not yet tried on a river. Usually hair rig pellet but sometimes chub are wary just mouthing the bait and a buried hook is better for fooling them IMO.

Hope your foot recovers soon pal.

 

[Newman Noggs]

Cheers DD I'll give an update when I'm down there.

I think (In my experience) choosing the right stickfloat peg is vital to catching barbel. 3-6ft deep gravel bottom.and steady flow is ideal. Then it's a matter of feeding regular and often. I'll sometimes feed a swim upto 40 minutes with hemp pellets and 6-8ml cubes of meat. I'll feed without running a baited hook through. Gives them confidence on the feed and usually the smaller nuisance fish are full up or been forced off the feed by the barbel and chub.

Never had any luck trotting corn, definitely never caught a barbel on it. One or two chub and a few roach on the rare occasions I've used corn. I may try 6-8ml banded pellets, something I've not yet tried on a river. Usually hair rig pellet but sometimes chub are wary just mouthing the bait and a buried hook is better for fooling them IMO.

Hope your foot recovers soon pal.

Take luncheon meat mate. Not sure what state the river is in now but it was the most effective bait we used this year provided it was moving, either trotted or, better, rolled down with one swan shot on the line. Stationery, it's an eel magnet.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Take luncheon meat mate. Not sure what state the river is in now but it was the most effective bait we used this year provided it was moving, either trotted or, better, rolled down with one swan shot on the line. Stationery, it's an eel magnet.

LM has always been a great river bait, don't remember being plagued by eel on it though. Maggot usually attracts snigs, especially on the Ribble! Not used meat much in the Wye though. Large hair-rigged halibut pellets or monster crab boilies have caught me most fish on there. Krill pellets work well too. Snorky's beat is unpressured for coarse fish though and most baits work on there when they're having it. Will also be trying another strech owned by campsite and Ross town stretch where I've previously had some really good sessions.

 

[Newman Noggs]

LM has always been a great river bait, don't remember being plagued by eel on it though. Maggot usually attracts snigs, especially on the Ribble! Not used meat much in the Wye though. Large hair-rigged halibut pellets or monster crab boilies have caught me most fish on there. Krill pellets work well too. Snorky's beat is unpressured for coarse fish though and most baits work on there when they're having it. Will also be trying another strech owned by campsite and Ross town stretch where I've previously had some really good sessions.

Tight lines !