Go to hooklength.

[mickb]

Hi all. A question you've probably read many times before. What's your go to hooklength for barbel and why?
Personally myself I don't think it matters too much what material you use to get a bite. I honestly think if you find the fish, and feed them to get their confidence up, it doesn't really matter if you use mono, braid or fluoro. They will take it if they've lost their natural caution and just want to feed.
However some materials have their uses in different situations and different fishing styles.
So what hooklengths do you use for barbel and why?

 

[The Sogster]

Not specifically for Barbel, but for 90% of my fishing I have changed to preston reflo power for hooklengths and am very happy with it.
The exceptions being when piking or specimen carp fishing.

 

[mickb]

Funny you should say that. I think a lot of barbel anglers use power line. Mainly for float fishing I think but have heard some use it for hooklengths for feeder fishing too.

 

[The Sogster]

I only changed because drennan specimen plus is no longer available.

 

[seth49]

Another vote for Preston reflo power, I’ve used it for a few years now, and I’ve found it very good, it has a bit of give in it, not like some of the pre stretched stuff thats about, it’s all I use in nylon hook lengths now.

 

[@Clive]

My hook lengths depend on the many factors involved; expected size of the fish, bait, distance to be cast and the weather conditions. It could range from a 14 hook to 4lb mono when float fishing worm, maggots or sweetcorn or a size 4 to 10lb fluoro' with a lump of luncheon meat with various options in between. When ledgering I usually opt for hook lengths of 12" to 24" most of the time and bounce the lead or feeder back after it has settled to ensure seperation of hook bait from the lead or feeder when using dense baits like boilies or big pellets. If the wind causes tangles I'll shorten the hook length or use a heavier length of fluoro' to counter it. I have coated braid but rarely use it for barbel except when fishing a rocky swim on the Vienne, Dordogne or Lot.

 

[mickb]

I tend to use fluoro most of the time these days but have tried most. Main reason for fluoro for me is I can be pretty much sure the rig hasn't tangled due to the stiffness of fluoro. I fish a large river and could never fish with a soft braided hooklength. Nothing would annoy me more than reeling in a tangled mess. If I was fishing a small river and laying out my line then that would be different and a braided hooklength might be my choice. Like I said different materials for different conditions.
However I have been thinking about reflo power line but the fact that it's a pre stretched mono make me think that maybe the abrasion resistance is compromised compared to a standard mono, flourocarbon or coated braid.
Has anyone used powerline in snaggy, rocky rivers?

 

[@Clive]

Just using fluoro' doesn't guarantee avoiding tangles in my experience. The larger the bait, the thicker the line has to be. I use stepped leaders when fishing with longer hook links. A very thick, short butt section double uni knotted to a longer medium thickness section with a small quick change link swivel to attach to the hook length. Sometimes when there is a cross wind or head wind I have to adjust the length of the leader to find the sweet spot that doesn't tangle.

 

[nottskev]

I don't look any further than strong mono that's proved abrasion resistant. All my barbel fishing is day time, one rod in the hand stuff. I'm mostly fishing where there's rough bottom, rocky margins, snags, trees etc. Getting bites is rarely a problem, so getting the barbel out is the priority. I'd say the swim and the method dictate the line and line strength. If I'm fishing from the bank in a high-risk snaggy swim, I'll go as high as Korum Barbel Line at 15lb. If I'm standing or sitting out in the water float fishing, 6-8lb does fine. For occasions in between, I have spools with 10lb or 12lb.

The lines on my spools are all "thick", and include Korum, Pro Gold and ESP Synchro. I've actually got a spool of Reflo in .26 (about 12.5lb) in my box, but never used it for barbel, although I've no reason to think it won't be fine in some places.

When I first went fishing for barbel in the 90's/00's there was a bit of a boom in barbel fishing, with new specialist gear and even several Barbel magazines. There used to be learned discussions about a wide range of new braids and rigs. It may be that in some small, pressured rivers barbel gear needs to be tricksy, but I find simple rigs that don't tangle and don't break are fine, and success depends on approach rather than gear. I dislike braids as you're then obliged to add bits and pieces to rigs to avoid it tangling, but that's just my preference.

 

[Keith M]

Although on the rare occasion I might use a braid hooklength; I don’t very often use a separate hook length when I’m after Barbel; preferring to fish with my my main line straight through to my hook.
Not only does this mean less knots (which can be a weakness) but it means I can very easily adjust the length of my hooklength in seconds just by moving my rubber stop up or down (See pic)


NB: I caught a Barbel of 8lb on this simple but effective rig a minute or two after taking this photo

The streams and rivers where I usually fish for Barbel are usually fairly shallow and very clear; and In very low water conditions I will often drop down to 6lb Pro-Gold straight through to the hook; however in normal conditions I’ll step up to 8lb line; and in flood conditions I’ll usually step up to 10lb line.

NB: 6lb Pro Gold is more like 7lb bs and 8lb Pro Gold is more like 9½lb bs and 10lb Pro Gold is more like 12lb bs

Unfortunately. Pro Gold is no longer sold so I’m going to have to Source another line once my bulk spools have been exhausted.

Keith

 

[ian g]

Pretty much as Keith does, great rig .Though if I do use hook links it’s probably Reflo

 

[seth49]

I don’t fish rivers much anymore, but when I did for both barbel and salmon, my preferred nylon was maxima , as there were lots of snags and sharp edges on the rocks, it was very reliable in these conditions.

 

[Alan Whitty]

For my proper barbel fishing (where I'm fishing for the odd bite or two) I use mono, my preference is 10lb Drennan Super Specialist (no longer available, but I bought a few spools), it's quite thick for its b.s. but it is 100% reliable, very strong, abrasion resistant and knots well, all I want, on waters where there are still good numbers of modest fish are present I use 10.1lb Silstar Matchteam, a line I would only use for the former mentioned venues on maggot in cold conditions, I have no use for braided hooklengths, and I have used fluorocarbon at times but find it no different to mono...

 

[Steve Arnold]

Seven years (nearly!) fishing the river Lot and I still have no firm conclusion as to which line is best for hook-lengths.

The river is ultra-clear about 50% of the time and that can be winter or summer. So when the fish have little appetite I do prefer Seaguar Abrazx fluorocarbon, it’s 15 lb but a little thinner than a quality mono.

Over very stony ground I have found .4 Amnesia stands up quite well, I may consider that in a lower diameter next time I buy.

But this last year, after being cut-off too many times, I have been using ESP semi-stiff coated braid when fishing the rocky, snaggy areas. I have lost a lot of carp and maybe a few barbel on both fluoro and mono and I really do not like leaving hooks in fish! The braid has stood the test well but I do feel there are times when the fish will not come near it, if the ground is reasonably clean at those swims I go back to mono or fluoro.

Trace length is something I have to think about as well. Generally I think 3’ does get more bites, but as the fish moves off with the bait there is too much chance it will pull the hook-length under a rock. Then, as soon as the resistance is felt by the fish and the hook stings, the fish bolts and your 3’ twitch becomes a slack line! Another cut-off!

My hook-lengths are usually about 20" now and seem to work most of the time. I am sure that this slightly shorter length helps hook the carp better as well, it feels the lead pulling the hook in after sucking the bait from the river bed. With the carp being a bigger bellied fish than the barbel, that movement is enough to set the hook.

 

[Philip]

I honestly think if you find the fish, and feed them to get their confidence up, it doesn't really matter if you use mono, braid or fluoro. They will take it if they've lost their natural caution and just want to feed.

Thats pretty much my outlook to so much of my fishing nowadays...get them feeding confidently and everything becomes much simpler. For that reason most of my fishing nowadays is done with a hooklink that is just a bit of my mainline.

All said and done a nice bit of mono has alot going for it ...a sort of happy medium offering good presentation yet still being relativly tangle free.