Barbel bite indication ?

[Down-the-drain]

I've recently been fishing my local barbel stream with no success so far this season. I've been getting "quiverish" bites on a size 6 hair rigged hook with luncheon meat but thought it was just small ones having a nibble.

Now my mate says these are typical barbel bites and that I should be striking on them. Is he right ?

They are literally a very slight pull on the rod , followed by what I would call a tremble.

Any help would be great as I dont like missing bites and really want to get my first barbel of the season out of the way.

Cheers

[BoldBear]

The most common Barbel bite is usually signified by a couple of nudges followed by a clean sail away which is why you should aways keep you hand near the rod handle otherwise you may lose your rod.
Some Barbel bites are just sail aways where the rod just bends round as the Barbel picks up the bait and runs.
The third bite can feel like a rough file rubbing on the line as the Barbel moves over the bait and if you strike these bites then its odds on you will hook a Barbel.
There are always times when bite indication differs but those are the most common types of Barbel bites on the rivers that I fish.

[Down-the-drain]

Cheers , It seems I'm having trouble having my bait picked apart by littluns before the big ones get a look in. Very frustrating to have to keep re-baiting every other cast.

[fish fan86]

bigger tougher bait

[flukebox]

Stop using little soft baits and present your new big hard bait in such a way that if the fish so much as looks at it, it hooks itself


You should NEVER have to strike into a barbel bite

They hook themselves if your rigs proper