Carp and predators! Summer on the river!!

[Jords]

Ive literally just stepped in the door from fishing my local weir! I went with my older brother i was out for Barbel, Snottys and carp! He came for the perch and zander! Hes done a 3 year fisheries management coarse and passed distinction and is very clued up on his fishing but just cant seem to catch when we go and to make things worst he went round the corner for a p*ss and by chance his rod sreamed off so i grabbed it and went to pass it to him but hes very stubarn about his fishing every last bit of the catch must be his, from the set up to the fight! Unfortunately he told me to carry on and it turned out to be a lovely 2lb 7oz perch ! Anyone have any magic tips for the both of us on the 3 species in the title!?
APART FROM DONT LEAVE YOUR RODS UNATTENDED!!

Cheers, Jords

[Greenheart]

Guaranteed way to get a bite that.... Nice perch though.

[Jords]

Cheers mate

[northern eye]

Go for a pee, light a fag, answer a text or call, turn to talk to somebody - all definate ways to ensure missing bites!!! Haha. Good luck with your quest mate, I am also on a mission for a river Berbel this season - the only fish I have never caught - yet!! I use 2 tactics. Large feeders stuffed with freebies on a running rig and halibut pellet on a hair rig, cast into a pre-baited swim, keeping mobile and generally bait up 3 or 4 likely looking swims along the river. I also use a simple rolling rig and run chunks of luncheon meat through the swim directly on the hook with a swivvel attached to the hooklength to prevent tangles and just a swan shot as weight, nipped onto a seperate loop of line so as not to weaken the mainline. Each method I use, I always bait the swim well beforehand and stay mobile, generally fishing dawn or dusk. I will catch one yet!!!!

[Jords]

Or zip your sleeping bag up on a night session! Im still to catch one out of the river ive had a 4 pounder out of a commercial but to be honest its not a real barbel cause they dont fight in lakes! Basically identical set up to mine! Good luck to you also mate! If you live anywhere near cambridge you should come down to the river ivel stretch in biggleswade its known for its big barbel im going there this saturday! I did just wanna take my john wilson Barbel quiver down to the weir tonight with some luncheon meet or pepperami but i have been non stop this past week might have a rest!
Cheers for everything!

[northern eye]

Haha...yeh, sleepin bags!! Well I'm going to try for Barbel on the Tees, Swale and Ure up here but if I have no luck I am planning to head further south to catch one, maybe have a long weekend mission. I hear reports all the time about the stretches I fish holding decent Barbel but I have never caught or witnessed one being caught. There are some perfect stretches which scream out Barbel too. I have read about the Ivel holding big ones - me and my mate may give it a try later in the summer if we have no luck up North!! Cheers.

[Jords]

You will have to let me know how you get on! And if you ever go down their let me know in a dvance il tell you the stretch and come show you a few of the best swims maybe bring a rod and stick it out! It holds MASSIVE pike aswell! So gonna have a pop at them aswell!

Good luck!

[northern eye]

Fantastic..cheers!! Can always get the pike gear out if all else fails. Keep me posted and if I catch up here, I will certainly let you know.