BARBEL DAYS AND WAYS (Vol.4)

Bob Roberts and Stuart Walker

This is rumoured to be the final video in the series, which would be a shame, although it's difficult to know where Bob and Stuart could go next. The video kicks off on a beautifully wild stretch of the River Wye managed by the Wye and Usk Foundation, who get good coverage for their river passport scheme, where some sound common sense swim selection advice is given. Under trying conditions a few fish are caught too. This is followed by the first of the underwater filming sections looking at the reaction of barbel to a bait dropper and how feeders and PVA deposit their bait. Having seen how PVA mesh bags perform I'm amazed I ever catch anything. I guess you can either change your tactics according to the video evidence, or your own results. I know which I'll be doing...

After the underwater sequences it's up north to the Wharfe and Mick Woods demonstrating his method of laying on a float rig to good effect. Again, more down to earth advice. The final fishing section is with Dave Mason on the Teme where he reveals one of his secrets for fooling wary barbel in clear, weedy rivers. Before that, however, is the filming that will really get people wondering about their end tackle - how barbel react to, and are spooked by, various hooklinks. I'll let you interpret what you see for yourselves as to what you think makes the best hooklink material. All I will say is that I now have even more confidence in my end gear...

Yet another excellent video with good action shots, sound advice, thought provoking underwater segments and some evocative scenery that makes you want to get down the river as soon as you can.

With a running time of around 83 minutes this video is available from www.bobrobertsonline.co.uk.

Trailer here.

Dave Lumb

Posted April 2010

BARBEL DAYS AND WAYS (Vol.3)

Bob Roberts and Stuart Walker

If you have watched the first two Days and Ways videos then you'll know what to expect. Atmospheric scenery shots, down to earth instruction, rod bending action (with a little too much clutch noise and hand-up-the-rod playing technique fro my taste!) and amazing underwater footage.

This time round the on the river action is provided by Dave Mason demonstrating his careful approach to catching Teme barbel at close range, which is a valuable lesson for the clumsy amongst us. Bob Roberts shows how easy it can be on the tidal Trent - until the boats arrive. In his shed Archie Braddock runs through his method of flavouring dead maggots for both feed and hookbaits.

Yet again, however, the barbel are the real stars of the show. There is the incredible hand feeding underwater footage from an Austrian river provided by Planet Prints, and in Stu and Bob's own footage the barbel prove why they are called 'river pigs' with justification. Bold feeders though they can be the filming demonstrates why the baiting has to be right to achieve the frenzied response that makes barbel mugs. I won't elaborate on what is revealed, buy the DVD and see for yourself, but it has explained to me why my approach works.

It was also fascinating to see how Stu and Bob take their underwater footage. They have nothing high tech like the Korda crew, yet still achieve entertaining and revealing results that are sure to open a few eyes and minds. I have the fourth DVD still to watch. I can't wait!

With a running time of around 85 minutes this video is available from www.bobrobertsonline.co.uk.

Trailer here.

Dave Lumb

Posted April 2010

BARBEL DAYS AND WAYS (Vol. 2)

Bob Roberts and Stuart Walker

After watching the first 'Days and Ways' film I had a good idea of what to expect from this one as far as presentation and such like was concerned. I was pleased to note that the music seems to be much less intrusive, making for a more enjoyable watching experience. And there is plenty to enjoy watching. Again the semi-professional feel is retained with at least one continuity error and a few shots of the second camera, but that's being picky. The fishing and underwater footage more than compensates.

If anything there is even more of this sort of stuff in this DVD. Seeing barbel turning over large stones and rooting in gravel with their snouts, and hearing them grunting like the river pigs they are as they chomp on pellets, was surprising. If you're like me and never get to see barbel feeding the overhead shots of fish moving over baited patches will be interesting too.

There is instructional stuff too with both Bob Roberts and guest Steve Pope running through their rigs and methods for fishing small rivers. I've often wondered what the appeal of centrepins is for barbel fishing, but watching Steve playing fish using one has left me none the wiser!

Another excellent film that captures what barbel fishing means to a lot of people and which stands watching more than once. Just the ticket to fore you up for a new season. Roll on volume 3!

With a running time of around 77 minutes this video is available from www.bobrobertsonline.co.uk.

Trailer here.

Dave Lumb

Posted May 2009

BARBEL - A HANDBOOK OF TECHNIQUES

This book is a compilation of articles covering a wide range of barbel fishing topics culled from the pages of Coarse Angling Today. As such long term readers of the magazine might find themselves reading stuff they have read before. However, anyone who isn't a regular reader or who has only recently discovered CAT will find a lot of informative and thought provoking stuff.

Contributors include Len Arbery, Tony Miles, Chris Turnbull, Pete Reading and many more familiar names from the barbel fishing world.

Very much a technical manual it appealed to me. There are a few descriptive passages which can be skipped over, and the chapter on European barbel fishing held no appeal for me, but I know there are passages and chapters I'll read again and again.

Illustrated in full colour throughout and available in softback or hardback editions it is also excellent value.

Available from www.gifts4anglers.co.uk

Dave Lumb

Posted May 2009

BARBEL DAYS AND WAYS (Vol. 1)

Bob Roberts and Stuart Walker

I'm not a great watcher of angling videos, most annoy me intensely, so I'll get my gripes out of the way first. The music is intrusive in places and not always, to my ears, fitting, Lee Swords plays up his on-line personality of 'a bit of a character', and there's a little too much clutch slackening for my taste. Other than that the film is extremely watchable.

Considering that Bob and Stuart appear to have done all the work involved in producing this video it is well presented in a more than semi-professional way. Bob has obviously learned some presenters tricks over the years and does a good job of linking the sections of the film. Stuart, after trying maybe a little too hard early on comes across very naturally and this makes the fishing sequences particularly 'real'.

There is some atmospheric camerawork that really does get across the feel of being by the river, and the action is just what you want to watch to make you grab the rods and go fishing. Watching the rod tip knowing it'll fly round was almost as good as the real thing!

Probably the best bits are the underwater footage. Watching fish going about their business is almost endlessly fascinating, no matter what they are up to. The baby barbel at Calverton are really cute too.

With a running time of over 79 minutes this video is excellent value for money and is available from www.bobrobertsonline.co.uk.

Trailer here.

Dave Lumb

Posted May 2009

CHRIS TURNBULL FINE ART FISH PRINTS

I was lucky enough to be sent Snag Swim Barbel for review and the first thing I can tell you is that the reproduction you see on the right doesn't do the print full justice. It doesn't come close.

I was quite taken aback when I saw the print itself. The colours are far more natural, making the barbel look really 'barbelly', for want of a better word. To say the print is stunning is no understatement.

The paper quality and the 'giclee' printing process creates something that could almost fool you into thinking you had the original artwork in your hands. As a former art student I don't make such a comment lightly.

Of course such quality doesn't come cheap. You can find full pricing and ordering details on Chris's website - www.christurnbullart.com

Dave Lumb

BIG BARBEL: BONDED BY THE CHALLENGE
edited by
Bob Church

Five main chapters (by Bob Church, Peter Reading, Guy Robb, Ray Walton and Brian Dowling) make up the bulk of this book. Apart from the Brian Dowling chapter about barbel records - rapidly becoming dated - the book mainly deals with fishing shallow and often clear rivers, focusing on the Great Ouse and the Hampshire rivers.

Church's chapter about the history of the Ouse barbel is interesting for those who like that sort of thing, observed barbel behaviour is covered in some detail by various contributors, and Walton's chapter on rolling meat is a fine introduction to the method.

If you fish the type of rivers dealt with Bonded by the Challenge will be an invaluable read. But as with most books about barbel fishing it's usefulness for those who fish the big rivers is limited.

Dave Lumb

Posted March 2007

BARBEL RIVERS AND CAPTURES
by
The Barbel Catchers Club

Compiled by members of the Barbel Catchers Club, this book comprises 29 chapters each about a specific river (or section of river in a couple of cases). The first part of each river chapter describes the river and the author's approach to fishing it, while the second part (sometimes written by another author) describes the capture of a notable barbel. There are also chapters about baits and the future of barbel fishing, plus a list of the BCC river best barbel.

Published in 2004 some of the information is a little out of date, but the fundamentals will always apply. Some chapters go into more detail than others, however, the book is still highly informative and a good read, especially for someone thinking of trying a river they haven't fished before. Anyone new to barbel fishing will also find the book useful as you are not given just one angler's view of how to catch barbel in one or two rivers.

Dave Lumb

Posted March 2007

QUEST FOR BARBEL
by
Tony Miles and Trefor West

Considered by many to be a barbel angling bible. The authors detail their approach to barbel fishing, primarily on the smaller rivers such as the Wensum, Cherwell and Bristol Avon. If you fish these sort of rivers the book will be a great investment. If you fish larger rivers, tidal stretches or spate rivers, then it will have less to offer you.

Dave Lumb

Posted March 2007

BARBEL: OBSESSION
by
Steve Stayner

This book is a compilation of Steve Stayner's first three books. And being a self-published limited run is likely to be hard to track down. However it is well worth finding. Although Stayner's writing style is not everyone's cup of tea, and some of his ideas may seem wacky, you do get the impression that everything he writes about has been tried and proved to succeed.

You might not want to follow Stayner to the letter, but if this book does nothing else it will make you think about your barbel fishing.

Dave Lumb

Posted March 2007