Do barble prefer deeper channels?

[BergieVisserman]

Hi everyone

So I recently moved to Maun in Botswana and had to start doing freshwater angling (Fishing is compulsary). Being a saltwater fisherman and not knowing anything about freshwater angling we started targeting barbel.

Now my question. Where would we find bigger barbel, in the deeper channels or shallow water. We mainly fish the boteti river for barble at night as there is an old bridge that keeps you safe from hippo and crocs, but the river is only about 1,5m-2,0m deep at most. Our biggest specimen this far is a 7kg fish.

Should we perhaps start using bigger baits? The big bloody ones might attract some crocs...

We also mainly fish with A-grade steak. At 10 Pula this seems to work fairly well but we also tend to attract alot of younger fish.

Thanks in advance

The biggest specimen so far.....

 

[TimJan]

What is the most abundant fish in the river?
Dont know about the local rules but swimming a live 1kg model will be your best bet for a bigger barbel but the crocks might also like it. Else bash its head lightly with a rock and cast in.

I will fish on the edge of the channel.
At night they swim around looking for food mostly close to shore or just after some rapids in the deep hole.

 

[Baasvark]

Not necessarily.

Guys using the "klop" method catch 20kg barbel in water 1m deep.....

Obviously weather conditions etc play a role but barbel can be caught deep or shallow.....

You need to find out where the barbel are on the day as well as the ideal bait.

Steaks might work but I would prefer a fish head or somehing similar.

 

[Slimy Salamander]

Baasvark wrote:

Not necessarily.

Guys using the "klop" method catch 20kg barbel in water 1m deep.....

Obviously weather conditions etc play a role but barbel can be caught deep or shallow.....

You need to find out where the barbel are on the day as well as the ideal bait.

Steaks might work but I would prefer a fish head or somehing similar.

Yes depth is not important and it varies, got a 15kg one the weekend in water below my knees.

 

[Fishpaste]

I would catch smaller fish from the river itself and use that as bait. Add a bit of cod liver oil for extra scent.
I agree...water is deep enough for a big cat.

 

[BergieVisserman]

Hi everyone

Thanks for the replies. Most abundant fish species would be the thin face large mouth bream, and the occasional squeeker and african pike.

Most of our pickups we tend to get in an area full of reeds, so we tend to get stuck on the initial run. They quite strong in the rapids.

The heaviest rod I have with me is a Nexave tiger 7ft and a Daiwa Laguna 4000 loaded with 30Lbs JDB braid.

 

[Slimy Salamander]

BergieVisserman wrote:

Hi everyone

Thanks for the replies. Most abundant fish species would be the thin face large mouth bream, and the occasional squeeker and african pike.

Most of our pickups we tend to get in an area full of reeds, so we tend to get stuck on the initial run. They quite strong in the rapids.

The heaviest rod I have with me is a Nexave tiger 7ft and a Daiwa Laguna 4000 loaded with 30Lbs JDB braid.

What you need is a roepstok, you will never want to catch a barbel any other way again. See my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH1vqUrPFck

 

[Fishpaste]

Damn looks like an ama-zing spot daai. I think you might want to beef up on your gear for those cats. Like you say they are a lot stronger in those currents. Best spots for large cats are usually just below those currents.

 

[BergieVisserman]

Will have a look at the video as soon as the internet decides to work properly again. Africa...

Will beef up the gear a bit in due time, this was a bit unintentional to like barbel fishing haha. Only came here kitted for tiger and bream, but seeing that I'm spending most of my time in Maun at the moment targeting big barbel might just be the tension breaker that I need.

Will be spending some time up around Kasane and in the delta quite a bit in the not so far future, so then the tigerfishing questions will start.

Picking up a flyfishing rod from Joburg next week so will need to start tying flies as well.



Its all part of the fun. The frequent size bream we catch. The bigger specimens are further up North

 

[Fishpaste]

Those Bream are perfect for bait. Get rid off the fins and Bob's your uncle.

 

[IWyk]

Barbel can be caught in either deeper water or shallow water(depending on time of day, water temp. etc.)

When the water is clean(as per your pictures) barbel will retreat to deeper water during the heat of the day and start coming out to the shallows as the day draws to an end. They will then seek out these places where food is abundant.

Most important is to look for structure and places where food and smaller fish will gather.

Structure being above or below water. Trees(dead or alive), reeds, rocks, drop offs, eddies etc.

Drop-offs, where faster flowing water washes over rocks into deeper water is always productive.

Eddies- where faster moving water enters slower(deeper) water, these can be identified by water normally slowly circling to either side(check for floating debris that starts turning on the surface) are also excellent spots as food washed down will gather here.

The big barbel in turn will be here to snack on these scraps as well as hunt the smaller fish that have the same idea.

Mudfish and bream if legal to use as live bait are excellent. Bear in mind that barbel are predatory fish and actively hunt live fish but will not hesitate to take dead bait.

Strike rate on live bait for big barbel will be much higher than on dead bait.

Use any heads, half or whole fish or fillets of fish that occur naturally in the river. Scale them before using them as this lets out more flavour and the cat will swallow the bait more readily.

I would not use the dipstick method unless you try just off the bridge or from a boat with crocs and hippos about.

You can also sight fish for them with a spinning rod. Attach a big float(top bung) to your trace and have a fillet about .5-1 m below that. As soon as you see a barbel surface to gulp air, cast directly at it or just ahead of it if you can determine the direction the barbel is going. Let your bait settle down. If no take give a short jerk or two-this normally entices a strike. If not repeat when another surfaces.

Good live bait rig method.

 

[IWyk]

Half a fish presentation.

 

[IWyk]

Ox heart spiced with chicken guts.

 

[IWyk]

Hope this helps a bit and all the best. I am sure you will get your 10 kg and it will be a memorable experience as the river barbel give much better fights than dam ones.

Tight lines.

 

[deisel]

Crocus are gonna love those hahahah

 

[IWyk]

Sure, but so are the big cats! Awesome when you can fish a place where there are still crocs and hippos, really looks like a nice venue.

 

[Soutiebloem]

eish al die pics maak my net erg lus vir ou snorre ,sal moet n plan maak in die nabye toekoms om te gaan vang verlang na die geveg van hulle.

 

[Ant86]

Wow, some awesome bait presentations there

 

[katvisbaber]

My opinion is that about 8 of ten big catfish that i caught is in water depth of around 3 to 5 meters  Once in a while i will get 1 in deeper water. Best catches also against the reeds or under trees , problem there is that you nearly always get stuck and have to be quick.
My brother Jaco caught one this weekend in water depth about 4metres.It weight 42.4lbs 
I will place photo under Best catches.

 

[deisel]

4 to 6 meters. I guess the term deep channel is very very vague . A deep channel in some places can be 20m deep and a shallow flat could be 4m deep or 4 ft deep. All relevant to the area I geuss