Right guys lets get this section warmed up again :

[Skuimkop]

The Owner wrote:

Strange enough I catch way more barbel next to trees in in the winter, then next to rocks (vice versa in the summer)

Interesting.....

Theory: Isn't it easier for the Cats to eat what ever drops from the trees although it gives less nutrition but they use less energy than to go out on the hunt and burn energy. Yes they will get more nutrition if they go on the hunt but what happens if they have a couple of unsuccessful hunts in a row. Gone are those energy. So rather just maintain during winter and build up in the summer time???

 

[Steve Catlin]

In a body of water the temp must vary according to depth and structure, rapids etc. Perhaps some parts the Barbel are active where as others not. Just a thought.

 

[joshua02]

Steve Catlin wrote:

In a body of water the temp must vary according to depth and structure, rapids etc. Perhaps some parts the Barbel are active where as others not. Just a thought.

I think it is true last year june, I was at the vaal river and the water was hot and got a hidding from a 20kg in the trees. Some spots hold higher temperature because of many different factors

 

[The Owner]

Skuimkop ek dink jou teorie is korrek. Die babers wat ek gewoonlik op klippe vind is gewoonlik besig om te jag en dan cruise hul op en af teen die rotse. Terwyl daar nie 'n teken van die babers langs die bome is nie, tot ek 'n pumkinseed langs die bome gooi en BANG aan is die baber. Verder het ek ook al telkemale in die winter babers gekry wat in skole op die oppervlak voer op scum, dink dis muggies wat op die water 'n laag vorm en dan begin die babers op hul smul.

 

[dorsalfin]

Skuimkop wrote:

dorsalfin wrote:

I think that placement is more important than distance in any circumstance, no matter winter or summer. My oppinion for sure.

Can't agree more! Actually I believe this becomes way more important in the winter as smells don't travel that fast in colder water than in hotter water. Thus making your sent trail that much smaller/less effective over time. This is where my other theory also comes in to play. I believe you have to re-bait more regularly in winter to maintain a good sent trail at your targeted area or you need to get fresh sent at your bait. Ways you can use are with the help of a capsule lodged in your bait or if you are fishing under a tree, bridge or other structures with the help of a drip (medical type) but you are limited to the surface with the drip. Dorsal did however test a different method which in my opinion will work well. Maybe he will elaborate on this for you guys.

 Yes, well, I have an unlimited supply of chichen blood. What I do is sake smalish pill bottles and fill them with the blood, make a small hole or two and insert it into the carp head`s mouth. I then hair rig the head so the little bottle is enclosed in the mouth. This allows blood to to seep out very slowly, forming a scent trail over a long period of time.

Another thing I would like to try is taking the lines out about 250-300m and then bring the line in 10m every half an hour or so. This will allow you to cover a lot of ground, especially if you fish with 2-3 rods.

 

[Steve Catlin]

Hi

I tried the 300m thing, bringing in 15m every so often and got snagged on some structure, lost bait and Braid. The concept is a good one though and may work. Try freezing chicken blood into balls for a slow release, I have used this for the cavity of a dove. I also like to test these methods in a bucket of water to see the release times etc.

The problem that I have is TIME, I have so many methods and ideas to try out but not enough time to do it. What is also important to remember is that what works today may not work tomorrow.

 

[Ant86]

Slept over at the Vaal river on Saturday night,was for a social so no fishing gear...

Had a quick look next to the jetti at about 9:30pm and saw 2 cats of about 5 kg hovering just underneath the surface chewing on leaves and floating debris. Was the perfect situation for a loodkop. Im a firm beliver in artlure for winter cats during the day , its just too damn cold for not only the fish but also the angler !!!!

 

[Steve Catlin]

Anjar, you are a disgrace to the Angling world, a good Angler is always prepared with an emergency rod and reel in the boot of the car. lol

 

[Ant86]

Steve Catlin wrote:

Anjar, you are a disgrace to the Angling world, a good Angler is always prepared with an emergency rod and reel in the boot of the car. lol

The rod and reel wasnt really the problem ( Ive got spare gear at the river house) ..... The potential admin far outweighed the pleasure of hooking a lone wolf 5kg whisker, and there was no ways that I was spending Sat evening on a cold couch..... hahaha

 

[Steve Catlin]

Wise words

 

[Jakes 10]

Some great info here! This winter I'll be spending a few freezing nights next to the water chasing some cats.

 

[Daniel9]

What about popping for barbel in winter. My eerste baber op popper en lume lure gevang in die week.

 

[Jakes 10]

Daniel9 wrote:

What about popping for barbel in winter. My eerste baber op popper en lume lure gevang in die week.

Daniel9, dit kan werk. Waar vang jy en kan jy bietjie meer detail oor jou tegniek gee asb?

 

[Daniel9]

2 van ons plase grens aan die krokodil rivier net onder hartebeespoort dam so vang daar en in Rodekopjes dam. Kyk biki na die baber section bo is daar n topic oor popping vir baber. Dis n ongelooflike opwindende tegniek. Jamer weet nie hoe om die link te plaas oor die topic nie.

 

[Jakes 10]

Daniel9 wrote:

2 van ons plase grens aan die krokodil rivier net onder hartebeespoort dam so vang daar en in Rodekopjes dam. Kyk biki na die baber section bo is daar n topic oor popping vir baber. Dis n ongelooflike opwindende tegniek. Jamer weet nie hoe om die link te plaas oor die topic nie.

Baie dankie, ek sal die post kry. Klink na 'n baie lekker methode om hulle te teiken.

 

[Daniel9]

Dit is opeindend om jou popper te sien verdwyn en vas te maak.

 

[Alex123]

Hi Skuim,

Ons het so twee naweke terug by die Vaaldam gaan draai op privaat grond. Gedurende die dag het ons vier babers gevang almal so tussen 5-8kg. Die babers was almal op klein ase gevang ("dooie" platties en kuikens) hierdie ase is ook in gevat 80m en 120m... Laat middag so net na 17:00 het ons die groot ase uit-geplaas op so 80m en 100m. Ek het twee baie groot koppe aan gehad - een gewone karp(3.2kg) en een van 'n gras karp(4.5kg) - geen aksie dwars deur die hele nag of volgende oggend nie.. Gedurende die dag was dit lekker warm maar die aande was koud..

My gevolgtrekking wat ek toe maar gemaak het, is dat 'n mens dalk kleiner ase gedurende die dag moet gebruik in die winter..?

 

[Arrie87]

I think it is highly dependent on where you fish.

I fish Krugersdrift in Bloemfontein a lot, specifically with the popping technique. Right up to the first week of April we where nailing the cats, averaging 10 to 15 fish in a morning session with fish ranging from 7 to 17kg.

When we had the first cold snap and rains the fishing COMPLETELY changed with the cold water temps. In the space of one week we went from great fishing to crap fishing, having to work entire sessions for at most 3 fish, narrowly avoiding blanks most of the time. Placement AND time became key. The only fish we got where right up against structure (in this case submerged slender knotweeds) and from 3 in the afternoon onwards. They were taken on the cast or on very long pauses between pops, i.e. the pop just happened to be close to where a fish was sitting.

And I must agree on the physiology aspect, in my opinion they are not really "hunters" anymore, just opportunistic feeders.

 

[IWyk]

River fishing-location is more important than distance.

In winter, location is everything. Underwater structure(trees, overhangs, rocks, drop-offs. Eddies where water(and food)circles back on the main stream will also produce better as food will get washed in there.

Bait used will also be more important. Popping will start producing less in winter as well as small dead baits.

The correct Big live baits(where legal) dropped in the correct location will always produce a big cat or two.

I well remember catching 7 big cats this way in one location in the dead of winter. The cats where all caught from 15H00 until 01H00, when we took the rods out as we could not take the cold anymore and had had enough!

Barbel are supreme predatory fish and feed throughout the year especially the big ones, by changing tactics they can be caught year round.

Sudden changes in weather(cold front moving in)will always effect all types of fishing. However if the weather has staid constant for a while(cold but the same) you can once again expect to catch fish. As mentioned it may mean a change in tactics but if you do it correctly you will catch fish.

 

[Alex123]

Great replies.. but in a dam like the Vaal where structure is very limited when fishing from the shore, would you go deep or shallow..and would your bait be large(big heads/whole fish) or small(day-old chicks or "dead" platties)..?

I know that temperature fluctuations can completely stuff up a good day of fishing.. but is the temperature remained constant for a while would they rather stay in deep water(6m+) or relatively shallow (+/-3m)? As you guys said they still need to eat..