Top specimen angler Dai Gribble reveals the set-up that has caught him countless giant fish over recent seasons
FISHING for big barbel can be a bit of a waiting game at times, and one where you also need to have the utmost confidence in your rig.
A handful of hefty double-figure fish could live in the stretch you’re targeting, and when one of them finally shows an interest in your hookbait, your set-up not only needs to be well-presented and mechanically sound, but also bombproof in construction.
Tying a rig that is hardly ever going to tangle as the feeder sinks to the bottom is vital, and one of the most successful big-fish anglers in recent years believes he’s landed upon the answer.
Dai Gribble has a personal best list that would make most specimen anglers green with envy.
He’s caught barbel to over 16lb and has won the Drennan Cup – the UK’s most prestigious big-fish competition – on two occasions.
A lot of his success has come down to analysing the finer details of rigs so that he can capitalise on any chances that come his way, and when it comes to barbel, there’s one set-up that he simply wouldn’t be without.
“My rig might be out for a couple of hours at a time and the last thing I want is to reel it in and find a massive tangle that almost certainly happened on the cast,” explained Dai.
“Using the correct components gives me the confidence that it is presented properly and ready to trip up any big fish that might be hungry and in the vicinity.”
Finely-tuned presentation
Dai’s aim is to get his rig lying straight and true on the bottom, with no tangles occurring as everything sinks. He uses 15lb mono mainline, but it’s what he attaches to this next that gives him the utmost confidence in his presentation.
He explained: “I use a 15lb fluorocarbon leader that is 3ft-6ft long. The shallower the venue is, the shorter it needs to be so that it has time to straighten out in the flow as the rig sinks. Having some separation is important as most of the bait in my feeder will trundle downstream, and I want my hookbait to blend in with those freebies.
“The cage feeder is run on to my mainline, a Gardner Kwik Lok swivel is tied on to the end, and the fluorocarbon leader is hooked on to this, with a rubber sleeve neatening everything up.”
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