Barbel in the River Loddon

[kingfisher2007]

Hi Anyone can give me a bit of info fishing the River Loddon. I am going to give it a crack. Thought it would be ideal to use a float..slow trotting.
What are your thoughts ?

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Hopefully our resident Loddon expert, Neil, will see this and reply for you . . . . .

 

[Keith M]

I have only fished the old Barnet AC stretch many years ago and always used bottom tactics (feeder or link leger) so I'm definately not going to be of much help Lol.

I caught plenty of barbel there though and I only fished it during the warmer months, but found it a little too weedy to use trotting tactics where I fished at the time.

I hope you get Niel to answer your question soon because as Peter said he will be able to give you much more up to date info.

Tight lines

Keith

 

[Neil Maidment]

Hi, I mainly only have experience of the upper/middle Loddon around Stanford End (near the Wellington Estate) and Carters Hill/Sindlesham which is either side of the M4. Essentially those stretches controlled by Farnham AS.

It's a small river and in places quite "wild" with little or no maintenance especially the upper river. Plenty of barbel up to mid teens, good chub to 6+ and some excellent trotting areas in winter for those prepared to walk a few fields! Otherwise most approach it with static tactics and at night for the barbel which often seem to be nocturnal feeders.

But once winter arrives trotting will produce good dace and chub to maggot &/or caster.

 

[kingfisher2007]

Thanks Neil will be having ago at the sindlesham stretch as I live in Lower Earley.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Fished the Loddon for 45 years.

At Sindlesham the side stream that starts below the weir and runs back in downstream is as good as bet as any. Especially the first bend down.
You can spot fish in low water summer.

The short bit behind the hotel also can produce.

Also the river upstream from the George can produce

Both are club waters. Farnborough and South Lake I believe.

Don't expect a lot of action. Accepted tactics for the big fish are boilies( source/odyssey xxx or similar) or part boilie and paste, with a few broken into a pva bag. Sit and wait. Night favourite.

Big Fish.

The old Barnet bit is now RDAA downstream of Hurst bridge and TDFC above.

 

[Neil Maidment]

The Sindlesham sidestream Graham mentions is part of Farnham's water and was always a bit wild. It still holds barbel but it really is a very overgrown jungle with very few fishable spots. The bigger weir at the bottom of the sidestream is completely enclosed by 6ft+ fencing and private fishing. Farnham's water starts upstream of that and goes all the way up to the M4 bridge. Their Carter's Hill stretch carries on from there upstream of the bridge. Access at Sindlesham is through a padlocked gate, unfortunately no guest or day tickets.

It was the home of a couple of very big barbel but I believe they are long gone. Still a few barbel up there as well as good chub, bream and some very big carp.

There's excellent fishing further upstream via different clubs at Arborfield and Swallowfield as well as Farnham's stretch at Stanford End.

I was able to fish Farnham's venues very frequently for the last few years and took full advantage for some of the best barbel fishing I've had for many years. For around £100 a year it was a bargain as far as I was concerned.

Farnham Angling Society - Big Carp, Coarse, Barbel and Pike Fishing in the South of England

 

[kingfisher2007]

Thank you all for information..I will be having ago, and try and plumb here and there. especially on the side stream.
Farnham is good value for me as I am 65...

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Neil. Has that sidestream changed? I know its Farnham above but it used to be Farnborough?


Ah. Different sides..

FADAS