In line with discussions on my Ambitions thread,i'd like to use the FM membership to give their opinions on numbers of barbel at present on their rivers,if a decline is suspected isn't really the issue,or the reasons why,that can be emotive,just your views,i'd be grateful for your viewpoints(on the back of a postcard please....no,just kidding).
Barbel populations in southern rivers,your views please?
- Thread starter 108831
- Start date
I'm not really in a great position to comment on this given that I have only ever caught 6 barbel and all on the Dorset Stour. That said, I believe that there was quite a poor catch rate of barbel from Throop beat two last season, according to Irish George any way. I remember speaking to Brian Wilson in the winter and he hadn't landed a single barbel. Whether the fish that were stocked over the past couple of seasons start to put in an appearance is anyone's guess.
No good vibrations from Brian Wilson, then.
Neil Maidment
Moderator
Certainly a lot less than 40 years ago but other than the Wye, Severn and Trent, where else is the opposite true?
I know there are more in the Dorset Stour from the tidal up through Throop, Parley and Longham than many will have you believe. As for the introductions over the last several years, they seem to have done the usual disappearing act although the odd one or two have appeared in the "dipping" aquatic life counts we've carried out. I helped with several work parties during the 2016 closed season and was very pleasantly surprised on Throop to see in excess of a dozen barbel between School Bridge and Barbel Corner. That gave me sufficient incentive to give them a try but only had two (both good doubles) and lost a couple. I had a couple more from the tidal but they were few and far between. Long gone are the days of multiple keepnets full of barbel in the 2lb-5lb bracket but that was 40/50 years ago
mg:
I know less of the Hants Avon but places like Royalty still hold a fair number and regularly produce fine fish. They have had introductions but they were mainly longer ago. Always the odd big fish reported from the Avon between Christchurch and Ringwood but very few appear to fish those areas let alone report captures. The Somerley/Ibsley syndicate above Ringwood includes some very fine anglers and plenty of barbel reported. Similarly above Ibsley produces some fine fish but not necessarily all reported. Likewise above Fordingbridge, some excellent club and syndicate waters all hold a few.
The Test and particularly the Itchen have fair numbers (unfortunately). Especially the lower and progressively higher Itchen has quite a big population including plenty of doubles. Ignorant, misguided (and a few other choice expletives I can't use on here) "anglers" have been responsible for their introduction and those barbel should not be in those rivers!
Inevitable rumours of a barbel or two in the Dorset Frome but, so far, I've not come across one or indeed seen any images of one. I did see a photoshopped image of a barbel purported to be from the Frome above Wareham. But the same angler/fish/pose combination was later seen and that was from Trammels on Royalty!
I know there are more in the Dorset Stour from the tidal up through Throop, Parley and Longham than many will have you believe. As for the introductions over the last several years, they seem to have done the usual disappearing act although the odd one or two have appeared in the "dipping" aquatic life counts we've carried out. I helped with several work parties during the 2016 closed season and was very pleasantly surprised on Throop to see in excess of a dozen barbel between School Bridge and Barbel Corner. That gave me sufficient incentive to give them a try but only had two (both good doubles) and lost a couple. I had a couple more from the tidal but they were few and far between. Long gone are the days of multiple keepnets full of barbel in the 2lb-5lb bracket but that was 40/50 years ago
mg:I know less of the Hants Avon but places like Royalty still hold a fair number and regularly produce fine fish. They have had introductions but they were mainly longer ago. Always the odd big fish reported from the Avon between Christchurch and Ringwood but very few appear to fish those areas let alone report captures. The Somerley/Ibsley syndicate above Ringwood includes some very fine anglers and plenty of barbel reported. Similarly above Ibsley produces some fine fish but not necessarily all reported. Likewise above Fordingbridge, some excellent club and syndicate waters all hold a few.
The Test and particularly the Itchen have fair numbers (unfortunately). Especially the lower and progressively higher Itchen has quite a big population including plenty of doubles. Ignorant, misguided (and a few other choice expletives I can't use on here) "anglers" have been responsible for their introduction and those barbel should not be in those rivers!
Inevitable rumours of a barbel or two in the Dorset Frome but, so far, I've not come across one or indeed seen any images of one. I did see a photoshopped image of a barbel purported to be from the Frome above Wareham. But the same angler/fish/pose combination was later seen and that was from Trammels on Royalty!
Certainly a lot less than 40 years ago but other than the Wye, Severn and Trent, where else is the opposite true?
I know there are more in the Dorset Stour from the tidal up through Throop, Parley and Longham than many will have you believe. As for the introductions over the last several years, they seem to have done the usual disappearing act although the odd one or two have appeared in the "dipping" aquatic life counts we've carried out. I helped with several work parties during the 2016 closed season and was very pleasantly surprised on Throop to see in excess of a dozen barbel between School Bridge and Barbel Corner. That gave me sufficient incentive to give them a try but only had two (both good doubles) and lost a couple. I had a couple more from the tidal but they were few and far between. Long gone are the days of multiple keepnets full of barbel in the 2lb-5lb bracket but that was 40/50 years ago
I know less of the Hants Avon but places like Royalty still hold a fair number and regularly produce fine fish. They have had introductions but they were mainly longer ago. Always the odd big fish reported from the Avon between Christchurch and Ringwood but very few appear to fish those areas let alone report captures. The Somerley/Ibsley syndicate above Ringwood includes some very fine anglers and plenty of barbel reported. Similarly above Ibsley produces some fine fish but not necessarily all reported. Likewise above Fordingbridge, some excellent club and syndicate waters all hold a few.
The Test and particularly the Itchen have fair numbers (unfortunately). Especially the lower and progressively higher Itchen has quite a big population including plenty of doubles. Ignorant, misguided (and a few other choice expletives I can't use on here) "anglers" have been responsible for their introduction and those barbel should not be in those rivers!
Inevitable rumours of a barbel or two in the Dorset Frome but, so far, I've not come across one or indeed seen any images of one. I did see a photoshopped image of a barbel purported to be from the Frome above Wareham. But the same angler/fish/pose combination was later seen and that was from Trammels on Royalty!
Interesting Neil. It's very hard to spot fish on beat two at the moment due to the density of the weed. Seen a few chub, but no barbel.
I can't believe some one has the time or the inclination to photoshop something like that. Hilarious.
Neil Maidment
Moderator
Fish spotting is almost an equal "hobby" with me. I spent many, many hours in my youth walking rivers with my uncles and it has stood me in good stead. I probably took about two hours to "walk" that few hundred yards above School Bridge and tend to stop and look at a general area rather than a specific spot trying to see something a little different. But, if they're going to be in there, then they'll be in that dense weed!
Just above Glen's weir looked void of any life but once I'd got down on my stomach on the high bank I eventually saw a shoal of four barbel drifting in and out of the far bank cover (and countless chub!). It's often only a tail or a flicker of a roll that gives them away.
I've helped a few people stalk big trout in crystal clear weedy water and sometimes I'm quite shocked when accomplished anglers just don't see what I see. Maybe they're looking for a fish whereas I'm not :wh
Just above Glen's weir looked void of any life but once I'd got down on my stomach on the high bank I eventually saw a shoal of four barbel drifting in and out of the far bank cover (and countless chub!). It's often only a tail or a flicker of a roll that gives them away.
I've helped a few people stalk big trout in crystal clear weedy water and sometimes I'm quite shocked when accomplished anglers just don't see what I see. Maybe they're looking for a fish whereas I'm not :wh
Neil and I have talked about barbel on the lower Stour last year and I must say last year when I was down,I saw barbel roll virtually every evening,sometimes several,when previous couple of years I had seen none...definitely less barbel there than 5 years ago or more though...
wardalan1987
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2016
- Messages
- 80
- Reaction score
- 0
I fish the Trent in Nottinghamshire regularly. I would suggest that barbel have defiantly seen a decline in recent years. Around 3 years ago the barbel sport has been fantastic, unfortunately this is not the case anymore. There are fish still there but not in the size or quantity that they once were.
As for the reason why, I'm left clueless. All I know is they are not there in numbers they were.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
As for the reason why, I'm left clueless. All I know is they are not there in numbers they were.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
thecrow
Well-known member
Where do you consider to be South? where does "South" start
B
binka
Guest
Up until the start of this season I would have tended to agree, I'm not preoccupied with barbel in general (and not implying you are, I'm just limiting the scope of my own experiences) and so my opinion isn't based completely on my own fishing but the sounds coming from many that I know who are barbel obsessed were exactly as you say.
However...
In the two relatively short sessions I've barbel fished this season I've taken fifteen fish, three of them doubles, and lost a further three.
I've changed my game a bit in a couple of respects though and the noticeable thing about last season was that I was continuing to catch on the float whilst the guys on the tip were scratching their heads.
I never thought that populations of four or five years ago could possibly sustain that high level and I assumed it was just the height of a natural peak and the addressing of the balance that follows but this theory has fallen flat on its face over the last few days.
I also think there are far more fish in fewer pockets whereas they seemed to be everywhere before.
Maybe a general wising up by the barbel themselves?
Last edited:
Steve,your views are definitely applicable,barbel do at times suss bigger and stationary bait presentation are often ignored,it happened here during winter months,the only problem with rivers like the Trent,Severn and often the Wye is that fish spotting can be very difficult,if not impossible,down on my rivers and rivers like the Hants Avon,clarity is often perfect and fish can regularly be seen,if their about,results give the full picture,on the Thames I personally have not ever found anywhere it's possible to see barbel,even if it is clear,I have never seen the Loddon,i've fished the Kennet and have seen barbel,but often visibility wasn't quite good enough.The other big point is i've heard some guys i've talked to who fish the Trent tell me that some stretches fish totally different,some with large populations of smaller fish(nice),others with lower numbers,with larger fish,this is the same river that had generally good populations all through some years ago,if you are unfortunate to be at the start of a decline,then my advice would be to fish hard for them now,as you won't remember what one looks like in the worse case scenario.
lutra
Well-known member
Get with it Alan, I spent a day and a night only last summer moored on the run out of the weir pool at Goring at the side of the lock and could just about see a couple. Their flashing caught my eye to start with over towards the far side and then I realized I could just about make their dark shapes out. Just to confirm it, one rolled at the surface later on in the day and was clearly a barbel (and a good size).
I spent a couple of weeks chugging up and down between Reading and Oxford and fishing. Apart from the weir pools, it's largely a slug of a river with not much flow. Did It ever have many barbel in it?
The Thames had a reasonable head in places,I could get a few,you had to know where they wanted to be,but isn't that normal,as for flow,the river is now a glorified canal and during the summer months as little water as possible is allowed over the weirs to allow the locks to be operated countless times a day,a very different river from November on normally,when it runs hard,where 2-3ozs are often needed to hold 10m out,this is around Didcot.
lutra
Well-known member
Not knowing a lot about Thames barbel Alan, I would have to ask where that reasonable head of your yesteryear came from? Was it a natural head or was it a result of them being stocked over the years and is it not just a case that their thinning out with old age with not the same leave of new stockings and your largely left with just a few big oldies?
The Thames is one of the few rivers in the UK where barbel are indigenous,along with some other east coast rivers,it has never been swamped,but I have caught 8-9 fish in a session at Tadpole Bridge,barbel are a species always linked with fast oxygen filled rivers,but they often thrive in steadier water,chub are the same really,the Thames was full of those and still holds good numbers.
anthonyforsyth2
Member
Guys, I'm staying near chepstow soon. Can you fish the Severn for barbel there? Cheers ?
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
lutra
Well-known member
Yes barbel are indigenous to the Thames, but you don't need to look to far back to find times when large parts of the river are described as bing devoid of life. So back to the question of are barbel self sustaining or is this good head of barbel you talk of just a stocked fish smokescreen?
Chub are no way barbel. They are far more tolerant and will self sustain in waters barbel couldn't live one life in. That's why they are far more widespread right across the country.
Not being funny Anthony, but as a new member you'd be far better of introducing yourself on the newbie section and then starting up a new thread on the relevant section. You are far more likely to get an answer that way than by hijacking an unrelated subject. It pi$$es some people off!
Welcome by the way.
anthonyforsyth2
Member
Yeah, thanks for the welcome Swiz ? I thought barbel in southern rivers was sort of the topic I had referred to as I'm staying in the south west?Not being funny Anthony, but as a new member you'd be far better of introducing yourself on the newbie section and then starting up a new thread on the relevant section. You are far more likely to get an answer that way than by hijacking an unrelated subject. It pi$$es some people off!
Welcome by the way.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk