Neil Maidment
Moderator
Just as an aside it was Thames barbel that were used for the original stocking of the tidal Dorset Stour at Iford Bridge a couple of times in the 1890's. Those fish went upstream and also downstream with some finding their way into the Royalty on the Hants Avon via the confluence of the two rivers at Christchurch. Many, including me, are certain several of the modern day population have made that same trip.
I've not really fished for barbel on the Thames too much but had a few many, many years ago from Lechlade, Radcot and several other places down towards the Oxford area. More recently I've had a few from around the general Hampton Court area where some acquaintances of mine continue to have plenty of good fish. But in common with many who fish that and similar areas they never get on the river much before late Autumn/Winter and well after the main flotillas of pleasure craft have departed and often during flooding.
For several years up until last season I concentrated my barbel fishing on the Upper Loddon and Blackwater both tributaries of the Thames and modern wisdom says the barbel are descendants of those that worked their way up from the Thames. Some parts of both those rivers appear to have very sparse populations but others have a very impressive head of fish.
The official records for those rivers at 19lbs+ (2008) for the Loddon and 13lbs+ (2014) for the Blackwater are impressive (although I and others know heavier fish have come from the Blackwater ). But more importantly both rivers are producing a good number of much smaller fish particularly from their upper reaches.
I've not really fished for barbel on the Thames too much but had a few many, many years ago from Lechlade, Radcot and several other places down towards the Oxford area. More recently I've had a few from around the general Hampton Court area where some acquaintances of mine continue to have plenty of good fish. But in common with many who fish that and similar areas they never get on the river much before late Autumn/Winter and well after the main flotillas of pleasure craft have departed and often during flooding.
For several years up until last season I concentrated my barbel fishing on the Upper Loddon and Blackwater both tributaries of the Thames and modern wisdom says the barbel are descendants of those that worked their way up from the Thames. Some parts of both those rivers appear to have very sparse populations but others have a very impressive head of fish.
The official records for those rivers at 19lbs+ (2008) for the Loddon and 13lbs+ (2014) for the Blackwater are impressive (although I and others know heavier fish have come from the Blackwater ). But more importantly both rivers are producing a good number of much smaller fish particularly from their upper reaches.