When talking of healthy rivers, there are those who have the notion that because a river can produce on odd occasions a huge fish, say a massive barbel, it must be a healthy river.
Well I don't think so.
A truly healthy river will hold a large variety of fish of different sizes, proving that young fish will replace old big fish as they die off, and die off they will, before their time too; especially if some nasty angler occasionally sticks hooks in their gobs.
---------- Post added at 01:55 ---------- Previous post was at 01:48 ----------
There was a most interesting article in Coarse Angling Today where the problem of the lack of barbel in the county of Oxfordshire was discussed. There was a time when there were lots of barbel in the Upper Thames, and in the Cherwell and Windrush too.
Not now.
Maybe an odd very big fish has been caught. But where are the younger fish which normally would replace these whoppers (this whopper more like)?
---------- Post added at 02:32 ---------- Previous post was at 01:55 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by markg
The Kennet could be in with a shout though. It must depend a bit on where you live to some extent.
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But the Upper Kennet is running dry!