thecrow
Well-known member
According to the EA fish raised at Calverton and released in 2015 totalled almost half a million within that figure were 58,400 barbel so I would imagine quite a lot of rivers have received the small barbel from Calverton over the last few years, its perhaps these stocked fish that are being caught, growth rates of these fish will vary from river to river.
This information is from another forum posted by a very well qualified lady whose full name escapes me at the moment it does give some idea of barbel growth rates.
Barbel grow in length from from June to September but as a rather long lived species they grow slowly taking about 4 years to reach a pound, from then on the growth of the female is faster than the males with the males reaching 45cm and the females reaching 60 cm at the age of eight, thats about 3-4lb and about 6-7lb respectively.
A female could make double figures in 10-12 years with a maximum life span aproaching 25 years, the Traveller died at 23 years old.
Fish will grow quicker down south in places such as the HA but die younger but will grow older in say the Yorkshire Ouse but rarely make double figures.
This information is from another forum posted by a very well qualified lady whose full name escapes me at the moment it does give some idea of barbel growth rates.
Barbel grow in length from from June to September but as a rather long lived species they grow slowly taking about 4 years to reach a pound, from then on the growth of the female is faster than the males with the males reaching 45cm and the females reaching 60 cm at the age of eight, thats about 3-4lb and about 6-7lb respectively.
A female could make double figures in 10-12 years with a maximum life span aproaching 25 years, the Traveller died at 23 years old.
Fish will grow quicker down south in places such as the HA but die younger but will grow older in say the Yorkshire Ouse but rarely make double figures.