Barbel fishing

[associatedmatt]

Been looking around here and is there a genral topic for barbel fishing for the beginners ? Yes I know about rigs and feeders more less to use as been feeder fishing most of last year for carp .

But any hints or tips as a stretch of Avon has barbell in there 2 weir pools bottom is faster and has more flowing water after the weir but top one not so much . Also was told there s slow moving stretch where barbel has been caught in matches a few years ago when last matched fished regularly .

Thanks in advance


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[barbelboi]

Personally I wouldn’t bother with weirpools for barbel during the cold winter months. I found on the Kennet and Loddon that the barbel, in particular, would move to the holes and slack water during the winter months. They would pretty much lay inactive – using up little energy so no need to feed. With a rising river, obviously the water speeds up in the slacks, and these fish now become active again for obvious reasons. They will need to feed to replace the lost energy. On faster rivers, such as the Hampshire Avon (If that is the Avon that you refer to), they will not have many slacks so appear to feed more regularly during the cold months.

 

[associatedmatt]

The Avon by Chippenham it is and the top weir is not fast at all ... Well only for about 30ft after it the lower one is much faster and bigger , there is slack areas at the sides . What about when weather warms up do the prefer faster water in main flow or just of edge of the crease ?

What would your tactic be in slower water ? Find the deeper areas or near to snags ?


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[Jim Crosskey 2]

That's the Bristol Avon then (as opposed to the Hampshire or Warwickshire Avons.... I think our ancestors could have done a better job giving these rivers names!! )

I've never fished it, but I do have a mate who lives near Chippenham and gets on there regularly. Barbel are very few and far between now, declining somewhat as they have done is so many other rivers.

(I'm in Oxfordshire and we used to have barbel here in the Thames and many of the smaller tribs, Windrush, Seacourt Stream etc... apparently no more)

All of the areas you've mentioned could hold barbel on their day. However, I think the thing to bear in mind is how much time you want to put in. I could be set straight by other folks on here who are catching loads there but I think realistically you might only see a couple of fish in an entire season?

Have you considered having a go on the Wye? it's not too far away from Chippenham and I think you'd increase your chances of seeing a barbel by about 100%!

 

[ian g]

I believe Avon means river so River River.mg:

 

[associatedmatt]

Jim i live in Swindon but grew up in a village on outskirts and worked at a place where traveled over the Thames at radcott everyday so I have fished that part but never any barbel !

From Swindon which part of the Severn would be best to go to that's day ticket ?


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---------- Post added at 06:09 ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 ----------

Or even the Wye !


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---------- Post added at 06:14 ---------- Previous post was at 06:09 ----------

Just looked at the map the lower Severn is close can easily pick it up near Gloucester


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[theartist]

The upper Thames at Radcot, Buscot etc is full of barbel in the weirs, but that's in the summer.

If you are going to target barbel big time forking out on day tickets then maybe waiting till next season would be your best bet as it will be a lot easier even on the Severn and Wye in the warmer months.

 

[associatedmatt]

May be worth a try local to me on Thames if not il try Severn or Wye , when you say summer is it better from May onwards ?


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---------- Post added at 08:07 ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 ----------

Sorry forgot the close season so in June would be good to start ? I searched and you have to apply for a lock and weir permit ? Do you also have to be a member of the local club or does that not count locks and weirs ?


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[theartist]

Erm no you don't really want to be fishing for barbel in May mate

Yeah the weir permit from the ea it's dead cheap and great early season, those weirs can be a bit snaggy though

Also scratch that for Radcot as it looks like that's no longer on the permit, they change them quite often

 

[associatedmatt]

Sorry I did mean late June once season starts , have you fished any of the weirs for barbel recently ? Guess it's meat or pellet / groundbait attack ?


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[Rich P]

Personally I wouldn’t bother with weirpools for barbel during the cold winter months. I found on the Kennet and Loddon that the barbel, in particular, would move to the holes and slack water during the winter months. They would pretty much lay inactive – using up little energy so no need to feed. With a rising river, obviously the water speeds up in the slacks, and these fish now become active again for obvious reasons. They will need to feed to replace the lost energy. On faster rivers, such as the Hampshire Avon (If that is the Avon that you refer to), they will not have many slacks so appear to feed more regularly during the cold months.

Not all weirpools are maelstroms and I find barbel congregate in deep weirpools during the winter for the relatively warmer water. I've no idea if that holds true, however, on the upper Avon as I don't know the weirs in question.

 

[theartist]

Sorry I did mean late June once season starts , have you fished any of the weirs for barbel recently ? Guess it's meat or pellet / groundbait attack ?


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I haven't fished them for many a year mate, didn't even realise Radcot is no longer on the permit, those weirs aren't deep but they are super snaggy. Although they are near you a better bet for barbel would be the Severn or Wye. The latter at Hereford and Ross do good day tickets and you will find plenty of 'Wye' Threads on here. Also barbel alley on the Severn between Bridgnorth and Bewdley is good and although BAA no longer do day tickets their season card is dead cheap. Both are good barbel waters and yes pellet would see you right early in the season.

 

[associatedmatt]

What about symonds yat ? That's about hour 20 from me , not too far to go if left early


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[sagalout]

You need to be talking to Graham the resident Wye expert. Wye don't you go on the fish in Graham is organising?

There is a youtube video of James Robbins getting rakes of barbel on the Hereford tennis court section. Yer'tis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=619pAE9bRGI

 

[associatedmatt]

That's an idea but due to family commitments I can only go away at a day at a time with a baby that's 4 months old , just reading up a bit before the summer


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[sagalout]

The place Graham took us to at Ross on Wye for last years Wye fish in is only 1h 19m from Chippenham and that was a superb day ticket water, I can't tell you the name of it because I don't know Graham's protocol for it, he kept it a secret leading up to the fish in but I am sure if you pm him he will be more than happy to help you or alternativly he might tell you to naff off .

 

[associatedmatt]

What's Graham's user name on here ?


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[Jim Crosskey 2]

Ah yes, the joys of early father hood. Remember it well, though mine are that bit older now (8 and 9).

There's a few beats on the wye and usk foundation stretches that might be just as close for you. The Wye and Usk Foundation | River Conservation & Fishing is the website.

It's not cheap - £20+ a day ticket - but in most cases you do get a fair bit of water to go at for that money. Also, the website has detailed catch reports which stretch back many years, so even if you've never set foot on the place, you can get some ideas about where people have caught in the past.

Unless it gets very mild at the end of February and stays that way until March, I would leave it until June. The first couple of weeks of the season can be excellent though!

Wye and Usk beats which might work for you would be Courtfield, Kerne Bridge, Middle Hill Court and Wyatstone Leys (all below Ross on Wye) - or Backney or Foy Bridge above Ross? All nice and easy to get to. You buy your ticket online in advance.

Alternatively, you can get day tickets in the tackle shop in Ross on Wye for a number of stretches around that way. Sure you'll get some good advice in there about individual swims too. My only issue is that generally in the summer I want to be on the river at the crack of dawn - waiting for shop to open would mean I'd miss my favourite time of day!

The other option is going all the way up to Hereford and getting your advice and tickets in Woodys tackle shop up there. Great shop, very knowledgeable - just that bit further up the road though, you'd lose some more of your fishing time by going there.

As for bait/ approach - groundbait/ pellet mix in a feeder, drilled pellets or meat on a hair rigged size 10 is about as complicated as it needs to get. Catch it on a good day and you'll get 10 or 15 barbel in a day with a load of good chub thrown in for good measure.

 

[sagalout]

What's Graham's user name on here

It's Graham Elliot 1, here is last years Wye fish in thread http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/...ns/357574-fm-river-wye-fish-any-interest.html

 

[associatedmatt]

Thanks all for the advice I may have to have a day trip out before I go fishing in the Wye to suss it all out


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