Bivvies and carp rods. This is barbel fishing in 2011.

[chav professor]

Bivvies and carp rods. this is barbel fishing in 2011. This refers to a headline in A.T......

'The U.K.'s barbel stocks are in severe danger of being overfished'........

'The sheer number of people targetting barbel is putting extreme pressure on the species'..........

regarding the famous peg 1A below the Trent's Cromwell Weir; 'The fish at Cromwell are under pressure twenty four seven. It doesn't take rocket science to work out this is simply not sustainable'.

Regarding recent comments on this forum claiming a run in with the BARBEL POLICE 'Anglers are their worst enemy and unable to police themselves.........'

I have never fished the Trent - i am sure this is an isolated, tiny piece of the story...... But Bivvies 20 yards apart......... looks like if they go long enough these anglers may even 'look' sucsessful (on Cromwell)....... i bet when taking a photograph, they need to position themselves carefully to avoid every one elses camping gear in the background to visually create that 'man against fish' picture......

The issue is the sustained pressure ----not the bivvie, rod pod etc. I do know anglers that fish for Carp and then switch over to barbel when they fancy a change.....

This is a personal opinion, barbel are simple course fish and with the exception of a handfull of situations... can be caught using simple tactics... discuss........... (I am now withdrawing to a blast proof shelter - I have food and water to sustain a 3 week campaign..........)

 

[jollyboy]

You would like to think that the controlling bodies of these waters would manage them accordingly...I think its fair to say that anglers that are in this frame of mind care very little about the issue... but the group/club etc who control such waters should apply good management.... does the income and in fact GREED become a bigger issue? (And no it's not a pop at them it's just they hold the strings after all)

 

[sam vimes]

The Collingham stretch is unique and misleading when it comes to barbel angling. Those that know what they are about get incredible results from 1A. Others see and hear of such results and try to emulate without knowing what, exactly, they should do.
The fact is that once you get much past peg 10 you won't see that many anglers. An awful lot of those in the low numbered pegs arrive with the hope that they could get a crack at the weir. They end up making do with as close to the weir as they can get. Miles and miles of the Trent is very sparsely fished. If 1A gets ruined due to excess pressure, so be it. Can't see it though, the weir will always hold them. I'm quite content that so many folks focus on the Collingham stretch. It keeps them away from lots of other places.

However, AT are being quite hypocritical here. They have done as much as anyone to publicise the Collingham stretch and 1A in particular. Once the entire country has been told that 1A is the best barbel fishing in the country, where would you expect an awful lot of anglers to head? If the Collingham stretch is ruined, AT (and the other angling publications) need to accept that they've played their own part in creating that pressure and ultimate ruin.

Any stretch of river that gets more than it's fair share of publicity, via any media, is likely to get hammered.They don't even have to be the best or easiest areas. You can't blame anyone that's doing well somewhere for keeping quiet. Look what happens when you don't.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

If the income to the controlling club is such an issue then surely they should be able to see the long-term problems of bad management?

But, on the other hand long-term planning has never set well with some clubs I suppose.

As to the aim of so-called 'Carbelling' it is almost inevitable that the stocks of attractive fish will soon dwindle and die with this style of long-term fishing.

Professor, I'd suggest food and drink for a much longer period as, is usual, these sort of thread subjects do become fiercely debated . . . . . . . . . .

 

[sam vimes]

As to the aim of so-called 'Carbelling' it is almost inevitable that the stocks of attractive fish will soon dwindle and die with this style of long-term fishing.

How on earth is that conclusion reached? Ten pegs on a huge river are hammered, very often in the so called Carbelling style. There are miles and miles of unpressured water for these fish to move to if they get to feeling the heat. We aren't talking about the Great Ouse or one of the relatively small southern barbel rivers here.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

How on earth is that conclusion reached?

Easy really and a simple matter of time Sam, and even more true of smaller stretches. If and when that stretch becomes devoid of 'attractive' fish then the anglers will move on to the next stretch, and so on and so on . . . . . .

Regardless of the size of the stretch if it is subjected 24/7 'hammer' then the Barbel will begin to show the effects.

Although they give a great fight they are pretty much exhausted by netting time, and we have all seen how easily they can go 'fins up' if not restored before release.

 

[dezza]

As an angler who has had two sessions on peg 1A, I can assure anyone who has not fished the Trent that this is not barbel fishing. But the ****-heads who camp out for days to to get 1A on opening day know what they are about. In 8 hours they become famous, get regarded as barbel experts and are paid large sums for pushing certain items of tackle.

Well that's what they think. 50 barbel in one session, he must be the greatest barbel angler that ever lived!

Personally if I had the money, I would buy up the bank space on Cromwell weir and charge £2000.00 for 8 hours fishing. And after catching 3 fish the angler would have to stop fishing.

There is no doubt that the pressurised fishing taking place at Collingham is not doing the barbel fishing of the Tidal Trent any good. There are only two reasons why there are so many barbel in this spot: spawning and high water oxygenation. Thats why I keep saying that the close season for rivers must be changed to prevent "anglers" catching gravid fish in June and July!

 

[sam vimes]

Easy really and a simple matter of time Sam, and even more true of smaller stretches. If and when that stretch becomes devoid of 'attractive' fish then the anglers will move on to the next stretch, and so on and so on . . . . . .

Regardless of the size of the stretch if it is subjected 24/7 'hammer' then the Barbel will begin to show the effects.

Although they give a great fight they are pretty much exhausted by netting time, and we have all seen how easily they can go 'fins up' if not restored before release.

Ah, so you only mean on an idividual stretch. I was unsure if you meant an entire river would be in peril.

However, with regards to this particular stretch, I still suspect that you are probably wrong. The head of fish is too big and the area of water too big for anyone to do much more than scratch the surface. While the Trent is in a period of barbel boom the weir will always hold a large population of fish. Even when barbel stocks dwindle, which they almost certainly will regardless of angling pressure, the weir is likely to retain more than its fair share of both the remaining fish and anglers.

With regards to the fish not looking as good, I doubt those playing the numbers game, as many on that stretch are, will care too much. Those that will be inclined to ignore the stretch due to battered fish will probably be already avoiding the place due to the litter and number of folks there.

 

[peter crabtree]

I read a few weeks ago that this weir was under threat of being syndicated due to the amount of litter left on the banks....

 

[sam vimes]

I read a few weeks ago that this weir was under threat of being syndicated due to the amount of litter left on the banks....

I read similar but doubt it's true. I suspect that the club will eventually go down a similar route to a few others in the area. What they have done is to keep control of the stretches during the day (inc day tickets) but turn all night fishing over to a syndicate. Works well enough elsewhere.

---------- Post added at 13:50 ---------- Previous post was at 13:32 ----------

Before anyone gets to thinking that I'm a fierce proponent of "carbelling" I'm not. Spent the entire day yesterday fishing a stick float for barbel. Didn't use a boilie, pellet, lead or feeder at all. I'm also not a devout fisher of Collingham having only ever fished it once in my life. To cap it all, I can count the number of overnight sessions I've done for barbel on one hand. I'm more of an early start and late finish kind of angler.

 

[dezza]

I read a few weeks ago that this weir was under threat of being syndicated due to the amount of litter left on the banks....

That might be a bloody good idea.

 

[jollyboy]

That might be a bloody good idea.

I think it would be a shame myself

 

[bleak]

Bivvies and carp rods. this is barbel fishing in 2011. This refers to a headline in A.T......

'The U.K.'s barbel stocks are in severe danger of being overfished'........

'The sheer number of people targetting barbel is putting extreme pressure on the species'..........

regarding the famous peg 1A below the Trent's Cromwell Weir; 'The fish at Cromwell are under pressure twenty four seven. It doesn't take rocket science to work out this is simply not sustainable'.

Regarding recent comments on this forum claiming a run in with the BARBEL POLICE 'Anglers are their worst enemy and unable to police themselves.........'

I have never fished the Trent - i am sure this is an isolated, tiny piece of the story...... But Bivvies 20 yards apart......... looks like if they go long enough these anglers may even 'look' sucsessful (on Cromwell)....... i bet when taking a photograph, they need to position themselves carefully to avoid every one elses camping gear in the background to visually create that 'man against fish' picture......

The issue is the sustained pressure ----not the bivvie, rod pod etc. I do know anglers that fish for Carp and then switch over to barbel when they fancy a change.....

This is a personal opinion, barbel are simple course fish and with the exception of a handfull of situations... can be caught using simple tactics... discuss........... (I am now withdrawing to a blast proof shelter - I have food and water to sustain a 3 week campaign..........)

You are right Prof. Even I can catch them........sometimes. But then where I fish is totally free of pressure,so I am fortunate in that aspect.

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Nothing wrong with carbelling, keeps the Carp Anglers of My Lake:w



Bob

 

[sam vimes]

Nothing wrong with carbelling, keeps the Carp Anglers of My Lake:w



Bob

Providing that the presumption that all who fish for barbel in this style are carp or former carp anglers is true. Some folks want this to be the case, it undoubtedly is in some cases, but not all.

---------- Post added at 15:17 ---------- Previous post was at 15:06 ----------

That might be a bloody good idea.

I doubt that syndication would be bad for that stretch and the lucky (or relatively wealthy) anglers involved. However, it's anything but definite that the fishing would remain so good. I've seen a formerly dayticket stretch, that was heavily fished, syndicated before. The quality of the fishing and numbers of fish appears to have diminished with the lesser amounts of bait going in. Part of the reason for it being so good in the past was the volume of bait going in.

It's also worth considering that there's a fair chance that syndication would simply push the problem to another stretch. That won't concern those in the syndicate but it might worry folks fishing other day ticket stretches. Is it any wonder that, despite public denouncement of secret squirrells, many folks play their hands close to their chests and don't name stretches or report good catches.

 

[bigchub]

Bivvies and carp rods. this is barbel fishing in 2011. This refers to a headline in A.T......

'The U.K.'s barbel stocks are in severe danger of being overfished'........

'The sheer number of people targetting barbel is putting extreme pressure on the species'..........

regarding the famous peg 1A below the Trent's Cromwell Weir; 'The fish at Cromwell are under pressure twenty four seven. It doesn't take rocket science to work out this is simply not sustainable'.

Regarding recent comments on this forum claiming a run in with the BARBEL POLICE 'Anglers are their worst enemy and unable to police themselves.........'

I have never fished the Trent - i am sure this is an isolated, tiny piece of the story...... But Bivvies 20 yards apart......... looks like if they go long enough these anglers may even 'look' sucsessful (on Cromwell)....... i bet when taking a photograph, they need to position themselves carefully to avoid every one elses camping gear in the background to visually create that 'man against fish' picture......

The issue is the sustained pressure ----not the bivvie, rod pod etc. I do know anglers that fish for Carp and then switch over to barbel when they fancy a change.....

This is a personal opinion, barbel are simple course fish and with the exception of a handfull of situations... can be caught using simple tactics... discuss........... (I am now withdrawing to a blast proof shelter - I have food and water to sustain a 3 week campaign..........)

It was like this on the free stretch of the Ivel in Biggleswade early last year and it did my nut in. I've got no doubt that it has been like it this year (I don't live there anymore). To be honest I hated it and found a nice little under fished spot without the bivvy bashers in sight. While they did all night I did late afternoon and evening sessions and caught more than them. As the season went on they became fewer and fewer because they weren't catching and I had the river back to myself. Its ok if you like doing that kind of thing but its not for me. I don't think I'll ever buy a bivvy because I like to keep as mobile as possible even with 2 rods these days.

 

[cg74]

It was like this on the free stretch of the Ivel in Biggleswade early last year and it did my nut in. I've got no doubt that it has been like it this year (I don't live there anymore). To be honest I hated it and found a nice little under fished spot without the bivvy bashers in sight. While they did all night I did late afternoon and evening sessions and caught more than them. As the season went on they became fewer and fewer because they weren't catching and I had the river back to myself. Its ok if you like doing that kind of thing but its not for me. I don't think I'll ever buy a bivvy because I like to keep as mobile as possible even with 2 rods these days.

Sorry if I've got it wrong but you not still awaiting your first barbel capture and on the basis that the Ivel anglers were targeting barbel, then to me I'd reckon you caught the same. or less??

Personally I fail to see what difference it makes whether an angler is bivvied up or not, so long as they're fishing in a safe legitimate fashion and leave no litter.
Anything beyond those three provisos detailed just rings of snobbery.

---------- Post added at 08:43 ---------- Previous post was at 08:33 ----------

Just out of curiosity, is the Angling Times owned by Rupert Murdoch?

---------- Post added at 08:44 ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 ----------

Just out of curiosity, is the Angling Times owned by Rupert Murdoch?

 

[Dicky (Angling Trust PAC)]

[/COLOR]Just out of curiosity, is the Angling Times owned by Rupert Murdoch?

It's owned by Bauermedia who I believe are based in Germany and nothing to do with Murdoch

 

[chav professor]

Personally I fail to see what difference it makes whether an angler is bivvied up or not, so long as they're fishing in a safe legitimate fashion and leave no litter.
Anything beyond those three provisos detailed just rings of snobbery.

Is it snobery? is it really acceptable to camp up for days on end in a 'going' swim and catch barbel?

Could play devils advocate and suggest that a fish caught whilst tending to the kettle or catching some sleep - certainly isn't in the same league as striking and landing the fish????

one form of angling is camping.... the other is fishing......

(four weeks of supplies going into the shelter.........)

 

[sam vimes]

Is it snobery? is it really acceptable to camp up for days on end in a 'going' swim and catch barbel?

If and when you get things right at Collingham you can't fish two rods and you don't get time to sleep. A long day session left me utterly knackered and pleased to go home.

Could play devils advocate and suggest that a fish caught whilst tending to the kettle or catching some sleep - certainly isn't in the same league as striking and landing the fish????

one form of angling is camping.... the other is fishing......

(four weeks of supplies going into the shelter.........)

There are a whole heap of angling feats that wouldn't stand close scrutiny if this is the case. Bite alarms and baitrunners are used so extensively by all sorts of anglers these days.