Young Barbell/Chub

Baz · Jul 8, 2004

Has anyone else noticed, there seems to be an influx of smaller Barbell on some of the rivers. Just before the beginning of the season large shoals had been spotted in one of my local rivers in the North.
I was just wondering if any of you lads down South had noticed significant numbers of smaller fish in your area. Whatever it?s good news on the angling front.
I wonder if it is something to do with the climate change we have experienced over the last few years.

mel crighton · Jul 8, 2004

There are Barbel in the Medway but these have been stocked from Calverton,not heard (sic) of any returns yet though.

alan strickland · Jul 9, 2004

Not sure about the chub but im catching a lot more small (1lb-3lb)barbel on the Ribble this season.
Have the EA done any stocking recently?

jason fisher · Jul 9, 2004

there's loads of small chub in the thames at the moment. but the barbel are a bit more difficult to find in any size.

Phil Hackett 2 · Jul 9, 2004

Baz if its the R. you referring to, what you are seeing at 2-3 inches are the result of last years good spawning year. Its also likely that this year the fish will have spawned well, due to the high temperatures in may. Providing we don't get serious floods this winter, like we didn't last year this years offsprings will survive and thrive in the river. Very good news for sustainable stocks well into the future. By the time I'm drawing my pension those fish will be the doubles I'll be catching on a daily basis. Eat your heart out all you young pups, who'll be paying my pension to fish every day of the week :0)

Peter Jacobs · Jul 9, 2004

Baz,
On one of the stretches of the Avon where I fish regularly there is a massive influx of Chub in the 2" to 6" range.
As Phil says the 2/3" fish are probably last years spawning whilst the 5/6" fish are from about 3/4 years ago.
On the Thames fish-in last weekend I had 8 chublets from about 4" upto around 12 ounces. All fin and scale perfect little fish that had it in their minds that they were all 5 pounders too.

On the same strethch of the Avon I have heard from the bailiff that last year and this year anglers have been catching really small Barbel of around 4" which really does bode well for the future.
Strangley though, the number of Roach and Dace on the same stretch are very few and far between despite a stocking programme over the last 2 years.

If you cast your mind back many years it was almost unheard of to catch very small Barbel (or Tench for that matter) but recently both of these have been far more evident.

Baz · Jul 9, 2004

What I am seeing and have caught are small barbell about 6", five of them in one session. As you say Peter it was unheard of at one time.
Phil, large shoals of adult fish were spotted just before the 16th.
The E.A. did some stocking last year, but I don't know to what size.
I have also seen chub about 3" get caught on other rivers,

Matt Stewart · Jul 9, 2004

What i am catching in the cray is a lot more chub ranging from 1lb to 5lb. good fishing in the cray so many different fish to catch.

Ron Troversial Clay · Jul 9, 2004

Last year I caught about 8 barbel from the Trent that were below 1 lb, including a teenie of about 8 inches long, it was a dear little thing and proves that Trent barbel are spawning very succesfully.

This is good news indeed.

John Hepworth · Jul 11, 2004

The DCAC Prebends stretch of the Wear is full of 8-12oz barbel, and last summer was producing catches of 20lb+. The river here is the most unlikely lookng barbel water imaginable, 50yds wide, up to 20ft in depth and hardly any flow. It is also home to record breaking dace.
It is also one of the few waters in the N.E. able to produce mid winter barbel, a few years ago a match fished during the christmas/new year period was won with an 8 fish 60lb catch.

luke vieira · Jul 11, 2004

On the river tees i got my first ever chub about 2-3 inches and there are loads more

Young Barbell/Chub

Baz

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mel crighton

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alan strickland

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jason fisher

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Phil Hackett 2

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Peter Jacobs

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Baz

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Matt Stewart

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Ron Troversial Clay

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John Hepworth

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luke vieira

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