Toughest Barbel Record?

It?s been an amazing year for barbel records. So far we?ve had the Warwickshire Avon, Hampshire Avon, Great Ouse, Ivel, Wharfe in Yorkshire and now the Ribble.

Although I have no record chasing/ circus-training ambitions myself, all of this 'Roy Castle' action got me thinking. What do you reckon is actually the hardest barbel record to break?

A cursory glance at the BS official list reveals that most records have been set within the last 15 years but a few stand out? notably the Yorkshire rivers Nidd (1977) and Ouse (1958) and Lincs river Welland (1966).

Why have these records proved so difficult to beat? Are there environmental factors that have inhibited fish growth? Or are there simply fewer barbellers? Does this make them the toughest nuts to crack? I have to admit that when I look past my rod tips across the vast expanse of the Lower Severn, I can?t help thinking that maybe finding a record in the bigger river systems such as the Severn, Trent and Thames may prove more difficult than on more intimate rivers.

What do you reckon?

Guy Robb has just had an 18lb plus out of the Thames.

There have to fish of that calibre tucked away on the Trent and Severn too, don't you think?

I would love to hear of a twenty from a new 'undisclosed' big river venue.

Thee more people that fish for he barbel the bigger they will grow. Due to the amount of high quality bait going in. As anybody who as kept fish will know the only thing that holts the growth of fish is water size, temp and amount of food.

It'd bring a bit of the 'Paul Daniels' factor back into the big Bertie story

Hi Bryan,

Do you think that baiting up is the main factor? These records have stood for a long time and surely barbellers have been in action aplenty?

I used to fish the Nidd as a kid with my first homemade bamboo pole for gudgeon and perch and looking back I cannot think (fishy environmentally) of a more perfect barbel river, certainly not much differnt in charcter to the Wharfe between West/ North Yorks.

If bait was the major factor wouldn't the next record come that famous Trent spot just upstream from the Summer Fish-In pegs?

I reckon the changes in fish size are down to all sorts of factors (I'm only guestimating based on what I've read over the years);

1. Mainly that the available food is greater now because of less competition from other fish. It seems there is less fry recruitment due to extra flooding and the extremes of weather we have been getting. This means that those fish that do survive have more to eat.

2. Longer growing season due to climate change.

3. Mass usage High Protein baits on certain waters.

Also, you'll notice the records of smaller species such as Roach, Rudd and Dace haven't changed much at all. Personally I blame Cormorants for that. I suspect there only 10% as many 2lb Roach in the UK as there was 15 years ago.

The Perch and Pike record hasn't changed much either and I think that's down to fry recruitment of prey fish.

I have a feeling that the Cormorant problem is getting towards a balancing point - after all there's only so many times the birds can wipe out fish before they have no food source left.

I reckon we're going to see an upsurge within the smaller species, especially on stillwaters where flooding won't do any damage.

This will be great for many anglers, but I think these small fish will become comptetion for the bigger fish. At some point soon I think the growth we see in many of the bigger fish will slow down.

Make the most of it while you can!

I think the Swale record went a couple of week ago. 13lb 4oz to 13lb 8oz.

If Guy has caught an 18lb Thames fish then WOW!......maximum repect! ...... a different river and another monumental fish.

Lucky Sourthern git!

Even bigger Thames fish out....18.7

anyone out there think we will ever see a 20lbs trent barbel, 15lber's are hard enough 2 find.is twenty pounds possible? what about on areas yet to be fished by specimen anglers?club waters run by match orientated clubs usualy no night fishing.....or even lower tidal river round gainsborough area?

Billy....we saw all the same hipe about the Severn years ago....well known anglers (well one in partic!)saying it held loads of records, rolling every where they were!a lot of the captures are repeat, believe me!.....i rate the Trent on the same lines, it may well do a 20+ after a season or two of perfect conditions, but i won't hold my breath!!

Wol....2 18's then? different fish?

I am pretty shore that the mighty Trent will produce a 20lber very soon. certainly the stretches that are still being matched fish are producing bigger fish each season. The Newark area has produced a much higher average weight over the past 18 months than i would have believed.

Billy, paul, Ben.

Some say it has already, more than once.

The Grand Union Canal has just started to throw a few up, now given its length, how big could they get then?

the biggest, i have heard reported is 16 lbs on ''tidal nr clifton'' this capture has been authenticated,never heard any think about any fish larger than that.river round newark,and muskam in perticular does seem to hold a large head of fish between 9-12lbs,but do u think that is there ceiling weight,or could they get bigger?obviously this area gets heavily fished 4 barbel,do u think all that bait,i.e. all high protein pellets,boilies,ect are helping these fish along?have also noticed a distinct lack of barbel care takes place along these stretches ,with large fish getting placed in keepnets and sacks,so moronic idiots can get a decent photo of fish at end of session,do u think this is killing of a lot of larger fish?i myself when doing a 72hr session on river behind a1 pits witnessed two dead barbel floating past,both round the 10lbs mark,when i asked the next man up what he thaught had happened 2 fish,his reply was''dont worry about it mate there was a match yesterday up river probabley died in keepnets,and besides theres plenty more where they came from''how long do you think large barbel will last on that stretch of river if everyone had that attitude??also why do some people insist on keeping such fish retained in keepnets n sacks fish frendly or not, in my opinion any barbel big or small SHOULD NEVER EVER BE RETAINED,NOT FOR ANY REASON,NOT EVEN THE OLD,PUTIT IN THERE TO RECOVER MATE,washes with me, my answer to that one is,no you put it in there to recover because you couldent be arsed 2 hold on to fish in margins till it recovered u muppet,either that or u chose 2 get your rod back in water for next bite/ run over welfare of fish u cretin , GET IT BACK IN!!!!!!!

whilst i am having a rant about fish care,any views on muppet with huge catch of trent barbel layed out on wagon sheets ? caught at collingham i think and more than likely kept in keepnets,u must have seen pictures?god damn cretinous moronic,thick ,retarded and more than likely brain dead muppet,our sport dosent need ignorant publicity hungry w****rs like that what do u think lads?? another rant coming lads,[must be time of month me thinks]ADAMS MILL TWENTY,your havin alarf arnt u?catch all fish in river and put them in a large tank,[or leave fish in same stretch of STREAM trapped between wears i do believe,]feed on high protein boilies/pellets 4 a few years hay presto the traveller could be the first 30lbs barbel this country has ever seen ..contraversial ?.i hope so it needs saying.

The Genuine 18.2 Thames fish caught by Guy is the fish of the season. It is one of the toughest rivers to fish for barbel.

The record just a year or so ago was less than 15lb and that was "suspect".

The 18.7 Thames fish? look at the picture in the mags and decide.

Graham

Billy, your a bit behind on this, the Collingham issue has been covered extensively (see the Mr Angry articles and threads). They also cover your points on Barbel retention.

Personally I have never yet put barbel into a keep net but there are occasions and situations when it may the best thing to do - its all very well holding a fish in the water in mid-summer but try doing it for any length of time this weather! There is some excellent stuff on an adjacent thread on Barbel Care.

I applauid your motives but looking at your capital lettering you appear to be in danger of joining the barbel police!

regards, John

jhn,barbel police?sounds like a good idea 2 me,punishment 4 keeping barbel in nets/ sacks would be death by eletric shock to nether regions whilst head and feet are emursed in buckets of eastern european persons carp and pike flavoured urine!!situations when this may be the best thing to do,let me think.......................................how about never!? as 4 the inconvenience of cold hands versus barbel welfare i would of thought there would have been no contest,...sorry i must be mistaken[NOT!]