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This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Barbel and Nutrition
I haven't fished seriously for barbel for at least 5 years, but when I did I never put in the sort of quantities of bait mentioned. On the Trent it was no more than 1/2 a kg of pellets or half a bag of boilies when I used them. On the Yorkshire rivers it was no more than two cans of luncheon meat or 3 pints of maggots."About 5kg of pellet and 2kg of boilies
(That bottom photo always makes me laugh Neil, I wonder if in 40 years I look back at my pictures and think the same thing: "What on earth possessed me to wear that hat?")
I think the vast majority of barbel fishing now a days is on smaller rivers, like the Kennet, the Avons, Ouse, Teme, Stour etc. so the advise in this article is spot on.
Please do not get me wrong I use pellets and boilies all the time on rivers, but it's about moderation. Many anglers think they can buy a bite with more bait and on most barbel rivers this can have severe effects on the fish that eat it.
(That bottom photo always makes me laugh Neil, I wonder if in 40 years I look back at my pictures and think the same thing: "What on earth possessed me to wear that hat?")
Neil,
Were you ever a model in your early years?
I'm sure I've seen you on the cover of some of my mum's knitting patterns?
'Ere, whatcha trying to say about my river Ron? You'd better be careful saying that on the banks of the Royalty, it would be consider heresy and high treason rolled into one!
Well it's like this you see.
Barbel were introduced to the Dorset Stour around the turn of the 19/20th century with fish that were taken from the Thames and Kennet. A number of these fish managed to find there way into the Hampshire Avon of course. It's only around 100 years ago that this took place so The Avon and Stour can hardly be considered as classic barbel rivers.
Sorry, but they can't
In comparison, the Ouse, Ure, Swale, Nidd, Wharfe, Derwent and Swale of Yorkshire; the Trent and some of its tributaries together with the Thames and a few of its tributaries have been the homes to barbel for hundreds of thousands of years.
They qualify as the great classic barbel rivers.
Just out of interest Ron... by that logic what do you consider the great classic carp venues?
You know me mate, I'm not jockeying for an argument...
Just interested in your opinion on the timeframe necessary for a water to become considered either 'natural' or 'classic'?
How long does it take for introduced fish to acheive an appropriate level of social (amongst fishermen) and environmental (amongst resiedent populaions) acculturation?
Are the power stations still pumping out warm water? Couple a warmer river with HNV's might go some way to example the high growth. Only a theory.
I can fully see Ron's train of thinking but if you were to ask barbel anglers where they would call the true "classic barbel" water, despite it not being an indigenous river to the species, most would say the Hampshire Avon Royalty stretch. Even ahead of Great Ouse's Adams Farm.
And to me a water can never gain "natural" status unless the resident fish present are truly indigenous - Indigenous/natural; the same thing to me.
Whilst I accept Fred's argument goes some way to explaining the increase in barbel weights, one question I would ask is does this explain the increase in weights on the Trent?
As Ron says, the Trent is probably the most prolific barbel river in the UK with the possible exception of the Wye. It is also a big river and, relatively speaking, a fair way North. There are stretches of the Trent miles in length that hardly see an angler, yet they are still producing exceptionally large fish.
Am I right in thinking this?
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As Ron says, the Trent is probably the most prolific barbel river in the UK with the possible exception of the Wye
by that logic what do you consider the great classic carp venues?
I am shocked that lovely shiney gravel that existed not 5 years ago is now silted over
Without that shiny gravel, and swift flowing water, barbel will not spawn!
I think that this is by far more the reason for the reduction in barbel numbers on southern rivers. Also, lack of rain and too many buildings preventing rain from reaching the aquifers. This is particularly common in the overpopulated south. On the Trent, the Barbel seen to have spawned recently as plenty of small barbel are being caught.
I caught 3 of about 3 ounces each this last summer.