Hampton Loade

Fished Hampton Loade today for 9 hours and never had a bite! No one caught there today, any ideas whats going on??

Assuming you had the same weather as Oxfordshire, you'd have been fishing a low clear river in bright sunshine - A perfect combination for tough barbel fishing.
Add to that, I bet the stretches around there have been hammered (both banks) relentlessly since the start of the season, with quite literally tons of pellets and boilies going in.

Also worth considering, have the barbel spawned yet and if yes, when?

thanks for your comments, i had not fished there before and was only going on advice, my initial thoughts were was they spawning as it was hot, the water colour seemed good and not gin clear, unsure about the level as i mentioned had not fished there before but still a pleasant day was had and thats fishing for you. I did try all combinations including the old faithfull maggot but nothing and nobody caught except 1 fisherman who had 2 chub on bronze maggot, still its good to share fishing experiences!

Hiya Barry, I've fished the middle Severn for a number of years. Catching the river in the right condition can be vital. As another member posted, many stretches get absolutely hammered at the start of the season and right through it. I always try to fish after we've had some rain or at least when conditions look to be dull - as with a lot of fishing warm and overcast is good.
If conditions aren't ideal - hot and sunny with the river low and clear - try float fishing with maggot or caster. Keep the feed going in, you may get a couple of chub first before the barbel move in.
If you're on the left bank on the BAA stretch at Hampton Loade, there are 2 or 3 pegs that nearly always produce. But you need to travel light as it's a killer walk - upstream through first 2-3 meadows carry on through the spinney and finally into an open meadow. They're about the only fishable pegs in this meadow as the others are overgrown, but can be flyers on the day.
Hope that helps.

Thank you Meatman, thinking back i guess i was taking a chance but i had booked the day as holiday anyway, i will be trying about 5 meadows upstream from Holt Fleet in a few weeks (4 to be exact), maybe if we have some rain to increase the level between now and then should improve things. the water is slow there but it usually produces late evening, fingers crossed that is!!
ATB Martin (big bad barry is what my grandaughter asks if i've caught when i go fishing!)

barry I fished Hampton loade first 2 weeks of season both times on a Monday and blanked so did other anglers I saw along there.
a tackle shop owner in bridgnorth said when river is low town area is one to fish and barbel have been caught.
this week I went to holt fleet and caught my first river carp and 4 eels the guy I was with had 20 plus bream and a chub and we were both snapped which we think were barbel bites from initial fight but could have been big carp.

Martin, I've never seen the Severn run gin clear, even in winter it has a tea stain to it. I just assumed it was the sandy soil being carried in the water?

Here's a guide to the river level: Environment Agency - River levels station data

There are good chub all through that part of the river; plenty of 5lbers and even the odd six but I honestly can't think of a worse stretch of river for barbel fishing than the BAA Left Bank in bright sunny conditions.

There is no shortage of barbel along there though.