Whats happened to all the barbel anglers on site?

alan whittington · Mar 25, 2010

I know its the close season,but where have all the barbel guys on the site disappeared,it is rare now to see more than eight souls on here,is it not elitist enough on FM for them,or is our target species getting a rare bird?:wh

peter crabtree · Mar 25, 2010

Still here Alan. Not so much last season as it was dire . However the new season will bring them back I'm sure....

Morespiders · Mar 25, 2010

Unfortunatly most have been eaten by the bigger barbel, those that sat with thier toes over the edge went first

Steve Pope · Mar 25, 2010

Hi Alan,

I still look in, every day in fact, but I rarely post on forums nowadays. Busy trying to keep my own site updated and vibrant and there's plenty going on behind the scenes to keep me occupied.
Meeting up with the EA tomorrow on one of our stretches, a meeting in a pub in Ludlow afterwards and our annual Show to look forward to in a few weeks time. Life is busy, even in the close season.

Best to keep a low profile on public forums so they remain a friendly place, mind you the tightening up allround has made a huge difference and I for one am more than pleased to see it.

All the best to everyone,

Steve.

alan whittington · Mar 26, 2010

I can understand your slight dilemma Steve,as your position leaves you open to flak for no reason,you make it sound as if your a trouble maker,you seem the perfect gent to me,but it used to be quite lively on the barbel section....we will see,Spiders the way the barbel fishing has been for those i know this past season,they couldnt have ate many cos they were on a bloody diet.I just feel that a lot of known anglers are staying of forums for the sake of anonimity(even though pseodonyms are the easy way out),or a more difficult job getting enough copy for the articles many write,im probably way off beam,just a niggling suspicion thats all.

dezza · Mar 26, 2010

Maybe someone should start Barbel Wars II

:j

Dave Burr · Mar 26, 2010

I think that at present the moral amongst many barbel anglers is at a low point. Few can have claimed last season to have been prolific, oh I know that some have had plenty of fish from waters like the lower Wye but in general the catches have been poor.

This is a continuing trend and it will take another season or two (hopefully with some decent weather) to see if its a glitch or an impending disaster. There are many possible contributory factors and much discussion - heated or otherwise - will follow in due course.

If this all sounds a bit bleak then it is meant to. I think that a lot of the casual barbel anglers have started to jump ship, there are less posting on here and elsewhere so there may be less of us to fight the cause in the future.

Anyway, its March, we can't fish for them until June and I won't be targeting them until they are well recovered from their spawning some time in mid to late July. In the mean time I'll keep tabs on the river and there are plenty of other species to fish for so I'll see you on those forums

Graham Whatmore · Mar 26, 2010

"What has happened to all the barbel anglers"

The ravages of war has taken its toll and they have mostly retired to commercial fisheries holding barbel. there to lick their wounds and regroup. Some formed a subsidiary of BW called POCBF (promoters of commercial barbel fisheries) and were expelled from the mother society in shame. Others returned to proper fishing and can be seen practicing float control on rivers that do not contain barbel (its such a buzz they say). Some are even to be seen throwing bits of fluff, cunnigly disguised as maggots, at their local waters in the vain hope that something other than supermarket trollies can be encouraged to take their disguised hook.

The barbel police have joined forces with the RSPB and the WI in a desperate bid to rid their waters of the common angler who prefers not to seek the holy barbel.

:wh :w

dezza · Mar 26, 2010

One thing I have never been able to understand is the addiction many anglers have for barbel. Let's face it, they are not the hardest of all fish to catch and there are many other fish that are far more interesting, roach for instance.

They are of course a nice hard fighting feisty looking fish, but that's about all.

Roach, and chub are far more worthy opponents. And no sour grapes here, I've caught thousands of barbel in 13 British rivers, and many of their cousins in other countries.

Sean Meeghan · Mar 26, 2010

Personally I blame that Bob Roberts bloke - never around when you need him.

Myself I've mostly been Grayling fishing, but I did finish off with a nice barbel. Story in the blog.

Just off down to the local pond (yes it is Rickrod!) for a quick sesh.

904_cannon · Mar 26, 2010

Maybe they've all taken up chub fishing; a much worthier and challenging opponent.
Either that or they're all sat with head in hands wondering why they ain't been catching. This black deep depression could last right up to 17th June, 'till after the first sucker barbel have fallen to 'a clever plan'

Steve Spiller · Mar 26, 2010

Pack it in John

Chub and roach are boring :wh
They're much harder to catch and often a let down.....

Barbel are much more fun and easy to catch, the "two foot tap" and all that.....

johnnyfby · Mar 27, 2010

[QUOTE

Barbel are much more fun and easy to catch, the "two foot tap" and all that.....[/QUOTE]

Better than the 1/2 inch bream bite i had last week.

Roll on june

quickcedo · Mar 27, 2010

Lets be fair, last season didn't give much to talk about. Threads with "went down the river yesterday, BLANKED" didn't inspire. Still didn't stop me trying though. Although I did "enjoy" the worst Barbel season I can remember. I even managed to blank at Hampton Loade with Speci on the last Sat. of the season.

alan whittington · Mar 28, 2010

Its the missing posters,and as it was such a bad season,the regulars should have been on site to say how worried and saddened they are,probably the old apathy thing again,eh

.

gcb · Mar 28, 2010

Another barbeller joined - hopefully with some input come june. On the new license now too - whoooooh!

alan whittington · Mar 28, 2010

Welcome to the pleasure dome.

stuart mitchell · Mar 30, 2010

Sorry chaps...but i am mystified...."Barbel Anglers,..Carp anglers,..Roach anglers,..Chub anglers,..bream anglers,...Tench anglers"..etc..etc etc....I do not know ONE ANGLER...WHO FISHES FOR ONE SPECIES ALONE....i know many PEOPLE who fish for one species alone....but are these people anglers?....i think not my old chums....any true angler will target different species at specific times of the year when conditions are best suited to that specific species....TENCH FISHING IN JANUARY?...PIKE FISHING IN JUNE?....Get the drift...i have to say that i am truely saddend by the narrow minded and unskilled and ignorant PEOPLE who now seem to proliferate within our sport...do they not understand that they are missing out on soooo much...because they are not prepared to try new things and develop their skills as anglers....instead they would rather sit at a commerial for two days...use exactly the same rigs and methods as last time...drink 24 cans of beer....then ...complain when they catch f888 all... and then do exactly the same the following week....i dread to think what the likes of Ivan Marks,**** Walker.Ian Heaps.Billy Lain.,etc would make of our sport today....prop.very SAD!

Dave Burr · Mar 30, 2010

Staurt

Great post, well said.

Keith M · Mar 30, 2010

stuart mitchell said:
...i dread to think what the likes of Ivan Marks,**** Walker.Ian Heaps.Billy Lain.,etc would make of our sport today....prop.very SAD!

And 'Billy Lane'

Well said Stuart

Whats happened to all the barbel anglers on site?

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