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Another one bites the dust

Craig Wood

Craig Wood

Senior Member
AND NOW WE HAVE LOST THE COUNTRIES BIGGEST BARBEL TO OTTERS!

Ron Key posted...
I hear the biggest known barbel in the country has been killed by otters. Along with 11 or more big barbel this amazing fish has been taken by otters from the Ivel. How long will it take for the Environment Agency,,NE and the bulk of the UK's anglers to realise that otters have become an epidemic that is decimating this countries rivers and lakes.


How long will it be before the only decent fishing left in the UK is protected behind electric fences but can anything be done to help save our rivers?

It would appear yet again another venue with big Barbel has been destroyed, just like all the others..
 
Ps not for Otter lovers.....Otter loving banned. Open an Otter loving thread of your own..
 
I believe it's been reported in the Anglers Mail this week...
 
How does anyone know, with any certainty, that it's (or was) the biggest barbel in the country? Just a small sensationalist addition to add to the headline. Not that I'm cynical - oh no.

Sad news either way.
 
A controversial view.
Anglers are the biggest threat to "the rivers largest barbel"
If they are the biggest they are also the oldest.
They will be obese having gorged on introduced high protein bait which they exert little energy to acquire.
They are regularly hauled out of the river to be cuddled and photographed with all the attendant stress
If an otter chances upon a dozy old timer it will doubtless have a go rather than chase the feisty younger ones.
Just an opinion!
 
Bryce Henderson said:
A controversial view.
Anglers are the biggest threat to "the rivers largest barbel"
If they are the biggest they are also the oldest.
They will be obese having gorged on introduced high protein bait which they exert little energy to acquire.
They are regularly hauled out of the river to be cuddled and photographed with all the attendant stress
If an otter chances upon a dozy old timer it will doubtless have a go rather than chase the feisty younger ones.
Just an opinion!
Click to expand...

Ahhh, you're such a big old softy aren't you, anyway that poor fish has been "eaten" by otters about three times in the last few years!
 
Otter

Ive seen a few in my time on the Severn and Teme, but never ever one as big as I saw two weeks ago on the Warks Avon, it was truly massive and a very light brown colour with the sun on it.
 
Richard Burton said:
Ive seen a few in my time on the Severn and Teme, but never ever one as big as I saw two weeks ago on the Warks Avon, it was truly massive and a very light brown colour with the sun on it.
Click to expand...

That's nothing ,wait until they re introduce the European Lynx , that will have you looking over your shoulder when you here a rustle in the grass at twilight :) Re the Otter kills , yes it's a shame , but they can't live forever , and personally I would rather see a wild creature get a meal than someone taking a fish for the pot on a night line . As for culling otters and all that nonsense , it's never going to happen , we have to live with that fact .
 
Bryce Henderson said:
A controversial view.
Anglers are the biggest threat to "the rivers largest barbel"
If they are the biggest they are also the oldest.
They will be obese having gorged on introduced high protein bait which they exert little energy to acquire.
They are regularly hauled out of the river to be cuddled and photographed with all the attendant stress
If an otter chances upon a dozy old timer it will doubtless have a go rather than chase the feisty younger ones.
Just an opinion!
Click to expand...

Can't argue with that Bryce , not controversial ,just true . Angling is full of contradictions ....
 
Otters are no longer a rare sight, they do not justify their protected status, they should be in the same category as Mink and Foxes and the right to control them should be allowed.
 
And what politician is going to table the legislation to allow the ' controlling '' of Otters , answer ? None of them . Otters are to deeply engrained in the nations heart as lovely furry things that eat a few fish ,'' what's the harm in that ? '' says Joe Public . They are here to stay , we just have to accept it . We anglers will get nowhere bleating about our beloved fish that we delight in sticking hooks in , most people aren't anglers and don't give a monkeys about the fish in our rivers and lakes . Sad but true ...
 
Many folks maybe do care about the fish in our rivers and lakes..... its anglers they don't care about, maybe rightly so.

Don't like many of em mesen these days. :)
 
That's just it, if barbel were heading to extinction in the UK due to otters then there might be a national outcry to control them, but a few oversize fishermen's trophies being eaten is only going to concern us saddos!
 
Does anyone know the ratio of Otters to Fish or Fish to Otters, in the rivers etc? Daft? Probably, just thinking out loud.

Stephen
 
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