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Anybody stopped fishing?

Andrew Richardson

Andrew Richardson

Senior Member & Supporter
Just wondered if anyone had stopped fishing because of low oxygen levels in the rivers. There's a link on the middle Trent page about reports of a lot of barbel being seen belly up. I think I'm going to leave it until the rivers have had some rain.
 
Andrew Richardson said:
Just wondered if anyone had stopped fishing because of low oxygen levels in the rivers. There's a link on the middle Trent page about reports of a lot of barbel being seen belly up. I think I'm going to leave it until the rivers have had some rain.
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I wouldn't personally fish for barbel during this heatwave. Last week for my first session of the season I targeted carp,not only because of low dissolved oxygen levels,but barbs are always a bit vulnerable post spawning. Carp,tench etc seem to be able to tolerate much more 'heavy handed ness' I find.
 
Been laid up with sciatica since the end of May so can't get out to fish, it's driving me mad!
 
Got my Salmon/ sea Trout head on at the moment and the Avon has been closed for fishing for either until the temperature drops below 19degrees C again. Gutted, especially when according to the fish counter over 500 fish have gone upriver this week!
Having said that I fished the Itchen Thursday and wish I hadn't. Started at dawn intending to pack up when it got too hot. My companion's rod joint stuck fast and an extra hour in the blazing sun getting it free left me feeling quite ill.
I won't be going out again until it's cooled down a bit.
 
Why anyone would go out and target Barbel in these conditions is a JOKE and a DESPERATE JOKE.
We all know the conditions are only a danger to fish and yanking them out of the water just because you feel YOU MUST AND HAVE NOTHING BETTER GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE is beyond....
Sadly some folk dont CARE and will go whatever and dont seen to give 2 hoots about fish welfare long as they get there fix stay part of the CIRCUS and FISH CHASING BRIGADE.
 
Calm down mock, don't make it personnel....quite a few guys on here barbel fishing I bet.

Are we OK to night fish for them?
 
I will be fishing for Barbel on the Wye in 8 days time, but I will be picking my swims, and not fishing during the day, not fishing for more than a couple of hours at a time during the evening or night, I am not interested in being part of a circus, or being in the fish chasing game, and I certainly will not be "Yanking" them out of the water. I dont feel I must fish for them, as I have plenty going on in my life apart from fishing . One fish a day will be far more than adequate, to satisfy my acute cravings to bag up.Being on the bank and not catching, but experiencing and enjoying the nature all around me will be sufficient in itself.

If I catch a Barbel, it will be landed as quickly as is possible taking into account its size and strength, I wont "Tire it out" by playing it until it is exhausted , it will spend a minimum time out of the water, if at all, and will be rested well before it is released.

Does that make me wrong to fish for a species I have the utmost regard for ?



Dave
 
I can't see any circumstances where these conditions would be reasonable to fish. Saw a post about catching 15 Barbel from a low Wye, the fish were grouped into a deeper pool that afforded them some relief. They have just spawned and need to recover, I think we all should consider the Barbel first and foremost.
 
David Craine said:
I will be fishing for Barbel on the Wye in 8 days time, but I will be picking my swims, and not fishing during the day, not fishing for more than a couple of hours at a time during the evening or night, I am not interested in being part of a circus, or being in the fish chasing game, and I certainly will not be "Yanking" them out of the water. I dont feel I must fish for them, as I have plenty going on in my life apart from fishing . One fish a day will be far more than adequate, to satisfy my acute cravings to bag up.Being on the bank and not catching, but experiencing and enjoying the nature all around me will be sufficient in itself.

If I catch a Barbel, it will be landed as quickly as is possible taking into account its size and strength, I wont "Tire it out" by playing it until it is exhausted , it will spend a minimum time out of the water, if at all, and will be rested well before it is released.

Does that make me wrong to fish for a species I have the utmost regard for ?



Dave
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I understand your sentiments, but if you have the utmost regard for them, leave it a few weeks I would say.
 
Steve Roffey said:
Been laid up with sciatica since the end of May so can't get out to fish, it's driving me mad!
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Tried McKenzie exercises? (to improve/form a lordosis?) Had my first prolapsed vertebrae at 23 years old. McKenzie exercises were recommended to me by physio after I had surgery (at 44), and they've really kept me mobile.
 
Neil Smart said:
I understand your sentiments, but if you have the utmost regard for them, leave it a few weeks I would say.
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Totally agree Neil.Sadly some folk need there fix whatever it means/takes with no regard for the fish etc,im sure they have barbel socks barbel underpants barbel bed spreads etc.....................................................
Fishing at night isnt going to make an ounce of difference,the waters right now have a serious lack of oxygen which really does have a knock on for fish especially those being caught and the fight they give being caught.
 
Well you're a bit wrong there as the sun induced algae bloom is creating a lot of oxygen during the day, however it takes it away during the night.
I've had a few evenings fishing fast water and those I have caught have been fighting fit and recovered very quickly.
 
They’ve suspended fishing on parts of Fishers Green from today due to the extremely low water & oxygen levels until we get some sustained rain. It’s a move I whole heartily agree with, even if it has stopped me fishing my local river.
 
Jason Nightall said:
Does fishing downstream of a weir make any difference when its like this?
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Big answer so apologies; Tbh you cannot state that oxygen levels are low as a blanket. There will be localised areas of high dissolved oxygen content in areas like weirs. Also different river systems will have higher or lower D.O content depending on the rivers corse. There is obviously a positive correlation between oxygen content and temperature but there are many variables, surface tension disturbance is the biggest of corse. Equally at what point is it unsafe or irresponsible to persue Barbel, in data supported fact what is the D.O content in PPT doubt any one on here knows the answer...

To say it’s safe you would have to measure Dissolved Oxygen Content directly. Sadly D.O test kits aren’t cheap, easy to use or particularly accurate. Salifert produce one that’s reasonably priced. You could potentially use Redox Potential as well. It may be simpler though to take PH readings as the Oxygen content has a positive effect here, water that is becoming oxygen deficient will become Co2 rich, Co2 is acidic and as such will show as a suppressed PH. Unfortunately to perform this you’d have to know what the usual PH is as this will vary of the dissolved mineral content.

I suspect if went and test various areas of my local rivers the Stour and Avon there would be a difference and put money on the Avon being higher in D.O.

All this aside it may be sensible to suspend your actions until things get a little cooler if you cannot be sure. Personally I will work off my experience and just be extra mindful of the fact that D.O will enevitably be lower and pay the same due care I would at any time, particularly to remove the fish from the water for the shortest amount of time possible. Organisation and care required, as always.
 
Stephen Crowhurst said:
Big answer so apologies; Tbh you cannot state that oxygen levels are low as a blanket. There will be localised areas of high dissolved oxygen content in areas like weirs. Also different river systems will have higher or lower D.O content depending on the rivers corse. There is obviously a positive correlation between oxygen content and temperature but there are many variables, surface tension disturbance is the biggest of corse. Equally at what point is it unsafe or irresponsible to persue Barbel, in data supported fact what is the D.O content in PPT doubt any one on here knows the answer...

To say it’s safe you would have to measure Dissolved Oxygen Content directly. Sadly D.O test kits aren’t cheap, easy to use or particularly accurate. Salifert produce one that’s reasonably priced. You could potentially use Redox Potential as well. It may be simpler though to take PH readings as the Oxygen content has a positive effect here, water that is becoming oxygen deficient will become Co2 rich, Co2 is acidic and as such will show as a suppressed PH. Unfortunately to perform this you’d have to know what the usual PH is as this will vary of the dissolved mineral content.

I suspect if went and test various areas of my local rivers the Stour and Avon there would be a difference and put money on the Avon being higher in D.O.

All this aside it may be sensible to suspend your actions until things get a little cooler if you cannot be sure. Personally I will work off my experience and just be extra mindful of the fact that D.O will enevitably be lower and pay the same due care I would at any time, particularly to remove the fish from the water for the shortest amount of time possible. Organisation and care required, as always.
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I checked DO a couple of hundred yards downstream of a weir on the Stour at 6pm Friday,.. it read 5ppm which is low and also a time of day when I would be expecting it to peak. I stopped targeting barbel last week. They’re still feeding,. but their powers of recovery will be diminished at that reading and I’m not willing to risk having one go belly up on me.
There be other times,... soon I hope but the forecast is for more of the same.
As the river drops and temperatures rise the effluent dilution becomes a factor leading to less DO and more pathogens,.. not a happy state of affairs . Let’s pray for some rain.
 
Well done Dave, full of surprises. Do you have a reference for cooler weather? What test kit did you use?
Looks like this humidity is going to crack overnight so this may have a positive effect.
 
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