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Anybody stopped fishing?

Stephen Crowhurst said:
What’s the graph showing I see time then 30-120, is this PPB?
that variation throughout the day is of course naturally driven by the switch of aquatic plants from photosynthesis to respiration.
Click to expand...

PPM, the point emphasised is that when the DO is at its lowest is during the hours of darkness up until dawn, and yes you are right, this is normal, however what exasperates this is the increased percentage of treated effluent (due to low water levels) in the river, high water temps (25c plus in some cases) and algae blooms.
 
Still waiting for the promised thunderstorms.

It is a difficult one this.

Supposing you had booked a cottage at say 750 a week. And also booked 5 days at 50 a day for a beat.

It's easy to criticise those that don't want to miss out and lose their money.

Alternatively I know of one group that had booked a section at 150 a day for three days with an owner. Money on arrival. They simply didn't turn up. No phone call or anything.

Conditions are far less than ideal, yet facebook is full of anglers fishing the Hants Avon the Stour the middle Severn and the Warks Avon and catching well. Indicates the fish are not in too much discomfort in many rivers, albeit no doubt handling care must be taken, not just now especially but as a norm.

This won't be a popular post but in reality it is whats happening. Some known, considered good caring anglers catching well.
 
your right Graham, I'm glad I hadn't committed to anything.

thing is the longer these high water temps have gone on have the barbel become acclimatised to them and so become more durable to being caught? probably something we would never know as this is quite a unique event in this country.

how do Spanish barbel cope are they that different?

also are barbel still going belly up on rivers and being noticed like they were at the start of the heat wave?
 
Graham Elliott said:
Still waiting for the promised thunderstorms.

It is a difficult one this.

Supposing you had booked a cottage at say 750 a week. And also booked 5 days at 50 a day for a beat.

It's easy to criticise those that don't want to miss out and lose their money.

Alternatively I know of one group that had booked a section at 150 a day for three days with an owner. Money on arrival. They simply didn't turn up. No phone call or anything.

Conditions are far less than ideal, yet facebook is full of anglers fishing the Hants Avon the Stour the middle Severn and the Warks Avon and catching well. Indicates the fish are not in too much discomfort in many rivers, albeit no doubt handling care must be taken, not just now especially but as a norm.

This won't be a popular post but in reality it is whats happening. Some known, considered good caring anglers catching well.
Click to expand...

Not really about money is it Graham? If we continue in this vein of putting our own needs fist of the welfare of the Barbel then I fear that in the long run we will pay for it by ever diminishing stocks. I cannot for the life of me consider it is OK to fish for Barbel in such conditions, and anyone who condones it is kidding themselves.
You would think after all the hand wringing and despair caused by the Otter that we the Angler can actually be culpable of killing the very thing we hold in such high regard is very sad.
If we the cannot set an example then who will?
 
No its about points of view Neil.

So. I may decide to go trotting for roach. And lo and behold. The 2nd fish and third fish I hook are barbel.

On 3lb bottom and 4lb mail line.
Eventually after a very long fight I net them.

Should I pack up? Should I not be fishing at all. Should I change to barbel gear to shorten any fight?

As I said. It's a difficult one.

And I guess more so for those that have saved up for a year for their holiday and live maybe normally a far distance away in a barbel desert.

Just trying to be realistic.
 
Come on.

20180716_152707.jpg
 
Nick. I can't see any reason to remove barbel from the water at the moment, however if it's a very special fish I can understand the desire for a quick snap.
The small barbel eg. Those 1-1and half pound ones that are showing at the moment are pretty tough things.....but no need.

Then again I haven't owned a keepnet for 20 years although I do realise when roach or chub fishing that will cost me and reduce the fish I probably will catch.
However the pictures, such as those showing fish of all species, bream tench chub etc ( see BAA pics) laid out on the grass leave me very cold.

Temps are dropping this week with a mixture of sun and showers. I don't think levels will rise much but hoping the oxygen levels will increase to make it more safer for the fish where lack of care is evident.
 
Plenty of rain in Shrewsbury at the moment, doubt it'll make a difference, the ground will soak most of it.
 
Jason Bean said:
your right Graham, I'm glad I hadn't committed to anything.

thing is the longer these high water temps have gone on have the barbel become acclimatised to them and so become more durable to being caught? probably something we would never know as this is quite a unique event in this country.

how do Spanish barbel cope are they that different?

also are barbel still going belly up on rivers and being noticed like they were at the start of the heat wave?
Click to expand...

I think barbel can acclimatise to high (water) temperatures, but not low dissolved oxygen levels Jason.
 
Lawrence Breakspear said:
PPM, the point emphasised is that when the DO is at its lowest is during the hours of darkness up until dawn, and yes you are right, this is normal, however what exasperates this is the increased percentage of treated effluent (due to low water levels) in the river, high water temps (25c plus in some cases) and algae blooms.
Click to expand...

In that case I can’t interpret that graph. Water would be supersaturated at 30ppm let alone 120ppm. I’m not trying to be difficult but a graph without proper definition is just a scribble.
 
Jason Bean said:
your right Graham, I'm glad I hadn't committed to anything.

thing is the longer these high water temps have gone on have the barbel become acclimatised to them and so become more durable to being caught? probably something we would never know as this is quite a unique event in this country.

how do Spanish barbel cope are they that different?

also are barbel still going belly up on rivers and being noticed like they were at the start of the heat wave?
Click to expand...

Same as you or I they just asfixicate if oxygen levels are too low.
I would say that most European rivers a topographically different to UK rivers.
 
Time to fire up the old spout again.

A lot of you are acting like this is the first hot, dry summer we've ever had.
Do you think barbel never had to deal with them before? They are, after all, native to Eastern flowing rivers.

I can only imagine what some rivers are like right now. I have fished the Warks Avon and Bristol Avon and if either of those was my main venue, I'd hang the rods up too.
I've also fished the tidal Severn, I would not hang my rods up on that venue.

I have written off my main stretch of the Wye, I no longer feel comfortable due to lack of flow and more importantly, lack of options regarding resting/releasing fish.
However, I still have one or two stretches I know contain fast, aerated shady water and as it happens, I'm going today ( Tuesday ).

I totally agree with all the comments about photography though. I had a 9-01 two weeks ago, which is a good fish for the Wye. Didn't even consider a pic. The pic I posted of an approx 8lber was as I was easing her over the drawstring for release after a rest, my old man said " lift her up ". Total out of water time? 5 seconds. And it wasn't even a great pic seeing as he was 30 feet away and the sun behind me. More opportunistic...although the shot actually turned out ok.

Nobody should be taking pics of 5lb barbel from any venue. Those who are, are those who should know better but crave fame and sponsorship. I would catch and release my first double from the Wye unweighed before stooping to that level.

I still maintain that given the right venue and stretch, you can safely fish for barbel in these conditions. But the options are becoming more limited by the day.

But, if you really care about them as much as you make out, I'll bid on your Harrisons/Torrix/Free Spirits/Infinities on eBay.
I'll even throw in some polarised glasses on the sale price, because you care so much you don't need to fish for them and would rather watch them.

I love this modern era entitled mentality. " I'm not fishing so neither should you ".

Watch what happens when I object to catching and returning fish in coloured water though..
What? I'm entitled ;-)
 
Gwyn Jeffs said:
Time to fire up the old spout again.

A lot of you are acting like this is the first hot, dry summer we've ever had.
Do you think barbel never had to deal with them before? They are, after all, native to Eastern flowing rivers.

I can only imagine what some rivers are like right now. I have fished the Warks Avon and Bristol Avon and if either of those was my main venue, I'd hang the rods up too.
I've also fished the tidal Severn, I would not hang my rods up on that venue.

I have written off my main stretch of the Wye, I no longer feel comfortable due to lack of flow and more importantly, lack of options regarding resting/releasing fish.
However, I still have one or two stretches I know contain fast, aerated shady water and as it happens, I'm going today ( Tuesday ).

I totally agree with all the comments about photography though. I had a 9-01 two weeks ago, which is a good fish for the Wye. Didn't even consider a pic. The pic I posted of an approx 8lber was as I was easing her over the drawstring for release after a rest, my old man said " lift her up ". Total out of water time? 5 seconds. And it wasn't even a great pic seeing as he was 30 feet away and the sun behind me. More opportunistic...although the shot actually turned out ok.

Nobody should be taking pics of 5lb barbel from any venue. Those who are, are those who should know better but crave fame and sponsorship. I would catch and release my first double from the Wye unweighed before stooping to that level.

I still maintain that given the right venue and stretch, you can safely fish for barbel in these conditions. But the options are becoming more limited by the day.

But, if you really care about them as much as you make out, I'll bid on your Harrisons/Torrix/Free Spirits/Infinities on eBay.
I'll even throw in some polarised glasses on the sale price, because you care so much you don't need to fish for them and would rather watch them.

I love this modern era entitled mentality. " I'm not fishing so neither should you ".

Watch what happens when I object to catching and returning fish in coloured water though..
What? I'm entitled ;-)
Click to expand...
Gwyn,I have kept a fishing diary since 2001,and I can assure you this year's conditions are unprecedented. Of course we've had hot summers before,but they've always been broken by spells of adverse weather,not just prolonged dry hot spells,well 2001 until now anyway.

You seem to be trying to justify what your doing....why bother? If you really must fish,just go fishing and don't tell anyone.

There are barbel anglers on here older than god's dog,you won't sway their opinion,because they all know a barbels a barbel,no matter where it lives.

As for the second hand tackle,not much point if there are no barbel left to fish for is there.
 
Totally agree with what Mark has said above.
I wonder how many times in the last 25 years say, have clubs like Hereford and Ross sent letters/emails to their members urging high restraint and coming as close as its possible to get to issuing an outright ban until conditions improve? With no material improvement on the horizon and more reports of barbel dying, how long until that ban arrives?

As I’ve said before, where is the joy, the sport, in fishing for barbel right now?

It is difficult I know and perhaps especially so on rivers such as the Wye where many anglers are visitors. As Graham mentions earlier in the thread, some people have paid good money and well in advance of a planned trip.
 
I have read about a significant fish kill at the River Stour in Stourport , Worcestershire , due to crashing Oxygen levels...
 
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