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Are any small river barbel populations thriving?

Jason Bean said:
fully understand your point of view but we will have to disagree on the use of keepnets
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I have had some discussion on this subject on the BAA website, well as far as discussion I have been subjected to abuse for suggesting that keep nets should be banned for Barbel. The BAA ban keep nets to retain Carp in, and yet Carp can survive low O2, whereas Barbel can suffer Despite asking as to why this should be OK for Barbel and not Carp has created another torrent of abuse and name calling, I imagine there is no credible answer so better to sling insults as to answers.
I appreciate that match keep nets are good and therefore less likely to be a problem, but what about the casual inexperienced angler that retain especially the larger 'specimens', exactly the breeding stock that are gold dust.
I appreciate match anglers need to retain for weigh ins, but surely we could weigh and return Barbel asap after capture?
I have seen just too many belly up Barbel to think we are the architects of our own downfall, doing nothing is not an option if we want to fish for Barbel in the future.
 
Neil Smart said:
I have had some discussion on this subject on the BAA website, well as far as discussion I have been subjected to abuse for suggesting that keep nets should be banned for Barbel. The BAA ban keep nets to retain Carp in, and yet Carp can survive low O2, whereas Barbel can suffer Despite asking as to why this should be OK for Barbel and not Carp has created another torrent of abuse and name calling, I imagine there is no credible answer so better to sling insults as to answers.
I appreciate that match keep nets are good and therefore less likely to be a problem, but what about the casual inexperienced angler that retain especially the larger 'specimens', exactly the breeding stock that are gold dust.
I appreciate match anglers need to retain for weigh ins, but surely we could weigh and return Barbel asap after capture?
I have seen just too many belly up Barbel to think we are the architects of our own downfall, doing nothing is not an option if we want to fish for Barbel in the future.
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I’m with you 100% on that Neil we certainly don’t need any more reasons to cause these beautiful specimens any further distress. Barbel just weren’t cut out to be kept in a net. Barbel caught in matches should be weighed added to the end weight and released straight after a full revival. People putting them in nets that ain’t fishing matches clearly ain’t Barbel anglers imo. If the well-being of the caught fish isn’t top priority then my opinion is take up another hobby,
 
Richard Isaacs said:
I’m with you 100% on that Neil we certainly don’t need any more reasons to cause these beautiful specimens any further distress. Barbel just weren’t cut out to be kept in a net. Barbel caught in matches should be weighed added to the end weight and released straight after a full revival. People putting them in nets that ain’t fishing matches clearly ain’t Barbel anglers imo. If the well-being of the caught fish isn’t top priority then my opinion is take up another hobby,
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Again, I'll think you'll find when the right keepnet is used correctly it will help with the recovery of the fish. The vast majority of match anglers I know treat barbel with up most respect when caught in matches and if less experienced anglers are seen to not be doing the right thing they are soon put right.

Recently though I will admit there is a practice creeping in at the weigh in amongst match anglers that I don't like and that is where they want to take a photograph of the fish before returning them. The vast majority just keep them in the weigh sling hold out, smile and take the pic then return the fish. But some for whatever reason transfer them from the weigh sling to landing nets then take the pictures. the fish are more cramped and prone to scale and fin damage...not good and not needed.
 
Neil Smart said:
I have been subjected to abuse for suggesting that keep nets should be banned for Barbel
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Staggering. I wasn't aware that any clubs still allowed it. I can't think of a single club around me which DOESN'T specifically say "no barbel in keepnets", even in matches (where they're weighed immediately and put back).


In my locality the Somerset Frome and Chew are coming on. Most of the Frome where fishing is allowed is controlled by the Avon & Tributaries angling club which, until relatively recently, was only open to people willing to pay for the full game ticket, which was something like £650 a year. A year or two ago they introduced a coarse only ticket, but it's still something like £150-200. Anyway, as a result there are now more people coarse fishing there and barbel have been coming out. What the general population is like I don't know - I don't think enough people fish it to really get a handle on the numbers - but doubles up to 16lb have been caught in the last two years.

It's fairly early days for the Chew - Keynsham Angling Club only introduced barbel in 2009 (the only ones in there previously were the odd few that got in from the Bristol Avon during flooding, and they were caught VERY VERY rarely, and nothing to a great size), but they've been topping it up annually. The club record currently stands at something like 6lb, and there's an increasing number being caught. The Chew is a very healthy river and I think in the next 10-15 years it could well end up being a bit like the Loddon - diminutive, but holding some absolute monsters. We shall see.

Some will probably disagree with me, but I think there are certain stretches of the upper-mid Bristol Avon where the barbel are starting to make a comeback - I've caught LOADS of them between half a pound and 5lb in the last three years, and I've seen plenty of juniors less than half a pound swimming around. Admittedly I missed the BA's heyday in the mid to late 90s (when I drifted away from fishing), so I can only compare with what others have said, but I can at least say I'm catching good condition barbel at the right sizes nearly every single time I go - complete blanks are a rarity.

So take all that with however many buckets of salt you want...
 
Steve Lewis said:
Staggering. I wasn't aware that any clubs still allowed it. I can't think of a single club around me which DOESN'T specifically say "no barbel in keepnets", even in matches (where they're weighed immediately and put back).


In my locality the Somerset Frome and Chew are coming on. Most of the Frome where fishing is allowed is controlled by the Avon & Tributaries angling club which, until relatively recently, was only open to people willing to pay for the full game ticket, which was something like £650 a year. A year or two ago they introduced a coarse only ticket, but it's still something like £150-200. Anyway, as a result there are now more people coarse fishing there and barbel have been coming out. What the general population is like I don't know - I don't think enough people fish it to really get a handle on the numbers - but doubles up to 16lb have been caught in the last two years.

It's fairly early days for the Chew - Keynsham Angling Club only introduced barbel in 2009 (the only ones in there previously were the odd few that got in from the Bristol Avon during flooding, and they were caught VERY VERY rarely, and nothing to a great size), but they've been topping it up annually. The club record currently stands at something like 6lb, and there's an increasing number being caught. The Chew is a very healthy river and I think in the next 10-15 years it could well end up being a bit like the Loddon - diminutive, but holding some absolute monsters. We shall see.

Some will probably disagree with me, but I think there are certain stretches of the upper-mid Bristol Avon where the barbel are starting to make a comeback - I've caught LOADS of them between half a pound and 5lb in the last three years, and I've seen plenty of juniors less than half a pound swimming around. Admittedly I missed the BA's heyday in the mid to late 90s (when I drifted away from fishing), so I can only compare with what others have said, but I can at least say I'm catching good condition barbel at the right sizes nearly every single time I go - complete blanks are a rarity.

So take all that with however many buckets of salt you want...
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That is fantastic news Steve regarding the Bristol Avon, I can still picture matches on the Avon with good Barbel in keep nets, in that is now banned I am sure this helps in some way. Try telling that to Birmingham AA, they are the custodians of some of the best Barbel waters in the country, and yet treat the Barbel with contempt, despite providing the main revenue stream.
The bullying I get allied to video clips being put up of me and sons apparently abusing a big Barbel, in an attempt to discredit me, a certain Jeff Collins did the same on here, was banned and now does similar under another alias. Another member who happens to be a BAA official and bailiff also gives grief, you see their motivation is match fishing, and yes they have banned keepnets for pleasure fishing for carp, but not Barbel, criminal imo.
Lol B hit nail in head regarding breeding females, just the sort we should cherish, and yet are being faffed around with on the bank, and kept in matches for weigh in. If they as I suggested weighed and returned asap it would be better, but to them that is not an option.
We all need to get on their case, by all means join the fight with me.
a.t.b
 
Steve Lewis said:
Staggering. I wasn't aware that any clubs still allowed it. I can't think of a single club around me which DOESN'T specifically say "no barbel in keepnets", even in matches (where they're weighed immediately and put back).


In my locality the Somerset Frome and Chew are coming on. Most of the Frome where fishing is allowed is controlled by the Avon & Tributaries angling club which, until relatively recently, was only open to people willing to pay for the full game ticket, which was something like £650 a year. A year or two ago they introduced a coarse only ticket, but it's still something like £150-200. Anyway, as a result there are now more people coarse fishing there and barbel have been coming out. What the general population is like I don't know - I don't think enough people fish it to really get a handle on the numbers - but doubles up to 16lb have been caught in the last two years.

It's fairly early days for the Chew - Keynsham Angling Club only introduced barbel in 2009 (the only ones in there previously were the odd few that got in from the Bristol Avon during flooding, and they were caught VERY VERY rarely, and nothing to a great size), but they've been topping it up annually. The club record currently stands at something like 6lb, and there's an increasing number being caught. The Chew is a very healthy river and I think in the next 10-15 years it could well end up being a bit like the Loddon - diminutive, but holding some absolute monsters. We shall see.

Some will probably disagree with me, but I think there are certain stretches of the upper-mid Bristol Avon where the barbel are starting to make a comeback - I've caught LOADS of them between half a pound and 5lb in the last three years, and I've seen plenty of juniors less than half a pound swimming around. Admittedly I missed the BA's heyday in the mid to late 90s (when I drifted away from fishing), so I can only compare with what others have said, but I can at least say I'm catching good condition barbel at the right sizes nearly every single time I go - complete blanks are a rarity.

So take all that with however many buckets of salt you want...
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16lb out the frome steve are you sure?
 
Steve, don't spread myths that there are lots of small barbel in the Avon...we all know these small rivers get wiped out of all the barbel if otters are present, even young children dissappear if the get too close to the water🙂
 
Jason Bean said:
Steve, don't spread myths that there are lots of small barbel in the Avon...we all know these small rivers get wiped out of all the barbel if otters are present, even young children dissappear if the get too close to the water🙂
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There are certainly lots of little sub 1lb Barbel in the Avon. The population of breeding size fish has suffered greatly and the numbers of 1-5lb fish are very low. The Avon hasn’t suffered as badly as the Stour thankfully, although the Stour has had introductions.
 
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