Barbel Fishing and Populations

[Graham Elliott]

About 4 years ago I posted that I had noted a decline in Barbel numbers in my local rivers.

A number of posters thought that I was mistaken. Quite frankly I hope I was!

However. I have heard statements lately that seem to say there is no problem with barbel numbers in our rivers. So I would ask BFW members to give a view based on the past five years or so.


I think the varied potential causes have been well discussed but please feel free to give examples of improvement or decline.

As BFW is the premier Barbel site I hope to get a fairly good response.

Thank you.

 

[Clive Shipman]

I'm a Bristol Avon lad so well documented all you have to do is look in the gallery or on the river thread.

 

[David Barratt]

Difficult to answer with any degree of certainty. I'm catching more barbel on my local river than I was 4 years ago. Other anglers are catching fewer !

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men ,

Local river is the Gt Ouse , enough said , and the river we loved the most was/is the Windrush , desperate .

Hatter

 

[Richard Longmuir]

Hi Graham,
Surely the question should be based around catch returns not population,we all tend to come to the conclusion that less catches means less fish which might not necessarily be the case

 

[Graham Elliott]

Richard.
Or visa versa.

It can only be a general overview.

 

[Alex Gowney]

Mark is certainly right about the Windrush, I haven't barbel fished the Cherwell for a while but it's demise (chub included) is well documented. The WA definitely has nowhere near the number of fish it had ten years ago.

 

[Andy Hunter]

My local river is the Lea and due to the well documented " fish kill " a few seasons ago the population has, in my experience, declined. I also fish the Ouse and this river is but a mere shadow of it's former self.

 

[Andy Hunter]

Could the person who voted that barbel numbers have increased on their local river please pm with venue details. Swims and bait would be useful also.

Kind Regards
Andy

 

[Richard Parsons]

It really does seem to be specific rivers that have felt a deep decline in barbel numbers. I wouldn't (and probably couldn't) say that it's typical the country over. Mind you, ask three different anglers on the same river and you'll probably get three differing responses.

 

[Mark Swaby]

My local river the Colne is a dying river, and not just for barbel,if you catch a barbel its more likely to be a double,i fished prolific Colne sections(5 barbel an evening with usually a double or two) as recently as 4 years and now they seem gone.Have moved on to other rivers, that are still very good. On the Colne we all know there are problems but nothing seems to be being done about it. I think if is was not for Calverton stockings we would be struggling even more.Should it not be the Enviroment agency's job to find the reasons and sort them,rather than taking the easy option and keep stocking more.

 

[Dave Taylor]

Hi Graham,
It's a bit of a tricky question to gauge actual barbel populations imo. Catch returns can be misleading due to repeat captures, as can EA fish surveys which often take place in selected areas on a river, usually where there is favourable habitat. The advantage with surveys over anglers catches is that they will sometimes provide evidence of juvenile fish, or not as the case maybe.
Of course an angler will justifiably suspect the worst if his or her catch rate plummets as this has to be evidence that all is not well.
We had a little debate regarding Hants Avon barbel numbers a while back, which seemed to suggest that although the river turns up it's fair share of doubles there was a distinct lack of shoal fish. Encouragingly this pessimism was offset by other forum members who are out on the river regularly and had observed lots of juvenile barbel between the Royalty and Ringwood.
Another issue with populations can be man made obstructions which predominate on rivers such as the Wey. A twelve mile stretch that I've fished for umpteen years has three weirs and three locks dividing the various bits of navigation and natural channel into sections which all tell a different story.
One particular section has witnessed a remarkable decline in all year classes, whilst another has seen the barbel numbers tick along nicely.
I seem to remember similar issues on the Wensum.
Each individual river will tell a different story I guess which is what makes forums such as this invaluable for seeing the big picture.
Depends how far you want to go back in time as well, .. This week I came across an old Leisure Sport rule and guide book from 30 years ago which included the rivers Lea, Gipping, Kennet, Wey, Ouse, Ivel, Trent, St Patrick's Stream, Lodden,Colne and Wensum in it's portfolio. None of the stock info on these venues included a single double, and with some exceptions didn't include barbel at all! I dare say one or two secret squirrels will say that LS management didn't know the half of it but I would expect to see barbel proliferating more nowadays.
I am probably regarded as blinkered by EA fisheries officers, but as far as the Wey is concerned any decline in barbel recruitment and general wellbeing is often mirrored with bad erratic flows due to abstraction and heavy boat traffic on the navigation starving the natural channels of water through increased lock operations . This has lead to gravel siltation and the loss of water crowfoot and the proliferation of the 'orrible silt gathering ribbon weed.
Poaching has definitely had an impact as well, along with the thoughtless removal of overhanging bankside/ marginal trees and shrubs by the EA flood defence contractors. Same old moans from me, same old patronising from those that are charged with looking after it !
I can hear you now, saying .. Just shutup and vote will you !

 

[Graham Elliott]

Dave. No problems having a view/reasons/changes etc. helpful.

I am trying to get a very simplistic overview countrywide to gauge barbel anglers feelings based on their experiences/knowledge. It's in no way scientific. I do hope to get a general "opinion" of things as they are now against a few (5-10 say) years ago. It is important I think that as many of BFW members register that opinion thru the poll.

Thanks

Graham

 

[Paul Monaghan]

Graham,

So many variables to make an informed decision in terms of the barbel population on my local Loddon stretches. Recaptures, time on the bank, approach etc, all of which skew my perception of the numbers present.

The Lower Loddon in particular has not been prolific in the last five to six years. Smaller shoal fish have long gone and are replaced by small pockets of large barbel, which are increasingly difficult to locate. Although I've experienced a good summer my gut feeling is that the numbers of large barbel are decreasing season by season and are not being replaced by juveniles. It's the same situation for chub.

Paul

 

[David Gauntlett]

My local river the Colne is a dying river, and not just for barbel,if you catch a barbel its more likely to be a double,i fished prolific Colne sections(5 barbel an evening with usually a double or two) as recently as 4 years and now they seem gone.Have moved on to other rivers, that are still very good. On the Colne we all know there are problems but nothing seems to be being done about it. I think if is was not for Calverton stockings we would be struggling even more.Should it not be the Enviroment agency's job to find the reasons and sort them,rather than taking the easy option and keep stocking more.

I agree to a point Mark, fewer and bigger barbel than a few years back in the Colne. However, anglers float fishing the sections I fish are catching a few barbel in the 6"-12"range recently, so results seem a bit mixed on the Colne, as they are elsewhere.

I have no doubt that the overall figures will show a sharp decline in general, with a few exceptions. All the usual suspects are playing their part, otters, EE's with BBQ's, other poachers, the black plague, unresearched chemical pollution (despite everything the EA may say) over extraction due to a human population explosion...and all the other unavoidable side effects and downsides that such an increase brings with it.

I think the trend for bigger fish but fewer of them that Mark has noticed on the Colne, and was certainly very noticeable on the Gt. Ouse....would show up as a common factor, if enough research was done. Low or even non existent recruitment due to declining water and habitat qualities + increased predation from many sources = the trend we are seeing. The Ouse was an extreme example in my opinion, with water and habitat decline leading to almost zero recruitment...then the return of Tarka leading to the catastrophic collapse of the already precariously poised barbel population that was so well documented. Obviously that happened well before the major human population explosion of recent years, and before the BBQ boys were around in current numbers, which proves that the suspected overall decline is down to many factors...some of which I suspect we are unaware of...because they are invisible killers.

Take a look at the young human population of today...it is a fact that there are more kids suffering from allergies and untold numbers of issues and ailments than ever before....every other kid seems to have allergies to everything from food to fairy lights. Then there are the mental health problems, with things like Asperger's syndrome, Autism, ADHD....the list of issues now is endless and increasing at a scary rate. Whatever it is that is causing all this (and it can't ALL be down to better health awareness and reporting)...is very likely linked at least in part to the decline in fish and other wildlife in this and some other countries. The chemicals now in the food we eat, the liquids we drink...and the very air we breath are all affecting our kids, and all of that will be finding it's way into our rivers and seas...because that is where ALL of our waste products end up. Any wonder that the fish are suffering too?

I think the old chestnut trotted out by the EA and their political bosses, i.e, that our rivers are cleaner than ever before...is poppycock. Obviously a few grossly polluted waterways are better, but overall there is most definitely a major problem. The water may LOOK cleaner, and the few chemical tests that are regularly carried out may SAY it is cleaner...but you can't find something that you are not testing for, any more than you will find something that you are not even looking for..................

Very obviously just my opinions of course...but as there is very little likelihood of any significant scientific research being carried out any time soon into the causes of all this (there probably never will be research done into issues that may significantly affect the profits of multinational big business)...our opinions will be all we have I am afraid.

Cheers, Dave.

 

[Steve Reed]

Paul has hit the nail on the head regarding the Lower Loddon. On the face of it a good season. Chub PB that will probably never be beaten and a pleasing number of double figure barbel but the underlying situation is not good with very few juvenile barbel coming through. On a slightly brighter note I have had quite a few chub between 1 and 3lb.

Steve

 

[Mark Swaby]

David, i was told by a Watonians member the small Barbel being caught on the rovers section are the result of last years EA stocking to the Harrow watonians section from Calverton.Like in the 90's, they all moved up into the rapids upstream(when lots seemed to jump the bottom weir,ha ha).The thought that our rivers are cleaner is a good one(the last 10 years the Colne has become crystal clear) but i think the muck that was suspended in the Colne before, provided fry with food over their first winter,now i think they starve.The Colin Ambrose memorial match this year had to be cancelled due to nobody/teams wanting to waste their time fishing a match for so few fish,its been going over 20 years.

 

[David Gauntlett]

Mark, the Walts barbel always end up in our Ricky bit...absolutely hilarious . And yes, they do come over Moneypenny weir. I would imagine they only manage it in times of high water, but whether or not, manage it they do. Not sure whether or not they manage the big top weir, but double figure barbel have been caught in the short top section between that and the G.U.canal in years gone by. Again, that is not surprising when you consider that the Colne runs in and out of the canal in a couple of places above there....but they could also have come from our lower sections.

So, the small barbel in our section could indeed have come from that stocking lower down....but hopefully not. There have also been some young ones out from Denham. Who knows mate, probably wishful thinking on my part. There have been some VERY big chub out too...which may conceivably be for the same reasons. All speculation though.

Cheers, Dave.

 

[Lawrence Breakspear]

The Teme is on the verge of losing its status as a Barbel fishery in my mind, when I think what is was like in the late 80's to its peak in the late 90's it breaks my heart, but with the Severn being in severe decline, its not surprising how the Teme has gone, the Teme depended on the huge shoals of lower Severn fish for its sustainability and their colonisation instincts creating the population on the Teme......it will be interesting to see how the Severn performs this year, because each year seems worse than the previous one.

 

[Lawrence Breakspear]

Just one other point chaps, dont get to excited about catching 6" to 8" Barbel, these years ago would never be caught from rivers with a sustainable stock of Barbel, in fact years ago it would be perceived as not a very good sign, as it usually pointed to some sort of environmental problems and pointed to a breakdown in the small Barbels food supply of crustacean's, invertebrates, shrimps and other micro life forms that mini Barbel feed on......if you catch a mini Barbel today, it usually points to them being stock fish from Calverton, who are initially ill equipped to feed naturally because of being farm fed and reared, thus making them very susceptible to anglers baits during their initial period of time in the wild.