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Barbel Spawning

J

John Spilsbury

Active Member
One of my hopes this close season is to be able to photograph some barbel spawning.
Tried to do so in each of the last couple of years but have not yet managed to find any.

Having a better idea of spawning dates might be useful.

I wonder if those of you who have seen barbel spawning, or who might see them this year could publish the dates involved. Please include earlier years' data if you have any in your diaries.

Something like
River xyz, 3rd June 2007, 6.00am would be great.

I don't want specific locations, for I will need to look in local rivers, due to time and travel constraints, but a general national picture might enable me to have more success predicting when best to go look this year.


many thanks
 
You had better start early if the weather is warm - in 2009 I watched three separate pods of barbel going full at it on April 19th, 20th and 21st: early.
 
I also saw spawning in April last year, and again in late June on the same reds, not sure if is was the same shoal or not..........

If you contact Pete Reading, he may be able to share information they gathered during their spawning study last year..............
 
April last year for me too.

If you'd only looked in May and June you'd of thought they hadnt spawned.
 
John

In short, you have to read the conditions and they vary each year and on different rivers. I did have the temperature details somewhere but can't put my finger on it. It goes something like, they need a constant water temperature of 55 degrees (I think) for 72 hours to kick off the spawning. If I can find it I'll post it.

Once they start spawning all you need is some bright conditions and clear water.

Its that easy:)
 
I walked a new [to me] stretch of the River Dove with a couple of friends last year and watched (for about an hour) three groups of barbel clearly 'at it' on gravel shallows. (diary shows 25th April)

There had been a prolonged warm spell prior to this for a few weeks tho if memory serves?

I would hazard a guess, they may start a little later this year, after the very hard winter we've had?

We'll see...

Daz.
 
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The April dates are certainly earlier than I was expecting. I'll have to start getting up earlier in the year.

Any time of day observations?
 
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