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Bradford on Avon

Craig Lea

Craig Lea

Senior Member & Supporter
Hello , anyone fished Bradford On Avon? Drove over the town bridge yesterday and it looked worth a go .
 
I have seen very big Chub around the bridge, especially when ducks are being fed. As for Barbel, I would not know but maybe someone would know.
 
yes have a go there are barbel there so go explore and hopefully you will find one or two.
 
Behind the library has always been a hot spot in years gone by
 
Clive Shipman said:
Behind the library has always been a hot spot in years gone by
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Used to fish there occasionally, back in 1980-85. Never caught one barbel, even though back then the BA was a barbel Mecca. I did though, have my best ever bag of chub from that spot, cheered on by the guys from the Avon factory, having their tea and fag breaks. 27 fish. Incredible fishing back then.
 
Just be careful coming back over the railings! Yesterday afternoon got my chair strap tangled round the bike rack and fell headlong desperately trying avoid damaging my rods. Fortunately no harm done and the librarian didn’t notice the kerfuffle.
 
Simon Burt said:
Just be careful coming back over the railings! Yesterday afternoon got my chair strap tangled round the bike rack and fell headlong desperately trying avoid damaging my rods. Fortunately no harm done and the librarian didn’t notice the kerfuffle.
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I've mashed my testicles a few times 😂😂
 
Youch! I hope they survived the experience.
I went back today with a slightly less ragey river. Lots of chub pulls and knocks and three nice ones managed to hang on. Still hoping for a barbel from my home stretch.
 

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So in theory would Barbel be present at Bradford on Avon? Fished Laycock a few years back which was supposed to be a hotspot. Got talked into using maggots. put a lot in but not a sausage. Should have been roaming. Not a local so got it all wrong.
 
Trevor Summerfield said:
So in theory would Barbel be present at Bradford on Avon? Fished Laycock a few years back which was supposed to be a hotspot. Got talked into using maggots. put a lot in but not a sausage. Should have been roaming. Not a local so got it all wrong.
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Back in the day there was excellent barbel fishing from just below Malmesbury to well below Bradford on Avon. So yes, definitely.

These days the BA barbel stock is a fraction of what it was - but it’s slowly getting better and there are one or two big fish about.
 
Tim Marks said:
Back in the day there was excellent barbel fishing from just below Malmesbury to well below Bradford on Avon. So yes, definitely.

These days the BA barbel stock is a fraction of what it was - but it’s slowly getting better and there are one or two big fish about.
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Yep..even just below Malmesbury there were Barbel ;Cow Bridge downstream was magical, had everything. What has happened to our rivers?🤨
 
Neil Smart said:
Yep..even just below Malmesbury there were Barbel ;Cow Bridge downstream was magical, had everything. What has happened to our rivers?🤨
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I have come back to fishing after 40 years away and I am absolutely shocked by the decline of the Upper Bristol Avon. I used to fish from Kellaways through to Lacock and the fishing was generally good. The water was clear and I can remember watching barbel and chub between Kellaways and Peckingell. My fishing buddy had 4 different species over 10lb out of the Isis weir; double figure barbel, bream, carp capped by a 26lb pike. Not so now. The free stretch from Chippenham weir down was great fishing and had some great sessions there. The majority of it is now unfishable due to undergrowth, trees in the river and the broken weir causing the river to rise and fall so much. When did it all start to decline?
 
My first Barbel was below Isis weir on the Almagamated stretch by the bridge, a small stone drop created a deeper pool which held barbel, had two that day and with my lads it ignited the flame. You could see the Barbel and Chub it was heart stopping stuff.
Don't think we can solely blame predation, abstraction and farming spillage together with Sewage Treatment Works total disregard to their code of practise we are left with this sad state of affairs.
It actually hurts to think about it.
 
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