Depth of Water

[Vincent Coulson]

Ok, two questions here that are linked.

The shallower runs over gravel with the streamer weed that split the deeper sections of the river, how shallow would it have to be for a say 5-7lb barbel to NOT think about hanging about there.... make sense?

Secondly how soon after these sections will fish start to hold up in the deeper water, as soon as, say, you lose sight of bottom in normal conditions?

Hope these aren't to vague or basic...

 

[Neil Partridge]

over our way on the severn, you can watch the fish (inc. chub) in water no deeper than a foot, we have even witnesed the barbel moving & feeding with their backs out of the water.
we have also caught barbel in water this deep well into dark, maybe its they need as much light as possible, it also depends on where they live. you will catch in the deeper waters such as worcester, & lower where there as no shallows (so to speak)


to answer your 2nd question as so far as the deeper water...
i believe they start to move (either up or down) in them as soon as the weather starts to cool & the roach & chub etc. anglers start to hit the rivers as theres more food going in. this along with the 'pleasure/3 times a year/ holiday only anglers wont be feeding the barbel so much on the 'this looks like a barbel swim' areas.