Has barbel fishing been harder this year?

[Stuart Downs]

After another blank last night I'm really considering switching to other fish for the rest of the year. This has been my worst season ever - I have failed to bank a double despite doing really well with the same methods and tactics over previous seasons. Its driving me insane.

So I was wondering - who else has been struggling this year!? Has barbel fishing been harder in your opinion?

 

[Darren George]

I have voted no different, because although I am yet to bank a barbel so far this year (!), there are some reasons which do not reflect on barbel fishing as a whole:

- just 5 or 6 short sessions in the last year(!)

- fishing two new stretches (to me), in areas which are not popular with barbel anglers. So my lack of results may be because I've not yet got location right and/or the barbel population is generally lower

- I've not been fishing at my best..

 

[Stuart Downs]

Well as for me I've fished new places and blanked. So returned to my old haunts that have seen me well in past seasons... and blanked. Speaking to a lot of people too on the banks, they also say they're having it bad this year, but then you never know who's telling the truth!

However, I did recently move to London which means a three hour battle everytime to get through the traffic and out into the countryside. No more popping down for a quick sesh after work. Maybe this is hampering my ability to really get to know the river well.

I've given myself a reward:

 

[Jamie Armitage]

This year has been good for me upto about three weeks ago.......
Still keep trying !!! all them nines and eights with autumn/winter weight on!! might get a first double if i can find them again.. fingers crossed!!

jamie

 

[Ian Grant]

I voted no different as well,..... though i've had a new PB, in the bigger picture that doesn't really count.

Some rivers go through the Doldrums for sure, why is nearly always a mystery and the subject of much debate.
Sometimes i think the fish just wise up to the same old methods, and all thats needed is a different approach.

I've caught less this year, but like Darren i've been going less, and running away from the crowds, and therefore fish !! trying much harder venues, so all in all i suppose i've had a pretty good year all things considered.

Ian.

 

[Chris Jones]

No appreciable difference overall on my main river. The only thing lacking this year has been the red letter day or two due to a summer flood. Last season we had a couple of good push throughs that lasted a reasonable length of time. This season we've had very little extra summer water. When there has been minor rises I've missed them. On the whole the river has stayed low and clear from June until late September. Now we are seeing fairly regular extra water it's tending to be a little cold for realistic expectations of out of the ordinary barbel catches.

 

[Brian Kelly]

I had a poor start (June/July) but things have picked up since then. That poor start did make me change a few things though so maybe it was a good thing. Up to this point last year I'd had 44 Barbel from 260hrs fishing for them. This year it's 56 from 297hrs so a bit of an improvement.

 

[Steve Roffey]

Although many people have said it's been a poor year on the Severn I've had a better year than last. Probably only done 70% of the number of trips that I did last year but not had a blank and already caught more barbel than I did in the whole of last season.
Not seen the numbers of chub that I did last year, but that may be down to fishing different places this season.

 

[Stuart Brookes]

My main river has been a disaster for me and my regular fishing partner. In 2008 he had over 40 barbel in the season, last year 7 this season none. My results have matched his with no barbel on my local since last June. The only saving grace was a week on the Wye but still had some decent days fishing on my local even if no barbel to show for it.

 

[Neil Partridge]

after 3 decades of match fishing & now moving over to (as a local tackle dealer called it) "the dark side" for the last two years i can honestly say i've had the best seasons fishing ever with barbel.this along with some very good advice from this & other sites not mention a chap i've been doing a bit (lot) with (cheers jez) ive not looked back.

 

[Jeremy Evans]

The middle Severn has fished well for me this season, only the one double but i've hit a quarter century of nine's so i aint complaining. More fish this season than last so all is well with the world.

 

[Leon Dodd]

i voted yes, but must add that i think this is because
1- i have fished less than last year
2- we have been spoilt with warm summer floods over last couple of years and barely any rain this summer, and when it did rain the ground was so dry it just soaked it all up, hardly affecting river levels/colour at all
better conditions=better results
there is still time though

 

[Chris Guy]

I think this should be a regional thread really, as I'm pretty sure the larger rivers are still producing the goods on a regular basis.
Aim this query at anglers on the Thames tributaries, Ouse, Ivel, Wensum, Stour, B. Avon, Medway, I' pretty sure the reaction will be a big YES.

 

[Albert Watkinson]

i am sorry to say it but it is the worst season in 40yrs for me.
albert

 

[Colin Gordon]

I think this should be a regional thread really, as I'm pretty sure the larger rivers are still producing the goods on a regular basis.
Aim this query at anglers on the Thames tributaries, Ouse, Ivel, Wensum, Stour, B. Avon, Medway, I' pretty sure the reaction will be a big YES.

Very true as, if I hadn't fished on the Severn, Teme and Wye it'd be usual dire not allot caught:

Three sessions on the Cherwell = 1 barbel
Three sessions on the Windrush = 4 barbel

First ever session on the Wye = 9 barbel

The figures speak volumes.

But because I've been out west my vote falls to best season ever.

 

[Brian Kelly]

Whereas I fished the Wye for 5 days in June at a usually prolific venue and never caught one but had 17 in 4 days at the same venue in September. Those Wye Barbel sure move about a lot !

 

[Ian Crook]

I think this should be a regional thread really, as I'm pretty sure the larger rivers are still producing the goods on a regular basis.
Aim this query at anglers on the Thames tributaries, Ouse, Ivel, Wensum, Stour, B. Avon, Medway, I' pretty sure the reaction will be a big YES.

I think you might find many anglers on some Thames tributaries have actually done better this season than the last 2.........I have certainly no complaints!!

 

[David Parker]

been out a bit less so overall numbers have been down but looking back over records the average is the same, so I voted no different.

 

[Haydn Clarke]

Only three Barbel for me this year; all seven pounders from the Gt. Ouse. The first year in three that I have not upped my P.B. too. I shall still fish the river but I have decided to end my five year, unfulfilled quest for a 15lb+ Barbel and persue a more realistic target instead.

 

[John Beardmore]

This is my first season back after a few years off so i have stuck to two stretches of the Teme I know and have caught most of the time,mainly 4-6lbers.I tend to blank more times when I try new methods, stretches,swims or rivers.