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Stillwater Barbel in the Media

Chris Cheshire said:
what happens when one of these lake caught barbel topples the British record?

surely with all the hnv baits that the carp boys pile in, its only a matter of time before they are catching deep bellied fat boy barbel?

Will we see a separate list for stillwater barbel?
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I doubt we'll ever see it. However, the fact that you suggest it could be possible is acknowledgment that the argument of barbel doing badly in stillwater is cobblers. If it were true, no one would be concerned about record threatening stillwater barbel. However, barbel aren't deliberately stocked in any of the genuine big carp waters I've ever encountered. I dare say that there's the odd fish that has ended up in stillwaters in close proximity to rivers (Thames Valley gravel pits etc), by fair means or foul. I'm yet to hear any stillwater carpers complain about barbel being a nuisance in the same way they might tench or bream. The type of stillwaters that are seeing barbel stocked, are usually geared toward the general/match angler. I doubt that these see anything like the quantities of HNV baits that you may think. No one on such waters is chucking 5Kg of boilie in. Usually, the stocking levels mean that record threatening fish, of most species (perch are the most likely exception), are relatively unlikely.
 
Chris Cheshire said:
what happens when one of these lake caught barbel topples the British record?

surely with all the hnv baits that the carp boys pile in, its only a matter of time before they are catching deep bellied fat boy barbel?

Will we see a separate list for stillwater barbel?
Click to expand...

Some of ther pictures I have seen of large Barbel , do tend to illustrate that they are are not strangers in the tuck shop . Swimming in rivers doesn't neccesarily mean the big girls can keep their shape :D
 
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Chris Jones said:
I doubt we'll ever see it. However, the fact that you suggest it could be possible is acknowledgment that the argument of barbel doing badly in stillwater is cobblers. If it were true, no one would be concerned about record threatening stillwater barbel. However, barbel aren't deliberately stocked in any of the genuine big carp waters I've ever encountered. I dare say that there's the odd fish that has ended up in stillwaters in close proximity to rivers (Thames Valley gravel pits etc), by fair means or foul. I'm yet to hear any stillwater carpers complain about barbel being a nuisance in the same way they might tench or bream. The type of stillwaters that are seeing barbel stocked, are usually geared toward the general/match angler. I doubt that these see anything like the quantities of HNV baits that you may think. No one on such waters is chucking 5Kg of boilie in. Usually, the stocking levels mean that record threatening fish, of most species (perch are the most likely exception), are relatively unlikely.
Click to expand...

time will tell...
 
Maybe now that it is less "shocking" than it was 10 years ago the stocking of Barbel in Stillwaters? Is there still not an ethical or moral issue involved, I guess it is down to the individual.

I guess some will flourish if the fishery and management is of a high quality on these commercial fisheries.
 
I must admit I don't like the idea of stocking Barbel in a lake or pond, that said we (Verulam AC) have a fishery on the river Lea that is made up of a section of river with a small lagoon (approx 1 acre) joined to the river by a culvert 3-4ft wide and 3-4ft deep.

The Barbel have voted with their fins and spend a very great deal of their time in the lagoon!
I assume they move from the lagoon to the river every now and then, but to be honest I have no proof that they have ever moved out once they got in, I know they CAN move if they wanted, but I don't know for sure that they do?



Also One post mentioned that Barbel DON'T eat crayfish!!

I cannot be the only angler that has caught Barbel that have either had bits of Cray in their throat, OR, had a very munched Crayfish regurgitated into my net, can I???

I had a fish a couple of years ago that went 15-13 (caught cheating using a ledger) if the bloody thing had been good enough to keep the Crayfish down that it spat out in the net, she would have gone just ove 16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
The crayfish thing is one of Fred Crouches ideas, he is adamant that they don't/cant eat them. I'm just as sure they can and that he knows it.:)
Freds reasoning is that they cant crush the crays shell and could not pass it if they ate it whole.
There are many problems with that argument, not least is the fact that crayfish actually shed their shells in order to grow and are very vulnerable before the new one hardens.
 
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Bad boy Richard!!!!!

My club have stillwaters that hold Barbel, as well as some good Chub and even Daddy Ruff.
They all seem to be doing quite fine and are nice fit looking fish....

I don't specifically target the Barbel, but always admire them when I do catch one by chance...

Steve
 
I don't think it does a shred of harm to them providing they are handled carefully
And returned to the water soonest. Thats all fish btw not just barbel
 
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