West Yorkshire venues

[Peter Baylis]

hi,
I've just joined and am a new in angler. Hope to bag a Barbel this year. My local rivers (calder, and colne) seem to get mentioned as Barbel venues.
I appreciate this may be a massive faux pas, but is anyone willing to suggest a good spots on either River to try for my 1st Barbel??
Many thanks.
Pete

 

[Mike Thompson]

Welcome Pete,
Sorry I cannot help as I fish the east yorkshire rivers, but I am sure there will be some on here who can point you in the right direction.
I suggest you read as much as you can and watch some of the better YouTube barbel fishing videos. You can learn a lot which will help you select potential holding spots.
Good luck.
Mike

 

[Ian Ashton]

Ive just joined too, but 30 years ago, and appears so today, Bradford No1 have the most waters, and good stretches on the Wharfe and Nidd, which always did the business in the 80s and 90s.
I lived in Huddersfield, and we had to head north or east to find Barbel and Chub, as the Calder was a silverfish tiddler snatching venue.
The Aire east of Leeds looks prime in parts too.

 

[David Craine]

Hi Peter and Ian, I live in West Yorks, the closest Barbel river to me is the Ribble, which is about 33 miles away, although there are supposedly stocks in the Aire near Keighley, and in the Calder at Cooper Bridge, although I have not fished either venue.
Its just a fact of life that we dont all live on the doorstep of Rivers containing Barbel, although for me the M 62 is only about six miles away, and I can be on any of a half dozen and more rivers and fishing day ticket venues within a couple of hours . Really, the world is my oyster, but I only tend to fish day ticket waters as no one or two venues get enough attention to warrant laying out a good wedge for a yearbook.

David

 

[Peter Baylis]

Thanks all for such a warm welcome.
I will try my luck by a weir on the Calder I have membership for. I can always chuck a float or jig for a bit to pass the time.

 

[Alex Dalton]

The Calder and smaller west/ south yorkshire river Dearne worth a bash, was lucky enough to wangle a fair few ,before moving to north lincs, still some good free fishing to be had .

 

[Ian Ashton]

Hi Peter and Ian, I live in West Yorks, the closest Barbel river to me is the Ribble, which is about 33 miles away, although there are supposedly stocks in the Aire near Keighley, and in the Calder at Cooper Bridge, although I have not fished either venue.
Its just a fact of life that we dont all live on the doorstep of Rivers containing Barbel, although for me the M 62 is only about six miles away, and I can be on any of a half dozen and more rivers and fishing day ticket venues within a couple of hours . Really, the world is my oyster, but I only tend to fish day ticket waters as no one or two venues get enough attention to warrant laying out a good wedge for a yearbook.

David

I no longer live in West Yorkshire, now live in Tadcaster, so have town membership of Taddy APA, which allows me to fish the stretch between the weir and the bridge, although speaking to the bailiff on Sat, they head of downstream after spawning, and hide in the groynes near the A64, big tackle and braid required according to him, and a 16 puled out of there last year.

 

[Peter Baylis]

hi,
I've just joined and am a new in angler. Hope to bag a Barbel this year. My local rivers (calder, and colne) seem to get mentioned as Barbel venues.
I appreciate this may be a massive faux pas, but is anyone willing to suggest a good spots on either River to try for my 1st Barbel??
Many thanks.
Pete

Many thanks Ian. I might try the Calder at Cooper Bridge, I have walked that stretch before.
Any tips for spotting a likely spot? I read fast-flowing, gravely bottoms are prime; but is hard to tell where they are when the water is tea colour at best!