Medway barbel

[Jim Gibbinson]

Recently I've been hearing rumours that barbel have been stocked in the lower Medway (below Teston). One rumour talked of 200 barbel between 3lb and 5lb. My "mole" in the EA assures me that no such stocking has taken place, and it is not EA policy to either undertake such stocking or to give permission for same. Barbel have, however, been stocked in the upper river (Ashurst to Fordcombe), some of which have made their way down to Tonbridge.

 

There are a few barbel in the lower river, some of which have been there for a number of years - possibly refugees from upriver, possibly the result of unauthorised stocking. Others are very likely refugees from Monk Lakes etc. following the devastating flooding of a few years back.

 

Hopefully this will clarify matters,unless anyone knows different, of course.....

 

[ 28. September 2005, 09:29 AM: Message edited by: Jim Gibbinson ]

[Vagabond]

What IS interesting Jim, is why there was apparently no indigenous population of Barbel in the Medway BEFORE the stockings of the 60s onwards.

 

After all, in ancient time, when Britain was joined to the Continent of Europe, the Medway flowed into the Rhine complex (like the Thames, which of course DOES contain indigenous barbel) and the Medway virtually shares a common estuary with the Thames to this day, so one might expect similar fish populations in the two rivers.

 

 

The Medway flows off the Ashdown Forest (a fair bit of which is over 500ft above OD) and thus the river has a reasonably steep gradient, at least in the upper reaches - so should have been a "natural" for barbel all along.

 

Perhaps originally barbel did live in the Medway, but the slowing of the flow in Victorian times (numerous locks, dams and weirs) saw them off - in the sense that they might have been able to survive as individuals there, but could no longer find suitable conditions to breed.

 

Any ideas?

 

[ 29. September 2005, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: Vagabond ]

[Jim Gibbinson]

Interesting point, Vagabond.

 

Can anyone throw any light on this apparent anomaly?

[Dunk Fairley]

Are we sure that Barbel weren't in the river before the 60's stocking? There may have been, but nobody caught them. What there did used to be, were HUGE shoals of bleak, right through from Aylesford to Tonbridge. I very rarely see them now.

 

The Medway has definately undergone major flow changes over the years, which can be seen by the shape of the river bed, which has two definate shelves, one along each bank, all along the bits I fish.

 

Back to Barbel though, don't forget Peter Woodhouse caught his record from, I believe, around the Haysden area. I'll stand correction though.

 

Also, I'm pretty sure I was "snapped up" by a Barbel near Maidstone last winter. Had a small bite across the far side on a Lobworm. Fish came in quite easlily, in a VERY heavy flow, but tore off upstream, when it reached the near shelf. I'm certain it wasn't a Pike (it fought too deep and steady as it came across) and I know it wasn't a Carp (I've never hooked one in the Medway which would go upstream against the flow like this fish).

 

Unfortunately, I was fishing off the clutch, but a sudden lunge broke the hook link (6lb). I've only ever had Barbel do this. I suppose I should have been using 8lb, but I was only fishing for/catching Perch etc. Got caught out.

[KAYC]

Was talking to one of the Dorking match squad a couple of months back who informed me it was now reasonable to target the Barbel in the weir pools from Farleigh upwards ?

[Vagabond]

Dunk Fairley:

1. Are we sure that Barbel weren't in the river before the 60's stocking? There may have been, but nobody caught them.

 

What there did used to be, were HUGE shoals of bleak, right through from Aylesford to Tonbridge. I very rarely see them now.

1. There may have been, but some very good anglers fished that area in the 50s - like George Hollands and his mates - I'm sure if barbel had been there they would have found them. (Has Poldark any information?) Barbel are caught fairly often now - even by chub anglers not fishing for them.

 

I don't think the record fish came from Haysden, but we are a secretive lot up here

 

2. Plenty of bleak above Tonbridge still, but the ruffe has become quite scarce.

[nick_gilbert]

I have it from a couple of reliable sources that barbel are caught from some areas of the Medway upstream of Maidstone. I will be having a try for them myself in the next few weeks before the weather get too cold.

 

I don't know if they breed in the river?

 

Plenty of bleak still in the Barming section.

[Dante]

I was chatting to a club official reciently and he happened to mentioned that the haysden area has produced 3 over 10lb this season but as they dont interest me atm i havent even looked at the stretch in question.... yet

[A Worm OOE]

I believe that the ex record Barbel came from the Tunbridge Wells Water at Fordcombe, as did most Medway Barbel untill recently. Once you get a few miles below Fordcombe the river slows up and becomes less varied and less obviously attractive to Barbel. That said I have heard enough rumours/reports of Barbel from the Haysden and Barden Park area to be sure that they are there. There are also a few pools below Tonbridge where I know Barbel have been fished for, for more than ten years. There are undoubtably more accidental catches from areas other than the wierpools so they they do appear to be on the increase.

 

What confuses me is that the Barbel seem to be more numerous but the river has become less and less like a traditional Barbel river.

The whole flow on the Medway from Yalding up to Haysden is completely governed by sluices. It is possible,even for much of the winter, to treat the river more like a fenland drain with a tow than a true river. I can think of a number of ocaisions where I have trotted a float slowly up river. Bearing that in mind I am suprised that the Barbel want to live there.

I can understand the increase on the lower river as it seems to retain a more natural flow added to possible escapees from Monk Lakes.

Could it also be possible that the fish have gradually come down river and now that they have reached the bottom end found it more to there liking and reproduced more avidly than those on the slower parts of the river.

 

[ 30. September 2005, 03:50 PM: Message edited by: A Worm On One End........ ]

[chesters1]

i remember catching one (my friend one also) from below yalding? (the big curved waterfally thing)in the early 60's never went back there prefering maidstones easier transport links,there was little interest from other anglers so maybe they were a regular catch or just anglers being anglers

 

[ 30. September 2005, 04:29 PM: Message edited by: chesters1 ]