Locating barbel

[Anderoo]

Sorry to bore you with this again, but I fish a little river where there are probably a very few barbel and I could do with some help sussing out where they might be. There used to be a lot of barbel in this river (as recently as 2/3/4 years ago) and it just looks perfect for them, so I reckon there must be the odd one here and there. Why they've disappeared is a mystery.

 

How would you go about establishing whether there are any? Virtually no-one fishes it so there's no chance of pointers from other anglers.

 

It's mainly gravel bottomed with some silty bits.

 

It is very small and windy with fast, shallow, choppy riffles over gravel, steady glides, and several deepish (up to 6') pools. The majority of the river is 2-3'. There are lots of weed rafts, overhanging trees and undercut banks. Everywhere you look is some sort of feature! It's very overgrown. There's a fair bit of streamer weed in summer but it's dying back now.

 

There are several depressions in the riverbed in otherwise steady sections.

 

The water is clear but not crystal clear.

 

I thought I'd managed to get a barbel in the dark on saturday. I'd baited up a gravelly spot upstream of a tree which has fallen across the river, and had a really vicious take on pellet, but it was a 3lb chub

 

Any ideas? All I've come up with is to jump in with both feet and start fishing various spots, but maybe there's an 'ideal' swim I should look out for. Should I try fishing all night?

[Kappa]

Sorry to bore you with this again, but I fish a little river where there are probably a very few barbel and I could do with some help sussing out where they might be. There used to be a lot of barbel in this river (as recently as 2/3/4 years ago) and it just looks perfect for them, so I reckon there must be the odd one here and there. Why they've disappeared is a mystery.

 

How would you go about establishing whether there are any? Virtually no-one fishes it so there's no chance of pointers from other anglers.

 

It's mainly gravel bottomed with some silty bits.

 

It is very small and windy with fast, shallow, choppy riffles over gravel, steady glides, and several deepish (up to 6') pools. The majority of the river is 2-3'. There are lots of weed rafts, overhanging trees and undercut banks. Everywhere you look is some sort of feature! It's very overgrown. There's a fair bit of streamer weed in summer but it's dying back now.

 

There are several depressions in the riverbed in otherwise steady sections.

 

The water is clear but not crystal clear.

 

I thought I'd managed to get a barbel in the dark on saturday. I'd baited up a gravelly spot upstream of a tree which has fallen across the river, and had a really vicious take on pellet, but it was a 3lb chub

 

Any ideas? All I've come up with is to jump in with both feet and start fishing various spots, but maybe there's an 'ideal' swim I should look out for. Should I try fishing all night?

 

 

You could try getting on some waders and walking the stretch (actually in the water). I've done this before and found barbel where I least expected them!

 

Rich

[LiamF]

From the desciption and your location, im guessing i know which river your taking about. Its the same for everyone, the barbel catches have seriously declined. Alot of people are blaming otters/mink and this has put alot of anglers off . Then again with not many fishing for them, chances are not many barbel will be caught, vicious circle.

I havent had a barbel from there in a couple of years, but have only done a few sessions to be honest. I think the key may be look away from the known areas as fish here seem to be very thin on the ground these days. Other populations of barbel may have formed elsewhere without people realising, as a friend of mine had a 6lber from an area with no barbel form whatsoever last summer, so it could be worth considering.

[Anderoo]

From the desciption and your location, im guessing i know which river your taking about. Its the same for everyone, the barbel catches have seriously declined. Alot of people are blaming otters/mink and this has put alot of anglers off . Then again with not many fishing for them, chances are not many barbel will be caught, vicious circle.

I havent had a barbel from there in a couple of years, but have only done a few sessions to be honest. I think the key may be look away from the known areas as fish here seem to be very thin on the ground these days. Other populations of barbel may have formed elsewhere without people realising, as a friend of mine had a 6lber from an area with no barbel form whatsoever last summer, so it could be worth considering.

 

Hmm, cheers Liam. I have also heard the mink/otter explanation, but I personally don't think that's it. It's also not just this particular river either (and thanks for not naming it). Other similar rivers in the area seem to have suffered the same fate - very healthy populations of other fish, but disappearing barbel. Maybe it's to do with declining spawning grounds? I don't know.

 

I am sure there are still a few dotted about, and I would dearly love to catch one, it would be such an achievement! The problem is knowing where to start. Every inch of the river could be concealing a shoal of barbel.

 

I have started looking further afield and have found some cracking swims, but no joy yet... it's heartening that your friend had one though, like I say, I'm sure there are fish to be caught somewhere...!

[LiamF]

Its a shame, because its such a beautiful river, with perfect barbel habitats. Keep at it and law of averages say you'll pick one up eventually. Good Luck

 

Your right about other rivers too, in the Close season i always walk a small river that the barbel come up to spawn, over the years the numbers ive seen have gradually got less and less, 10-15 years ago, it used to be heaving with them, now however its a very different story!

[Anderoo]

Its a shame, because its such a beautiful river, with perfect barbel habitats. Keep at it and law of averages say you'll pick one up eventually. Good Luck

 

Your right about other rivers too, in the Close season i always walk a small river that the barbel come up to spawn, over the years the numbers ive seen have gradually got less and less, 10-15 years ago, it used to be heaving with them, now however its a very different story!

 

It really is a special little river, which is why I don't name it (although I'm sure it's easy enough to work it out!). I've never had any big fish from it, but in two years of regularly fishing there I've seen four other anglers. Bliss!

 

It's such a pity the barbel in Oxfordshire have dwindled like this. I hope the EA find that these rivers are suitable for restocking. I know they're looking into it. That will mean goodbye solitude though

 

If you were trying to catch one of these elusive barbel Liam, what kind of swim would you look for? Or would you try to find the fish first?

[Jigotai]

Hi Anderoo, I'm not sure if this will help, but I tend to look for gravel runs between streamer weed. As you know, the stretch of the Lea where I fish gets pretty choked with weed, so these narrow channels are a good bet for fish moving up and down the river.

I have also watched them moving up stream virtually under my feet so I also look for runs in the margins.

[LiamF]

Id look for a smooth run, nothing too pacey but nothing to slow, just a nice smooth glide with a bit of cover at the bottom, feed half way up and let the fish come out of the santuary to you.

But thats all theoretical on their, finding the fish first is the priority! V Hard at this time of year, so i'd try to fish as many swims as poss, 20mins in each swim and move on.

 

Barbel aside, theres some great sport to be had with other species, the chubbing can be really good in places. I had a brief perching session on friday evening, had a few fish, the biggest going over 3lb, so it goes to show, its got good allround potential.

[Anderoo]

Useful stuff, thanks folks! I have been fishing the deeper holes but did have a nagging feeling that it may have been too slow down there and that I should be in slightly pacier, shallower water. I have a few spots in my mind for next time...I huess I'll just keep on with the 'bait up half a dozen spots and give them each 1/2hour in the dark' method, and hope for the best.

 

I'll have to try to spot some next spring - do you know when barbel spawn, approximately?

[LiamF]

Could be wrong, but i think its around the end of may, depending on factors like temperature, water levels etc

Edited October 8, 2007 by LiamF