Free fishing in Barbel area around Norwich?

[Mark Crame]

I'm species hunting this year and have always wanted to catch a barbel. I'm not bothered about getting a specimen (I have caught bigger fish than i'd get in UK waters so to me each fish is a beauty). Anyway, tomorrow I'm heading to Norwich for a spot of fishing from the kayak and would like to fish an area that might produce a barbel amongst the other fish i'll be after. Initial thought is to go in at Trowse unless i'm told otherwise?

 

Thanks in advance, feel free to PM if you don't want to post in full view,

 

mark

[Peter M]

if your are looking for barble in norfolk then you can forget free fishing. barble in that part of the country are a bit like rocking horse poo. The only river that i know that holds barble is the Wensum, and i only know about that thanks to John wilsons go fishing programmes. This river is controlled by clubs so contact a local tackle shop about the river.

[Jeffwill]

if your are looking for barble in norfolk then you can forget free fishing. barble in that part of the country are a bit like rocking horse poo. The only river that i know that holds barble is the Wensum, and i only know about that thanks to John wilsons go fishing programmes. This river is controlled by clubs so contact a local tackle shop about the river.

 

 

Not 100% sure on the legalities of this but river fish are not owned by anyone. Therefore if your fishing from a kayak, and can enter and exit river from an area where you have prior permission from the landowner, I would think you can fish for nothing. As you cannot be "stealing a land owners fishing rights by not paying" as you are not fishing from their land! Perhaps other anglers on this site can elaborate on this.

[dant]

Hello Mark..

 

How did you get on at Trowse mill pool? Interesting place that for a few reasons..

 

I don't want to pour water on your species hunting forays but I'll have to say that in our neck of the woods you're really going to struggle firstly, for a Barbel from a regular joe bit of water and especially from a Kayak.

 

Barbel in Norfolk are fairly resolutely apart from the odd rumour only in the non-tidal stretches of the Wensum between Lyng and Hellesdon. The stretch holding the record breakers at Sayers Meadow Lyng, the couple of miles at Costessy Point are run by the NACA and long waiting lists exist for fishing which will definitely be bank only.

The stretch at Taverham mill is run by Anglian Water, with fshing only available for people who are renting the on-site chalets at some cost.

There's a mile or so available on day ticket downstream of Lenwade pool that has produced very big Barbel recently but I'm sure that will be bank only.

 

As far as I'm aware, any riparian land owner has full legal claim of ownership over the water and all it contains in non-tidal waterways. This therefore puts Barbel fishing out this way at a premium.

 

Generally and in accordance with the Magna Carta anyone can fish tidal waterways from a boat although you're not allowed to tie up to private bank unless it's below the high tide line and from the bank below the high tide line.

 

The bank issue can be difficult because you contravene the ruling if you cross private land to get to that spot.

I once greatly upset an RSPB baliff by walking from the free fishing section of the River Yare at Buckenham Ferry along the rocks below the high tide mark to my long time favoured spot which they had newly acquired, I believed it and still do to be legal act. as I was below the boundary line at all times

Much fuss ensued but nothing ever came of it.

Even the boating access is not set in stone, a couple of rather tenuous Broadland examples spring to mind, Horsey Mere, areas of Hickling Broad on the Thurne and South Walsham Inner Broad on the Bure.

 

Anyways back to the Barbel. There are one or two fish in the upper non tidal sections of the River Yare in two mill pools both privately owned that I know of but thats just about it.

There has however been some claim to one or two fish being present in Trowse Pool. I wouldn't want to rule it out completely as that place could throw just about anything up but I'm erring on the side of serious doubt. It would take a braver man than I to fish specifically for them there.

 

I reckon your best bet lays further afield. The Tidal Trent maybe.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Dan T

[Mark Crame]

Hi Peter - yeah, I know the Wensum has some I justed wanted to find a spot that could be fished that possibly had some without some jobsworth gettinmg the hump because it was club-controlled banks.

 

Jeff, I think it's ok as clubs control banks but I can never get a defiitive answer - some say yes, some say no. So far it's never been a problem although I ran the gauntlet of a duck shoot once on a river that bordered an estate!

 

Hi Dan, when you coming on the yak with me then? I got bored with traffic yesterday so went to Beccles again instead. I've decided to probably give the Wensum a miss until next season now, maybe try in summer for them when I have more hours available. There's a report over on the kayak fishing section. Had my first Rudd of the year and some nice chub between 1 and 2 pounds. I agree that Barbel wil be tricky from the yak but as of yesterday all the easy ones except for eels have been caught already this year. Speces left are Barbel, Tench, Carp, Zander (none of which I have ever caught from a in the UK) and Bleak which I *think* can be found in Fritton Lake if they'll let me on. I think I know a location locally for Bullheads too (ten years ago I saw some) and am just stuck for Minnows and Sticklebacks now I guess. Any around here? Do they take lures?

 

I can anchor so don't need to tie to a bank, so that's ok, and as long as I can launch from a public area crossing land is not an issue - the trouble would come from between weirs I guess. Now, the pool at Trowse, presumably I can fish that with no bother, yes? I know bank access to be a problem from memory but a launch spot isn't and I can easily paddle up there in a few minutes. I don't specifically target as such (except obviously with pike) what I do is chuck and hope, enjoying whatever comes along, so if it takes me six months to catch a juvenile i'll be happy with whatever I catch along the way...

[Will Wilkinson]

I think I know a location locally for Bullheads too (ten years ago I saw some) and am just stuck for Minnows and Sticklebacks now I guess. Any around here? Do they take lures?

 

1/2" quill minnow with #22 trebles to 0.05mm line and a 1/2oz test-curve rod sounds like it could do the trick

 

Will

[dant]

Hello Mark.

 

Sorry, nearly lost this thread.

 

Thanks for the offer!!. I love to come out yakking as you call it. It'd make a pleasant change from my norm. I quite fancy a trip out offshore for some of those Spring Cod which are sitting just outside of casting range and absolutely refusing to come inshore. Or would a trip on the sea be a bit iffy for a first time yakker? I've done a fair bit of canoeing in my time but would definitely fall into the novice category. I'll be up and down between London and Suffolk over the next couple of weeks so maybe in three weeks time'ish if that suits you?

 

Is your species hunt in a season or a calendar year. You're running out of time a bit if it's the former.

 

For the Tench and Carp you really need to look no further than the Waveney. Come the new season I'll quite happily put you onto a few spots on the upper reaches of the tidal river that Tench, some nice fish too will be a fair bet and a weirpool on the tidal river with private banks but navigable water that holds some very very big Carp. I've hooked one whilst chubbing which took off at such a rate of knots that the dreaded ping had occurred before I really knew what was going on.

 

Anderoo might be able to put onto some Zander spots in Fens but they might be a tricky one too.

 

It's sign of the times and stocks when a fella fishing the Broads can't catch an Eel.

 

I've heard about Bleak in Fritton too.

 

For your Sticklebacks look no further than Beccles. I was down at the Quay today in the vain pursuit of Pike and Perch and whilst slowly trying to get some livebaits and up to my usual trick of missing bite after bite followed by some choice foul language I discovered the culprits of the frustrating tiny bites as I swung in an enormous Three Spined Stickleback. Fish v.fine with say a 22 hook or even a 24 and I reckon you'll get one. The Ten Spined variety are in Breydon Water. I also had a Cockey Ruffe.

 

Minnows might be tricky. I havn't see one round this way for years.

 

You can fish Trowse pool afloat no bother.

[Mark Crame]

Excellent! Three weeks is out though as I'll be out of the country chasing poissons! wednesday/thursday/friday are my best days to escape the house at present if those are of any use to you - and next Friday is a definite for the diary if you fancy trying some freshwater first.

 

If conditions are fine then it won't be a problem on the sea but it may pay to do an hour or two paddling about on te river first (even if not fishing) just to get used to being on a kayak. I'll be back in early April but that might be a bit late.

 

It's a calendar year so I have plenty of time.

 

I think I know which weirpool you mean, and the stretch of bank. I've seen carp in the area.

 

A mate lives in Peterborough and we blanked once before on the Zander so another attempt will happen in the new season. It'd be nide to get one of them at last after hooking one many, many years ago on a spinner that dropped off after a nice tail walk.

 

I managed one solitary eel last summer...they used to be the only things around it seemed! Ioften used to sit under the big bridge at Haddiscoe with soem lobworms and pull out a few in a short time.

 

The pike are very reluctant this week at the quay. I only know of one of around 5lb come out on wednesday and thursday - teh week before was cracking though. Must try for those sticklebacks next week - can you pm me the precise spot please? Be great to finish the season on a stickleback (what size is it a specimen?!). Mostly I had gudgeon last week although one Ruffe came in. I'm not keen on fishing Breydon though.

[dant]

Returned the PM Mark.

 

I know what you mean about Breydon the tide can really churn through there as we found out during an ill advised Flounder fishing session on a small dinghy with a dodgy outboard. Bad.

[chubhunter1]

are u mad!!! my m8 has had 14 barbel out of new mills yard this season which obviously leads down to trouse mill and is the same part of the tidal wensum,so why shouldent trouse which i have fished for 19 years for the massive chub be a haven for barbel