Barbel

[Nige]

OK the Great Ouse has the current Barbel scene `wrapped up' in terms of records. But where would you expect any new record-potential Barbel to come from?

[Northern_monkey]

Trent, there's miles of the trent that nobody fishes, simply because of who runs the fishing

[Nige]

Gonna hopefully have a bash up there this year, any suggestions as to which regions are best, and any day ticket stretchs?

[robnichol]

Don't know about the trent, but me and my dad used to do quite a bit of barbel fishing on the Bay malton stretch of the dane, just by the motorway bridge between middlewich and sandbach. i only had them to just over 7 but my dad had one at 10 3 and lost one much bigger. Usually good sport, plenty of big chub too

is that the length that lymm used to have ?

[kevw]

Ribble, Wigan and Warrington AA stretch around Balderstone has some good fish judging by the bivvies there in summer.
Used to get them around the 6lb mark almost 20 yrs ago. Had my first one from there when I was 16 at about 3 lb and that's 27 yrs ago

Don't know growth rate or lifespan of barbel, but they've been there a long time.

[Deano]

Originally Posted by kevw

Don't know growth rate or lifespan of barbel, but they've been there a long time.

I think your lucky if a barbel lives for 20 years....not like carp that can reach 70 years

[Stig]

I'm with Kev w on this one i think it will be the Ribble its underfished for Barbel unlike other water mentioned with the exception of the Trent that are hammered

[Chesh]

has to be some of the stretches of the STour darn sarf!

home to some monster barbus

other than that, you can take your pick of the rivers, the avin, severn, wye, ribble, trent, dane, take your pick most of these wtaers probably have mahooosive uncaught lunkers in

Wanted..........Barbel angler



A freindly angler who will meet up with me one day in the summer and take me fishing for one of these remarkable beasts..............preferably on the stoke ticket if possible??...........Ive only ever caught a baby barble fish of 1lb 5oz out of a still water !! so im very very inexperienced

[Nige]

Phil you can join me by all means, oh, and my grey haired bailiff monster!! (Dad)

...and we'll all get whipped by my mum! - her best so far is 9lb+ -not managed a double yet though.

love to nige...........be nice to try something new instead of me silting up at top pool