Recent content by Paul Cahill

That reads like a Daily Mail editorial. Litter was just as bad in the past, if not worse.

Fair play to Wychwood. They've just contacted me and offered me a free replacement. Pity I've ordered the Korum one earlier but I guess I can keep one in my quiver as a spare just in case it happens again!

I've landed them to over 11lb in that net, Richard, but it was a 5lber in a nice flat swim which broke it. I did email Wychwood about warranty, as I only bought it last September, but they want it returning to the dealer and i bought it online, so all that hassle and expense isn't worth it. I...

I think I will go for that, then Peter. Need one for Friday.

My Wychwood Specialist snapped at the screw while landing a small barbel this weekend. Very disappointing. Having read up, am I right in thinking there is no foldable, spoon shaped net which isn't rubbish?

An incredible catch, Neil. Congratulation on the biggest fish ever caught from a UK river. In fact i wouldn't be surprised if it's twice the size of the biggest fish ever caught. A truly seminal capture. Well done. I don't suppose you have any idea of the fish's history at all?

I'm not singling out barbel as the only concern as that would be stupid, particularly as I fish for all species. I'm asking for the opinions of the impact on barbel stocks because this is a barbel forum, and also because on the river I've mentioned they are now the dominant species.

I've seen a picture this morning of a wels catfish from The Trent, the second one I've seen this season. Clearly these fish are getting something of a foothold in the Trent. Given the way these fish have colonised The Ebro over the last 30 years, and made pellets a huge part of their diet, does...

Good luck to all. When will we get the first catch report? People around the country have had wraparounds and got wet nets already. Somebody somewhere is weighing a big barbel right now I'd say.

I regularly see the opinion "our rivers are hugely underfished". It's common in the angling prss but not my experience in the north of England. There are certainly fewer "bit bashers" and match anglers, but the number of barbel anglers has increased tenfold in the last 10-15 years in my...

Sorry guys, I meant the Trent, not the Thames. The Wye is one of the few rivers I haven't fished, but my impression from a distance is that it's prolific. I stand corrected if not. The Trent and Ribble I know very well and catch numbers have not declined in my opinion. In fact on both rivers...

Apologies if I'm repeating other comments. I haven't had time to read the thread. It seems to me that the barbel in some rivers are in decline (eg Avon, Dane, Wharfe) and in others are flourishing (eg Thames, Wye, Ribble). Surely the correct scientific approach to this is to evaluate the...

It's 10 years since I was a member but their most prolific barbel water was The Severn at Atcham. Also The Dane at Manor Farm produced a few.

Bugged me for a couple of years, this. I store two rods made up in padded sleeves inside my quiver. I've never found a solution to this: I want to carry my rods like this with a Fox Specialist brolly too. I'd put the rod on the outside of the quiver but in the padded sleeves they are too wide...

The Dane is a good venue to learn barbel fishing. Then progress to the Ribble. Or travel down to The Severn, middle reaches. Are you in any local clubs?