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Firstly, in answer to the query raised by Terry, I can say with absolute conviction, that the view that the Severn Rivers Trust is only interested in game fishing is not fair at all. I have known Tony Bostock for many years, and followed the progress of SRT, and he has been instrumental in...

Going back to Graham`s original post, I would expect the barbel to spawn in the next prolonged warm spell, bet you a fiver it will be next week Graham! We have had reports of a bit of spawning activity in late April, which is not uncommon, but the limited results from the BS Spawning Survey show...

The records from Terry will be invaluable in building up a picture of catch rates over the years, and am certain that the student will find them extremely useful, many thanks Terry, exactly what is needed! As Bobby says, past records and catch returns from now on are part of the study, and any...

I was there at Calverton helping Lizzie Rhymes mark the barbel with the orange spot Howard, just after we had marked a few thousand for stocking into the Dorset Stour. We used blue, green and red spots, for three different stocking sites. Do not know how they prospered in the Upper Thames, only...

You can sex mature barbel by looking at the vent, near the anal fin; females have a fleshy protruding tubular vent, males have a single small hole flush with the skin, but the smaller the barbel the harder it is to see. At one time Calverton selected the larger fish for some stockings, but as...

Terry/Lawrence, the PhD is funded by Bournemouth University, Severn Rivers Trust, EA and Barbel Society, and will be studying the barbel populations of the whole of the Teme barbel zone. The student will be circulating an online return form for both historical and future catch data as part of...

There are two chapters in the Barbel Tales book that consider these arguments, both scientific and observational, but my only comment is that we overthink these things, and confidence, persistence, simple basic skills and rod-hours produce best results! Had a really good season on shop-bought...

Yes Tim, in that they were possibly mostly female and were of higher average size, but it would take many generations for a natural population to change in average size, I would say. Environmental growing conditions would affect them more than their basic genetics too! For example, the Wensum...

Calverton fish are taken from wild broodstock, usually from the Trent, but they have used Loddon fish at times, unless any changes have taken place since last time I was there. They have stocked with the larger fish selected from a year class at times, I believe, but the last lot we had for the...

I have to challenge the post by Lee Fletcher, I am afraid, it is not informative at all, but full of misinformation and inaccuracy, as well as thinly veiled personal criticism of individuals which is quite unjustified. As a Committee member for the last ten years, at least, and a founder member...

Hey Tim, you should join, take a look at the RandC PROJECTS summary on the website and you will see the amount of work that has been done and is planned. 15000 barbel stocked as a result of BS funding/input, lots of habitat work in rivers completed, funding and support of 3 PhD projects related...

This is becoming more interesting as the complexity of it all becomes apparent, but a few points should perhaps be clarified before we go any further. Global warming should not be confused with climate change, and these terms are often confused.Global warming is a fact, and means that the...

Chub on both the Avon and Stour have been getting bigger for quite a long time, they always had highest growth rates for UK chub I think, and without crayfish, and again often on very lightly fished stretches.Warmer temperatures and a longer growing season would once again be likely to be much...

Get any grayling Graham? The trout are fed before they are stocked, but live in a very rich environment anyway! They soon get cute after being hooked and returned a few times. I reckon 80% climate change, 20% bait, but am being generous to you there! and it will vary tremendously from river to...

Good discussion this, but we do need to keep an open mind. Lots of conflicting observations too! Bream have grown huge in large reservoirs not used as trout fisheries, and not all trout reservoirs feed in cages, Graham! Higher temps do lead to a higher metabolic rate,when food is converted to...

Not sure the comparison with humans is valid Graham, where weight gain, all fat, is due to poor diet on high energy food and lack of exercise. The UK fish of all species ARE growing bigger, not getting fat, and doing it in completely unfished waters at times, see bream and perch in trout...

Some interesting debate on the diet research, and it is important to distinguish between the basic data and conclusions, and the speculation that can result. Just because the fish appear to eat a lot of easily obtainable bait does not mean that they would starve otherwise, or not grow well...

Many thanks to Andy for allowing me to post notice of the next Berkshire meeting, to be held at the Land's End Pub, Twyford, RG10 0UE, Weds 30th April. A brilliant angler's pub, full of stuffed fish! Speakers are; Neil Wayte, fishing the local rivers his way. Karen Twine...

Thank you to Andy Frances for his earlier clarification of the River Records situation;the Barbel Society has purchased the hard copies of the records and the copyright of the listings, and we are delighted to be working together with BFW in publishing the up-to-date record list on both...

Itchen barbel of over thirteen pounds do exist, so a capture is not impossible.