Britain's biggest barbel...

[Craig Wood]

Antony,
Not sure which bit of the Hamps Avon your referring too, but the one I know has definitely seen the Barbel numbers reduce, quite dramatically in my opinion..A excellent book to read which backs this up is Avon Days and Stour Ways by Kevin Crozier..

Barbel fishing has and will continue to change some say for the good and others disagree..

There are many problems with hardly any answers. In my opinion unless we start dealing with predation first whatever we do will be in vain..

 

[Antony Myatt]

Craig,

Above Downton, and as I said I didn't think the rest of the Avon had been so 'lucky' I've read Kevins book and I should imagine his experiences on say the Several Fishery would mirror many other anglers experiences on other stretches ie. lot less fish, lot bigger fish. Personally I can't see that particular pattern being a change for the good but then I'm not that concerned about the size of the fish I catch.

If by "dealing with predation first" you mean Otters I agree but without stepping outside the law as it stands it's just not possible at present.

This will upset people but I'll say it anyway. A few years ago I said to a river keeper "you shoot the Otters, I'll dig the hole that way we both have to keep quiet or we'll be in prison" he declined the offer, which of course was the right thing to do... I suppose it was the thought of sharing a cell with me.

 

[John McGough]

Or did he decline Antony.......?
On a stretch above Downton...?
That answer we will never know!

 

[Antony Myatt]

John,

Yes he most certainly did decline.

If you noticed, which I'm sure you did, I wrote "I said to a river keeper..." I didn't say on which river that happened so you can count out the two blokes you're thinking of...

So to confirm, the spade stayed in the back of the van