Your Stats for Your River

[Paul Cahill]

As we reach the end of the summer I was looking at my catch reports for The Ribble this year and thought it might be interesting to put them on here to give a rough indication of the current form of the river. If others do the same it might give us an extremely rough indication of the productivity rates of our rivers.

I've not included my trotting/chub trips, just the ones where I specifically targetted barbel. Apart from one blank session, these were all 4-6 hour evening sessions on The River Ribble over four different stretches:

River: Ribble
Sessions: 11
Fish caught: 17

0-4lb barbel - 1
4-8lb barbel - 5
8-10lb barbel - 10
10lb+ barbel - 1

Average number of fish per session: 1.55
Average size of fish: 7lb 10oz
Percentage of doubles: 6%

Maybe I'm being a bit of a " Statto" here but I'd be keen to know how this compares to other rivers. I don't mind if people post approximate figures rather than exact of course!

 

[Neil Smart]

Interesting stuff, I don't keep records of visits, mainly because reading back I guess I wouldn't feel the urge to go back...but my local Warwickshire Avon as an example the Lower system, has been for the last 10 years or so my main venue, and I can say that the best period for catches was pre 2007 where at least one fish a session was the rule, not small fish either rarely below 8lbs and quite a few doubles too.

One memorable 4 hour afternoon session I had seven good barbel and seven chub, never came close to repeating that since, although I had two fish within five minutes of each other that were in the 11/ 12 b bracket in 2008,

I have made about 7/8 sessions this season and apart from two fish end of July and early August again good fish 12 and 13lb that's it. Not complaining mind, they will keep me going, and I was fortunate, other regulars are still barbeless. But what is pretty clear is that numbers have dropped, drastically, but the odd fish being caught is bigger than the average of previous seasons.

 

[Robert Richbell]

I dont keep stats either, i dont weight fish, generally, in the last few years unless i believe are more than 10lb so a lot of guestimates based on experience happens.
Kennet was my haunt and thats poor now imo, far less big fish 10lb plus but an increase in smaller fish but still low numbers. 3-4 years ago could catch double figure barbel almost at will, had a run of 10 fish 7 were over 12lb 1 was a 10+ and 2 were 7-8lb bracket. Best day 4 years ago, 7 fish 3 of which were 12lb plus.

Fished the W Avon 8 or 9 times this year, only 2 blanks, thankfully, i think its 14 fish but only 2 doubles.

I would say Barbel numbers on the Kennet are much lower than 3-4 years ago but thats just an opinion.

 

[Paul Ashton]

Same as yourself Paul mostly 4-6 hour late afternoon/evening sessions.
I fish the upper Wye between Winforton and Monnington upstream of Hereford.
30 sessions since 16th June for 46 Barbel, almost identical catch rate
as yourself (1.53) per trip.
10lb+, 3 fish
9lb to 10lb, 3 fish
8lb to 9lb, 7 fish
below 8lb, 33 fish not weighed, mostly 6lb or 7lbers I would guess.

Looking back at last years figures on this date I had 33 Barbel from 24 sessions (1.375) so slightly better this year. I have kept a fishing diary for many years. Total numbers can vary wildly, one season I could only manage 21 Barbel total, another season 78, from near enough the same number of trips to the river!

 

[Nick Coulthurst]

My stats on the Trent this year are 4.8 fish per session which is much better than last year at the same time, but that's because last year was my first in a new club so I fished lots of different swims in all conditions. This year I am only fishing the swims I have previously had success in and only in favourable conditions - I have barbel fished much less this year. My days of fishing for barbel in less than favourable conditions are now well and truly over since I discovered the joys of fishing for other species - especially perch,

Nick C