Tidal water Barbel?

[barbus maximus]

Hi guys,

I have just moved down to Tewkesbury, and have been looking at the weir on the Severn just outside town, as a cracking looking spot for barbel. Now I know that there are some Barbel in the river below the weir, but what sort of size and quality will they be?
As far as I am aware the severn is tidal all the way up to the weir, so how does the brackish water effect them? I have not seen any documentation to indicate how Barbel behave in salty-ish water, so before getting my hook wet, I am looking for some advice, just to use for tactics etc.
I believe that the fishing is very good on the top and up-stream of the weir, but below does look like a barbels paradise!

Any idea's? This may be a case of trial and error, and putting in the hours to find out me thinks.

Thanks Guys and Gals

BM

[Thames Steve]

Old thread but no-ones answered and I've only just joined, so I'll answer

Barbel are caught on the tidal Thames and have been for hundreds of years.

How far towards the sea partly depends on how much rainfall we've had and therefore how much freshwater is coming down.

Try fishing the ebb rather than the flood when of course you get an influx of salinity.

[barbus maximus]

Thanks Steve,

It would be interesting I think to find out just how our fresh water fish deal with salinity in the water, within the body. I know the Bull shark does the opposite via his liver.

Thanks again

BM

[Thames Steve]

It would indeed be interesting...some fish like roach do very well in brackish water, other like pike seem to hate it. I asked Mark Barrett about tidal zander and he said they've been found on the Wash right where the sea meets the river.

Sorry not the Severn but last October I was lucky enough to have a day out with the EA netting the tidal Thames.

I did a write up for our club the TAC - I hope this link to the write up is OK to post? There's no commercial gain or any products advertised etc...

http://www.rivertac.org:/site/?p=428

I think if you're the type of angler to wonder what lurks below then it might be of interest. We couldn't believe some of what was netted out of the tidal Thames.

[barbus maximus]

Interesting reading Steve, it makes me wonder about other tidal rivers around the country too.



BM

[Thames Steve]

Gets you wondering doesn't it?

We know biologically many species can survive some salinity and you only have to look at that netful of prawns and shrimps to see there's loads of food.

Plus many sea fish use estuaries as nurseries so there's plenty of fry to eat. Even tidal Thames bleak have been shown thru their stomach contents to be eating other fish.

Christchurch harbour is often quoted as somewhere you can catch mullet alongside roach and carp.

With a mix of some sea species, some coarse plus migratory fish like sea trout you could hook into, your tidal stretch has got to be worth a few trips.

[barbus maximus]

Its on the cards for some time this year (time allowing) but should be a bit of an adventure, with no species in particular being targeted.

I will have to let you know what I get!

BM

[JRS]

Originally Posted by barbus maximus

Hi guys,

I have just moved down to Tewkesbury, and have been looking at the weir on the Severn just outside town, as a cracking looking spot for barbel. Now I know that there are some Barbel in the river below the weir, but what sort of size and quality will they be?
As far as I am aware the severn is tidal all the way up to the weir, so how does the brackish water effect them? I have not seen any documentation to indicate how Barbel behave in salty-ish water, so before getting my hook wet, I am looking for some advice, just to use for tactics etc.
I believe that the fishing is very good on the top and up-stream of the weir, but below does look like a barbels paradise!

Any idea's? This may be a case of trial and error, and putting in the hours to find out me thinks.

Thanks Guys and Gals

BM

i have some experiance fishing tidal/brakish water for barbel on the river ouse in yorkshire
the river has a tidal bore and it goes a long way inland , all the way to Naburn locks and i fish there every summer and catch barbel
i fish about a mile and a half down from the locks and apart from a few scrub trees the river bed seems feature less
the place is stuffed full of bream and the odd roach , perch and pike
the condition of the fish is superb and if the colours are anything to go by , as in bream being silver and weighing 4-5lbs and fin and scale perfect
go for it pal and surprise your self and dont be afraid of balling in ground bait because it works for me
you may have to prebait for a couple of days but it is worth it and dont be surprised when you hook an under water steam train

[BoldBear]

I remember reading that after Barbel were stocked into the river Stour many years ago they migrated to the Hampshire Avon via the brackish water in Christchurch Harbour; which both rivers flow into.

That was a very interesting article from the Thames Anglers Conservancy site.
'Bass' from Richmond in Surrey? that far up the Thames?; I wouldn't have expected that.

[Stemo]

Hi all, I've been searching for info about brackish water on the Severn and was wondering if the op had done any angling? I live about 400yds from the Severn and I'm down there four times a week with the dog, I've seen small fish jumping when the river is low and what looked like a strike as something scattered the fry.
If anyone has any info they would like to pass then great. TY.

Up to now the biggest bore I've seen is three star, you won't believe the power of the bore, how anything survives is a miracle with all the rubbish, trees, parts of boats all sorts.
The river rose nearly 3mtrs in less than ten seconds and the noise is pretty special (if anyone is interested here's the time table).
http://www.severn-bore.co.uk/2012%20times.html
And this link gives you plenty of info. http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk...stationId=2051

Only been here a few months so not done any angling as yet, I know, I need kicking.