Fishing for Barbel in stillwater

[Green Sheds]

I am fishing kingfisher lake at Taswood lakes in a few weeks. On the site it says

'Kingfisher Specimen Coarse Lake
This lake was again constructed for purist coarse anglers, Green and Golden Tench, Barbel, Chub, Crucian and Bream water. This lake is more “Tenchy” being lily fringed and containing a fair amount of weed growth. The lake is very sheltered, ideal in windy conditions when Osprey can be difficult, No matches are allowed on this lake.' - http://www.taswoodlakes.co.uk/kingfisher/


I am not sure if i agree with Barbel being stocked in still waters but seeing as i have never caught a Barbel from a still water - I guess it is a new challenge.


My question to anglers who have caught barbel on still water is - having never fished for barbel on still waters, what would be a good way to go about it? Pellets VS boilies and what Rig works well? Of course all lakes are different - I am just looking for a general overview.

Thanks in advance -

[dave fish]

barbel in commercials they are river fish and should only be fished for from rivers well thats my opinion ant way tight lines

[BoldBear]

Originally Posted by dave fish

barbel in commercials they are river fish and should only be fished for from rivers well thats my opinion ant way tight lines

And mine, but I do fish a stream that has a backwater coming off the stream where the barbel appear to flourish in the still water, however being able to return back into the stream occasionally does make it a lot better for them.

When we fish the backwater we often catch the occasional good sized Barbel using soft fishmeal pellets fished in the same manner as we do for the Tench using a float fished a few inches over depth.

[barbelblanker]

Mixed feelings really I suppose. On balance I'd rather not see them in a still water UNLESS the owner really knows what they are about.

[barbus maximus]

Every fisherman, no matter what discipline he follows, must use his own mind when deciding on what is right and what is wrong in his sport. Some care more than others, some don't care at all.
My own opinion on this subject is quite simple. I wouldn't grace the banks of this lake for love nor money. Nor would I trust the lake owners knowledge of fishery and fish welfare. I would also call him a greedy sod to his miserable greedy face.

Barbel do not live in lakes!

Has he considered stocking Cod I wonder? It amounts to the same thing.
What I would say though is lake owners will only continue to stock Barbel in lakes as long as people want to fish for them there. So don't fish for them in lakes, AND let the owner know you don't agree with his stocking policy.

Simples!

Barbus

[Bungz]

It's a commercial, its not a natural lake and therefore I don't see the big deal.

I have no wish to fish such waters but i find this no more distressing than finding chubb and what not in other lakes or still waters I have fished in the past. Not natural but neither is the lake or the general stocking level anyway.

To add id imagine the stocking level will be typical for such commercials that whatever you use will get mopped up, pellets and meat being favourite id imagine.

[BoldBear]

Originally Posted by Bungz

It's a commercial, its not a natural lake and therefore I don't see the big deal.

I have no wish to fish such waters but i find this no more distressing than finding chubb and what not in other lakes or still waters I have fished in the past. Not natural but neither is the lake or the general stocking level anyway.

To add id imagine the stocking level will be typical for such commercials that whatever you use will get mopped up, pellets and meat being favourite id imagine.

I tend to fall on barbus maximus's side on this subject and the fact that it is a ‘Commercial Fishery’ and not even a natural lake makes it even worse; as the general stocking level of the average ‘Commercial Fishery’ and the muddy clouded waters of such overstocked fisheries are hardly conducive to a healthy environment for Barbel.

Yes Barbel are bred in Stillwater by the EA for stocking purposes but the 'so called' still water that they are bred in for stocking purposes is not that still and is well oxygenated and clear, unlike the average commercial fishery.

Chub on the other hand can survive a lot better in still water than Barbel, and an estate lake that I fish has had some Chub in it for over 30 years, and they do seem to reproduce, however we do have oxygenated water pumped into the lake during hot weather which helps plus it has an input and output stream which also helps; plus the water is quite clear compared to the commercials that I have fished before in matches.

But Barbel? I wouldn’t fish a Stillwater that stocked them out of principal, but each to their own conviction.

If you don’t have any streams or rivers near you I can partly see the attraction; and the part of Norfolk where this fishery is doesn't have any Barbel streams. however; even if I was absolutely sure that they could live quite happily in muddy bottomed puddles I would imagine that getting very little exercise and eating excessive pellets all day long would make them a lot less healthy than their brothers in running waters and as fat bellied as some of the Carp we see.

However; each to their own conviction .

[barisaxman]

Just come across this one, I'm new to this site. I was alaways lead to believe that barbel were river fish too and therefore to put them into still water is a bit of a mystery to me. It seems to me to be a money making thing. Its a bit like these man-made salmon lakes that crop up every so often...No, no ,no.. Salmon are migratory fish and imho should not be bred to be put in man-made ponds.
As for the barbel, as I am primarily a game fisherman I mix with a lot of salmon anglers (or should I say ex-salmon fisherman) on the Wye that would publically have hung drawn and quartered the person who introduced barbel into the river. Me, I could not possibly comment......