Just a thought. Are we making barbel rivers worse by following the mantra, find a gravel bed, bait it up, etc. etc!??
I can't see any problems with this after July after the eggs have hatched.
Problem is early season barbel fishing. We all know barbel spawn late, and on gravel beds. So I was just thinking that perhaps locating gravel beds and covering them in pellets early season must have a bad knock on effect. Firstly, it will draw barbel and other fish like chub in to feed, as well as crays, all of which will eat the eggs. Secondly, uneaten pellets will rot and then possibly cause a depletion of oxygen around the eggs, possibly killing them.
So the question is, is early season carbolling killing our sport?
The question being asked, I'll refrain from posting on this thread and leave it to the experts!
Gravel Beds/Barbel
- OLDESOX
- Barbel
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Re: Gravel Beds/Barbel
good thoughts we have made more spawning beds by introducing gravels in several places.
and stop fishing over known areas until spawning is over in the shallows as the fish can be seen your on the right track i feel.
and stop fishing over known areas until spawning is over in the shallows as the fish can be seen your on the right track i feel.
retired so time to smell the roses.
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- Jack Pike
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Re: Gravel Beds/Barbel
OLDESOX wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12 2021 10:12 -The club that runs the back water I fish closes off the gravel bed and spawning area swims whilst the fish are spawning.good thoughts we have made more spawning beds by introducing gravels in several places.
and stop fishing over known areas until spawning is over in the shallows as the fish can be seen your on the right track i feel.
Re: Gravel Beds/Barbel
Pinkie wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12 2021 09:33 -dont know what river you fishing---but on the terence there are gravel beds everywhere but only a few that get used for spawning,Just a thought. Are we making barbel rivers worse by following the mantra, find a gravel bed, bait it up, etc. etc!??
I can't see any problems with this after July after the eggs have hatched.
Problem is early season barbel fishing. We all know barbel spawn late, and on gravel beds. So I was just thinking that perhaps locating gravel beds and covering them in pellets early season must have a bad knock on effect. Firstly, it will draw barbel and other fish like chub in to feed, as well as crays, all of which will eat the eggs. Secondly, uneaten pellets will rot and then possibly cause a depletion of oxygen around the eggs, possibly killing them.
So the question is, is early season carbolling killing our sport?
The question being asked, I'll refrain from posting on this thread and leave it to the experts!
as for pellets rotting ---EVERYTHING eats them on the trent, even fry nibble at them, so I dont think any get chance to rot. Being on clean gravel also means they move as well---something the carbarbel lads have difficulty grasping when they pile 5k of bait in for the night
- davelumb
- Forum Sponsor
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Re: Gravel Beds/Barbel
Kev Berry wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12 2021 17:40 -It'll be some piddling little southern river you could jump across with a trickle of a flow and only need half ounce leads to fish when it's pretending to be in flood.Pinkie wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12 2021 09:33 -dont know what river you fishing---but on the terence there are gravel beds everywhere but only a few that get used for spawning,Just a thought. Are we making barbel rivers worse by following the mantra, find a gravel bed, bait it up, etc. etc!??
I can't see any problems with this after July after the eggs have hatched.
Problem is early season barbel fishing. We all know barbel spawn late, and on gravel beds. So I was just thinking that perhaps locating gravel beds and covering them in pellets early season must have a bad knock on effect. Firstly, it will draw barbel and other fish like chub in to feed, as well as crays, all of which will eat the eggs. Secondly, uneaten pellets will rot and then possibly cause a depletion of oxygen around the eggs, possibly killing them.
So the question is, is early season carbolling killing our sport?
The question being asked, I'll refrain from posting on this thread and leave it to the experts!
as for pellets rotting ---EVERYTHING eats them on the trent, even fry nibble at them, so I dont think any get chance to rot. Being on clean gravel also means they move as well---something the carbarbel lads have difficulty grasping when they pile 5k of bait in for the night
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- Perch
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- Joined: Sun Dec 13 2020 18:01
Re: Gravel Beds/Barbel
I fish the Thames mainly! Not much flow though over most of the gravel bars, apart from the weir pools in general. Plenty of good sized barbel if you know where to fish. But we do see more carpers these days. Some heavily bait up swims they've never fished before and then moan about just catching bream .