Freshwater Fish – Barbel
Barbel – Ten years ago Barbel was a not nearly as popular a freshwater fish as it is now. Habitat stocking and improvement have been instrumental in the resurgence of this popular fish. The fish is a real fighter and is liked for anglers for that reason. Once hooked their fierce resistance is well known and the success in restocking is appreciated by many freshwater anglers.
Another name for Barbel is the “pigfish” due to its habit of rooting around on the riverbed foraging for food.
Freshwater Fish – Carp
Carp – Carp are incredibly good at adapting to new circumstances they are popular and can achieve some truly magnificent sizes.
Most normal coarse fishing methods can be employed but the quest to be the angler that catches the biggest carp has led to some developments that are at the forefront of the sport.
Different rods reels bait and accessories are employed to trap carp and summer all night sessions are popular as this is when they prefer to feed. These are both popular and successful.
One form of freshwater fish catching,practiced for carp fishing is ‘stalking’ and involves spotting the fish and using the bait, sometimes floating sometimes bottom fished. Watching the fish onto the bait is a truly enthralling experience. Carp fishing has also been influential in the way fish are cared for and protected on the riverbank. It is of paramount concern to the carp anglers that the fish is returned to the water in good condition.
Freshwater Fish – Pike
Pike – The pike is one of the best freshwater fish predators there are. The pike fishermen live for the sound of screeming reels and rods nearly bent double as the pike takes your original catch as its latest meal.
Loss of rod reel and dignity go hand in hand with tales of pike experiences. Skill and patience is the only way to be successful.
The largest recorded pike caught was caught not a million miles a way from Cardiff in 1992 at Llandegfedd, by Mr R Lewis. The National rod caught record is a monstrous 21.23 kilos, (46lbs 13 oz). He is the owner of the record for catching the largest native fish.
Freshwater Fish – Roach
Roach -a massively popular fresh water fish among anglers roach are both widespread and abundant. The eat nearly anything and so often end up being netted.
It is the mainstay of match fishing and tolerates a wide variety of waters from clear and cold to murky and from huge Scottish lochs to medium sized ponds. Roach often gather in shoals near vegetation in slow flowing waters, though movement isn’t essential. Their population is undiminished by pollution.
Crayfish Crayfish trapping rules in the UK, and threats from non-native species.
Eels The eel fishery is the most valuable commercial inland fishery in England and Wales.
Recent guestbook entries