THE ULTIMATE ANGLING BUCKET LIST

Ironically, these fish had been transported north from the River Severn, which had itself been given a
helping hand as part of a project promoted by Angling Times back in the 1950's to see more barbel in
that river too.
The barrister representing North West Water in their prosecution described the barbel as a vile and
useless coarse fish. In light of where we are today, I wonder if he would still see those words as being
appropriate.
After the first few early spawning years, as so often happens with an alien introduction, even of an
otherwise indigenous species, initially there were small fish everywhere, and it was around that time,
fishing up near Samlesbury, that I managed to tick the species off my wanted list with a brace of around
a pound apiece.
Since then, the correct level of balance between the barbel and the rivers other co-inhabitants has been
achieved. Yet still the Ribble is a major producer both in terms of numbers and of size.
Obviously there must be something about the length from Preston through to Ribchester that particularly
suits the species. Generally speaking, it's quite a shallow stretch over rocky substrate with a good mix
of shallow banks and glides, the exact position of which changes all the time as water levels fluctuate
according to how much rain falls over the Pennines further inland.
Not that long ago, barbel topping
fifteen pounds were coming out, with
plenty of other doubles and a good
healthy younger population waiting in
the wings. More recently however,
those ceiling weights seem to have
declined.
Jack Bingham, River Ribble
There are still good doubles about, but
not so the fifteen pounders, which
Mike Winrow puts down to an ageing
population from that initial
introduction being followed through by
a completely different balance in
which more five to ten pound fish
sharing the resource could well be
tending to keep replacement top
weights in check.
No doubt there will still be the odd monster either already out there or coming through. But the days of
high expectation may well be giving way to more moderate expectation, with lots of good sized average
fish to make up the sport short fall.
So I caught my first Ribble barbel shortly after they went in, and despite having them on my door step,
for the next thirty five years I did nothing about trying to catch one again. Nothing that was until I was
introduced to Mike Winrow with a view to recording an audio interview on the Ribble population,
which sparked my current interest.
Here I thought was a useful alternative to beach fishing on those days when there was too much wind
to get the boat out on the sea. The perfect alternative to fishing controlled by the weather. Or so I
thought, little appreciating how the river can change so quickly, and the knock-on effect this would
have on the fish.
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