Clyde Barbel ?

[martin]

This has been quite a disappointing task for most of the lads that purchased permits for the upper Clyde.
Perhaps with hindsight we should have been looking further down the river for them, with Barbel being predominently a lower river fish anyway.
Most of the reports I have had are from the lower parts of the river(not at liberty to mention where so dont ask) and with only one fish from the upper part.
Have you just boosted the funds of the upper river this year
Has anyone got a report of fish coming out of this part of the river?
Just how much extra revenue did this stretch earn from coarse anglers ths year? And what has been done to help coarse anglers on this part of the river?

[dunblanemike]

I have not got round to trying the river for barbel this season but did have a bash down at Bothwell castle on a wet miserable day and spent most of the day trying to stop myself sliding into the river - the banks are lethal when wet!
Where do you class the line between upper and lower river to be?

[barbelnut]

hi dunblanemike, its not worth fishing the upper part of the clyde as i have fished this part to death for no results wasted lots of money and bait for zero fish. go down south if you want Barbel. I will not be joining next year or all my frends.

[johnwh]

i had 20 trips til may,never seen a fish. I have heard of fish further down also.If they opened up the lower river to coarse tactics the same as the green pipe stretch then I would keep at it. I must agree with the last poster, i will be giving the English rivers a go next year, ribble and teme. Will enjoy the rest of the ticket fishing for grayling nearer to home.


john

[clydegrayling]

During the Barbel meeting last November in Hamilton I did state that this would not be an easy task locating the barbel in the Skelleton area of the Clyde. The hope was that by encouraging anglers to fish these waters a clearer understanding of where the fish were located would emerge. All credit to the few who stuck it out for zero return. I have only heard of two fish being taken, one in the spring of approx 5lb and another in the last few weeks to a salmon fisherman on the worm estimated to be around 10Lb!
It could be that my fears of the barbel moving lower down the system are founded.
I hope this is not the case. Time will tell.
As for the Upper Clyde (UCAPA) making money from this, The 15 to 20 anglers who purchased tickets are only a fraction of the anglers paying to fish the Clyde for Trout and Salmon. From my point of view it was not about the income generated but to show the die hard game fishermen that there was more to their river than fish with adipose fins.
Remember that this is the first time in the Clyde's angling history that coarse anglers have been welcomed. To be seen to be abandoning it will I fear be a step backwards.
The lower Clyde (MId Clyde Angling Association) do allow coarse angling and have a separate coarse angling permit which is £10. They are not as clued up about it and you may have to explain if approached that you are indeed a coarse angler and not in any way poaching there precious salmon.
Keep persevering, the fish I am sure are there to be caught.

Fraser.

[dunblanemike]

Fraser,
Your mention of the mid clyde having coarse tickets made me have a google and I found this
http://grass-carp.blogspot.com/2008/01/ ... -loch.html

Now I've not looked at all of the site but there does appear to be a lot going on!

Mike

[clydegrayling]

Mike,
Lots of politics going on in the Grasscarp blog. Most of it rubbish, lies or distorted truths.
Best ignored.
Fraser.

[martin]

Thanks for the reply Fraser I was not having a go at you, I have heard a few complaints from barbel anglers and was hoping you would put your point over as I know you do work for the upper clyde,

thanks martin