Location/Habitat

Having just started fishing seriously for Barbel i wondered if you more knowlegeable guys could give me a few pointers on where to look. I have being targetting a couple of swims, one is a weir pool, the others are areas with lots of bankside cover ie overhanging willows with a decent flow, lots of creases etc. I have noticed that by and large a lot of the river is fairly open with slow and i assume deep glides...i am unsure of areas Barbel like to frequent, i mean, i know they like cover and fairly pacey water as a whole, will they be moving into slower deeper areas in the winter months.

Any advice appreciated...thanks in advance.

Should just add i did have two really small Barbel and a carp in one of the tree lined swims.

Fisrtly, having read your posts on invasive species and their control, I doubt that your questions will be silly.
I would think that in most rivers they tend to move, as you suggest, to slower, deeper water, but remember that their appetite falls off as the water cools. That slower water might just be a pocket behind a streambed obstruction, such as a rock ( or a supermarket trolley in my local rivers). Odd ones still get caught in conditions cold enough to give you that snow + barbel photo, but in general winter barbel are like winter carp, slow to feed, and ignored by many. Fish that are not feeding frequently may actually need to find quieter areas of the river to conserve energy, but of course fish can go for long periods without food too. The barbel is an expert at spreading out its fins and just clinging effortlessly to the bottom without further fin waving. Obviously when not too many are being caught it can be harder to identify where they choose to lie, but sometimes a flood will bring both a rise in temperature and a chance to localise the barbel.
Don't let me put you off winter barbel, but it is not the best time to get started on the species.

Thanks for that, really just confirming what i thought, and makes complete biological sense, why waste energy and the fishes metabolism will have slowed, i suppose its the same with all fishing...a confidence thing and you just need to hear it from more experienced anglers. I am certainly not put off after spending the last few years fishing for eels in the highlands which i have to say was environmentally challenging...low temperatures, horrendous weather, midges etc etc. But its about perseverance, i did it up there and had eels to 6-2
( Scots record equalling) so i do like a challenge.

Chris barbel fishing in the winter is hard but if the temp start to increase head for the river i dont think there is such a thing as a wrong barbel swim as this year i have had barbel from swims that i never had barbel from before i always say just think like a fish and you wont go far wrong i was told a long time ago that barbel with live anywhere there is a roof so it maybe overhanging trees or bushes or weed in the river just dont get disheartened the best is still to come

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