The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I think that how it's spelt. Fished here with Martin James and caught a trout. I am under the impression that there are some very large barbel in that river, huge even. But as far as I could tell, it wasn't a prolific water, more a specimen water. still very very pleasant though, a beautiful place to spend a day thats for sure.

Arborfield I suspect. Some good chub in the Lodden too; Sindlesham produced a seven-something a few years back, and I believe a seventeen pound barbel (though not to the same chap on the same day - that would be remarkable).

Thats the one,....... :thumb:

The happiest memories of my childhood were spent on the banks of this stretch. During the seventies, before the population explosion around Reading, we had it to ourselves...paradise, just paradise.

The Sweetcorn Kid wrote:I think that how it's spelt. Fished here with Martin James and caught a trout. I am under the impression that there are some very large barbel in that river, huge even. But as far as I could tell, it wasn't a prolific water, more a specimen water. still very very pleasant though, a beautiful place to spend a day thats for sure.

The Loddon is probably my favourite Thames tributary and my first choice for barbel. I was fortunate to live in Chalvey during most of the 70’s and fished the Loddon either side of the ford most evenings by my then local pub, The Lands End (now famous as a fishing/book signing pub). The roach and chub fishing then was unbelievable.

There are some very big barbel, I believe the official Loddon record is 19.05 with hearings of larger. in my opinion the Kennet is the easier river with the Loddon requiring more thought and consideration – especially for the bigger barbel.
Jerry

Used to fish on the bend just by the blue road bridge where it crosses the Loddon. It was a Cove Angling water, and bliss as it was 4 mins from my house then in Lower Earley. Never caught any of the legendary barbel, but float fished laying on with sweetcorn or bread would produce larger roach and bream.

On the other side of the road, you could take the road into the farm, and there was a hidden weir pool in there, which also had monster barbel in it (never caught one, but you could see them from time to time), and a number of small streams leading into it with chub and some perch and pike present. Never anyone fishing there, and I think the land is owned by the university now :-(

My dad regularly fishes the Lodden and has had some big barbel 14lb + but his reports of late are that it is not fishing that well

Since the start of this thread the Weir at Arborfield has been revamped and reduced to allow upstream migration of fish. I am the Fishery Officer for a section above the bridge.

Farnham AS water farther downstream produced at least 2 huge fish over 17.

The bottom end of the Loddon nearest the Thames has been providing great barbel sport over the years.

I heard most of the Loddon barbel had migrated to the Thames during last winters floods, which might explain why it's not fishing too well yet that stretch of the Thames where the Loddon comes out has seen an influx of barbel anglers since this summer. And I've seen pics of 16lb plus barbel caught this summer within a stones throw!

My son was doing a project this summer to see if that weir has had an impact on biodiversity, but the University academic in charge failed to send him any data in time before he went back to university!