The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I was in the office today and a team member who fishes the same stretch as I fish was keen to share his recent adventure.

He mainly fishes for barbel after dark using modern methods and is successful .As his photograph proved with him displaying a huge grin as he cradled a superb 16lb specimen.

He then went to reveal his pal had encountered a battle with a Catfish as he fished for predictors.
He went on to described this was not his first encounter and they have also witness a catfish thrashing about and tail slapping.

During his barbel session he also hooked a very...very powerful fish which after a short battle was lost to a snag.
Said angler is well versed with large fish having taken carp to over 40lb in France.
So when he tells you this was a fight where the power was extreme to say the least it leaves you wondering what the Trent and other rivers hold!

To date neither him or his pal have landed a Cat form the banks of the Trent,but they are planning for next season.We shall see.

Having said that Catfish do not appeal to me.....a 2lb roach does...each to their own.

All the best
Nige.

I would think a 2lb roach would also appeal to a catfish!

A customer in the tackle shop I managed went to the Ebro in Spain in the '90s and used carp up to 8lbish as bait - his best caught weighed 100lb. Now they are much bigger!

Questioning what could be now swimming round in our rivers nowadays is most apt. It wasn't too long ago that a 90lb plus catfish was caught off the lower Severn and I've been told that very small catfish have been caught in the Wye in Hereford.
The appearance of more "exotic" species does seem to be a bit of a trend.
Who knows how our fishing will develop over the coming years.

Very bad news.
We shouldn't have any Catfish in Stillwaters or rivers.

Wanderer wrote: ↑Wed Mar 09, 2022 11:38 am Very bad news.
We shouldn't have any Catfish in Stillwaters or rivers.

100% in agreement.

Alas, I fear it is already too late. Many catfish have been captured and verified within the Trent. I understand "kittens" are also being seen in fish surveys. Conditions aren't ideal for rapid colonisation but a changing climate could change that.
The source of these fish? Unknown. introduced by anglers, flooded out of nearby pits? We'll never know. What is likely I'd that removal is just about impossible.

I am aware of 3 catfish being caught in the Trent spanning approximately from Gainsborough to Stoke Bardolph. There were some stocked in a pit at Hoveringham and not sure if that flooded in 2000 in the big floods

Surely the EA, CRT, NE etc should be removing these non natives? The CRT are/were trying to remove zander in certain areas. Stocking a truly enclosed stillwater is one thing but having them our rivers are quite another. The movement of species without proper forethought almost always has serious ramifications in the long run.

Barbelseeker wrote: ↑Wed Mar 09, 2022 1:55 pm I am aware of 3 catfish being caught in the Trent spanning approximately from Gainsborough to Stoke Bardolph. There were some stocked in a pit at Hoveringham and not sure if that flooded in 2000 in the big floods

They have been landed in my local stretches (Sawley, Long Eaton, Attenborough, Beeston) so no doubt are between us and Stoke Bardolph too. Despite me spending a lot of time fishing for the cat's in the 80's, I am 100% against their introduction into the river systems.

I have heard about catfish from the Trent for quite a few years to the point that some anglers are targetting them. Likewise, the Severn has had big cat's in it for 20 years or so. A Severn beat I fished in the noughties had regular reports of immovable or unstoppable fish that were most likely cats.

Also, I have mentioned on here before that the big flood of 2008 saw carp and catfish flushed from Docklow and into the Lugg. Some of those carp were targetted and removed by nefarious carp anglers at Luggmouth on the Wye so, to hear Old Wulf reporting kittens in Hereford, only goes to prove that they are here and breeding.

I doubt there are many if any 'natural' waters left in England which is depressing.