I was talking to a pessimist today on the Kennet, who reckoned the fishing was in permanent decline. He bemoaned 03/04 in particular, putting it down to the lack of flow.

Now I accept we've got some problems on the Kennet, with silting up and lack of weed growth. And I haven't done well this year, personally. But I don't quite see why the lack of flow should be such a problem. There are always faster bits and slower bits, after all - though I can see why lack of flow could be bad for barbel, for example. Also, there havene be plenty of good river fishing reports on Anglers Net from around the country.

How do people feel the rivers fished in 03/04, and what have been the causes?

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I fish the Broads and the bream fishing has been excellent to superb. No drop in quality there! But pike fishing has taken a tumble, big tumble. Mainly, I believe, due to the incredible increase in would be pike angler numbers on the Broads.

I have to admit didn't get out much on the rivers this year other than a few trips over night on the Thames. I had some good bream bags but the flow was very slow almost like still water at times.

The Rivers, Trent , Witham, Upper Witham in my neck of the woods have been the worst that I can Remmber in the last 12 years, for decent bags, the odd big fish as shown but not as good as in other years.

Even the Fossdyke canal has fish below parr and thats a part of the trent system.

I belive it to be the changes in the weather to hot in the Summer which could cause low oxgen in the water, then sudden cold snaps, plus lack of rain.

Well I've only got out onto my local river 6 or 7 times this winter, but the chubbing on the chelmer has been consistant if not very spectacular.

I've averaged 2 chub a session, with the best at 4lb 5oz. with only 1 fish under 3lb the average size has been pretty good too.

This is the first season I've fished the river so I don't know if my results are good or not, but I've not had a blank yet which is always good news in my book (famous last words)

Mat

[ 15. March 2004, 12:09 AM: Message edited by: Mat Hillman ]

Well it appears patchy
On some sections of the Gipping it was quiet and on others there have been surprises.

Fish can shift about on rivers and high flows alllow fish to migrate. Different weather conditions allows the river to change as well, fast bits become slow etc. Slow flow means that the fish act more like still water cousins.

I have seen fish out of sections that I have not seen them in before. Top sizes have been 4lb +

I have had a very enjoyable year.

But you do need to move around and not just stick to the same old spots.

There are still plenty of fish in the River Stort and I have always rated it higher than the Lea. While the latter has real quality fish I like the fact that there are still good numbes of silver fish in the Stort

I personally think that the size and quality of the fish in the Severn at Gloucester has IMPROVED! On the other hand, maybe my river fishing has improved.

Certainly the fishing on my local river got very hard as the summer wore on.Not suprising really as it is only a narrow,and mostly shallow stretch
of river.With the temps we had,it was probably as low as I have seen it for donkey's years.Well that's my excuse anyway .
Chuby

I have noticed a decline in smaller fish especially on the severn around shrewsbury over the last few years and an increase in larger fish.This maybe down to my tactics changing slightly but i still try for the smaller ones without much succes.
What i have also noticed on my local'ish river (the Dane)is there are a large amount of small fish in the summer and there are few and far between come winter.This may possibly due to a release of mink a few years ago (so i am told) by animal rights.