River Medway 30/12/04

I have known Leon Roskilly through the Medway Mullet Group and the SACN for
about 4 years, and it was a thrill when I received his e-mail asking to join
Robin my son, a friend from London (who in the end couldn't make it due to
car trouble) and me to fish the Medway. Leon is a great teacher, a
passionate conservationist and blessed with a wonderfully dry wit.

Having had to make a detour to find a tackle shop with some maggot we made
our way to The Malta Inn at Allington, just outside Maidstone. The idea was
to fish the tidal Medway and to learn how to use a centrepin. (Christmas
presents MUST be tried out soonest poss!). Sadly, the river had a huge flow
and a lot of colour, making fishing rather pointless.

Leon then had the idea of fishing a stretch of the small River Len in
Bearsted, just the other side of Maidstone, behind Mote Park. The river had
a steady flow and a great head of perch and roach. Leon rigged up his
telescopic quiver tipped rod, and I had my telescopic rod and a fairly stiff
and very old Daiwa Gamma match rod. We both used centrepins, Leon using 4lb
line and size 18 micro-barbed hooks, and a dibber float whilst I surprised
myself by tying size 16 barbless to Pro-Gold 4lb line and an Avon type stick
float - a degree of finesse my hands would usually struggle to achieve.

My son fished a nice pool by a footbridge and although he was having
co-ordination problems which hampered his ability to get close to the
shoaled-up roach. He got some bites thanks to his putting a few maggots out
ahead of each cast, and building up the swim.

In the interim, Leon headed downstream about 50 yards and was trotting a
lovely 'S'-shaped swim. It wasn't long before he had a perfect small roach,
and swiftly followed it up with a perch of, perhaps, 2oz. He then called me
over and taught me how to trot the float through the swim.



I was soon seeing the float disappear and maybe 30 minutes too late,
striking and missing. At one stage, it was Fish - 6, Stubbs-0 and Leon with
a smile a mile wide! I was embarrassed for Leon, but was, in truth, totally
happy just to be fishing. It wasn't until later, Leon said that he was
adamant that he wanted to ensure I caught a fish. Soon enough, I did. A very
small roach - having lost 2 of around 4 ozs...... both at the net.





Leon then went back to my son to help him, and I could see Robin enjoying
himself enormously, although I could see his frustration at his lack of
co-ordination.



After catching a couple of small roach, I went to join them both and Leon
taught me to cast distances of maybe 2 rod lengths. Casting with a 'pin is
an art. I was soon catching by the footbridge. However, I was still missing
many, many more bites. Leon was heard to say 'Whatever you do, don't try
fishing with hemp as a hookbait!'

At last I managed to get a fish and hold it on the line long enough to pass
the rod to my son - so he could say he had caught, too. Rob ended up with a
couple of roach.

By 3.45pm it was getting quite dark and the temperature dropped quite
noticeably. So we packed up and adjourned to the pub for a pint. I cannot
say just how much fun I had, and it was wonderful to see Leon again for the
first time in over 2 years. His teaching is superb, and hearing him giggle
as I struck and missed bites still brings a smile to my face as I type this.
Robin, my son isn't best known for his patience, but when we were talking
yesterday, he said that a centrepin is a priority purchase for him as he
realised that river fishing is seriously engrossing, and has attractions
entirely different to bagging up. To hear those words was a true delight. We
already have another date organised - this time on a stretch of the Mersey
in Warrington.

Thanks again, Leon. You did us all proud.

Nice write-up Alan, enjoyable read.

Nice story. Proper fishing.

Alan, sounds like a superb day was had by all. I've made it a target to fish a river for the first time this year, and your comments make me want to try it all the more. Terry.

I can only say 'Go for it!' :-)

Which stretch of the Mersey are you trying mate? There's a nice stretch by Thelwall ive heard good reports from

Probably the stretch through Warrington by the weir.... I've seen some quality fish rolling about 50 yards down from the weir.

ah yeah, well its just up past the bridge further along from the weir although i think it might be a Warrington AA water. Do you live round there?

I live in Tuebrook, Liverpool..... just learning the geography roundabouts! I moved up here about 18 months ago, and have only really fished the park lakes in Liverpool.
What about you?

I live in Prescot, Liverpool. Just moved back here after living in Aigburth for a year - sefton park lake was on my doorstep (v handy!!) There's quite a few decent venues around here but you have to look hard!

[ 07. January 2005, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: sluk ]