DenisO

About 40 years ago I used to go fishing with a few lads that I went to school with. We were about 18 at the time and had arranged to fish on the river Beult at Hunton. The stretch was owned by Kingfisher and, to my knowledge, still is. As complete whimps our night fishing sessions were confined to early season when the weather was reasonably warm and dry. The Beult always seemed to fish much better at night when the big Tench and Bream came on the feed. The club had acquired a new stretch of the river, adjacent to the current stretch, so it was agreed that we would give this a try. On the night in question my 3 mates went earlier to fish the late evening and I was going to follow on, planning to arrive about 4 in the morning, just before dawn. I drove through the night, it being about an hours drive from home to the river and arrived at the bank at around 4, a little before first light. Unpacked the car and lugged all my gear to the new field. As I walked along the river bank I saw my mates umbrella but little activity and it transpired they were asleep under the umbrella. They heard me approach and stand by the umbrella relieving myself of the copious quantities of fishing tackle that I had just lugged for the last 500yds from the car. At this point, Paul asked where I'd been for the last hour. Tucked up in bed and driving here was my response. No you haven't he said. You came up to the umbrella about an hour ago and spoke to me. You then went off again and I went back to sleep. He even described the clothes I was wearing to the other freinds that were fishing, when he told them I had made my mysterious "appearance" an hour earlier. They were in fact the clothes I had on and in those days we couldn't afford specific fishing outfits and just used to wear regular clothes. The fact that I was standing up meant he hadn't seen my face but he swears it was me and described my clothes. So no reasonable explanation as to why Paul had seen me, on the river bank at a time when I was tucked up in bed 25 miles away. One thing was for sure, none of us ever fished that new field again during hours of darkness.

Jim, As Tony said, the Hammer Stream at Headcorn is a brilliant Chub Venue. Forget the summer as it gets too overgrown and also suffers the same duckweed problem that the Beult does (it's still covered by the way) Once we get some cold weather and the weed dies back, that's when the big Chub show. Many around 2lb to 4lb and I've had one well over 5lb. Ideal conditions are when we've had a fair bit of rain and the river is fining down and turning from brown tea to clearish green. Water is usually up about 18" from normal which gives some deeper holes which is where the fish gather. Quiver tip and a box of lobs and you're away. Only problem will be the Pike getting to the lob first but even they are great sport on fairly light tackle froma small river; if you get them in the lip of course. Normally I get bitten off. You'll normally not find anyone fishing it during the colder periods but if you do see a chilly person with very little tackle say hi, it's probably me.

Forget Corfu for any freshwater fishing. There ain't any. There is a large brackish lake in the South but that's a fair trip from Sidari so probably a non-starter if you want to maintain domestic harmony during your holiday. I'm also not sure of the fishing there. Sea fishing is the way to go. I've caught smallish brown with blue stripes perch like fish in the harbour at Garitsa Bay (Corfu Town) Quite amazing how grown men react with fear to a 4" long fish that they've never seen before I've also caught small silver fish on the North East Coast from Nisaki up to Kassiopi. This coastline is pebble beaches and steeply shelving. Your in 25ft of water about 20ft from shore. Sidari is sandy beaches and stays very shallow until you get a fair way out. The North East is better for fishing. I've watched the locals fish from the new harbour in Corfu Town and they use live garfish as bait, usualy on a handline, about 3 feet under a float. The garfish just swims out and takes line and presumably gets taken by a large predator. I hasten to add I've never watched for long enough to see any big fish caught. Only once in about 20 years of visiting the island have I seen a decent size fish caught and that was a Red Snapper of about 30lbs caught from a boat out of Kaminaki (NE Coast) There is a run of Dorado twice a year but these are usually early Spring or late Autumn; times that just happen to coincide with no tourists on the island. Your best bet would be a trip round to Kassiopi and fish in the harbour. It's not too far from Sidari and it's a nice town with lots to do for the family. You can see the fish up to about 1lb swimming in the clear water although catching them ain't easy. Take your own hooks and weights as the Corfu tackle shops cater for heaveyweight gear only. I keep a 6 piece, 12ft travel rod down there and usually take a bait runner with me when I go and some size 10 to 14 hooks. Bait can be anything from bread to prawns and squid strips. The fish seem to eat anything. Don't be too upset if you don't catch. I've been trying for a long time and never caught anything that was big enough to eat. Great resteraunt close to you in a village called Karousades which is just off the main road from Sidara to Roda. Locals call it the greasy spoon and the aesthetics leave a lot to be desired. However if you can get past all the crap and the fact that the owner in invariably drunk as a skunk the food is excellent and the cheapest on the island. He only does a set meal which is loads of salad chips and lots of grilled meat and he won't let you go until you have drunk at least 2 litres of his home made wine.......each. Good luck with your holiday.

Howard, Polaris do come in much smaller sizes. The first ones I bought were about 12 inches long and the only ones the tackle shop had. I've since found a shop with a much larger range and bought smaller ones. They are so much easier to use than a stop knot with a waggler IMHO. No plumbing and bait exactly where you want it. I use a float rubber to attach a starlight and bobs yer uncle.

Oh bugger. I've just hooked an Ian (Beale in Eastenders. I don't watch it though)

I would agree with Cranfield on the length of time duckweed has been a problem on the Beult. From the early 60's, when still a lad at school I used to fish a stretch at Hunton and every summer duckweed was a problem. Since then I've always belonged to clubs which have owned stretches of the Beult, from Smarden to Yalding, and it's always been the same. 6 weeks into the season and you find another water. It was considered by one of my clubs to stock with grass carp but that never happened. Over the 40 years I have been fishing the various stretches I have noticed a decline in volume of fish caught. In the early days, when fishing all night was an adventure as opposed to a chore, mixed bags of Tench, Bream and Roach up to 40lb total were commonplace. Nowadays it is still possible to pick up one or 2 good fish but not the quantity. This season I've had Tench over 4lb, Bream to almost 6lb and a number of Roach to 1lb (Why do the Roach always have black spot) The Hammer stream is virtually unfishable in the summer not just because of duckweed but just generally overgrown steep banks and lillys and reeds. However it is this time of year when I really put a lot of time in on the Hammer. Chub up to 5lb on lob worm is the order of the day although quite often the pike get there first. Also some good quality Roach and Perch. The Beult is still my favourite river with it's quality of fish and the loneliness of most stretches. Back to nature. That's it. I feel a trip coming on. Hammer stream for me tomorrow.

I have to say you're all being a little flat earth here. When first I started fishing I used a 301, just felt more comfy with right hand wind, and then onto a 440. I loved those reels and for longevity they probably could not be beaten. However for quality and features they are light years behind the current day Shimano offerings. I have Match Super Perfection and a couple of 4000 GTE's and the old Mitchells wouldn't hold a candle to them. Only time will tell if they last as long though. [ 11. November 2004, 10:40 AM: Message edited by: DenisO ]

Leon, That looks remarkably like the Len at Barming. I've heard it has Chub up to 5lb but never caught 1. Last year I had Bream to 3lb on the horseshoe bit up stream which was a major shock. This year only fished once and caught a number of small Roach and a Brownie but the guy I was fishing with had a Barbel of about 6oz which was probably more of a shock than the Bream. I've tended to fish with Worm baits but I understand bread can pick out the bigger Chub. Not easy to fish with a rod longer than 5ft though.

Steve, I was fishing 100yds up stream of the Hammer stream where it enters the Beult at Headcorn. When I returned last evening the Tench were nowhere to be seen but had a 5lb 6oz Bream for my trouble. The Bream are few and far between nowadays on this stretch of the Beult and I've only caught skimmers to date this season. Oh and Blue Zulu. I suggest you take 2 courses. One in reading & understanding. Something you certainly didn't when you read my post. The other one in anger management. To be up in the middle of the night and to post what you did leads me to believe you must be a very stressed young man. Try fishing, it's very relaxing.

Thanks for your support Steve. It's just a shame I didn't get to see Bluezulu's response as I'm sure I could of responded in kind!!!!!

What is considered a decent size for a male Tench. I seem to remember Matt Hayes reckoning that over 4lbs was a specimen. Last evening I caught a male of 4lb 1 oz from my local R. Beult. Now I've had bigger fish but not a male. It was in brilliant condition and darker coloured than other tench I have had this year. Normally I use a 12ft float rod and a Polaris rig but yesterday I used my JW Avon system rod with the 2ft extension and the avon tip. I'm glad I did because the fish had huge power and even with the stronger set up it led me a merry dance in all the Lily pads. Very satisfying catch though and I'll be back tonight for more.

Didn't a UK record come out above Tonbridge a few years ago? I think it was at a time when the record was broken about 5 times in a week. I've never caught one but I don't fish the Medway a lot. Now I do fish the Beult and have never got one in there either but I tend to fish the upper reaches around Headcorn. Have caught good Chub down near Yalding so perhaps one day I'll lose my Barbel virginity.

Norrie, Couldn't possibly do that. It's cold and full of sweatys. Paul Young seems a nice lad though.

And how many of us knew that. Not me I can assure you. I have actually caught eels at Otterham Quay on the Medway estuary, which is well inside the 6 mile limit. Of course, if I had caught them during the coarse season I would have had a license anyway but I'm sure there are plenty of "Sea" anglers who would fish in the same place and not have a license.

Stuart, I've got both the 11ft with 2 tips and the newer 11/13ft with 4 tips and would have to say that the newer rod offers much more flexibility. Changing length by using the 2ft extension piece and being able to use for different weight tips dependent on water conditions IMHO make the newer rod a better option. If you look around the various on-line tackle dealers you can buy the newer version for around £65-£69. I think Nimpopo have them in stock. I don't know if you can buy the old one now although you can probably get the Heritage or Signature version. The handles on mine, both old and new, are all cork, which I prefer. Both rods are superb. In fact, if you buy one you may never need to buy another rod again. I use mine to quiver tip with lines down to 2lb, floater fishing for carp with the Avon section in place using 10lb braid and with the 2ft extension you have an excellent float rod. It won't chuck big baits 150yds but if you want to do that then use a garden broom!!! Good luck with your choice. Whichever you go for you won't be dissapointed.

I think you'll find that Dsus4 will work better for larger Carp but E7aug is without doubt spot on for smaller Roach.

I set my drag fairly light before starting to fish. On my Shimano 4000's, whch have a fighting drag, it is then very easy to adjust drag either way during the fight. An excellent invention in my view. When watching Matt Hayes I often notice he back winds even with the biggest fish on. I've tried it and just can't get on with it. If a powerful fish makes a hard run how do you keep up with back winding?

Cookus, against Nicks advice, the river is in Bearsted near Maidstone. Turn into Spot Lane and follow the road down to the bottom of the valley and you will literally "trip" over the river. Nick, the trout all went back. In truth they were not really big enough for the pan although if they had been I may have been tempted to take 1. Your right about rod lenghts. I was using an 11ft Avon Quiver which for some swims is probably about 10ft too long. I have a Super Shooter which seems like overkill or a fly rod, either of which would be better length. The fly rod could be a bit awkward with a fixed spool attached.

Great picture of the river and well done on your catches today. The bream came from about a mile upstream from the Spot Lane bridge where the river goes into a horse shoe shape. I'll bear the Black Lion in mind for the 5th so may see you then.

So Leon, which stretches of the Len do you fish. Upstream from Bearsted seems to be a problem with access. It looks very shallow down from Leeds Castle and I've not looked upstream of the castle. Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Leon I was upstream of the bridge at Spot Lane, Bearsted and the river is in lovely condition. The Roach were definitely there but a lob worm on a size 8 to 6lb line was not the ideal tackle. I would think that finer tactics would produce a good bag of Roach with the odd Bream thrown in for good measure. If you catch a Chub I will be most upset!!

So today, with the weather in fine form I decided to forgoe the delights of the FA Cup and try my hand at stalking Chub on the River Len. First time I had fished the water but armed with my JW Avon quiver, 2 pots of lob worms and some good advice from Maidstone Angling Centre I made my way to a very Chubby looking river and found a perfect swim on a bend with lots of overhanging trees. Out went a lob and within a couple of minutes the tip bent round nicely and I was into a large fish. It didn't feel like a Chub so imagine my surprise as a 3lb, perfectly conditioned, Bream came to the surface. Into the net, unhooked and back in the water and a new lob made it's way to the depths. Another nice pull on the tip and another Bream of similar size was in the net. It happened again before I moved on. I was, after all, fishing for Chub. Next swim I had some nice Roach and as I nade my way down river I caught more Roach and a couple of nice wild brown trout. Not a Chub to be found but an excellent afternoons fishing. I think I'll take up this stalking for Bream more often. Perhaps I'll catch a Sturgeon next time.

Without doubt a juicy lob is my favourite bait for winter chubbing, the bigger the better. I don't subscribe to the theory that small baits work better in winter. The chub in my local stream would eat a horse and the bites come fast and almost pull the rod in. I use 6lb Mono straight through with a running ledger and size 8 barbless on my trusty John Wilson Avon quiver. Add 1 rod rest, a landing net and some warm clothes and that's all I take for an afternoons stalking session. The only downside is that Pike seem to have more than a passing interest in lob worms at this time of year and I am often bitten off. I wonder if a wire trace would put the Chub off???

Polaris may last a season with mono but if you use braid then you'll be lucky to get through 1 session. I hope the manufacturers read this board because to me this is a design fault and unacceptable. A tougher material used in the construction of the locking didly do may mean an increase in price but probably worth paying for longevity.

Used 4lb Fireline on the first night combined with a Polaris and the 2 items are totally imcompatable. After about 2 hours fishing the line had cut a new groove into the float bottom and locked itself on the line. Mono takes about half a season to do the same so a lesson learn't. Only use mono when fishing with Polaris. Unless you know different!!!!