gorton

Well done Steve, superbly put, I could not agree more.

If its the Lea valley then they are red signal crayfish, the indigenous species have been wiped.

Not sure how it fishes now but Wanstead Flate used to be a decent pike venue.

Hi Ken When I caught over 400 last season the average size was between 5-6 inches, with a few 2-3 inches long these are the ones I would be tempted to use as bait. The ones above six inches of which there are plenty ( the 10 inch plussers put the fear of god up you, aggressive is not in it) need to be taught to swim in boiling water that tends to quieten them down a bit.

Just a quick line on some of the lines that have come out on this thread since my last post Hi Jigotai Last fished Dobbs weirpool at start of last season and had to give up after about an hour because the crayfish were all over any bait that you put in the water. Have not had a look round there yet this season but did have nose a couple of weeks before the start of the season and saw lots of very good chub in the pool certainly up to 5lbs. Dont forget an 8lb+ fish was caught there a few seasons ago and was the current UK record for a short period. They are certainly some very good fish in there its just a matter of getting the method right, in my opinion it might be worth waiting for the winter and then trying small deadbaits (sprats etc). I am going to fish Fieldes Weir early next week so I will let you know my estimate of the crayfish population there after my visit. Can I reassure everybody that when I said about putting a size 2 up their rear ends I would only ever do that on the stretch that I fish where they are resident, transporting them to other waters as bait would be sheer stupidity. As for the native species forget it they have been wiped out, I used to catch them 30 years ago when I "laid on" for bream on the Lea with big bits of bread flake and we used to curse when we caught them, I would love to see one now but the last one I saw on the Lea was nearly twenty years ago. As for eating them I promise you they are absolutely delicious, I have had them with pasta, chinese noodles in a curry etc and they are better than any scampi or prawn, just give them a good flush through first with some freshwater thats if you have not got a "hosepipe ban" oops there we go another dilemma of the wonderful times we live in, bon appetit!

Can only speak for where I fish which is the River Lea or Lee whichever you prefer which is infested with them and as was mentioned by goosequill they do not mind any strengh of flow as I have been pestered by them in both Fields and Dobbs Weir out in the mainflow. To give you a clue of the density of their population on the river between those two weirpools last year with four dropnets using catfood in a ladies stocking (doesn't everybody) I caught just under 500 in two hours and very delicious they were too. Please dont tell me its illegal I know it is, not allowed to fish for them but not allowed to put them back if you catch them "accidentally", how bloody ridiculous. As for the fishing on this stretch I have just had to adapt by that I mean I have to float fish ie. waggler to the far bank overhanging trees rather than straight leger or feeder right in under the trees which I must admit was the method I used to prefer and used to get me the bigger fish which are mainly chub but the leger now is an absolute no no as as soon as it hits bottom its on the move with the help of our red fingered friends. I have got to say that I think the best bait for these chub is probably a small crayfish with a size two inserted up its rear end but of course we are not allowed to do that are we, more rules and regulations. As of yet they dont seem to have affected the fish population of the stretch which on my visit on the first Sunday of this season seems to be absolutely booming, from 04.00 to 08.45 (did not see any other fisherman in that time, I remember when you had to sprint along the bank to get a swim on this stretch at first light on the first weekend of the season how times change, not complaining mind you its like your own private fishery) I had as many as 50 chub only up to a 1lb admittedly (over the last few seasons I have had them to 5lb) some nice perch roach dace and even a rudd but I do fear for the future of the river, this was once a prolific stretch for gudgeon many years ago now you very seldom catch one, is this because of the crayfish? Where undoubtedly they are cannon fodder for big chub and perch are we being short sighted on what they will do to our fisheries in future years I think we probably are but certainly on my stretch of river you certainly wont eradicate them now it is too late, although I will do my best but not even I can eat that many. For those of you who haven't got them in your fisheries hope and pray you never do they are a ****ing menace.

Had one years ago of about 4lb when baiting up with a gold coloured metal bait dropper. On the pole as well and managed to land it.

Am about ready to try and organise my annual fortnight (end August) on the Royalty at Christchurch has anybody out there got any idea what the state of play is going to be there next season. By that I mean who will be running the fishery, will you still be able to get day tickets from Davis Tackle, will fishing hours still be 07.30 to an hour after sunset, etc. Any info would be greatyly appreciated.

A good way to catch them is to get a decent drop net (the sort you see sea anglers using on the pier) a pair of ladies knee length nylons and a tin of the cheapest cat foot you can find. Empty contents of tin into ladies nylon, tie to drop net, net into river hey presto shedloads of crayfish and you can always put the other ladies nylon over your head in case the EA baliff comes along, only joking. Then take the little buggers home to teach them to swim in boiling water, delicious.

Hi David I think my first line of attack would always be the feeder (if it suits the swim obviously) and certainly the bait would be hemp and caster. Barbel love hemp winter or summer and if you can get them grubbing around on the bottom for it you are halfway there.

Hi David Have just returned from a week on Shannon and Suck piking catching lots of fish up to 24lb with far more doubles than small fish. The Suck is a magnificent river for piking with lots of fish all the way down from Ballinsloe to where it joins the Shannon just below Shannon Bridge. If you can get a boat with an outboard it is a great help not only for trolling but reaching those parts others cant if you know what I mean. If you want any more information let me know.

Hi James Not fished it for a few years now but used to with reasonable success, as you say lots of smaller ones, did have some bigger fish out of the far sluice, the side nearest the Stort (not sure should have been fishing there)on deadbaits. The Stort "mouth" where it joins the Lea is alive with perch at the moment must try to fish it in the next few weeks to see how big they are. Am a member at Ryemeads now so send to do most of my piking there these days, although I fished the North lagoon for coarse fish a couple of weeks back and when I looked in the water as it got light the bottom was swarming with crayfish and although I have never been bothered by them there in the past it is a bit alarming. Hi Peter The crayfish are a pain but when the weather gets colder they tend to quieten down quite a bit, try popping your baits up with a bit of foam. Quite excited at the moment, off to Ireland Saturday for the annual pike fishing and Guinness drinking boating holiday on the Shannon and Suck between Portumna and Athlone.

Think its the following: Hall Fishing Tackle 44 Highbridge Street Waltham Abbey Essex EN19 1BS Tel No: 01992 711932

Yes casters it is, you will catch lots of fish on maggot, but casters will find the better chub, keep swapping about with single and double offerings as well for some reason it seems to work (keeps the bites coming), couldn't tell you why.

Sorry for late reply this last weekend seemed to disappear in an alchohlic haze (wedding and two barbecues). I have caught nearly all my fish on either size 20 (1.5lbBS) or size 18 (2lbBS)using either 3 or 4lb main line, anything larger hook or line wise results in a sharp reduction in bites and therefore obviously fish on the bank. A bit light I know for stopping the chub getting back under the far side vegetation but needs must and all that. Have been using Kamasan X-strong Animal barbless hooks lately and I am quite impressed with their realibility. I try to feed sparingly with just 8-12 casters and a few grains of hemp every other cast. Have tried maggot when struggling but that does encourage the smaller fish. Hope that helps.

With regards to the Lea try the stretch between Fields Weir and Dobbs Weir which used to be the old West Ham AC fishery, not sure if it still theirs'now but is certainly a reasonably cheap day dicket if the baliff comes round which he hasn't the last two or three times I have been there. One drawback is the river is infested with crayfish, to give you a clue we fished for them a couple of weeks ago with six dropnets and caught nearly 500 in two hours, before everybody starts jumping up and down and telling me I should not have done it, I am fed up being told I cant fish for them yet I must kill them If I catch them accidentally, anyway that is another argument that has been on many threads on this site over the last two or three years and by the way they were delicious. The two weir pools I mentioned earlier are absolutely chock a block with them as is the River Stort which joins the Lea just above Fields Weir (another river that is well worth a go for chub). Anyway I digress, the previously mentioned stretch is well worth a try, find yourself a decent sized tree or bush on the far bank, legering is out of the question because of the crayfish, waggler is the method, I have found caster and hemp to be the best option. First light is a must time to start and if it is not too bright you can keep the swim going for 4-5 hours. I have been very fortunate that this stretch has been like my own little fishery for the last few weeks with hardly another angler in sight. Apart from the crayfish the river is in rude health, three weeks ago I had a mixed bag of chub, dace, roach, rudd (not just one but about 10 or 12 of them), perch gudgeon and even bleak ( I thought the comorants had eaten most of those). I have had chub up to 4lb this year and lost some seriously bigger fish, beware of the cabbabe weed beneath your feet you think you have beaten the fish after getting them out of the far side cover only to lose them close in, I have found it easier to try and play them out in mid river, some nice perch up to 2lb, there are lots of small fish (chublets and roach)which can be a pain but it is a pleasure to see the River in such good condition. Unfortunately October sees my attention turn to pike elsewhere so I probably wont get down there again this year but believe me it is well worth a try. I hope this is of some help and if you need any more information please let me know. need any more

Last winter pike fished most weekends from November through to end of season, not all on the same venue,indeed on still and running water, all fishing done with deadbaits and I would have to say that lamprey accounted for the vast majority of fish, far outfishing all the other baits used apart from possibly "joey" mackerel.

Went last August, caught fish to 180lb and certainly lost fish bigger than that. Fantastic location, fantastic people, fantastic fishing and as Vagabond says as fishing abroad goes it is not overly expensive. We went with Cascade Angling Adventures, if you want any more information let me know.

What about the white sturgeon in Canadian rivers such as the Fraser, is that not a true freshwater fish?

I dont know if it is any good to you chaps but over the last 2-3 seasons there has been some decent coverage of Wandle on the river reports section on the "Barbel Fishing World" site, you might find it interesting, a bit secretive but it will give you an idea of some of the catching areas. Hertfordshire man myself so dont really know the river, hope it helps.

Hi BoozleBear If you can get to Liverpool Street station the lines to Hertford and Bishops Stortford run pretty well along the Stort and Lea Valleys and all the adjacent gravel pits which should accommodate any style of fishing which takes your fancy.Have a look at the Lea Valley Park site for some more information. If you want any more information on other fisheries let me know.

Well its the Lea and I have not seen them myself but I am told the bream are about between St Margarets and Rye House, they can be anywhere between above the bypass bridge below St Margarets and beyond the October hole to the concrete outflow about 600 hundred yards above Rye House bridge. Early starts essential and look for bubbling on far bank, open end groundbait feeder with worm, red maggot or both generally catches them.

Hi Monkeyboy Im not sure about tackle shops in Portumna but you can certainly get any sea deadbaits you want at the tackle shop in Bannagher. Im over myself between 11th-18th October on a boat on the Shannon anywhere between Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Will be in the pub and restaurant in Terryglass village on Friday 17th for the final p*** up, sorry I mean night out, might see you there. Good luck anyway.

Hi Noel If you have a car you can follow the Lea out through North London into Hertfordshire and beyond. If not do not despair you can catch the train from Hackney Downs along either the Lea Valley as far as Hertford East or along the Stort Valley as far as Bishops Stortford. Both railways tend to run parallel with the rivers so that most stations are very near to the water with the odd exception. Both rivers are very underrated apart from the dreaded crayfish plague and there are also plenty of gravel pits with big fish potential. Another bonus is that due to the current love of "holes in the ground" you can have vast tracts of riverbank to yourself. There are far to many venues to mention here but if you want any further info just drop me an email. Good luck

Yeah seen that one thank you Diamond just wondered if there was anyone out there with some hands on experience.