DannyS

Quite a few chublets by the bridge at the Garden centre with roach around the back of the mill. I think that due to the nature of the river around there, the way it splits off into smaller back water and such, I am wondering if some of the smaller back waters managed to escape the worst affects of the pollution that came down the main river.

I took a walk along the section at Morden through Morden Hall Park and Ravensbury park. Saw the majority of fish around the old snuff mill in Morden Hall lpark

Hi all Don't get the chance to post or have a good look at this forum very much but thought I should take the time out to let any of those who are interested. Had a long walk along the Wandle on Saturday and I am very pleased to say that the fish populations seem to be improving very well. I witnessed alot of roach and chub about 4oz - 1lb and one monster of a roach which I personally estimate at about 3lb. The numbers of fish were also quite impressive. Had a chat to one guy there who told me that the fish numbers have recovered quite well after the terrible pollution incident, but as yet he had not seen any barbel yet. Apologies If anyone has already posted about this. Danny

Thought it would be right to start contributing to this forum as I have only posted a few times but read it quite a lot. I fish this area 3-4 times a year. All the lochs mentioned are very good waters. I would also add the three lochs complex. Very good pike and perch fishing to be had in all three waters plus there are some very nice bream, roach and a few carp too. Tickets are available on the bank for £5. Last time I fished Whitefield the paper shop had stopped doing the tickets but will direct you to the house where the bailiff lives. Very nice bloke too. The campsite at Black Loch has a very nice stretch of bank, but apparently not great fishing. Most of the fish tend to hoover around the far banks. Having said that, there is some very good roach fishing there with bread in the evenings.

All good advise except one part by Dant. The use of a weighted hook with an unbaited treble attached is illegal for any purpose other than with use of a spinner or lure. It would make it a snatch or stroke-haul used for foul hooking fish by poachers. Even though the use would be for finding features, and used with no ill intent, you can still be prosecuted under section 1(3) of the salmon and freshwater fisheries act 1975 which descirbes a stoke-haul as "includes any instrument or device, whether used with rod or line or otherwise, for the purpose of foul hooking fish". Prosecutions have been made before for just having these in possession. Just a word of warning.

Used to catch alot of eels from the thames. But sadly havent had any from there for a long time.

On the subject of eels moving across land we had a strange thing happen about 15 years ago. My father had a largish garden pond. He decided to make the pond a bit bigger. We drained it and found sitting on the bottom an eel about 2 foot long. The eel had never been put there by us as we built it and stocked it from stratch. It was still there two years later when we cleaned the pond, but had gone four years after that when it was cleaned again. The strange thing is that there are no lakes around, and the nearest river is the wandle. But this was when the wandle was pretty much an open sewer. You could actually smell chemicals from it on some days. As for a new record, A few of us on a working party out of season in our club once saw a huge eel swimming in the shallows of on of our gravel pits. No idea how big but looked to be in double figures. This was about 10 years ago.

You have a pm.

Try turning off the script blocking on any anti virus program. Sometimes this works.

Oh well, just have to see. Nothing ventured as it were. Snatcher, I have fished Whitefield a few times and that is on my list as well as some others. Thanks anyway.

Hi all, I am an occasional member in the coarse forum and just popped over to get some advise. I will be in Portpatrick over Christmas and was wondering what the shore fishing would be like this time of year? I have mainly fished that area during the summer usually from a boat. I have had some good fishing from the rocks around the area in the past, but as I said before this has been in the summer.

oops. Didnt see that one!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_eas...ast/4315748.stm

It does. Most of the river in that area is pretty much the same, but I found most fish tend to be around the old flour mills along the river. I always found the river a bit hard going, but after a chat with locals they told me not to bother with the river in the afternoon. Early mornings and late evenings are the best times. I found the chub couldnt resist big thick black slugs, and the roach tended to favour breadflake over anything else. Would love to hear how you get on. I have been meaning to go back one day.

I had the same problem last week. Lots of bites but couldnt connect with anything. I started to get a bit desperate and tried something I would never have done before. Using luncheon meat I pulled the hook through the meat, but didnt pull it back, leaving the whole hook exposed underneath. Didnt think I would get a touch with the hook so proud, but to my surprise the bites increased and managed to hook the fish each time. Results were two roach at 1lb, a perch at over a 1lb and about 10 of about half a pound, several tench arond the 5lb mark and loads of rudd between half a pound and a pound. One bite was very shy but then took off across the lake and snapped me with ease. I know the carp in the lake are only small (no more than 6-8lb) and I was loaded with 6lb line on the spool (result of forgetting most of my reels!!). Back agin this weekend to try it again.

The upper reaches of the river stour is that way. Not sure about any barbel that far up, but plenty of huge chub and roach. Try the stretch around Sturminster Newton mill. My Dad and me used to fish there about 10 years ago and he used to pull out roach to over 3lb quite alot. Its also full of chub over the 6lb mark. I have also seen huge pike and perch there too. Day tickets used to be sold in the White Hart pub in the centre of town but its a long time since I was down that way.

A good idea is usually to change swims. Chub get spooked very easily. Try another swims if you can and then return about an hour later.

Sent you a pm Gerry.

I have a rod waiting for this poor lad.

Thanks guys. Had go around the other side of the willow to try and roll the bait through, the disovered another log right in the way! The branch is only about 6 inchs` below the surface running right across the river, but the method might work if I can lower it in gently. They are very cautious fish and will only drift back now and agian (usually when I am re-baiting). Wading is out as the water is about 6ft from the bank and shallows up towards the other side which is out of bounds.Due to family commitments I had to leave around 2pm so didnt have the time to pre-bait, but that sounds like the best solution. Basically, they have found a nice safe spot under a tree with two barriers either side. I will get one.I will. I will take a picture next time to show the swim better. As for the location I hope you understand that I would like to keep that to myself for the time being.

The problem is not the weight. I can drop a weight right by the branch but the flow pulls hooklength away from where they are feeding. Tried different weights and found that the larger bombs actually attracted the fish but then lose interest when they discover its not edible!

Had a very frustrating day yesterday. Fishing a very cramped swim between two trees onto the edge of a sunken willow. Swim had about 5 huge barbel and several large chub. The problem was a sunken branch in front of me with most fish sitting directly under or just past. No matter what I tried I couldnt get my hookbait close enough to the fish because of the flow. My first cast got me chub of 4lb, but this was one of the smaller ones. The barbel moved in later and were all at least double figures. The only way I could get any where near them was to hold the rod and the end of the but, line in hand and ease the weight down as close to the branch as possible. Some of the fish would occasionally drift back, but not far enough. Tried shorteneing the hooklength, moving the weight nearer the hookbait to get it down quickly, freelined and even floating crust to try and tempt the chub up. Any advise about how to get the bait down as quickly as possible?

I used to target certain species all the time. Ended up taking a 10 year break because I wasnt enjoying it anymore. I am now happy just to catch. Went to a new venue on Monday and had forgotten all my bait except for maggots. Could not get past the chublets and dace. Shot off to the garage for a loaf of bread and meat and still the same result. Little buggers nipping at the meat until none left. Half a dozen huge barbel spawning right in front of me not interested in anything near them. Was about to give up when I thought I would just have some fun catching the small stuff on the sick float. Had a great afternoon with them. Last cast of the day produced a 2lb 9oz perch that shot out from th bank and grabbed the maggots. Ended the day on a high. Even if I hadnt caught it, I still enjoyed my surroundings and the peace. So since I gave up trying too hard I have much more fun.

Careless And Rubbish Piscators

Cant help, but just wanted say good luck with the test.