Newbie

[cclarkey03]

Hi guys

 

I am new to the site. I have always float / ledger fished with my father on lakes, but fancy trying spinning on a river but am a complete newbie when it comes to this, I live in Bromley south east london / kent borders and know from reading around, that the Medway seems to be the place to head to from me to give it a shot. I have absolutely no idea where abouts on the medway would be a good place to try spinning. Ideally I want to just be able to purchase a day ticket rather than join a club. Does anyone have any advice regarding a decent location that wont take me years to drive to from Bromley ?

 

Any help would be massivly appreciated.

 

once I have got this sorted, all I need is all of the spinning gear, landing net, mat, pliers.... oh its going to be a while till im actually out there...

 

Thanks in advance

 

Clarkey

[ColinW]

I don't know the area at all but I can make a general comment that spinning (I presume for pike) in a river in winter might not be terribly productive. The water will be murky and your spinner will be catching dead leaves on every cast. That will lead to you having wet hands and pretty soon you'll be freezing cold and totally depressed!

Winter is a time for one piece suits, moonboots and flasks of soup, waiting for some big old girl to pick up a big deadbait!

[cclarkey03]

ahh thanks for that Colin, I will bear it in mind. Regardless of deadbait or spinning, I still need to try and find somewhere to fish close ( hopefully ) to Bromley for Pike or any other predator fish. Dare I be so naive as to assume the equipment would be similar for spinning and deadbait fishing ? Just so I know when I walk into the tackle shop I dont look like a complete lemon

 

Clarkey

[The Flying Tench]

ahh thanks for that Colin, I will bear it in mind. Regardless of deadbait or spinning, I still need to try and find somewhere to fish close ( hopefully ) to Bromley for Pike or any other predator fish. Dare I be so naive as to assume the equipment would be similar for spinning and deadbait fishing ? Just so I know when I walk into the tackle shop I dont look like a complete lemon

 

Clarkey

 

Others are much more experienced than me on this, but I thought I'd reply as my name is also Clarke!

 

I have an 9ft spinning rod and a 12ft pike (deadbaiting) rod. You couldn't really use the deadbaiting rod for spinning, but you could use the spinning rod for deadbaiting - though you would have less control in handling a really big pike. In all honesty a pike rod is the same as a carp rod. Hope that's some help in deciding what to go for.

 

Another point is that when I first got a spinning rod I got a lightweight 7 ft rod which is a joy to use for casting light lures for perch, but doesn't have enough 'welly' for casting bigger lures (or wobbling deadbaits' whereas I can use the 9ft rod for pretty well anything. It says on it that it can cast up to 55gms (2oz).

 

Eventually you are likely to want a pike rod and a spinning rod, so both would be a reasonable investment longer term - I guess it depends what your priorities are for the next year or so which to go for first.

[cclarkey03]

Thanks John

 

Sounds like I need to be getting down to the tackle shop when the sales start and see what I can manage to do. I am hoping to get a spinning rod for sure as I really want to give spinning a go, but I will be seriously considering a deadbait rod as well. Although I can already imagine the amount of gear im going to end up carrying down the bank. The appeal of spinning is the small amount needed, rod, net, and mat, then the rest I can fit in my pockets. easy for moving around.

 

Anyway, still doesnt solve the problem of not having the first clue as to where to go to fish yet.... I know im going to end up back at frank lakes fishing for carp, or in my case minnow's.

 

Clarkey

[Royboy]

Hi guys

 

I am new to the site. I have always float / ledger fished with my father on lakes, but fancy trying spinning on a river but am a complete newbie when it comes to this, I live in Bromley south east london / kent borders and know from reading around, that the Medway seems to be the place to head to from me to give it a shot. I have absolutely no idea where abouts on the medway would be a good place to try spinning. Ideally I want to just be able to purchase a day ticket rather than join a club. Does anyone have any advice regarding a decent location that wont take me years to drive to from Bromley ?

 

Any help would be massivly appreciated.

 

once I have got this sorted, all I need is all of the spinning gear, landing net, mat, pliers.... oh its going to be a while till im actually out there...

 

Thanks in advance

 

Clarkey

Here's a pretty comprehensive listing of day ticket waters in Kent. http://www.go-fish.co.uk/kent.htm Hope it helps.

[cclarkey03]

Thanks Royboy !

[Steve Burke]

I don't know the area at all but I can make a general comment that spinning (I presume for pike) in a river in winter might not be terribly productive. The water will be murky and your spinner will be catching dead leaves on every cast. That will lead to you having wet hands and pretty soon you'll be freezing cold and totally depressed!

Winter is a time for one piece suits, moonboots and flasks of soup, waiting for some big old girl to pick up a big deadbait!

 

I agree with Colin that lure fishing in murky water isn't that effective. However it most certainly is in clear water, however cold it is! Indeed, there are winter days when lure fishing totally outscores bait fishing

 

Having said that you'll probably have to retrieve slower than you'd think. It does mean though that you'll cover a lot of water, and so it's a good way to learn your local river. But it can be expensive on lures!