Would you swim in your local river?

[Emma two]

Thats a nice looking river Emma.

 

 

I think i would give fishing a miss on that day, thats a real banker.

 

Honestly, a river like that (second one in flood) will have 'anglers' coming out of the woodwork and heading off bankside. We see people who we didn't even think fished with rods in their hands. On that river those are the easiest condidions and those most likely to give up a fish. Bunches of lobworms droped into a dub (close in slack water) are good for the salmon and trout which are forced into such lays by the flow in mainstream. Some only fish in flood conditions a few times a year.

[old buzzer]

40 years ago I swam in the river Nene in Northampton on more than one occasion thinking back it was very dangerous as the water was icy cold more than 3 foot down, the river looks the same today but I'm too old for that sort of thing now. I have also had a plunge in the local cut but soon got out as there was 2 foot of water at the edge and 3 foot of mud. I was a silly bugger as a kid wonder how I survived so long.

[John S]

Swim in the River Humber? No soddin' chance....

[Dick Dastardly]

So rivers arnt clean enough to swim in these days eh? So why is the most popular theory for the decline in sport on several once great angling rivers such as the Trent put down to the fact that the water is so much clearer and cleaner than it was 20 years or so ago?

[Anderoo]

I reckon it's just that we're now all older and more boring - I bet if you asked local kids up and down the country the same question, the answer would be an emphatic yes!

[gozzer]

So rivers arnt clean enough to swim in these days eh? So why is the most popular theory for the decline in sport on several once great angling rivers such as the Trent put down to the fact that the water is so much clearer and cleaner than it was 20 years or so ago?

 

I think most of us now realise that clearer, doesn't necessarily mean cleaner. Too many 'invisible' nasties in the waters.

 

As a kid, I swam in the Leeds & Liverpool canal near Leeds centre. My mate was related to the lock keeper, and we used to get a shower after. I stopped when I surfaced within inches of a dead dog one evening.

 

As Andrew says, I think it's an age thing. I still see kids swimming in the canal on hot days, but wouldn't do it myself now.

 

As to the R Trent, I fished it regularly in the late 60s through to the 80s. It did look like an open sewer at times, (we had to use a float with a long antennae, sticking out 8" or so, to trot through the foam below Fiskerton weir), but it had a good mix of fish in various sizes. The roach shoals were vast, and it wasn't too unusual for them to spread out along a 40-50 peg match length, and everyone catch. They ranged from tiny to 1lb +. Then the chub, bream, dace and occasional barbel, carp or tench, would pop up, depending on where you were fishing.

Now it seems that the mixture of year classes as diminished, with mainly large fish present, and only a few smaller fish coming through from each year.

 

John.

Edited March 30, 2009 by gozzer

[Worms]

I reckon it's just that we're now all older and more boring - I bet if you asked local kids up and down the country the same question, the answer would be an emphatic yes!

You're not far wrong there I think. I was fishing at a spot a few weeks ago where I and all the other village lads used to swim and it gave me the shivers just thinking about it. Raging current, deep holes and big boulders oh, and double figure pike as well!

[Dick Dastardly]

I think most of us now realise that clearer, doesn't necessarily mean cleaner. Too many 'invisible' nasties in the waters.

 

John.

 

Strangely enough John I was going to put that in my post. Maybe Im being cynical but the EA,water authorities and other potential polluters.Have most likely concentrated more on making the rivers look clean than actually making them clean! After all Joe Public can see a Richard lll floating down the river whilst they walk the dog but dont carry testing equipment!

[Dick Dastardly]

The fishing MC.The Trent hasnt been a patch on what it used to be (especially the roach fishing) for a few years now and this coincides with the vast improvement in water clarity.

 

That said if you see my second post you will see Im in agreement with you.