Would you swim in your local river?

[Andy Macfarlane]

Downstream of Busby on the White Cart, no chance. There's Chromium Oxide (my favourite) and the usual condoms etc. to catch.

 

....Andy....

[richjones]

I have swam a few times in my local river, not where I fish, but a good 10miles further upstream (upper welsh dee)

 

I have always assumed that its pretty clean, having come straight from mountains without passing through anything other than villages. Who knows what could be in there though

[Sportsman]

I would be happy to swim in my local river (upper Aberdeenshire Dee) if it ever got warm enough up here

[Emma two]

I would swim out of it if I fell in one of the few places where simply wading out wouldn't be easier. Its very shallow.

Cleanliness wise I would have no worries, we used to spend the whole summer either in or by the edge of the 'beck'. When it's in flood swimming wouldn't be an option, it's the fastest in England.

 

These are shots of the same stretch.

 

[Peter Waller]

No way! Not with 45lb pike swimming about!

[Alan Roe]

Bonny looking bit of water that Emma who controls the fishing??

[Emma two]

Bonny looking bit of water that Emma who controls the fishing??

 

 

Seriously, 'no-one' much, it's on what is called Cokermouth 'town water' residents can get a permit from the town hall. I dont think that anyone still bothers getting one, and no-one, so far as I know ever checks. Visitors can probably get a day ticket too. The EA bailiffs will of course do spot rod licence checking.

 

That was our playground, and was once worth fishing for brown trout, even in the early 90s it was ok, took a 4.5lber on an upstream muddler at night in the summer of 91'. This time of year we would fish it down with trad wets, like march browns, partridge and orange, snipe and purple etc, and delight in beautiful brownies up to 1lb, we learned to cast a fly along there.

 

It's sadly a shadow of what it was. the salmon and sea trout still run up through it, but the best beats are controlled by the local angling assn. That said, the bit shown at low water was where my late father caught his last ever fish, the river goddess gave up a salmon to him the last time he fished before dying.

Local knowledge is significantly useful. When your up at Isel again see if you can get to speak to Nigel Harris. Apart from the odd 'chuck in' for old times sake I have all but abandoned the river in favour of the lakes.

Edited March 24, 2009 by Emma two

[Ken L]

I occasionally swim in the Severn or Teme.

No ideal with the EA having to put in compensation water every weekend so that the bacterial load isn't to high for abstraction downstream but needs must on a hot day.

 

I am vary wary of obstructions though especially on the Teme where hop twine is a potential killer.

[Anderoo]

As a kid we all used to swim in the Relief Channel in Norfolk, which went through our village. We used to climb down onto the bridge supports and jump in, it was great! I never had enough bottle to jump off the top of the railings, but the braver kids did

 

Every summer plenty of teenagers jump, dive and swim in my local bit of the Thames. I'm sure it's clean enough although I don't suppose you'd want to drink much of it. I'm too much of a boring old man these days though!

 

We used to go to a spot on the upper river Nar as kids too, which is a lovely, gravelly, clear and fast flowing trout stream. Very cold (and shallow) for swimming but we managed. It was there I found my first spinner (a Mepps). I found it attached to my foot.

[lutra]

Thats a nice looking river Emma.

 

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