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Severn - Why was it so C*@p?


Guest Big Nick

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Guest Big Nick

I fished the Severn above Ironbridge on Sunday. Out of 40+ anglers top weight was only 7lb. The usual to win, for this time of year on the stretch is around 30lb.

 

I don't know if there was compensation water in the river, but it was the worst start to the season i have ever known. So i was told the 16th was just as bad.

 

Did anyone else fish the Severn the weekend and how did you get on?

 

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Big Nick

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Guest lee3272

dont worry about it as far as ino it was a crap day for all rivers our match won at 11oz out of 24 angler 20 of us didnt even get a bite and this was a good match strech where the lowest weight is about 5lb usally i blame it on all the rain b4 on friday

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Guest davidP

Having lived and fished in that area until recently I always found that that particular area (I fished Telford AA waters @ Buildwas) could switch off and on like a lightbulb at any time of the year, and with very little obvious cause.

 

The popular local response has always been to blame it on water being released from Clewedog dam, but the water authorities will swear blind that their doing this has absolutely no impact more than 100 yards downstream of the dam because the amount of water involved is such a small percentage. They also say that they can show that water release does not correspond to supposed times when it was damaging the sport.

 

The fact is that if you look at the state of rivers country-wide the the state of The Severn is not that much different to everywhere else. The rivers seem to be much harder to read now that they're cleaner & clearer and location is a far more important aspect of river fishing. Gone are the days when 40 blokes could sit in a line and all catch - the fish distribution just doesn't allow it. The fish are shoaled tighter and spend far more of their time in cover because the clearer water has made them easier targets for predators. So there will still be days when a match will bring 50lb+ weights to the scales, but the backing weights of past years just won't be there. It may be that only 5 of the 40 will bother to weigh in when in recent years maybe half the field would. This is because you can't catch fish from a peg if all the fish are congregated in just one or two pegs and you aren't in one of them!

 

For me the Upper Severn (and to a leser extent parts of the Middle Severn) should now be approached very much in the specimen-angling frame of mind. Take time to study and learn the location before fishing, and ideally be mobile and prepared to move. The fish are still there and catchable, it's just that they're harder to find.

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Guest dexter

Nick

 

This is uncanny but I nearly wrote the very same post on Tuesday.

 

So far this season I have fished the Severn 3 times. Saturday (Atcham) had a cracking day lots of Chub a couple of Barbel and a Big Perch.

 

Fished again Sunday (Atcahm) and it was dire a couple of Chub and my mate had a Brabel. Went again Tueday (Atcham and Montford Bridge) both were appalling did a couple of Chub and Atcham nothing at all at Montford Bridge.

 

At Atcham I had put it down to a pressure. I arrived at 5 am on Saturday and the place was heaving (BTW what is the rule for fishing opening day I thought it was from first light??). About the 1/2 mile it was totally bivvied up. Asked a few while walking past how they were getting on but nothing seemed to be doing.

 

Supposed to be going again tomorrow but may try somewhere like the Dove instead.

 

D

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Guest Big Nick

Hi DavidP,

 

We have the stretch above yours at Buildwas, though i have fished your waters also. Ours is Leighton Angling and i'm afraid is a lot better stretch as it incorporates the 's' bends and a far greater variety of water.

 

Those who understand the water do need to resort to speciman tactics to catch good bags. Most matches are won with in excess of 40lb, with 30lb being the norm for this time of year. But i agree it is very peggy and not everyone will do well. However, someone will get on the fish, but on Sunday, for the first time ever that i have seen, this did not happen.

 

Last season these very poor spells coincided with the river turning a sort of copper colour, again leading to the theory of compensation water. The river on Sundy was already carrying extra water due to the rain, so the colouration may not of been evident. However, one thing i am certain of, after fishing the stretch for over 15 years, i have never seen it fish so poorly!

 

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Big Nick

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