Great Ouse

[Puzzled]

Has anyone fished the Gt Ouse immediately North of the Turvey road bridge in Bedfordshire?

It's a club water (Northampton Nene)of which I'm a card holder and I would be grateful for any advice. I'm led to believe it's a prolific Barbel and Chub water, but I've yet to prove that to be the case!

I've had a few sessions over the warmer months where the water levels have been very low and clear and absolutely stuffed with weed. Mixed results really with few bites - although between the wife and I we've landed some very small chub, the odd roach, a few gudgeon and small perch.

With the weather turning cooler, wetter and (hopefully) more water flow pushing through, I want to give the stretch a good try over the next couple of months.

Any advice on bait / tactics would be gratefully received.

Thanks,

Steve

[mark barrett]

i wouldnt give up on it yet mate, the whole of the Ouse has been slow this year, get a bit of water in it and sport should improve.

[Jon Hedges]

I fish there regularly - both sides of the bridge (Northampton Nene and the Rushden Club side). I REALLY like the stretch owned by Rushden Club. This year the river has not fished well for me (5 trips since start of August). The lack of water is the main problem, with the river level incredibly low. The weed is always present during the summer months but has reduced significantly over the past 4 weeks. Until we get a spell of wet weather, I shan't fish the river.

 

Last year was pretty good (for my first year barbeling) and I managed 12 fish to double figures. This year - none !!

Where do you live Puzzled ? Happy to discuss any aspect of the river ... from my limited experience there.

[Puzzled]

Hi Jon,

I'm in Lavendon, a couple of miles north of Turvey so it's an easy spot for me to get to. We've only been living here this year and it's my first attempt at fishing this stretch.

I'm quite reassured to know it's not just me that's been struggling and you've confirmed what I thought - we need more rain to make it respond better.

It's nice to know that there are (or were!) barbel in there, I've heard so much about the apparent abundance of doubles.

What were yours caught on?

Steve

[Jon Hedges]

I live in Northampton, so come through on my way to Turvey.

If you want a chat - PM with your phone number and I'll give you a call ?

[chevin]

Puzzled:

Hi Jon,

I'm in Lavendon,

Is fishing still allowed at Lavendon Mill Farm? I used to fish that stretch a lot many years ago and caught a lot of good chub downstream of the weir. There were also fair chub above the weir and I hooked two huge fish on the bend above the weir that I suspect were catfish. There were no barbel in the days I was fishing there, the only ones I saw in the Ouse in those days were those I caught at Hemmingford Grey a lot further down stream.

 

When you have been fishing at Turvey, have you been fishing above the buildings, (which used to be a potato crisp factory) or down stream of them? I fished upstream of them on many occasions and had plenty of chub and there were good pike in the weir pool too. I had some enjoyable sessions down stream of them with Bob Church and we accounted for a few chub there as well.

 

I remember one guy who obviously has to remain unnamed catching a lovely pike of about 14lbs from the Turvey weir pool, taking it back to Luton and putting it into Wardown Lake! I would think that a few of the ducklings disappeared after that, I bet that pike thought that all of its birthdays had come at once!*LOL*

[Jon Hedges]

Chevin,

The crisp factory closed down many years ago - 20 or more I guess ? - I was lucky to fish the mill pool adjacent to it a few times as my grandad knew the owner and he allowed us to fish it (it was private). The crisp factory is now residential apartments, and the pool is nothing more than a puddle surrounded by reeds.

 

The stretch above Turvey bridge to the weir is still good and the Pike are still in the weir there (as I found to my cost). There are plenty of good Barbel and Chub around. The river has been choked with weed (now dying off) and the water levels very low and gin clear. The fishing has not been good !

[Puzzled]

Chevin,

Lavendon Mill has club waters either side upstream - Olney & District and Luton AC I believe. Not sure who owns the fishing rights downstream, I Don't think anyone does at present.

I've only been living in the area this year and I've yet to see anyone fishing there.

[chevin]

Chevin,

The crisp factory closed down many years ago - 20 or more I guess ? - I was lucky to fish the mill pool adjacent to it a few times as my grandad knew the owner and he allowed us to fish it (it was private). The crisp factory is now residential apartments, and the pool is nothing more than a puddle surrounded by reeds.

 

The stretch above Turvey bridge to the weir is still good and the Pike are still in the weir there (as I found to my cost). There are plenty of good Barbel and Chub around. The river has been choked with weed (now dying off) and the water levels very low and gin clear. The fishing has not been good !

 

 

Yeah, I saw the yuppie houses that were once the Crisp factory during my visit to the UK last year. When I was fishing the area some 40 years ago (or even more) we were able to fish below the mill and potato slices that we found floating in the water would often take a chub. I remember trying out an early day fish finder that Dick Walker loaned me in the main weir pool. We heard plenty of noise, but we were never sure that it was fish that were causing it!

 

Puzzled I don't know if it is the same, but a bit of Velveeta cheese rolled around the weir pool at Lavendon Mill Farm often picked up a few nice chub. It may well pick up some barbel these days, but there were none in the area when I was fishing there.