Plans for the new river season

[Anderoo]

I'm really looking forward to the rivers opening again this year The last few years have been a mixture of droughts or floods, but currently my local rivers are looking good. Hopefully they'll stay that way.

 

I am longing to get back on my little tributaries with the trotting gear, float fishing for dace and chub, and the odd mental brownie. There is actually a normal amount of water in these little rivers again, and I can't wait to reaquaint myself with them. I love trotting, and I think it must be 2 years now since I last did any. I am hopeful of finding some big (for the river) dace, and on a walk last year I spotted what I am pretty sure were a handful of decent roach in a very tiny tributary of a tributary! That would be very exciting.

 

The other thing I'm really looking forward to is doing some 'pleasure fishing' (for want of a better expression) on the Thames. Rather than being selective, fish in a way that is very non-selective, and just see what turns up - pick a nice spot, and sit there all day, building up the swim. As well as the chance of decent perch and roach and smaller chub, I am increasing excited by the bream potential. Nothing like the big gravel pits of course, but I've had them to just shy of 6lb in the winter while chubbing, and I saw one floundering on the surface last year after spawning that must have been 8lb+. Plucking out a few like that on a light feeder rod or float gear would be fantastic.

 

How about you?

[viney]

Barbel will be my main aim this year, last year was supposed to be but a new job and family commitments got in the way and I didn't fish at all until January this year. This year though I will be making the most of any opportunity however brief to get out on the bank, like June 16th I will be on the bank just before first light but back home before the kids wake up at half 7 either trotting maggot or trundling meat through a small stretch of the kennet. I do have the 19th and 20th booked off though for 2 full days of fishing

[Steve Walker]

Also looking forward to some trotting!

[Phone]

Androo,

 

The only place I fished the Thames was behind Windsor Castle across the river from a famous English school - (Eton maybe(?). Had licenses but not sure I had permission. There's an Inn on the banks and that's where I was staying.

 

Fished all day as that was an extremely tranquil place with lots going on across the river. I'd love doing it again - assuming I was there legally. Caught just enough fish to keep up an interest. (unfortunately I was not well versed in English species at the time. The fish were under a pound and "perch like" although I don't believe they were perch.

 

Phone

[Chris Plumb]

Also looking forward to some trotting!

Especially that!

 

C.

[Errrm]

I'm not sure as usual...... I suspect I will spend the Spring and Summer either frogging for Pike or fishing for Chub with lures on the River Cam. I'm also toying with the idea of joining a syndicate again, the last one I joined was crammed full of people and wasn't my idea of quiet, peaceful and tranquil :-).

[Steve Walker]

The fish were under a pound and "perch like" although I don't believe they were perch.

Not much in the Thames that is perch-like and not a perch - we only have two native percids and a third alien species - the perch, the ruffe and the zander. Although all three are present in the Thames, only the perch is common.

[Mark Wintle]

Some 'reasonable' conditions would be good. I hope to fish the Thames on an occasional basis again this season, already got my permit, and have a few ideas for some different fishing there, still mainly around roach, depending on flow etc. I'm also toying with joining a different upper Dorset Stour club to my usual one as it might get me out of the rut I'm in on the current one. It would be nice to actually catch a cyprinid from the Dorset Frome this season having failed to do so last season though I did get a PB grayling. A more 'normal' year would be welcome! I have noticed that the stillwater fish are very late spawning; had roach and rudd yesterday that had yet to spawn whereas two years ago they'd spawned by the end of April. It may be a slow start on the rivers.

[Tigger]

Especially that!

 

C.

 

Chris, I take it you'll be christening your Bistern on the opening day ?....

[Rusty]

Chris, I take it you'll be christening your Bistern on the opening day ?....

 

Sshhh...I told you not to tell anyone.

 

Same story here, for some reason I'm looking forward to resuming 'pin twirling more than previous seasons. I think it's because the Kennet has had time to settle after the deluges and should be in the best condition that I've seen during opening week.

 

Also I want to experience trotting with a cane rod so I'll be visiting a local collector this week to see if he has anything to tempt me.