Winter fishing on the Medway around Maidstone

[A Worm OOE]

As Argyll sugests there was a piece about the Maidstone stretch in Southern Angler. The swim used was in the area that has been most consistent over the last few years for a "mixed bag". If going further downstream however be aware that it gets deeper so the wagler and loose feed aproach would need modifying. Also groundbait might need to be a stiffer consistency than the one used.

One approach that works if you feel that the going may be hard is to introduce say two good sise balls of groundbait with low feed (50%vde super match 50% leam for me). Then feed nothing but hemp over the top. If the fishing gets good start feeding some maggot or caster if its' poor stick to the hemp. My theory is that when the fish are not very hungry the activity of the groundbait still attracts. The hemp keeps them interested but if they are not hungry then they dont eat it so they dont' get fed off. The odd fish looking for a snack may be still take your maggot as it is the most attractive thing about.

This approach has caught me alot of fish in matches on the Medway when in a poor area or when conditions are not good.

[nick_gilbert]

Hi A W O O E

 

Wherabouts do you fish your matches on the river, I go to all the Maidstone Victory ones at Barming bridge and do quite well

 

Have you tried a quater ground hemp in your groundbait mix that works very well on the river too.

 

Strange you should say that about the swim between the bridge exactly the same thing happened to me caught one roach in 2 hours then crossed the river and had a fish a chuck.

 

Personaly I don't think the swim fished in southern angler is the best in the town just the most heavly fished

[Leon Roskilly]

Went with Alan today.

 

The Medway was running thick and muddy.

 

After a while at Allington sluice (normally crawling with roach and dace) we decided to try elsewhere.

 

Both Alan and his son had some roach and learned to trot with a centrepin

 

I'll leave Alan to post some more details later.

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Alan Stubbs]

I will post in detail when I get back to Liverpool on Jan 2.

 

But, I say if any of you are lucky enough to fish with Leon, you know what wonderful company he is and what a damned class angler too.

 

I learned so much, and talking with my son an hour ago, he is desperate to go out again. As he said - the 'pin beat him, but he found river fishing so much fun - once he understood that Stubbs 0 - Fish 4 is an acceptable result - and a lot of fun too!

 

As I said, when I get back to Liverpool (I forgot my data transfer cable for the digicam) I will post some pics and give some more detail.

 

Thanks, Leon. I was truly a brilliant day.

 

[ 30. December 2004, 11:04 PM: Message edited by: Alan Stubbs ]

[A Worm OOE]

Hi Nick

 

Unfortunately I dont fish enough matched on the Medway these days they are hard to find. I attend a few Tonbridge club matches each year but opens or league matches have almost disapeared. This year I have fished One Kent Messenger League on Teston and Barming and a couple of Kent summer league matches at Tonbridge. Like most I end up fishing too many carp puddles and am seriously considering going back to club fishing and if I do I'll join Maidstone as T&B is my favourite part of the river not to mention Moat Park.

[nick_gilbert]

Unfortunatly the Maidstone club matches are not very well attended attacting about 15 at most,

 

Barming is my favorite section of river maybe I will see you next season?

 

I recon Moat park is one of the best roach waters in Kent. All ways a chance of a 2lb+ fish, not to mention the big bream and perch.

[A Worm OOE]

Nick

Many open matches these days dont manage much more than 15 unless they are part of a league.

I agree about Barming, Every Autumn I try to get a session in on the pegs below the bridge wagler fishing for the roach if the conditions are good. I would try a session for the bream above the bridge as well but having drawn ther in matches three times and been succesful I leave that alone, dont want to tempt fate.

As for Moat park if only they would run some matches again. In one match there three years ago I had two weigh ins the first consisted of three bream for 22lbs (not to exceptional for Moat Park) the second a Bream a tench and a roach for 16lbs. The roach went 2lbs 4oz.

[nick_gilbert]

The sad fact of what puts a lot of people off of fishing the Medway and Moat park is the pegs, no comfy platforms to fish from.

Also most seem to find it hard to accept that some days you will struggle to catch and be scratching around for a pound or 2 of small fish.

Others claim the river is peggy but that is total rubbish, the last 8 matches on the river have been won from a different peg every time.

Although I wont mention who won 7 of them

[A Worm OOE]

I agree. comfort first interesting fishing second. The Kent Winter league had rounds on the Medway but not any more; Too Peggy, Dangerous Banks, risk of high water. the majority of match anglers now want lots of fish on a plate.

 

The last Medway winter league, the year before last, was on a rising river and was hard going.To my mind it was one of the most interesting team matches for ages with adaptable thinking anglers doing well. Now everyone wants to go to venues where they can fish the latest method confident in the knowledge that if they are on fish and they fish to the formula they will catch.

 

The most confusing thing however is that when having my usual moan about this on the bank the majority of people seem to agree with me (could just be trying to shut me up)

 

When I first started match fishing at a higher level the winter league was all about scratching and getting bites. I fished the Mid Thames winter league for a while. One year over the 6 matches I weighed in a total of 5-6lbs. Iwas 5th placed individual out of 168 (a proper league with 14 teams then, dont think its going now) with that and had had a realy interesting league. In recent years I have weighed more than 100lbs over a winter league but not enjoyed it any more.

Sory about the "off topic moan"

I think this weekend I will fish the Tonbridge match on the Medway more my cup of tea.

[Dick Dastardly]

Nick I have never fished Mote Park,in fact never even walked around it! Your mention of big roach has got me interested.Any information would be most apreciated.