Marsh drains

[oldnewby]

Hi,

I have just read some of Roger Stanton's articals and as usual they are very interesting and entertaining,however,I come from his "country"and I can assure you all that no drains have been "filled in"by farmers or anyone else.

I happen to know many of the people concerned with the drainage of the marsh and it is very carefully regulated.

I fish for the most part on the marsh but being disabled I am unable to walk very far,not far enough to fish the drains.

VERY few fish these now a days and i would not be surprised if there were some very big fish to be had.

 

Happy fishing

 

oldnewby

[Steve Burke]

Roger's a friend of mine and, like you, I always find his articles intersting.

 

I'd agree with you that, due to little fishing pressure, some of the Romney Marsh drains can be very productive. Even some club waters on the Marsh are very little fished! The right approach to local farmers will also get you some very quiet fishing.

[Dick Dastardly]

The Marsh drains,guts and sewers have changed beyond recognition over the past 30 years.The major change is the swap from sheep farming to root vegtable (mainly potato) and the resulting change in irregation policies. The water levels used to be kept high in order to create good grazing but now the water is drained off much more to enable an early crop to be sown.This has meant that other than the Marshs main drain,The White Kemp, most of the smaller connecting systems are a shadow of their former selves.

 

I lived on Romney Marsh from 1988 till I moved to France in 2001.I had been lucky enough to fish them in the 70's when the sport was amazing.No where near as good as it used to be but still respectable fishing untill the start of the 90's by the mid 90's it was all over.

 

Cant just use the White Kemp as an indication. From Brenzet to Cold Harbour every small dyke had good roach fishing with large bream and tench present.The piking was also good with mile upon mile of water to work along.Even the bottom corner of the Marsh from Lydd to Rye produced although this sadly was the first area to become a waste of time.

 

I dont know what/where you base your opinions on but Im afraid mine are the same as Roger. Unless a major change in irrigation/farming policy with a restocking programme comes about I fear it is gone for good.

[darentvalleycarper]

 

I took this pic the other week.. there's fish in there??

[oldnewby]

The Marsh drains,guts and sewers have changed beyond recognition over the past 30 years.The major change is the swap from sheep farming to root vegtable (mainly potato) and the resulting change in irregation policies. The water levels used to be kept high in order to create good grazing but now the water is drained off much more to enable an early crop to be sown.This has meant that other than the Marshs main drain,The White Kemp, most of the smaller connecting systems are a shadow of their former selves.

 

I lived on Romney Marsh from 1988 till I moved to France in 2001.I had been lucky enough to fish them in the 70's when the sport was amazing.No where near as good as it used to be but still respectable fishing untill the start of the 90's by the mid 90's it was all over.

 

Cant just use the White Kemp as an indication. From Brenzet to Cold Harbour every small dyke had good roach fishing with large bream and tench present.The piking was also good with mile upon mile of water to work along.Even the bottom corner of the Marsh from Lydd to Rye produced although this sadly was the first area to become a waste of time.

 

I dont know what/where you base your opinions on but Im afraid mine are the same as Roger. Unless a major change in irrigation/farming policy with a restocking programme comes about I fear it is gone for good.

 

Can't argue with you and don't want to either as I did'nt fish the marshes in the 70s and 80s,but most if not all the Walland marsh is still sheep farming.Some arable has always been farmed,I can remember as a boy going with J.Fountain and sons to collect new potatos and boxes of tomatos.

Today most of the marsh is a nature reserve much being SSSI.the water levels are carefully controlled to try and accommodate several interested parties.(too many to list here)

I know the main contractor for weed cutting and he catches many a Pike in double figures in his scoop wich he puts back and I believe that there is still some good fishing to be had in the drains and larger dykes.

[Dick Dastardly]

Used to be mate! that stretch is typical of the ditchs now.The dredged look is due to the pre winter reed and weed cutting which has always happened.Not a problem.Its the abstraction thats the problem.Try monitoring the water levels and you will see what I mean.In their heyday (no pun intended!) the levels were always kept high to help the grazing.

 

Believe it or not these small waters have produced bream over 6lb,tench over 5 pike over 25! and good roach and rudd fishing all this not that long ago.During the decline the fish became more concentrated in small areas (once again much dictated by the water depths) You could literally fish all day one side of a bridge and not get a bite where some one else the other side could be bagging up! Up untill the turn of the century I was still getting good fish from these one or two very localised areas but sadly they are now very few and far between.

 

The fishing was so good there back in the 60's/70's that nearly all of the waters big and small were controlled by big clubs! Now its practically all free and all sadly a bit off a waste of time. Still some reasonable carping on the privately owned stretchs where to a certain degree the landowners have had some control over water levels.Namely on two of the duck shoots but fishing isnt available to most.But there are miles and miles if your prepared for a lot of hard work and walking you may still find a few pockets.

[Vagabond]

Having fished with Roger Standen since the 60's (on Romney Marsh and many other places) I can confirm Budgie has summed up the situation pretty well.

 

The decline of the fishing on the marsh is mainly down to lower water levels - find the (very) few areas with deeper water, and yes, there are still a few good fish there. Other factors have contributed to the decline - for example, the change from animal stock to plant crops has meant less nitrogen entering the drains, with the consequent effect on the food pyramid.

 

The thread has brought back a few memories, not least the evocative names of the dykes, Becket's. The Highknock, Five Waterings, The Puddledock, The Swallowtail and The Duckshoot. Happy days, but as Budgie says. long gone.

[oldnewby]

Having fished with Roger Standen since the 60's (on Romney Marsh and many other places) I can confirm Budgie has summed up the situation pretty well.

 

The decline of the fishing on the marsh is mainly down to lower water levels - find the (very) few areas with deeper water, and yes, there are still a few good fish there. Other factors have contributed to the decline - for example, the change from animal stock to plant crops has meant less nitrogen entering the drains, with the consequent effect on the food pyramid.

 

The thread has brought back a few memories, not least the evocative names of the dykes, Becket's. The Highknock, Five Waterings, The Puddledock, The Swallowtail and The Duckshoot. Happy days, but as Budgie says. long gone.

 

I regularly fish on the Walland marsh,unfortunately I am disabled and unable to walk very far so I cannot fish all the drains that I would like to.If you are looking for new British records,then no,it is not the place to fish but this year I have caught eels to 2.5lb.Tench to 6.5lb and carp to 11.5lb and being as wild as one can get these days they all give the Angler a tidy fight.I have also had Roach/Rudd to around 1.5lb.and I would think there are larger ones waiting for the specialist.

Perhaps it no bad thing that most think its a waste of time,at least theres no competition

[chevin]

The thread has brought back a few memories, not least the evocative names of the dykes, Becket's. The Highknock, Five Waterings, The Puddledock, The Swallowtail and The Duckshoot. Happy days, but as Budgie says. long gone.

 

What odd names for dykes! I have never heard of a woman tennis player with a name anything like any of those!

[Dick Dastardly]

Yes Walland Marsh has fared a bit better.Like you said the continuation of sheep farming in the area and the fishing remaining good is no coincidence.