Rivers In Kent

[Willie45]

Hi Folks

 

Recently joined Tonbridge and District and have had some fun exploring the Medway here and there. I will be spending a fair bit of time getting to know this river.

 

However, I would also like to explore some of the other rivers of Kent, preferable ones with a different character to the Medway, in particular though not exclusively, those with a bit of pace to trot a stick down.

 

I have been looking on the maps and notice quite a few rivers around that I don't know anything about. In particular there are the Beult, Teise, Bourne, Wantsum, Sherway, and the Stour. some of these look tiny but interesting and others look pretty good for barbel chub etc.

 

I would be most pleased if anyone with any experience of these could say a few words about how they fish and how I can get to give them a go.

 

Thanks for your help

 

Willie

[bonefish]

Hi Willie, I`ve fished the Stour alot over the years, most of it is controlled by local clubs in particular the Canterbury & District AA.There are however day ticket stretches, the stretch at Plucks Gutter is quite good. The C.D.A.A is a good club to join because you get alot of water for your money,and they have stocked both the Stour & its tributary the Little Stour with a good head of barbel & chub. If you dont wnt to pay anything you can fish the stretch that runs through Canterbury city centre, real chalk stream fishing! As for the Wantsum, i used to fish it years ago, this used to be the channel that seperated the Isle of Thanet from the mainland (long time ago!), its pretty small now & not very fast running, lots of small rudd & roach some decent pike & the odd big tench as i seem to remember

[Tony U]

Willie

Day tickets for the Beult are not easy to find, my Club KAPS has a few really good stretches along with a stretch on the Hammer Stream a Beult tributary, look at http://www.kapscoarse.co.uk

Monk lakes I believe also do a day ticket for a short stetch near Staplehurst.

As for the fishing it has everything chub, Bream, Tench even Barbel, it depends on where you go, it offers small river fishing at its best, personally I prefer it to the Medway.

 

 

Tony

Edited September 4, 2008 by Tony U

[medwaygreen]

Not sure that CDAA allow any day tickets on the Stour now, check there web site for more information Here.

 

Your main point regarding flow to facilitate trotting is difficult for the tributaries of the Medway, as most are controlled ( floods ) and as such are pretty much slow or slack waters at most times ( IMO ).

 

I feel that to find good trotting stretches of any Kent Rivers the Medway is best or tidal stretches of the others main rivers should be considered, IE the Rother, Stour etc.

 

Just to expand on what Tony U said KAPS for flowing water fishing is great, but, please keep that quite.

Edited September 5, 2008 by medwaygreen

[Leon Roskilly]

Lots of small fish (chub, roach, perch, gudgeon, skimmers and always the chance of a surprise) with the occasional half decent chub, and the odd brook trout in the Len.

 

Fishing is free between Spot Lane and Mote Park.

 

Narrow, overgrown, inches deep over gravel riffles, with plenty of features to fish causing deeper runs and pools, and not very wide (more of a stream than a river).

 

Great if you like jungle fishing, using a short rod and centrepin.

[Willie45]

Thanks a lot for your helpful responses folks.

 

I like the idea of the Beult because it is near to me and sounds what I am after as long as the flow keeps up. So does the Stour although a bit farther from me.

 

I actually have an application form for CDAA and then wondered if this was the best option for me. I will look at KAPS too and then make up my mind. As I say I am after something with a bit of flow to it and the Stour certainly seems tempting. Maybe a visit this weekend will help.

 

 

Anyway thanks again for the useful advice

 

Willie