River Thames

[Maximusprime]

Hello all ! I’ve been fishing the Thames for a little over a year around Richmond, Molesey and Teddington. I had a lot of luck even throughout the summer. I’m not doing too good in the winter however … does anyone have any tips in terms of bait and best times. Thanks in advance ! 

[The Flying Tench]

Welcome to Anglers Net Maximus! And good to hear you fish the Thames, as I do, though I am a fair way up river at Wallingford which I guess one could call the Middle Thames. Personally I find the Thames a tricky river in term of working out where the fish are. I had some nice 2lb perch on lobworm a couple of weeks ago close to the bank, but when I went today not a bite. But there was very little flow, it was almost like summer, and I'm convinced in retrospect that they are back in the middle of the river.

It would be good to hear what you've been catching. In the 6 years I've been here I haven't caught a huge amount compared with my previous years on the Kennet, and I think this is because I've been slow to understand the  much bigger river. I had a fluke 20lb pike on deadbait. I do think the pike fishing is good here, and quite a few people lure fish, though that may not apply down river. I'm told there are a lot of roach up to about 10oz (a few bigger ones of course), and looking at match results not too far from here the winners get up to 50lbs in the summer on hemp and tares, though my best is only about 5lbs I have to admit! The chub grow big, though in my judgment there are not as many of them as there were on the Kennet. There are a lot less bream than there used to be.

You ask about best fishing times, Well of course dawn and dusk like anywhere else. I don't know about the night. It's hard to advise on baits as it may be very different where you are. The favourite bait for chub here seems to be cheese paste. The most unfavourite bait in summer and autumn is maggot because of the bleak!

Let's see what others come up with. I'm not aware of anyone on AN who currently fishes the lower Thames, but who knows. Do let us know what kind of fishing you do and what you've been catching.