River Lea, Fishers Green to Dobbs Wier

[caveman38]

It's been 15 years since I fished this stretch. I have visited twice in the last month for a walk and have only seen one angler at FG, no-one at Carthegena river or weir and no-one at DW river, weir or loch.
I have had reports of factory spills, crayfish and cormurants and can only assume that these have had a big effect on fish stocks and hence the missing anglers.
Can anyone please give me indications of catches along these stretches as although I know the Hertfort stretches (Upper Lea) still fish well. I find that this is too far to travel for regular fishing.

 

[paulvjwhite]

cray fish problems are keeping most anglers away it is epidemic proportions at present no one is addressing this problem save a few legal trappers in several years the WHOLE lea system will be a writhing mass of cray fish the only viable method to fish will be trotting

 

[Simon K]

Well as a Lea regular, I've had to give up on Fishers Green temporarily as the crayfish are nigh-on impossible to fish through with legered baits. Come the colder weather and floods, it should become better.

I've been fishing Carthagena Weir for the last month or so and stuck to predators with some good results so far. The crays are just as numerous and active on all the Lea Weirpools and stretches so it's a case of fishing effectively by a method which circumvents them.

Livelies fished up in the water certainly do that.

To be honest, I think fewer people are fishing generally perhaps down to austerity; fuel costs, club tickets, bait all add up and many anglers are tucking their belts in at the moment.

I gave up two club tickets for this season because of the travel costs, so I sympathise entirely, just fishing locally again and see how things are next season.

And Hallo to Paul!

 

[caveman38]

Thanks guys for the replies - although not what I wanted to hear.
I returned to fishing last year after a long lay off. before I used to fish the pits around my way (Romford) until November and then fished the Lea when the boat traffic eased. Although I caught few barbel, I would always catch the chub, sometimes up to 15 X 4 pounders. I am told that I may fish 10 times for one fish - but it would be a good un' (perhaps 8lb). That sounds like hard work and a lot of frustration.
Any suggestions where I might get some decent winter fishing even the commercials within an hour of where I live. Cheers.
BTW any species now.

 

[Simon K]

Although I caught few barbel, I would always catch the chub, sometimes up to 15 X 4 pounders. I am told that I may fish 10 times for one fish - but it would be a good un' (perhaps 8lb). That sounds like hard work and a lot of frustration.

Very few barbel in the Navigation, a small handful in the Weirs. The chub are still there, but not til late Autumn/Winter when they spread out from the Weir sills.

Sorry, cant help on the Commercials, I quite enjoy "hard work and a lot of frustration". Especially when there's a decent reward at the end of it.

 

[Keith M]

I haven't fished Kings Weir since they ruined the weir a long long time ago.
We used to regularly catch large Barbel from right under the white water but once they replaced the old weir with a weir with concrete runnoffs the weir was no longer as good as it was before for barbel, or for the large chub in the weir either.

I think it was just the same on Dobbs weir.

Thankfully I live close to the upper stretches where the Barbelling is a lot better so didn't need to carry on fishing downstream of Hertford..

There are a few of our clubs members who fish Fishers Green but they keep the better swims where they catch their barbel and large Chub close to their chests but as others have said Crayfish are a problem these days.

Touch wood; we don't currently have any Crayfish problems in the upper reaches but unfortunately this won't always be the same.

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Still Plenty of fish in the Lea Navigation.

Try the Day Ticket section between Fields Weir and Ware.

Plenty of Silver Fish and a decent head of Good Perch.

Yes there are plenty of Crayfish, but Float/Pole Fisherman don't have a lot of trouble with them !!

If it's leger only then wait to the Colder Months

Bob