quickcedo
Well-known member
Mate I don't think you're far off the mark. But in the short term, we'll have a go down towards Walton this year and see how we fare.
As the clubs pull off the rivers, so the demise goes largely unchecked. One of the biggest factors in this problem which, todate hasn't been mentioned is commercial fisheries. As the majority of anglers slowly move over to these fisheries so less and less fish the rivers. The result is not enough backbone to the cries for help. If you read the forums it sounds like everyone is on the rivers but this is just not so. Most rivers I fish I'm alone. Indeed Alan and myself fished a stretch of the Teme last year which 5 years earlier we would have struggled to get a swim, we were alone!
Hi All,
I’m new here and wondered if anyone could let me know a contact for the Burford angling Club. The only contact I can find is Mr Swallow but his contact number is unobtainable. With the start of the new season almost here I would like a season ticket. PLEASE can anyone help? If cant find a contact there will be No Hope!!
I had this last week off work, and fished the windrush every day! Yes it was a great week off, even though i didnt catch much...
I tried to put in the homework and walked a good mile of the river with polarised glasses last weekend, hoping to find pockets of fish, but one thing i noticed was that the water now is constantly murky, and has been for some months, and spotting fish is a big problem. I was staggered at how barren the river seemed, not a fish in sight!
One thing I have also tried is walking the banks at night with a powerful torch, and seeing what fish can be seen. I have seen more fish this way, and also gives a good indication as to where fish may be in the daytime. But even with this technique, most swims are barren. And all i have seen really is the odd chub.
The first day i fished a few of my old favourite barbel swims (having pre baited them for a few days beforehand) and, alas, not a single bite. I was also plagued by the signals.
After about 4 biteless hours on the barbel i changed to bread in the hope of picking up a chub or roach, and was pleased with a 1.5 pound roach caught in a very unlikely looking roach swim.
After this i changed to freelining crust and caught a 2 pound chub as well as another roach at about 3/4 pound.
The other days i spent mainly lure fishing with spinners and small plugs. I faired better and caught a 3 pound chub, 3 pound pike and a 2 pound pike, as well a decent trout.
All in all an enjoyable week, but more for the fact of just being beside the water rather than the fishing quality. Its hard to believe that this river used to produce specimen barbel, chub, roach and dace on a regular basis, it truly is a shadow of its former self.
I dont think i will venture out barbel fishing on my stretch of the windrush in future, until i see concrete evidence of the barbel making a return or a restocking program being introduced.
I am sad, and angered by the fact that the river is in the state it is, and begrudge paying for a rod license, seeing that i dont really fish anywhere else.
Just my tuppence