View Full Version : Wessex Chalkstreams
Reports on the winter grayling and coarse fishing on the Test, Itchen and Upper Avon will hopefully kick off here next week. http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Fished the Test at Timsbury on Saturday, river was at normal October level, with a touch of colour. Could see the bottom in about three feet of water. Weather was spot on, quite sunny in the morning, clouded over in the afternoon, with a couple of light showers.
Caught Grayling, Dace, and a few Brown Trout, others who were with me also had Roach, Perch, Gudgeon, a solitary Chub, and at least one Sea Trout was landed. Also one Pike was caught, and I had one have a go at a feeder on retrieve, and also at a 3lb Brownie that I was playing.....quite a big Pike!
One chap had a 7lb Trout, took quite a while to get in on a float rod and centrepin! No massive Grayling, most I had were in the 8 - 10 oz size, with the largest at 1.04. Lots of grayling were caught, from all over the venue, the fish were very scattered, which was expected for this time of year.
There are more details on the AnglersNet site, along with a few pics.
Topped off with a decent meal and a superb pint of Gales HSB in the Bear and Ragged Staff, just up the road from Timsbury, an excellent day out http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Paul
The upper Avon at Durrington was in similar condtion on Saturday morning. I was fishing the Avon Springs lakes. An angler on the river reported catching a grayling on fly from this productive stretch, but I finished my lake trouting before the main grayling activity would really have started.
The Test and the Itchen were both in good autumn trim last Friday and Saturday, normal levels and just a touch of colour although still pretty clear. With the recent stormy weather there's plenty of dead leaves and weed coming down, but not enough to put the fish off.
Tom Stone and I fly fished a stretch of the middle Test at Wherwell on Friday. Despite tricky conditions with the strong gusty wind we had a good session, catching 47 grayling and trout between us. Tom had the better bag in terms of numbers and lost an estimated 2lb grayling - a good fish for the Test. My bag included 2 lovely wild Test brown trout. Successful tactics for us both were weighted nymphs fished under strike indicators. The small amount of fly life coming off did not encourage any rises so the dry fly was unproductive when I tried it for half an hour.
On Saturday the lower Itchen at Mansbridge also fished well for a party of RMC anglers again including Tom and me. Despite the heavy rain and strong winds the water clarity was OK and the fish were up for it. My bag of 24 grayling, a brown and a rainbow trout, all on standard long trotting/centre pin tactics and alternating maggot and worm baits, appeared typical for the day.
Following the wet week the lower Itchen at Mansbridge was up around 4 or 5 inches and pushing through last Saturday. Long trots that took a 6BB float on 23 October needed 5AAA this time. However water clarity was OK and the fish feeding. I caught 24 grayling to about 1-8 and a 2lb brown trout, all of which fought very well in the stronger flow. Also saw a kingfisher, a roe deer and a pair of buzzards all within about 15 minutes - nice...
I curtailed the session around 3pm because an apparent feeding lull coincided with guilty thoughts about the approximately 74 million dead leaves on my front lawn and drive that needed to be collected !
Lower Itchen at Mansbridge was in excellent condition on Saturday. Good level and flow (6BB wire stem Avon appropriate) and exceptional water clarity for November. I split the day into 2 sessions, before lunch I caught 23 grayling, the best just about making 2lb. Maggot and redworm were equally acceptable to the fish. A couple of hours' gentle chub fishing in the afternoon earned the modest return of a single 3lber on floatfished lobworm.
Paulharris
28-11-2004, 16:31
Hi all, i'm fishing the Itchen for the Grayling on Thursday this week. How's it been fishing recently?
Lower Itchen at Mansbridge continues to be in good trim. Good flow level and clarity for late November. The river and bankside surroundings are gently settling into true midwinter shape (thank you Mr Crabtree). From what I could see at Chilbolton on Sunday, the same applies to the Test.
I enjoyed a roving day on Saturday, exploring some new stretches upstream of the fly fishing beats. Caught 21 grayling including a season's best 2-2, and a brown trout. Maggot or redworm under a 6BB wire stem Avon again did the business.
Bryan_Andrews
29-11-2004, 09:23
Yes it's still fishing quite well, although the fish seemed to be a little more spread out when I went last Thursday. Managed to catch 18 Grayling in an afternoon including a littleun of 3/4oz. If you get on a shoal of them, you'll bag up well plus when I've hit a shoal this year most of the fish appear to be of the same class, great if you get some big ones. http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I've been using Dendras tipped with maggot and that seems to have sorted out the better stamp of fish for me this year.
Upstream is quite nice is n't it John http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif I might even catch up with you one weekend down there
Good luck and enjoy
Phil_Appleby
29-11-2004, 10:48
I'm booked in for a day on the Test this Saturday. Bring on the ladies! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Can you post your result up on here Phil . It's unlikely that the Test or indeed the Frome or the Avon above Salisbury will be fishing very differently to the Itchen on any given day but I am conscious of the fact that most of what's on here currently is based on just 3 miles of river...
Itchen at Mansbridge fished well yesterday, Saturday. River very low, and quite clear. Weather very mild, and overcast all day, didn't check temps though. Had over 30 Grayling, all on trotted red maggot, largest was 2.06, an excellent day.
Paul
The stretch of the upper Avon within Avon Springs trout fishery, Durrington, was in similar trim on Friday 3 December, on a cold morning. Far fewer grayling now visible in the shallow runs and riffles - I expect they have quietly made their way to the deeper runs and pools as midwinter looms.
The lake trouting was good, if anyone's interested !!
Phil_Appleby
06-12-2004, 13:31
Very pleasant day on the Test on Saturday the 4th on a beat controlled by a local club immediately downstream of the Timsbury day ticket stretch (the roadbridge is the top boundary).
River in excellent nick still very clear but with a few clumps of weed flowing downstream but not too detrimental to the fishing. Fished 9.30-2.30 and had a nice bag of grayling to 1.04, a 2.06 brownie along with another a shade smaller and a 2lb rainbow. Lost a lot of grayling one of those days where they kept twisting off after the strike but I think the best fish of the day was landed. Left my micro-swivels at home! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Still in search of that 2lb+ hopefully it will come on the 18th! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif
As we've said earlier Phil, I think you are in with a definite chance, because the grayling in the Test seem to run a bit smaller than in the upper Avon and considerably smaller than the lower stretches of the Itchen http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
true john but there does seem a lot less 2's in the lower itchen this year think its a bad year for them this year
that said i finally managed to break my 2's duck on the itchen with a honest 2.01/2, and 2.01 on sat, no being orrible here but over the last couple of seasons i think i have had 12 fish at 1.151/2 just wonder how many poeple wiegh those in at over two http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Bryan_Andrews
06-12-2004, 22:55
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Still in search of that 2lb+ hopefully it will come on the 18th!
[/ QUOTE ] Should be easy Phil if Tom can catch two.....eventually http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
John, do you know if day ticket anglers can fish the top stretch? I heard from some of those on Saturday that they could n't.
Bryan...just last month Paul G checked it out and no, day ticket anglers can't fish the very top stretch.
Tom - I think I agree with you about 2s. If you remember I told you about the scale reading the Grayling Society did on a 2-4 of mine from LIF in 2002 because Robin Mulholland was interested in the good run of fish from the river below Winchester. That fish was 5 plus years old, and while 2-4 is bigger than they'd normally have expected a 5 year old fish to be, it's also approaching a grayling's normal maximum lifespan. Perhaps the lesson is that we all merrily talk about weights, but really an honest 2lb plus grayling is still something very special.
Good news though is that following the flood year of 2000 there seem to have been a couple of good seasons for fish recruitment, hence the abundance of fish just under 1lb and the possibility of more 2s in a couple of years.
Lower Itchen was in the same sort of trim on Saturday as the last few trips - frankly we could do with some rain....
On a cold but fine winters day I had a roving session and caught 29 grayling with the best 3 fish being around 1-8 give or take an ounce or two, and a tiny tot brown trout. I saw a pair of white egrets in the water meadows.
Apologies but I made a bit of a horlicks of some of the grayling weights and ages stuff in my post above, however the correct data is as follows. On pages 26 and 27 of "The Complete Book of the Grayling" there is a good analysis by Robin Mulholland of chalk stream grayling sizes and ages. The net of it is that this population of fish is believed to be fast growing but short lived. While there are plenty of fish between 700 and 900 grams (about 1-9 to 1-14) it is rare to find a kilo (2-2) fish. The mature weight is reached at about 4 years and again it is rare to find a 5 year old plus fish. The Frome is certainly a positive exception, and it's likely that the Itchen below Winchester is as well. My 2-4 from late 2002 was 4+ years old ie quite a bit bigger than the norm. But - as Tom notes above - there seem to be less "good 2's" in the LIF this year. I'd guess what's happened is that a single exceptional year class in the Itchen has just naturally died out.
The good news though is that those 1-8s to 1-10s will be good 2s next winter so maybe this is just a one year pause in the run of good fish.
Phil_Appleby
13-12-2004, 11:12
Coming in end of week John mate 2mm for Saturday's trip forecasted! Is that good?
Phil - well, it needs to soak into the chalk aquifer and come out of the springs first ! We are probably fishing in August's rain on the chalk streams right now. if you get my drift..
Lower Itchen was at about normal winter level on Saturday, having apparently dropped overnight following Friday's rain, and a little extra colour dropped out during the day. Tom Stone, Phil Appleby and I ended up with a good combined catch of 75 grayling. Tom had the most (I'll still talk to him) and a 4lb chub, Phil also caught half a dozen brown trout and while my own bag was the smallest and a little lower than recently, it was still an acceptable 19.
Locating a shoal was quite challenging, which Tom and Phil seemed to do better than me, some promising runs seemed empty while others apparently similar held plenty of fish. Phil and I both had disappointments losing a few and Ian Welch's tip in last weeks Anglers Mail (introduce 6" of pole elastic immediately above the float) may be worth a try...
Mr Crabtree comments "A nice winters day, mauve tinged clouds on the horizon, the loud call of a **** pheasant in the reed patch, challenging fishing for good conditoned fish, good company and a pre-Xmas nip of Irish whiskey. Winter fishing is great. Wrap up warm and get out there !" http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Phil_Appleby
20-12-2004, 10:41
Cracking day well enjoyed myself - biggest ever bag of grayling though a shame to lose half as many again. Thankfully the rain held off too.
About 10 short on the grayling total though John lol! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Blimey you are right Phil - it was 85 between 3 anglers not 75. I sold us short ! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Phil_Appleby
28-12-2004, 12:09
Squeezed in a quick afternoon on the Test yesterday to blow away the cobwebs of Xmas. Fished the club stretch again downstream of the Timsbury day ticket stretch, this time the second beat immediately downstream of the first beat behind the industrial estate. River in perfect condition just a tinge of colour, though very cold out the car was still frozen solid at 11am and the air temp at mid-day was only 3C.
A little over three hours fishing on an unfamiliar stretch produced me eight grayling to just over the pound, a liced up sea trout of 1.08ish and a 2.04 rainbow. Lost a grayling or two as well and got snapped by another decent rainbow, I suspect my 2lb trace was damaged from the first one leaping around John Wilson style. Exciting stuff in the fast current! Although the nice little swim that was producing a bite a cast was wrecked by the first trout's antics so I called it a day at 3.30. Pleasant way to while away a nice winters afternoon. http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
John - I am converted back to the way's of the stream for river angling. That's my 3rd trip this month lol http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Phil_Appleby
28-12-2004, 12:20
Ref losing fish, I started our Itchen session on a size 16, and changed to an 18 when I had a run of 7 or 8 on the bounce coming adrift. Since changing size I've only lost a few, totalling 35 fish from 50 bites on the Itchen of which half those were lost as I say one after the other on the 16's thereby landing the majority of my late bites last week and yesterday 10 of 12 bites.... Something in this the small hook goes in the boney mouth much better.
Oh and fished with a micro-swivel between mainline/trace too.
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Tom had the most
[/ QUOTE ]
pure luck john http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
also managed my 3rd 2 in two trips werid how you can struggle to break a barrier and afterwards it seems so easy lol
both the test and itchen up and coloured today and with the salt coming in off the roads it don't look good for the next week or so http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Thought it looked a bit claggy as I drove over the M27 bridge at the bottom end of Lower Itchen this morning. http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Phil_Appleby
29-12-2004, 10:31
Glad I sneaked out Monday then. Best dust off the carp rods tomorrow then! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Heavy rain in our area forecast for New Years Day after a milder few days. Might be good news, to flush out the salt and other assorted clag ready for 8 January ! The nature of my job means I am very busy in the run up to Xmas and then Xmas to New Year so fishing over Xmas hols is a bit of a no-no... http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Southern_carper
01-01-2005, 20:14
Hi ya Gang, i fished the Itchen at Bishopstoke today ( Beat 3 eadac) and what a brill morning its was too, weather was good, water pushing through well with a tinge of colour to it.
Used my new pin for the first time and could have done better, with alot more practice!, had 20+ Grayling biggest being 1lb10oz,s.
I got banged up a few times by fish that seemed to bite then hug the bottom, sea trout ? but all in all i had a pukka mornings fishing.
Regards.
Clint
Well done.
That "big fish hugging the bottom then throwing the hook" thing has happened to me as well. Wonder if they could be big brown trout or maybe a good chub. Hope to find out for sure soon ! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Well done on the Grayling front.
Like John, I've also had the big fish hugging the river bed and then getting off.......don't think it would be a sea trout, the ones I've had always go ballistic and give a very airborne scrap. I'd be more inclined to think that it was either a big Chub, or as happened once on the Kennet, a foul hooked very large Pike. Couldn't do a thing with it, but as I was fishing very clear water I could see the Pike as it swam off, very slow, almost like it didn't know it was connected to anything. My hook had snagged its dorsal fin, and came loose after about 10 yards.
Paul
Dell_Boy
04-01-2005, 12:45
Guys,
Dont discount a stray carp either! I seen them in both the Test and the Anton.
Chris, I've seen carp as far upstream in the Itchen as Alresford, maybe they were escapes from the small lakes near the river there, and carp are certainly present in the lower streches of the river. My only query being how likely it is to hook one when long trotting a streamy run for grayling, dace and roach. More likely for a chub fisher to contact one when feeder fishing or laying-on in a slower reach of the river ? That was how the Lower Itchen 20-pounder was caught 2 years ago.
watched a lovely common in the test a couple of years ago john feeding in the fastest water in the section and another one feeding rather happly with roach and grayling a while later so it could be possible
Wow - there's a thought if you hook what seems to be a submarine when trotting... http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Southern_carper
04-01-2005, 14:55
Hi ya gang, now there is food for thought about fish huggin the bottom, i really do hope it aint carp !!! had enough of those things to last the rest of my lifetime and yours lol.
Thinking back now the last time i fished that stretch i saw some very large brownies caught on the fly so with that in mind im more inclined to think its that but time will tell, hopefully going back there on sunday.
Regards Clint
p.s From what i can gather the carp in the Itchen ( woodmill- Mansbridge) area came out of the old GPO lake.
I saw a good size - estimated double - black and white koi in the Itchen at Mansbridge a couple of years ago. Would that have been an escape or theft from an ornamental collection ?
Southern_carper
04-01-2005, 15:57
Hi ya John, ornamental fish in that area seems to be very high.
If you take Lakeside country park and Stoneham lakes there are loads and loads of them in each venue, i think you can safely say that it is the locals that put them in the lakes so i would imagine that this is also the case for the river complex in that area.
Regards Clint
That would make sense SC. Thanks.
i have to be honest and say it does not sound like a trout you hooked there SC as most of the trout i have ever hooked don't seem to like to hold at at the bottom of a river but so off at 100mph lol
i spoke to some one when i was fishing the bishopstoke part of the river near the rugby pitchs who recoconded that he had caught barbel from that fast section as you enter the footpath, now those could of been common carp or barbel what ever they are it could be that you hooked into one of those maybe http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif
oh and the test is still carrying a little colour in there now and is certainly up since last week a couple of days clear weather and it will be pukka for a few fish but that ain't going to happen lol
Reports on here only please gents. Keep chat to other forums or PM's.
Thanks.
Bill.
had a look at the test at mottisfont this morning, found it about the same level as before and still carring a little too much colour for my liking being able to see down about 12" acouple of dryish days and it will be purfect
Phil_Appleby
07-01-2005, 16:31
Suiting me nicely then for a quick Sunday afternoon sess! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Lower Itchen was about normal January level on Saturday, carrying a little extra colour that dropped out to about 30 inches visibility by the end of the day. Phil Appleby, Dell Boy and I found it was worth persevering in the tricky conditions, specially with the strong wind in the morning. We had to keep mobile and try plenty of swims to build up a bag. My catch of 21 grayling to about 1-4 and a baby chub, all on long trotted maggot or redworm, appeared typical on the day. Chris caught a few brown trout as well, Phil had a 4lb chub.
Phil - did you catch anything exceptional in the afternoon session and did you fish the Test on Sunday ?
There's a poor weather forecast for early this week but then 4 dry days so prospects for next weekend seem similar to the one just past.
Phil_Appleby
10-01-2005, 11:18
Yes another cracking day out. Poor start for me lost my first two bites from up by the top boundary just downstream from the bridge, one a grayling at the net (always bad losing first fish lol), then into something good that done me in the reeds and along the undercut bank under my feet, got right in there rod arched right over. Surreal just couldn't shift it out in the pacey current, eventually pulled out. Next bite wallop into another good un, done the same again so ran round the swim to get an angle from the other side, after a bit of toing and froing landed a 4.02 chub, real plump fish. Odd thing is Tom took a chub of exactly the same size from the same swim before Xmas so that's a bit weird. Half suspect there is two in there as the lost fish was a similar fight. Unless I hooked the same fish twice!
As if that wasn't a hectic enough start, next bite another good fish, good grayling zipping around the swim. Soon in the net, new p.b. of 1.11! Didn't really care what happend after that what a start!
After lunch I added a fish of 1.09, equal my old p.b., so a nice day all round given the gale force conditons that made pin fishing at best difficult. Final tally for me 18 grayling, the chub, and a brownie that I swear I caught last time out with deformed fins real old warrior. Also lost two trout, one I think a sea trout, in a fast run during the worst of the wind, just couldn't control them as the wind was arching the rod over never mind the fish on the end. Also lost 5 or 6 grayling too.
Splendid fishing! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Phil_Appleby
10-01-2005, 11:27
Quality rather than quantity seemed to be the order of the day on the Test on Sunday 9th. Fished a club stretch downstream of Timsbury behind Budds Lane Industrial Estate. River in good nick, bit more pace and colour than over Xmas, just about spot on fining down after the rain of last week.
A quick 2 hour sortie using up left over bait from the previous day produced 5 grayling and the smallest was about 8-10oz! Couple were around the 1lb mark, second biggest 1.04 that took me all over the place in a run only 18" deep, the best of the session pulling the scales down to 1.08. Also pulled out of a lively brown that managed to wreck a nice run for me as they do.
From door to fishery and back home in 3 hours what excellent sport winter chalkstream fishing is. http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I lost something good in the swim by the remains of the bridge just above where the carrier comes in. It zipped around the swim, rod well bent, lovely centre pin music...then the hook pulled http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif
The Yorkshire angler, who I believe photographed your chub, seemed to know his stuff and had a good day with similar results to us.
Phil_Appleby
10-01-2005, 11:44
That's the run that I lost my two trout in, one looked like a sea trout when it leaped out, reckoned 4lb ish. Or a salmom maybe?
Hope our man's pics come out ok. Well chuffed with the weekend!
river test is up on yesterday and carring a bit more colour although it is still well fishable with visablitly down to 15" much better than i would of thought
river test now alot clearer after a couple of nights frost and it is still caring alittle more water than normal,
had a quick look at the hants avon today and that seems to be on about the right level and clear
Wiltshire Avon at Durrington looked in excellent trim on Saturday - I popped across for a look during an Avon Springs trout day with Tom. Water clarity good, level fine, still a little weed in one or two stretches. Some grayling on view in a steady glide, but they spooked when I was still some way from the waterside due to lack of vegetation cover at this time of year. I'm fishing the Itchen next Saturday.
river test at mottisfont still up and even more coloured we need about a week with no rain now http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Bryan_Andrews
28-01-2005, 10:05
Still a bit of colour in the Itchen an slightly increased flow although it did n't affect the fishing yesterday. Only two other people fishing and they were on the day ticket stretch. Plenty of Grayling to 2lb+ about, loads of Brownies and a maniacal Sea Trout 4lb+ and finished with 3 Chub to 4lb+ and yet more Brownies which developed a liking for the paste I was using for the Chub.
Its looking good for the weekend.
...and it was good Bryan. The river settled down to a nice winter level and pace with about 24" visibility - lovely. I caught 17 grayling and 3 brown trout on trotted double maggot and redworm/red maggot combo. A feature of the session was the quality factor - my bag included a season's best-equalling grayling of 2-2 and a couple of backup fish not far short of 2. All were in excellent condition and fighting form. The trout were a brace of the usual mental 2 pound brownies and a parr. I also saw a couple of white egrets - second time this winter.
Phil_Appleby
31-01-2005, 13:50
Well done on that John, hoping a for a last trip down there mid-week next week....
Popped down the Test yesterday, club controlled stretch behind Budds Lane Ind. Est.. just a quick four session, noticed the water much more coloured than previous, nice even flow, but problems with lots of rubbish catching the tackle mid-water making presentation tricky.
Took grayling to just over the 1lb, though getting them to bite was not easy, probably due to the lack of visibility in the deeper runs. Lost a trout early doors, then swear I re-hooked it again 20mins or so later, eventually landing a heavily liced up sea trout of 2.08 that took me all over the river and put on a real show! Also had the usual 2lb brownie, and lost one that done me right at the end of a 30yard trot, couldn't do much about that with the amount of line out.
All in all a pleasant afternoon.
Heavily coloured water seems to slow down grayling fishing quite severely Phil. They'll come out to play in the cold and when the levels are up but it's quite clear, though.
Lower Itchen was in pretty good winter trim on Saturday, just a wee bit more water coming down after Friday night's rain and good visibility, 24" plus. I had an excellent days sport, 19 grayling and a 3-3 chub. High quality factor again, the biggest grayling was a season's best for me 2-4 with backup fish of 2-0, 1-14 and 2 at 1-12. All in excellent condition and hard fighting. A couple of the grayling were short and deep for their weight with an appearance almost like roach. I also netted a 3-11 chub and witnessed a 2-0 grayling for Bryan Andrews...how did the evening's chub session go, Bryan ?
On this occasion the fish had a marked preference for redworm bait as opposed to maggot.
That was my last session for the season, trout ahoy now, but I have some news for anyone planning a trip to the Lower Itchen this week, the final week of their season. The waterside track has been in poor condition all winter and they will be fixing it during this week. While the owners would have preferred the work to be done after 14 February, next week is the only one they can get the contractors in. Recommended you should phone the bailiff either the day before or on arrival, because there may be days when there will be heavy plant along the waterside and you will not be able to drive up. Access will either be through the Country Park, or only by foot having parked by the M27 bridge and it's a long walk from there to the best grayling swims http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
If anyone need the bailiff's mobile number I can PM it to you.
the test is still carrying a lot of colour at the mo, still i popped down for a couple of hours sunday afternoon landed 34 grayling to 2.04lb with at least another 10 between 1.08-2lb and 3 trout a cracking afternoons sport
Please keep general chat to other boards!
Thank you.
Bill.
Sorry boss our enthusiasm got the better of us http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Bryan_Andrews
08-02-2005, 00:17
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how did the evening's chub session go,
[/ QUOTE ] I did n't get any more Chub from the Itchen ;-) but was pestered by Grayling trying to eat my Chub paste.
Fun couple of hours of fishing and couple of hours socialising and a few nice fish to boot. Thanks for baiting up for me John http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The other chap had a couple of Roach to 1:14lb and some more Trout on trotted breadflake. I'll have a go for them next winter.
From what I've seen Tom the Test naturally carries a fraction more colour than the Itchen or the Avon above Salisbury, and the river around your home patch has more colour than it does further upstream at Chilbolton. Is that fair comment ? Is there a non-chalk stream tributary or ditch entering the river below Stockbridge...it could be like the Frome which is similarly slightly tinted because one of its tributaries, the River Hooke, is not a chalk stream.
Phil_Appleby
08-02-2005, 16:10
Re end of season on LIF, just rung the office and they are fully booked now until the close. I managed to get the last place for Monday. Just got to get the day off now lol http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
the upper/middle bits shouldn't carry that more colour than the itchen john, theres very few flood water streams coming into the test untill you get down to the river blackwater, this has certainly been a rather bad year for colour in the test, had a look once again today and with very little rain the river is still coloured visabitly down to 1'. if there was work upstream i could work it out but there ain't. its stumped me this year, still the fish don't mind it
What is even more puzzling Tom is that almost the exact opposite has applied on the Itchen this past grayling season - it's been pretty clear by comparison with previous winters...
But the other dy it was red.
Bill.
When was that Bill ? As far as I've seen in 10 sessions this winter, from late October to last Saturday, it's been pretty clear all the way even when the level was up for a while in late October...
not so much red bill, more of an iron colour, and a funny smell?
Lower Itchen had a bit of extra water yesterday, Friday, with a fair amount of colour, but it's still very low on normal winter levels. Managed 13 Grayling to 2.02, and a 5.02 Chub which I was well pleased with. Two friends with me, one had 30+ Grayling, largest 1.08, and the other had 20 or so, his biggest a beautiful 2.09.
Paul
fished a little carrier around romsey for 1hr today, found the water still carrying a little colour, had a good 40mins sport before it went dead, including my first skimmer bream from the test!, ended with 2 dace, 2 perch, 2 minnows, 5 grayling biggest 2.03lb before it went dead
fished another bit of the test yesterday, found it almost ideal with 18" of visabltily, although the weather could of been a lot nicer. had one of my best big grayling sessions for many a year http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif taking fish of 2.11, 2.08, 2.01, 2.01, 2.01/2lb including 4 twos and a 7lb rainbow in 5 casts, god knows what i could of had without that bloody wind! ended with 27 grayling, 6 rainbows,2 browns and a blue trout
Upper Avon at Durrington looked in nice trim on Saturday when I walked the Avon Springs beat during a (reasonably successful - 3 fish best 7-4) lake trouting day. Level reasonable and like the Test and Itchen a touch of extra colour. However dire warnings from the bailiff of low levels in the summer unless we have plenty of rain soon... http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Phil_Appleby
15-02-2005, 14:17
Fished the last day of the season on LIF, well half a day late start after protracted birthday antics. Arrived at 10.45 to find the track still under repair so it was a long old walk to the top boundary! Especially in moonboots! River still coloured, poor visibility less than 12" I'd say. Cold day in the wind too, not at all ideal conditions though at least it was dry.
Things perked up first fish 1.11 after only 10 mins or so. Worked my way down to the car park by the hut and totalled 9 fish by 3.00ish. Decided to try previously unchartered territory downstream on the way back to the mill car park but this proved a bad move as the last hour and a half was a total blank! Devoid of fish!
So my 5 hours yielded 9 fish best 1.11 and 1.06 with a couple dropping off. Other anglers who fished the full day seemed to total anywhere between 10-20 fish so bags well down on early season totals, to be expected I guess.
Chatting to an angler who had fished the syndicate stretch and had a blinder taking fish to a monster 2.12, the best of 5 over 2lb I believe! Karumba! http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Phil_Appleby
21-02-2005, 13:52
Cold was not the word out on the Test on Saturday 19th. Fishing a club beat downstream of Timsbury, air temp only 3C on the car and a freezing northerley blowing straight down the river made presentation difficult. Nice bit of colour in the water that seemed to drop out as the day went on, visibility a good 18" I'd say.
Struggled for the first hour and a half, no bites at all! Half thought a blank was on the cards before dropping into a nice looking swim towards the far end of the beat that was getting the best of the morning sun and slighty sheltered from the worst of the wind due to a kink in the river and thick hedgerow behind the swim. Bliss! This little spot proved to be my saviour, producing me 9 grayling to about 14oz ish, a small rainbow and a couple dropped one of which felt like a sizeable trout that snapped the trace just above the hook.
After an hour and a half or so the swim seemed to be fished out so it was time to work back to the car park in the teeth of the wind. Definitely seemed to put the fish off as the only bite I managed was a minnow lol. Wrapped up at 3.00pm very pleased with my bag given the grimmest of conditions when a blank looked likely.
Bryan_Andrews
21-02-2005, 16:11
LIF was equally cold on Saturday, even the fish had icicles on them. Quite a few people fishing it and the fishing was harder than normal. several 2s caught during the course of the days, best I heard of was 2.8lb. Not very many Trout caught and the Chub were noticable by their abscence.
Roll on October again!
...and the upper Avon continued to look in nice trim with a hint of extra colour, on an Avon Springs trouting day. Both the trout lakes were absolutely gin clear.
I had my string pulled and my ****les warmed by a very hard fighting and good conditioned 7-12 rainbow and 2 others slightly smaller, so I left the fishery a very happy chappie despite the strong cold North wind http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Phil_Appleby
14-03-2005, 12:34
Lovely day out on the Test Sunday afternoon (14th) for my final winter chalk stream visit of the season. Fished my usual club beat behind Budds Lane Ind. Estate downstream from Timsbury. Water much clearer than previous and very spring like out, a complete contrast to my last visit in Siberian conditions!
First couple of spots failed to produce so I then moved to my favourite swim at the end of the beat where two streams meet, absolutely screams grayling! First bite came soon after and I was able to start building up a bag. Fish to 1.06 went in the net amongst others, then the usual brown trout arrived, nice fish of 3lb, that performed some real acrobatics all over the place!
Thought that may have wrecked the swim but next run through the loafer dipped again and into another trout thumping in the current, or so I thought.... Shortly after a big sail like dorsal broke the surface! Squeeky bum time! Managed to safely coax her into the net, and what a glorious sight, a perfect big grayling.
Really hoped I'd broke my 2lb duck, but atlas not to be this time but still a new pb of 1.14. Well pleased anyway with my second pb grayling of the year. http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Fished on ending the day with a brownie of 3.08 on the way back to the car. Splendid late season session. The search for the 2lb+ will resume in October but the memories of the new pb will keep me going in the meantime.
welldone fella! still a cracking fish!!
Excellent finish to the season Phil http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif Just pray for plenty of rain between now and Easter, to top up those chalk aquifers.
I think I have found the answer to the difference between my reports of excellent water quality on the Lower Itchen last winter and the rather less positive feedback from BillyO and Garth.
Tom Stone very kindly lent me a copy of the 2004 Test and Itchen Association fisheries report just lately. It confirms that an industrial outfall in Eastleigh, above the Lower Itchen Fishery, regularly releases poor quality water into the Itchen starting around 8am on weekdays. As I fish the Lower Itchen almost exclusively on Saturdays I would not see this poor quality outfall, and so happily waffle on about how nice the river looks. But if Bill and Garth visisted on a weekday they'd have a different experience of the river.
Nice to know these fine old Wessex chalkstreams are being well cared for..... http://www.rmcangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif
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