info on catfish in the thames

[amushroom]

Howdy dudes, trying to catch a catfish from the thames, been blanking consistently of course, any info on past captures, location and time of year would be mahoosively appreciated.

[singy]

They are in there and they do get very big, But they are at the moment as rare as rocking horse manure in the majority of areas. And people who are catching consistently are unlikeley to tell you. (you know what predetor anglers are like) .

The only place I've seen one caught is canbury gardens, this was caught after a match on there by a bloke using luncheon meat. It was a good mid 20 and took him agaes to land it.

I've also hooked and lost something on the tidal thames at Kew that was either a cat, or a secret MOD submarine. http://www.cemexangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Places to begin? I guess find the prey fish, or areas that see a lot of pellet

[TCarper]

They are as Singy said very few & far between, funnily enough a couple of years ago my good mate broke the Thames record with a pussy of 38lb from one of our secondry swims, this came after a VERY heavy baiting campaign & spawned many rumours of 50's & 60's, which were all tosh. Im pretty sure that a bigger one has been caught since but they are rarer than rocking horse. The spot where that came from is classic big cat territory, ie, shallow ledge with a deeper slopping area right along side. I think the main thing would be to keep up with the bream shoals mate, as they always seem to be in the same areas as these. I have sent you a PM amushroom, please keep to yourself http://www.cemexangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif I will try & get a photo off my mate with the then Thames record & stick it on here http://www.cemexangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[amushroom]

Done seven nights in the last two weeks, bank fishing with deads and clonking with lives from the boat, managed a jack pike that when screamed off put my heart in my mouth. Shall keep trying until the weather changes I suppose

[Benny_the_bream]

Lots of bream at walton bridge and i fished a lake which is joined to the thames and that deffinatly had at least 2 cats hooked and seen in there.

[amushroom]

but which lake senor

[chefie]

Read in a mag once about a albino cat that gets caught in the walton bridge area. its never been weighed properly, but the auther wrights "looks the right side of 50lb from the pictures i've seen".
Hope that helps in your quest.

[georgej]

All

The lake benny talks about is called penny lane.
However it is VERY hard fishing on there and not for the faint hearted.
Me and a mate fished a long hard summer on there 2 years back and only had one carp to our names and that was also the only run from the water that I heard about that summer!!!!!!!!!!!!

[searcher]

kingston bridge area,heard of several , seen one caught 26ish(big bream shoals resident)
chelsea, great bigguns seen on many occasions(but a few years back when the warm water ran from chelsea creek power station which powered the underground network...now defunct)

[DaveT]

[ QUOTE ]
The only place I've seen one caught is canbury gardens

[/ QUOTE ]

seen a nice 20 on the bank also , loads of bream present and the odd carp .. http://www.cemexangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[The_Saint]

Seen a mid '20' cat caught at battersea http://www.cemexangling.co.uk/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
heard of several at Teddington and my mate has seen the pics.

[TCarper]

Heres that pic for you Amushroom, not the best (i didnt take it)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d157/thamescarper/Thamescat.jpg

[Bream_n_Carp_10]

the lake down penny lane is now closing due to the marina taking it over fully and needing to expand the mooring of boats i believe. i fished it last year and wasnt as hard as has been said, landed 4 mid doubles and 2 twenties both off the top, lots of big pike and bream too. i saw the catfish in the lake and would put it around the 30lb mark, it was spotted around the bream shoals and then again by a keepnet that one angler had out just lying up next to it. walton bridge would be god for cats and have heard several stories of pike anglers getting nsapped up here by big fish, must hold cats but two problems, getting through to the bridge past the bream anglers, and getting past all the small pike that are resident. however i will be trying for the cats down here as soon as possible for a couple of 48 hour sessions, any info you need on that area pm me.

[amushroom]

Many thanks dudes, walton seems to be the most productive area, so will no doubt persevere around there, if I am lucky enough to catch one it will be in no small part due to the help of the many anglers who have offered both advise and even livebaits.
Many thanks again chaps.

[adrian hoare]

hi andy .... alot of people have been talking about a stretch that holds good numbers of cats .... believe it or not , its in sunbury ! go past kings lawn , over mini roundabout , and up to the car park on the lhs and there is a very deep stretch of backwater right in front of you .... i have heard of four captures of cats from there at night , when i have been round the corner on the railings barbel fishing ..... seen pictures of a 29lb2 from there at night . hopefully this helps , im after some locations on tidal thames perch fishing . get back to me andy . i fished teddington by the bridge wiv you and my friend trevor that day when we were livebaiting , and we moved to the weir ledge on that sunny day ! remember us matey ? cheers m8!

[Dapper]

Ive seen a picture of cat caught by professional eel fishermen. It got tangled up in their nets. Not sure of exact location but the story said it was tidal Thames, towards the estuary. From memory it was upper 30 / low 40's. It was in one of the fishing weeklies about 5 years ago.

Hope this helps.

[exkingsmeadchef]

Plenty of unstoppable runs whilst eel fishing with Dace/Roach heads in Sunbury.....mind you this is going back a few years now.....it's like hooking a boat at 2 in the morning just hold on and wait for somthing to give...some blooming huge eels aswell to be fair...

[amushroom]

thanks dudes, unbeleivable this thread is still running, but there again I am still trying to hunt one down, maybe this year it will happen, mucho mucho appreciate the info

[wiseyqpr]

The desborough cut is worth a look,heard of barbel anglers getting smashed up.

[lawman]

If I may add to the intrigue...
Was piking with a mate off the boat at the top of the Dessie, the winter before last. I had a run on lamprey section which absolutely ripped off. I firmly believe it was no pike, it was just far too powerful and moved at an awesome speed.
Anyway, it broke me, as is the usual end to these tales. We both stood there in the boat gobsmacked. Catfish? You decide chaps...

Ian

[Thames_Stottle]

Possible, but I wouldn't discount a carp either.

[lawman]

Agree fella, and in the conversation that followed we did cover that possibility. They do pick up dead baits. That said, I believe it was far too powerful, even for a river carp.

Just wish I had seen it, even for a second....

Ian

[Goose144]

I reckon a lot of talk of barbel anglers getting smashed are probably river carp. Low doubles out the Tidal Trent really hammer it. On a wire trce and trebles less likely but still possible, specially on lamprey ;)

[guybaxendale]

Serves you right for using that dodgy fox braid !!

[TheArtist]

Ive heard rumours re the road bridge near Richmond half lock - Its very deep and very dark down there;)

[lawman]

Only at high water mate.

Baxy - Back in your box LOL

[rastaraccoon]

Here is the abstract from a paper that appeared in the journal 'Aquatic Invasions' last year:

Is European catfish Silurus glanis really becoming more abundant
in the River Thames?

Received 12 April 2007; accepted in revised form 9 May 2007

Abstract
An increased number of reports (by anglers, in the angling press) of European (wels) catfish Silurus glanis occurrences in the River Thames (England) has led to the perception that the species has become more abundant in that river. If proved true, then this would have ramifications for non-native species
policy and practice. To assess catfish density, a total of 256 rod hours of specialized angling (‘clonking’) was undertaken during both day and night between 17 and 21 July 2006 at numerous sites within six sectors of the River Thames. No European catfish were captured, which suggests that European catfish remains a rare species in the River Thames, providing no corroboration of anecdotal reports of increased
abundance.

[MikeLyddon053698]

To assess catfish density, a total of 256 rod hours of specialized angling (‘clonking’) was undertaken during both day and night between 17 and 21 July 2006 at numerous sites within six sectors of the River Thames. No European catfish were captured, which suggests that European catfish remains a rare species in the River Thames, providing no corroboration of anecdotal reports of increased
abundance.

And by that measure, the amount of rod hours put in on Wraysbury compared to the amount of fish caught, would have us believe there are NO carp whatsover in there.

Anyone who knows about cats, will tell you that if they arent hungry, no amount of clonking would get them to feed, and over such a short amount of time, I would come to the conclusion that, they have offered absolutely no proof either way.

I know of two separate 80lb+ cats and one over 100lb that came out last year from one stretch alone. This was backed up by a few in the 20lb range.

Although not in the Thames in any numbers, if you know where to look, there are a few quite heavily populated pockets of fish along its length.

[MikeLyddon053698]

Also, 256 rod hours over 6 sectors over 4 days. That works out at about 10 hours 35 mins per sector.
If you divide that by the amount of rods the average person would be using for Thames catting (say 3 rods per angler), that works out at just over a 3 hour session expecting to catch a target fish on somewhere as big as the Thames.

Hardly the most reliable data to go by.

[Jamie]

the guys that performed the survey for the EA have actually said that they hardly touched the surface as it were and didn't have anywhere near enough time to do a properly. I think I am right in saying that basically two of them spent a week in a boat along from kingston to sunbury.

[MikeLyddon053698]

Indeed, wouldnt even touch the surface.

And the ones I know, arent in that bit ;)

[Goose144]

just out of interest, presumably they electrofish the Thames, do cats not turn up then?

[lawman]

Agree Mike, it's hardly a sample of data that you could draw any reliable conclusions from.

Respect to the guys who took the time out though...

[blunsum]

Re the clonking - I am not sure this would work for thames cats anyway.

I think clonking works best where the Cats feed of the Surface on a regular basis.

On the Thames the Cats probably only feed of the Surface quite infrequently - mostly they will be on Bream, Crays and mitten Crabs on the bottom.

Clonking is just as likely to scare a Thames Cat away as it is to attract it imho

[tonystone]

Have seen pics of a claimed 74lb'er from a very popular area. photos had very noticable landmarks in the back ground, so I believe it was caught from there.

Must say have never caught one myself but looked every part that weight!!

[willbeenie]

There was one caught on the lower thames which was in the anglers mail last summer. I no the fella who caught it and he said it bottomed out his 50Ib scales. They are in there and probably some lumps to but wouldn't of thought therewould be enough for you to catch consistently.

[tonystone]

The guy in fishing unlimited at hampton court was very knowledgable about them a few years back, might be worth speaking in there, although im not sure he still works there.

[willbeenie]

A teenager illegally threw a large catfish back in to a village river and now it could have escaped in to the River Thames.

The Environment Agency called off a four-day search for the Wels catfish when it could find no sign of it in the River Darent in Kent.

Bosses of the agency's fisheries team say they will not seek to prosecute Oliver Parker-Grater for the unwitting act, because of his age.


When I saw it in the water I knew it was a big 'un, but had no idea it was larger than me. But I was not about to let it get away

Angler Oliver Parker-Grater
The operation to land the 5ft-long Wels catfish, which weighs 40lbs and is worth up to £2,000, began after fears he could decimate other wildlife in the river.

Fifteen-year-old Oliver of Pollyhaugh, Eynsford, was unaware of how dangerous Darren could be, when he threw it back.

Angler Oliver caught Darren after battling him for 90 minutes and being pulled along the river from one end of the village to the other.

He had to climb into the water, straddle the fish and lift it out with his hands, as it was bigger and heavier than him.

Oliver told a local newspaper: "When I saw it in the water I knew it was a big 'un, but had no idea it was larger than me. But I was not about to let it get away."

Adrian Saunders, who has been leading the search for Darren, said his team had been using electro-shock fishing techniques for three days.

Environment Agency fisheries team members
The Environment Agency team have called off their search
"My suspicion is that he has swum downriver towards the Dartford Creek area and could even be in the River Thames."

Darren is believed to have been illegally imported into Britain to provide game for anglers who relish the fight they give.

Mr Saunders said: "We think the fish was illegally imported and stocked in a gravel pit in the Sundridge area, which is upstream of Eynsford.

"He was then washed out of the pit during the floods at the start of this year and escaped into the Darent.

"We do not believe anyone would put a fish of this size deliberately in a small river like this."

The Wels catfish is Europe's largest freshwater fish and is not indigenous to the UK.

They have no natural predators in Britain, can grow up to eight feet long and feed on fish, small mammals and waterfowl.

Razor-sharp teeth

Mr Saunders added: "These are very strong, muscular fish that put up a huge fight."

Catfish have an ugly appearance, looking like a giant tadpole with a huge bulbous head and a wide slash of a mouth lined with hundreds of razor-sharp teeth, which are used to rasp its prey.

"The presence of huge carnivorous fish like this can be a threat to the environment," added Mr Saunders.

The current British record for a Wels catfish - Latin name Siluris Glanis - in Europe is 62lbs, while the world record weight is 202lbs.


See also:

19 Feb 01 | UK
Net closes in on Hannibal the fish
Internet links:

BBC Kent Online
Environment Agency
Catfish Kingdom

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Top UK stories now:

Postcode lottery in GP services
Leanne killer jailed for life
Tories attack Brixton drugs scheme
Straw defends arms sales change
IVF mix-up heads for court
Police shoot man on the M6
New challenge excites Venables
Judge urges life sentence shake-up
Links to more UK stories are at the foot of the page.

This was on the bbc news back in July 2001

[willbeenie]

Brett Ridley, a 28-year-old labourer, recently caught what is believed to be the biggest ever fish in British running waters. It took 45 minutes to land his Wels catfish on the Kingston stretch of the River Thames. When the fish was weighed it "bottomed the scales straight out", suggesting that the fish could be more in the region of 60-65lbs.

Mr Ridley said: "I'd left a mate to get me some bait but when I got home from work he hadn't done it, and all that I had in my bag was a tin of luncheon meat so I used that."

Experts who have studied the photo believe that the real weight of the fish could even top Georgina Ballantine's 64lb salmon which was caught on the River Tay in 1922 and is regarded to be the heaviest fish ever caught in British rivers.

Of course, it's nothing compared to catches on the continent. In 2006, two British anglers landed a European record for a catfish when they caught a 226lb Wels on holiday in Spain.

This was the report on the fella that i know. The spot that he caught it from is one of the last places i would of thought you would catch one from.

[TomWaltonCarper]

i know of cats being caught in the areas suggested above, like some have said i think they would have been feeding on bream etc, so clonking would have limited effect imo

[catchin]

Had one from the tidal years ago from the old basin in chelsea harbour when the power station was there pumping warm water out, the power station has shut down now. See another one come out along the river across from battersea park that was over 30lb, I remember the guys who had it saying that they had been smashed up 3 or 4 times before along there. Not seen anybody fish along there in years, it died down once the power station shut.

Last fish I see around there was that dopey whale!!

[yorkey999]

How about this http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii296/johnmel34/

[Tim1]

Top thread, loved it, the unknown and all that

[tonystone]

How about this http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii296/johnmel34/



Caught from a popular area too, have heard of them to bigger than that from there as well!!

[kurgen1961]

Having fished the Thames alot in the last 20 yrs I know iv'e been smashed by cats.They are totally different to carp behaviour when hooked and I CAN SUGGEST try close to an island kingston way.Ive been broken 3 times from the same spot about 10 foot from the bank. Horrendous snags nearby tho

[kurgen1961]

also strangely enough whithin an hour of midnight.