Phil Lambert
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- Joined
- Oct 20, 2006
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One of my favourite winter venues is the day ticket Lower Itchen Fishery upstream of Gator's Mill at Swaythling, Southampton. With the icy weather knocking the stillwaters out of sorts, I found that the Lower Itchen Fishery was fully booked for last Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I had a spare day on Friday so decided to give the free stretch below Gator's Mill a quick bash. The water was flowing well, a bit up on normal summer leveland slightly coloured with some weed and plant debris causing the odd problem but nothing serious.
Trotting double red or white maggots (3 swan drennan loafer) I had a few small roach and grayling with a bonus sea trout of a couple of pounds. Switching to an open ended running feeder with liquidised bread and a small pinch of flake on a size 14 I had three 'soldier' chub of 1 - 2lbs. You will currently need a 28 gram (1oz) feeder and a 2oz tc quiver tip. I did hook something that took an instant dislike to being tethered and trashed my 3lb hooklink. There are stories of barbel in this stretch (I have heard but not seen), but whilst it could have been a whisker I suspect the culprit was a cheesed off sea trout (you are not allowed to keep them or the brown trout by the way).
If you live local and your pond or lake is frozen up, give this stretch a go. It runs from Gators Mill, past the White Swan Pub to the road bridge at Mansbridge and then downstream to Woodmill. There is ample parking and you can fish from the pathway. The dog walkers are used to anglers and the joggers more interested in avoiding the incomming coronary.
Trotting double red or white maggots (3 swan drennan loafer) I had a few small roach and grayling with a bonus sea trout of a couple of pounds. Switching to an open ended running feeder with liquidised bread and a small pinch of flake on a size 14 I had three 'soldier' chub of 1 - 2lbs. You will currently need a 28 gram (1oz) feeder and a 2oz tc quiver tip. I did hook something that took an instant dislike to being tethered and trashed my 3lb hooklink. There are stories of barbel in this stretch (I have heard but not seen), but whilst it could have been a whisker I suspect the culprit was a cheesed off sea trout (you are not allowed to keep them or the brown trout by the way).
If you live local and your pond or lake is frozen up, give this stretch a go. It runs from Gators Mill, past the White Swan Pub to the road bridge at Mansbridge and then downstream to Woodmill. There is ample parking and you can fish from the pathway. The dog walkers are used to anglers and the joggers more interested in avoiding the incomming coronary.