First outing on the tidal Trent

[jollyboy]

After a hard time on local rivers we decided to do a wreaky down and have a look at the Trent...we did take the gear in the end just in case.
We headed toward Collingham and the legendary day ticket water...starting off up by the weir and peg 1...... I was gobsmacked....the place was packed.... all the way to the weir to our left and as far as you could see to the bend to our right No one was alive at that time and seemed tucked away in the city of Bevvy's.

We left there and went to the gravel conveyor...it was pretty much the same there too maybe not so packed but the river didn't seem so featureless...Going from there right down the bottom end toward the "Wall" the main pegs there were taken and after having a chat with a few chaps decided to head up river a little with the gear to the bend and some deeper water (the tide had started dropping about a hour by then)

My son only started fishing last year and has had some good days on Carp pleasure fishing but this session he wanted to catch a Barbel... we have spent a bit of time on the Swale,Wharffe and Nidd with no success for the lad for all his efforts.

Anyhow he was in the peg below me...while I had gone for the cluster of caster Pad opted for meat..... both over feeder fed caster and hemp bed.

Pad's first cast of the morning resulted in a wrap around bite with nothing to show mean while I was getting knocks on the caster from what looked like bits... Next thing I heard was Pad was bent into a fish on his second cast...Reeled in myself and went over to take a look...three times he bought the fish to the bank but it was the forth attempt that see him slip the net under his first ever Barbel...as you could imagine I was as made up for my son after all his efforts... although not a big fish by anyone standards it was nice fish all the same (didn't have scales...what do you reckon 6lb ?)

I changed over to meat myself ..... next 4 hours produced nothing although we both had a few knocks... I did switch back to the caster on a lighter setup do find out what the earlier bites were.... took half dozen or so good size dace every cast.

We called it a day all be it a short one.... to go right down to Dunham bridge and have a look down there.

I need to find a site for the tide tables for the area as the Collingham AC side is a month behind. We will be going down again next time for a days fishing.....all in all we had a great day and a few jobs done

 

[flightliner]

I need to find a site for the tide tables for the area

jollyboy
go to any of the lock keepers on the river and they will sell you a tide timetable for £1-50. Best thing you will ever buy for the tidal.
Just a kind word,Try to keep landmarks on any pic you might put up o.n here to a mimimum as the next time you return to the area it will have been murdered.
Its .happened with the wier field . some years ago.Another great swim as gone the same way.recantly
Your fish six pounds--possibly,

 

[jollyboy]

jollyboy
go to any of the lock keepers on the river and they will sell you a tide timetable for £1-50. Best thing you will ever buy for the tidal.
Just a kind word,Try to keep landmarks on any pic you might put up o.n here to a mimimum as the next time you return to the area it will have been murdered.
Its .happened with the wier field . some years ago.Another great swim as gone the same way.recantly
Your fish six pounds--possibly,

many thanks to all of the above

 

[jollyboy]

Went back down on the tidal Trent yesterday in what turned out to be some taxing conditions... Rain don't bother me one bit...I just hate the wind and the way the wind cuts up that area there is no getting out of it but plod along we did...we were in a different area this time and the river is still all new to us but it wasn't long after setting up and getting the gear wet we were getting a few knocks nothing you felt the urge to hit but also coming to nothing really... about 2 hours past with the feeders laying a bed of caster and hemp the first proper wrap over bite came to my rod.... It didn't take long to suss that this was a Barbel... It was holding quite slow and deep in the channel gaining a good bit of line with little payback to the fish, But when I got the fish over the top of the shallower gravel bar it really woke up with some right power surging runs that had me back winding like hell.... eventually the fish came to the surface and was not as big as I first thought...never the less a welcome fish all the same as the net was slipped under... Quickly weighing the fish and trying to get a picture Pads rod was going...... while I was putting the fish back and helping the fish to recover Pad cursed as his rod went slack and his fish had gone.

7lb 8oz

Thinking now the tide must be right and the fish are feeding over the bed we had laid down by now we were about to see some action... however this was not to be... Pad had a chub and a flippin Eel on the meat and we were moving back up with the rising river faster than I ever expected ( I know everyone warns of this but don't it ever race up) nothing came to my rod at all.
Eventually the run of the river changed and within the hour I was bent into another fish... once again played slow and deep in the channel and hell for leather over the gravel bank...this one put in a lot more surging runs with me having to wade out a bit to land it...once again quickly weighing the fish(6lb 8oz) I needed to get the fish back into the water asap...so didn't wait for Pad and the camera (its health was far more important to me than any ugly mug shot) it took a good few min's for the fish to recover and I was a little concerned...but it started to kick and eventually kicked right out of my hand soaking me as it went...I was so relieved.

That was all we caught and off the back of some orrible conditions had a good day.... we are sussing this alien river out slowly....

However we can not stress how grateful we are to one member of this forum for all his advice and heads up and on this trip his advice was paramount to any success....Again I thank you.

 

[jollyboy]

Blanked Saturday.... we really do need to get some better understanding of the tides and how that relates to river conditions

 

[flightliner]

better understanding of the tides and how that relates to river conditions

Jollyboy, Did you get the tide timetables from the lock keeper like I said????

 

[jollyboy]

Jollyboy, Did you get the tide timetables from the lock keeper like I said????

I tried and still waiting on one other via post.... I have been using the one on the Collingham AA website for the times.... Maybe you can help me further? When the tide heights show a difference of 1.1 Meters from one day to the next does this transfer in real heights on the river it's self?

 

[flightliner]

Maybe you can help me further? When the tide heights show a difference of 1.1 Meters from one day to the next does this transfer in real heights on the river it's self?
__________________

It depends where you are taking your readings from-- Goole or Hull, I always take mine from hull and add on the tides arrival at various points along the river-- Three and a quarter hours to reach Torksey lock-- sometimes referred to as the Trent arm, and Five hours up to Cromwell lock. Its a guesstimate at all othe points in between which over the last ---ty years I enjoy getting right more often than not. Many other factors have to be considered, like recant rainfall or lack of it, cloudbursts in the derbyshire peak district which you often dont know of but find out later. The times given in the tables are approximate but are pretty accurate to a few minutes or so-- Whatever you do dont forget to add on summertime as you may have planned your trip to co-incide with the tide beginning to fall and you find that it is running off fast which-- if youre feeder fishing may inpair your chance of putting a little bait down before it "runs"--
Take my advice Jolly boy and dont pile it in like so many do-- often the kiss of death which I think says to many that they must put in more the next time-- little and often is the key-- the fish will give you all the clues from thereon.
Most of my big fish and and big catches have come with (at times) single baits-- treat em mean keep em keen or very little.---- oh, the tide heights given are at the places mentioned, but as the it pushes up the river the height gets less and less obvious until at cromwell is barely noticable cept for a "bigun" What youre asking is about the most pertinant factors that any trent angler should learn, sitting near the wier at cromwell is easy but if you dont strech out along each section you will never gain the insight that is so important Again experience will tell you where to go on various tides, its a pretty hard thing to explain but It works for me but ---ty years does give you one or two perks
Best of luck with your efforts

 

[jollyboy]

It depends where you are taking your readings from-- Goole or Hull, I always take mine from hull and add on the tides arrival at various points along the river-- Three and a quarter hours to reach Torksey lock-- sometimes referred to as the Trent arm, and Five hours up to Cromwell lock. Its a guesstimate at all othe points in between which over the last ---ty years I enjoy getting right more often than not. Many other factors have to be considered, like recant rainfall or lack of it, cloudbursts in the derbyshire peak district which you often dont know of but find out later. The times given in the tables are approximate but are pretty accurate to a few minutes or so-- Whatever you do dont forget to add on summertime as you may have planned your trip to co-incide with the tide beginning to fall and you find that it is running off fast which-- if youre feeder fishing may inpair your chance of putting a little bait down before it "runs"--
Take my advice Jolly boy and dont pile it in like so many do-- often the kiss of death which I think says to many that they must put in more the next time-- little and often is the key-- the fish will give you all the clues from thereon.
Most of my big fish and and big catches have come with (at times) single baits-- treat em mean keep em keen or very little.---- oh, the tide heights given are at the places mentioned, but as the it pushes up the river the height gets less and less obvious until at cromwell is barely noticable cept for a "bigun" What youre asking is about the most pertinant factors that any trent angler should learn, sitting near the wier at cromwell is easy but if you dont strech out along each section you will never gain the insight that is so important Again experience will tell you where to go on various tides, its a pretty hard thing to explain but It works for me but ---ty years does give you one or two perks
Best of luck with your efforts

Thanks again for your input and I can take a lot from your post exspecialy with regards the time difference between Goole and say Cromwell lock it takes some understanding ... As for little and often this was bang on the money the week before last for me where as on our very first trip and thinking "TRENT" I did put in a lot of bait early on in the session which did'nt work for me. Cromwell Lock does not really apeal to me the way it is on there...don't get me wrong the river has to be right...its the way it is hammered almost like gauntlet fishing.

In a weird kindof way it is the challance of fishing this tidal area and understanding it gives me as much as catching fish its self....and yep both come hand in hand

 

[Sean Meeghan]

Here's the best way of getting tide times on the tidal.

 

[flightliner]

Cromwell Lock does not really apeal to me the way it is on there...don't get me wrong the river has to be right...its the way it is hammered almost like gauntlet fishing.

Jollyboy, have a read of bob roberts blog ",ont net" and see what he has to say about Cromwell weir-- he says what many think and his picture of the weir puts it in a nutshell what you say above. The circus came to town just about eleven years ago now and it has never pulled up the stakes and moved on, "Palliacho" comes to mind(lol)

 

[sam vimes]

Jollyboy, have a read of bob roberts blog ",ont net" and see what he has to say about Cromwell weir

I presume you mean the one half way down the end of July blog?

 

[flightliner]

Cromwell Lock does not really apeal to me the way it is on there...don't get me wrong the river has to be right...its the way it is hammered almost like gauntlet fishing.

Jolly boy, about eleven years ago the circus came to town and never pulled up stakes. Have a look at what bob roberts says about the place on his blog, it more or less sums up what some think about the place these days in one single picture and a couple of sentances. "Palliachi" comes to mind--- maybe sad as well?
Ooops, sorry all, got called to dinner and forgot i.d posted this and it wont cancel. Doh!
Sam-- yes ,thats the one.

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

well done Jollyboy

yes the weir gets full very quickly - I think it's a case of waiting for a swim to become free if you want to fish there

 

[jollyboy]

Here's the best way of getting tide times on the tidal.

Thanks I have been using a couple of online ones but the club site even more so...still waiting on a hard copy though...looks like a trip is on the cards

---------- Post added at 09:23 ---------- Previous post was at 09:22 ----------

Jollyboy, have a read of bob roberts blog ",ont net" and see what he has to say about Cromwell weir-- he says what many think and his picture of the weir puts it in a nutshell what you say above. The circus came to town just about eleven years ago now and it has never pulled up the stakes and moved on, "Palliacho" comes to mind(lol)

I presume you mean the one half way down the end of July blog?

I have'nt but soon will do

I was away all day yesterday on site

---------- Post added at 09:25 ---------- Previous post was at 09:23 ----------

Jolly boy, about eleven years ago the circus came to town and never pulled up stakes. Have a look at what bob roberts says about the place on his blog, it more or less sums up what some think about the place these days in one single picture and a couple of sentances. "Palliachi" comes to mind--- maybe sad as well?
Ooops, sorry all, got called to dinner and forgot i.d posted this and it wont cancel. Doh!
Sam-- yes ,thats the one.

This makes some of the first bit of advice given to me on this thread even more relevent......Thanks to whoever that was

---------- Post added at 09:29 ---------- Previous post was at 09:25 ----------

well done Jollyboy

yes the weir gets full very quickly - I think it's a case of waiting for a swim to become free if you want to fish there

Thanks I am enjoying the challange and this late learning experience to say the least.

As for the Weir... I have no doubt the feature is a classic in its self as is all areas with features etc..... I do like the challange of finding that pocket away from the madding crowds..

 

[flightliner]

yes the weir gets full very quickly - I think it's a case of waiting for a swim to become free if you want to fish there
__________________

Guy on peg 1a--- phone in hand--- Hi "Barbel God"its me, I,m packing up and will be leaving this peg at six pm, make sure you get here for five thirty then its yours for forty eight hours. That will give me time to get replenished and sorted then you can let me have the peg back until you sort yourself out. "Barbel God " -Thanks, i,m on my way now, had any luck? Original caller---- "Done ok mate-- scored a goal in the five aside football match yesterday afternoon -- all them bivvies packed tight like that sure make good goalposts"

 

[jollyboy]

Guy on peg 1a--- phone in hand--- Hi "Barbel God"its me, I,m packing up and will be leaving this peg at six pm, make sure you get here for five thirty then its yours for forty eight hours. That will give me time to get replenished and sorted then you can let me have the peg back until you sort yourself out.

This is no exageration either is it.... 4 time I have heared the same thing now 3 other times were off club members...first time I heared it I did think it was a tale of something that may have happened once....now I am thinking it's the normmg:

 

[sam vimes]

This is no exageration either is it.... 4 time I have heared the same thing now 3 other times were off club members...first time I heared it I did think it was a tale of something that may have happened once....now I am thinking it's the normmg:

Quite normal, things that interrupt the pattern is if they finally run out of mates with no obvious jobs! Matches also screw it up but there's nothing unusual to find people bivvied up behind just waiting. Get a non-local (ish) angler with no fishing mates in the area and it can also screw things for them. Sadly, there'll usually be a lookout posted somewhere in the area even if the vultures aren't waiting behind the peg.

The funniest thing I find is hearing about folks that still struggle in 1a. Every river has its off day but, generally speaking, if you get only a couple of fish on 1a during the summer, you're doing something wrong. Plenty of folks flock to the peg and then get it wrong. If they took a little while to see how to go about it, I suspect they'd be even less inclined to leave. However, they'd be forced to as they'd be utterly knackered!

 

[flightliner]

Used to fish up there during the eighties and nineties. During the winter months it was unusual to see anyone. The last time I tried up there was about nine years ago and there was a guy there from northern ireland sat in a plastic garden chair (which he left behind). The writing was on the wall by then---- I dont go there anymore!!

 

[jollyboy]

Used to fish up there during the eighties and nineties. During the winter months it was unusual to see anyone. The last time I tried up there was about nine years ago and there was a guy there from northern ireland sat in a plastic garden chair (which he left behind). The writing was on the wall by then---- I dont go there anymore!!

How did it fish back then?