Trent Whingers

[Ron Clay]

Where ever I look these, including letters in the angling press and chat I hear in tackle shops, the subject inevitably turns to what they call: "The sorry state of the Trent".

I truly can't understand these people, and the moans are not just from match anglers either.

The truth is that for myself I have never enjoyed my angling as much in my whole life as when I have been on this great river. Not only have I caught lots of barbel to double figures, but excellent chub, roach and bream.

One of these whingers told me that he had spent all summer fishing near Newark without as much as a single bite. He reckoned that the barbel I had been catching were: "In your dreams mate, in your dreams".

What is it about some anglers in that they truly seem to struggle. I am not particularly skillful, and in fishing I am normally downright unlucky, but I invariably manage a fish or two on most trips.

Maybe some anglers are so pessimistic they are beaten before they start!

 

[Rodney Wrestt]

Ron,
It all comes down to confidence, if you've got it you'll sit and wait, knowing your in for a bite sooner or later. Without it you'll constantly rebait, recast, and search the whole swim in in half an hour and call it a day blaming the state of the water.

 

[Dave Silvers]

There you go Ron, thats whats been missing from this site for the last few weeks.
Whats more I agree with you, I'm not particularly skillfull either but I've had barbel from the Trent and at Newark.

 

[Stuart Bullard]

There you go, if Dave can....:0).

Ron, it isn't just the Trent. I whinge at most lakes in the South East and still other people pull them out!!

 

[stu black]

I agree its a confidence thing, although i rarely catch as much as my confidence would suggest...

 

[Keith Miller]

If only I had a river like the Trent on my doorstep. The few occasions I have fished or observed others have seen catches to be envied.

 

[Matt Brown]

Ron,

As I said in one of the other threads, I used to fish the Trent and Newark Dyke in the mid eighties.

You used to be able to just chuck a feeder almost anywhere and you would catch Skimmers, Hybrids, Roach, Gudgeon, Perch and Chublets without being especially skillful. If you were good at modifying your rig to suit and accurate with your casting you would usually have some proper Chub come along sooner or later. This would be any time of year.

We (my friends and I) would catch the 2.50am train to Newark in the hope that we could get the pegs on the Weir Top above the Red Bridge. We new that 20lb to 30lb of Chub on the stick float would be probable if the pegs were free. They often weren't.

Now I could be totally wrong about this - all I have to go on is the angling press having not fished the river for at least 14 years. I always read the match results and the winners have usually had a few bonus fish and the backing weights are poor.

Obviously the largest Chub, Barbel and Carp are bigger than they ever were, but the average quality of the fishing would appear to be far more difficult.

Tell me teh press is wrong and I'll go and fish the place (when the level drops sufficiently).

 

[Chris Bishop]

Whinging aside, I think Matt hits the nail on the head with a lot of waters these days.

I no longer fish for chub, roach etc but you can't help noticing the days when the average club guy could go and sack up with fish and get a 30lb mixed net have long gone on a lot of waters.

Look at the Cut-Off Channel, down the road from me.

OK, th matches are still regularly won with 20 or 30lbs nets - but these days that will probably be half a dozen tench and bream, rather than someone who's filled their boots with 4oz roach and skimmers.

The upper and middle reaches of most rivers are no longer waters where by and large the average guy on the bank can go and expect a good day out, with plenty of bites and a nice mixed net of fish at the end of it.

They've become out and out specimen waters, because by and large, their hand-sized bread and butter fish have all but disappeared.

I'm under no illusions this suits a lot of people. I don't fish for barbel but I know Ron and several other people have refined the way they fish the Trent and haave caught some impressive fish.

What worries me is what's there for the average guy with his float rod or pole and pint of maggots these days..?

No wonder so many have defected for much easier fishing. The specimen-oriented anglers, who make up the bulk of this site's members and posters, are probably enjoying the best fishing they've ever had on that river.

But how many more are going home disappointed..?

A lot of people make river fishing sound so easy. Let's face it, it isn't for the average club type these days.

It's not an issue for me, as I say I don't fish for roach, chub etc, but I can see their point and why so many become disillusioned.

Perhaps the guys who do well on some of these public waters could do more to encourage Mr Average.

I'm not knocking anyone, but let's at least be realistic about the kind of waters a lot of our major rivers are these days.

Years ago, you had coachloads fishing the opens at Burton Joyce etc. I bet you'd struggle to fill a minibus these days.

 

[Matt Brown]

I'm worried where the next generations of fish are coming from. Comorants, floods and clearer water may well be having their toll, but I think the biggest issue is that with most anglers fishing man made lakes, the clubs that hold the fishing rights to the rivers haven't got the revenue coming in to allow them to pay for re-stocking.

 

[Dave Silvers]

Matt - sorry to disillusion you, but what you have picked up from the weeklies is correct, and more to the point so is Chris with his comments about the average guy and his pint of maggots. I grew up fishing the Trent (although a gallon of maggots were required at that time)and then returned to it years later when I started fishing again, to say I was shocked is an understatement. Deserted banks where there used to be lines of coaches queueing to disgorge the miners from Yorkshire and North Notts, and the steelworkers from Sheffield to fish the matches.
Lots of things have been blamed, from the closure of the power stations, through to cleaner water??? and cormorants.
I'm not sure what the cause is, but one thing is certain the fish the matchmen want are no longer there in any quantity, BUT, the Trent has re-emerged as a big fish water and for those like Ron who are prepared to adapt their tactics and spend some time finding the fish the rewards of a good chub, barbel or even a 20lb+ carp are surely well worth the effort.

 

[Chris Bishop]

Dave, I wouldn't dispute a word of what you're saying.

I think it highlights the fact there are now two types of "average" angler - the ones who've gradually adopted what would once have been deemed specimen hunter tactics and are very much reaping the benefits of the fact there are less but bigger fish about.

My fear is the pint of maggots guy defected to the commercial pool yonks ago and a whole generation of anglers have grown up - in fishing terms - without getting to grips with fishing rivers.

I can go out mid-week, fish three or four different rivers in the Fens and hardly see a soul apart from fellow predatorr anglers.

 

[Dave Silvers]

I know what you mean Chris, A few weeks ago I did a toungue in cheek post about turning up at my favorite river and finding someone else in 'my spot'. But the truth is you get so used to nobody else fishing the river that it actually came as a surprise to find someone else there.
On the other hand I noticed in one of the weeklies that my local match carp lake (it's so close that I walk the dog round it a couple of times a week in summer) set a new match weight record of 115lbs 8oz (yes it's not a misprint) in 5 hours, and thats in the middle of winter, about three weeks before Christmas.
It's no wonder 'Mr Average' fishes that type of water.

 

[Matt Brown]

The fact that loads of anglers are fishing the commercial pools because it's easy, is a separate issue to whether the rivers are fishing well or not. I reckon the Carp Puddles would be popular regardless.

 

[Dave Barringham]

Matt and Chris - your observations are spot-on. I have fished the Trent many times (I started in 1989), but had a break while I was studying from 1997 to present. During 1989 to 1997, most of my time and thought was taken up with fishing club matches and the odd open. Once the river levels drop (I live a mile and a half from the Trent) I fancy having a crack for some big chub and perch. Although there have been times when the river has showed signs of dramatic improvement, I know that I will not be returning to the river as a match angler. Unfortunately, I will almost certainly be legering or feeder fishing, as the nature of the fishing on the Trent no longer lends itself to catching roach and silver bream on the stick float or waggler. Despite this, new opportunities are presenting themselves. The barbel especially seem to be getting bigger all the time (I think this is the same as most rivers these days), and the Trent has never been a better proposition for targeting a 'big un'. I believe the same is true for chub and perch. During my match fishing years, I was lucky enough to see two 5 1/2 pound chub weighed-in on separate occasions, and i fancy some of that. Here's hoping to a drop in water level.

 

[Phil Hatton]

At the risk of being controversial,is the 'average' angler as competent now as twwenty years ago.It seems to me that the basics required to fish a river,float control,feeding,watercraft etc are not being learned these days.When I was a junoir learning my craft the men who taught me knew all these skills fairly well.None of them were 'great' anglers but the level of competence they showed was higher.These days so many people come to the sport via pole fishing and the various still-water venues that I feel the most basic river skills are no longer acquired.Let's be honest it;s not too hard to buy a basic pole kit,got to a commercial or local lake and do a few pounds first time out.The weeklies certainly do enough 'how to' articles on this subject.If a newcomer tries his hand on a river he's immmediately faced with a new range of problems .If you are used to quick results then it's no wonder they don't persevere and soon go back to 'easier' venues.

 

[russ case]

I totaly agree phil. I have been fishing for all 28 years of my life and consider myself to be a VERY average angler, but i can still manage a fish or 2 from the stour. 2 work colleges have recently got back into fishing and after going to the river once and blanking they now refuse to go anywhare except commercial pools sad really as rivers are such fantastic places to be and fish.
Oh well more room for us. (only joking!)

 

[Matt Brown]

Phil and Russ,

I agree. I reckon people are naturally lazy by nature hence the fact that fishing in over populated lakes for starving fish is attractive to them (a generalization, I know).

Ultimately that's got to be less satisfying and maybe that's one of the reasons why fishing is less popular than it used to be.

Therefore there seem to be less anglers with skills suited to river fishing (but plenty with other skills), but I really am worried that the rivers aren't being re-stocked by angling clubs the way they once were.

 

[Jason Young]

The Trent is now an out and out Big Fish venue. Of all the people that tell me they were "bit fishing" i.e roach,chublets, skimmers, every one has told me that the got smashed up. Not just after a long struggle but straight away on the strike. Understandably they aint expecting a 20lb carp or 10lb barble to pick up their single maggot on a 18 using 2.7lb bottom. The trouble is they catch only a few "bit" fish and then loose confidence. If you are after bigger fish find the faster flowing sections of the river. Hence if you are looking for the smaller stuff the try the slower strecthes. The small stuff are still there just in differtent places. This is only my findings from fishing the trent. If anglers could pick up or use some sort of basic water craft then they would give themselves alot more chance of "Bagging on the Trent".
It can still be done.
Good luck.

 

[Ron Clay]

Some very interesting resposes up to now.

For myself I fished the Trent through the 50s, right up to the time I emigrated in 1967. There were no barbel then of course. What there were plenty of was lots of indifferent roach. The river then was murky and used to stink of untreated sewage.

I fished the river on odd occasions during the 70s and 80s when on holiday in UK from South Africa and when the river was artificially warmed by the powerstations. On one occasion I had a combined mixed bag of chub and roach totalling over 80 lbs to caster and block end feeder. On another occasion near Newark I watched my old mate **** Clegg take over 40 lbs of roach on the stick float.

It was obvious in those days that an artificial environment had been created by the power stations. The river was still murky and still stank!

Today, as I see it, the river is very much like it was 150 years ago, before the pollution of the early 1900s.

I have done a bit of research regarding just what this river was like in the mid 1800s. For a start it was NOT easy to fish. The barbel, roach and chub where not everywhere. To catch barbel meant long pre-baiting in selected swims with thousands of worms or chandlers greaves, and often then you would catch nothing.

The river then was very clear indeed. Anglers used to float fish at great distance to avoid spooking the fish in very clear water. Read the books written by JW Martin or William Bailey. Success on the Trent demanded a long hard apprenticeship. The skills required were considerable and had to be learned the hard way.

But that's what anglers were like then. They didn't expect quick fixes like they do today.

Anyone going down the Trent today with a couple of pints of maggots, hemp and feeder tackle, setting up in the first available swim and chucking out will generally blank!!

I bet it was the same in the Victorian era.

You have to put in a lot of homework to be consistant on the Trent these days. You have to spend hours, if not days walking its bank looking for the gravelly swims. You will have lots of blank days, but when you eventually succeed, things will get better. You will get a "feel" for the river and what you are doing, and eventually you will get beyond hoping to expecting.

Yet how many anglers of today are prepared to put in this amouny of effort?

 

[Andrew Sugden]

The Nidd and the Teme are my fav. barbel rivers but I love the trent for other reasons. Its waters run deep and you always feel that there are monsters swimming about there. And as Ron knows himself there can be several monsters in your swim at one time!