Timsbury

[stu_the_blank]

Am out for the first time this year on Thursday, a combination of a bad bout of Man Flu and work has kept me off the bank!

Have booked myself and four good mates onto the Timsbury stretch of the Test for a bit of trotting practice. Grayling and Roach the primary target but frankly I'll take anything that comes along for a first fish of 2018.

Anybody have any info on the stretch?

Whatever happens it'll be very pleasant to get out with the 'lads' (lads is a bit of a misnomer as we average over 60 these days!).

Stu

 

[stu_the_blank]

Doesn't look like anybody has fished it.

Will let you know how I get on. Still waiting for a 2lb river Roach and a 3lb Grayling both apparently doable here.

I can but dream.

Stu

 

[binka]

I had a quick look on Youtube Stu, there were a few results but I think they were more specific to the river rather than Timsbury in particular.

Good luck though, I hope you all enjoy a great craic and some good fishing

 

[stu_the_blank]

Cheers Steve,

Whatever the fishing is like, the craic will be awesome!:w

Really looking forward to it!

Stu

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Hi.
Fished it a few times.

You have the smaller side streams. The weir by the carpark does hold the odd decent roach. As does the bit lower down at the tail.....as well as a few spotties.

Cross over past the hedge here and upstream to a smallish weir. Lots fish here.

Main river for the grayling. Though you have more chance of a 25lb pike than 2lb grayling or roach. Might be a lb dace though......and more spotties.

Have heard that some bits are now off limits now?
Good Luck.

 

[stu_the_blank]

Thanks Graham,

I'll throw a pike rod in the car!

I'll let you know how I get on.

Stu

 

[S-Kippy]

Not fished it for a few years now but i thought the sides streams and weir were off limits now. I might be wrong but im pretty sure the weir by the cp is no longer fishable. The roach were always elusive but Big Phil had them to 2-12....i never did as well but i did lose a real lump one day that im still not over. Top of the main river by the fishing hut on the far bank.....bottom of the island where the river splits and above the bridge at the very bottom end were all areas that could, on their day, throw up a big roach if they were in residence. They often werent !

Never had or saw a grayling even close to 3 lb from there. Loads of sea trout and trout and the odd chub and carp.

 

[stu_the_blank]

Thanks S-kip,

Much appreciated.

Stu

 

[Neil Maidment]

Plenty of good stuff reported on their Facebook page but I haven't fished it for a few years. Too crowded and too many "sorry we've overbooked" comments were the two main reasons I stopped fishing it. Also far too many rainbows. From what I hear, things may have improved on the numbers of anglers but I've no intention of going back!

Sorry for the negativity mg:

 

[S-Kippy]

Plenty of good stuff reported on their Facebook page but I haven't fished it for a few years. Too crowded and too many "sorry we've overbooked" comments were the two main reasons I stopped fishing it. Also far too many rainbows. From what I hear, things may have improved on the numbers of anglers but I've no intention of going back!

Sorry for the negativity mg:

I'm afraid i agree entirely, Neil. It started to get very, very busy and the fishing increasingly ordinary. I wont be going back either.

 

[stu_the_blank]

Neil, S-kip

Thanks for the info. Weather permitting we are going so I'll let you know how we get on.

I suppose that the weather will help stop the overcrowding!!

Stu

 

[S-Kippy]

Stu

Dont let us put you off. I'm afraid Timsbury is no diferent to other similar waters....once they get known about they get popular but in my experience the fishing then starts to tail off because of the pressure. If you are unlucky enough to get a busy day then you cant move around to try to find the fish as much. Last time i was there it was rammed but it may well not be as popular now.

Too many swim wrecking spotties for my liking but even the odd one of those can be welcome on a tough day.Despite it all its still a nice place to fish provided its not too busy.

Enjoy your day....youll probably have a shedload of big roach and prove me wrong.

Skippy

 

[stu_the_blank]

Thanks Skip

I will let you know how I get on. We have a pub located as a bolt hole if it get's either too windy or too crowded, so all bases covered!

Stu

 

[Neil Maidment]

Hope you're catching today Stu.

My thoughts are also clouded by an event several years ago which is now looked back on with comical affection. But at the time..................!

Via connections forged on FM a good mate bid for a certain lot on the annual Wild Trout Organisation auction. A days coarse fishing for four rods on an "exclusive beat of the River Test". He won that lot with a bid of £200.

My fellow moderator Peter was one of the lucky group of four but unfortunately realised he could not make the date. I took his place. Plenty of time to prepare, talk and anticipate a very rare opportunity to trot an exclusive salmon/trout beat of the famed river. £50 seemed a bargain.

Nigel Connor, his mate, Andy Nellist and I were required to meet the donor, a Barrister (a QC I believe), for an early preparatory breakfast at a pub near Romsey (we picked up the bill!). We then followed him in convoy as he led us to his private exclusive stretch.

All was good as we drove into a car parking area and started a lengthy walk for a guided tour of his beat. We did have the entire beat to ourselves but Andy and I lagged behind a bit and quite quickly realised we may have been here before! The odd rod rest in the ground, a couple of floats in the trees were the clinchers. In unison Andy and I said "it's bloody Timsbury!". And so it was mg: £50 for what was then a £10 day ticket

Our host confirmed we needed to be off the water by dusk. Needless to say we stayed on well into dark as the flake & crumb feeders allied to isotopes on the quivertips were employed........... for nothing!

Nigel C. was mortified but we didn't rib him too much. Well, only for a couple of years after and remind him almost every time we meet up.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Neil.
I'm hoping that Stu takes his pike rod as I suggested.

Best chance of a cracker I think.

Cheers

 

[S-Kippy]

I wonder if that rusting jet is still parked up by the cp ?

 

[stu_the_blank]

Hi Chaps,

Thanks for all the comments. Much appreciated.

The day was a bit of a mixed bag. Firstly when I booked it I had no idea that there are two fisheries, Timsbury Fishery and Timsbury Fishing! I had booked in on the latter which is downstream of the stretch that I think most of you have posted about.

Nice enough stretch with side carriers, islands, overhanging and fallen trees etc. badly sign posted though, the obvious car park was a quagmire the drier overflow car park not obvious and not signposted.

Started at the off, 8-00. There were 5 of us and one other angler, so plenty of room to move about etc.

4 of us Spent the morning trotting, one with a ledger up against a very chuby looking overhanging willow.

We caught grayling, biggest about 1and a half pounds, a few spotties and small chub before retiring to the pub as the heavens opened.

In the afternoon, me and one other, pike rods out moving dead baits around. A few jacks and right at end, Rich latched on to a much better fish which came off at the net, would estimate mid to upper teens.

For the last hour I put out a swim feeder and had a succession of small chub, losing a reasonable one of about 4lb, again at the net! No Roach between us even for the two who spent the last few hours as the sun went down on the ‘hot spot’ in one of the carriers.

The river is great, the fishery could do with a bit of work and it was a case of what might have been.

Didn’t feel I fished particularly well (I'd taken too many options and couldn't settle on a plan of attack) but weather was kind (warmer than forecast and the rain only came while we were in the pub!). Great to meet up with some old angling buddies, overall a very enjoyable day.

I would like to go back just to do myself justice.

Stu

 

[Neil Maidment]

Pleased you had a good day and found some fish Stu. Amazed the "car park" is still the mud bath mg:

Timsbury Fishing (timsburyfishing.co.uk) is the day ticket fishery we are all on about. Coarse day tickets available 1st October - 14th March.

Timsbury Fishery (timsburyfishery.net) is the syndicate water (£30,000 annual, £200 day, £2,000 season (12 days).

 

[tigger]

Pleased you had a good day and found some fish Stu. Amazed the "car park" is still the mud bath mg:

Timsbury Fishing (timsburyfishing.co.uk) is the day ticket fishery we are all on about. Coarse day tickets available 1st October - 14th March.

Timsbury Fishery (timsburyfishery.net) is the syndicate water (£30,000 annual, £200 day, £2,000 season (12 days).

Am I seeing things or does that say 30,000 (thirty grand) for annual .

 

[Neil Maidment]

Am I seeing things or does that say 30,000 (thirty grand) for annual .

It gives you 12 days for each season you are a syndicate member plus an annual £1,000+ maintenance fee and probably a bit more when you add in the incidentals

Timsbury Fishery | Booking