Fish spotting.

[Ray Roberts]

I'm sure I'm not the only one that when they pass a body of water larger than the average puddle can't help but wonder or have to take a look to see what's in there.

I was waiting for a customer at Heathrow this morning and parked up in a lay by. It just happened to have a small stream running under a road bridge. I could see a couple of Decent chub about the 4lb mark drift out from under the bridge. I dropped a blackberry in to see if they would go for it or become spooked. They shot off under the bridge as did all of the other smaller fish. I waited and as they started to gain confidence a largish barbel 8lb + or so cruised out like a battleship, hung about for a bit and then slowly made its way downstream. The stream couldn't have been more than 18 inches deep and was about twenty feet wide under the bridge narrowing to a couple of feet.

There are worst ways to waste half an hour I suppose, lol.

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[tomino2112]

Usually I can see only some small roach or carp when it gets warm. Your experience would totally make my day.

 

[tigger]

Ray, is that a club stretch, free, or is it just no mans land? If it's either of the latter ...ya gott'a go and sneak a session on there!

 

[The bad one]

You learn more about a fish species behaviour watching them going about their natural business than you could ever do from reading the bull$hit written in many of the rags. Build what you've seen into your angling and it WILL make you a far better angler than an automaton the rags make many anglers.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Ray, is that a club stretch, free, or is it just no mans land? If it's either of the latter ...ya gott'a go and sneak a session on there!

I don’t know who it belongs to. It looked unkempt and no signs. A fair drive across London to get there. I may give it a go if I go there to pick up family. Leave a couple of hours early.

The constant roar of traffic didn’t bother them but the plop of a blackberry hitting the water cleared them all out of the area.


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[103841]

You learn more about a fish species behaviour watching them going about their natural business than you could ever do from reading the bull$hit written in many of the rags. Build what you've seen into your angling and it WILL make you a far better angler than an automaton the rags make many anglers.

My last post on HDYGO is testament to that, have to say it’s every bit as enjoyable as actually fishing.........well sometimes anyway.

 

[Ray Roberts]

This was the water in my post. It's shallow, narrow and doesn't really look like it would contain. the stamp of fish that are in there.

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[Keith M]

Let’s hope that after the airport expansions this little gem of a river is still going to be there :dispirited:

Keith

 

[barbelboi]

Unfortunately there are a few cracking backwaters around there that no one can fish (legally) due to fuel pipes for Heathrow bedded in to the adjacent land............

 

[108831]

Many people don't have the eye for spotting fish like barbel,even roach and dace can be difficult to spot over gravel,especially if weed is present.

 

[The bad one]

True indeed Whitty. But if you go out with someone who has the watercraft eye, it doesn't take long to get your eye in. Even my wife learnt it with 10 minutes of walking one of the local canals with me. She became quite good and enthusiastic as we retraced our steps back to the car. And as S63 says it's very "enjoyable."

 

[xenon]

for me, wandering along a small river fish spotting runs a pretty close second to actual fishing-can watch a shoal of chub for hours without getting bored, so graceful are they.

 

[steve2]

I use to do this on small streams in the close season surprising what you could see. They seemed to disappear once the season opened.

 

[tigger]

Problem with fish spotting is when you go back with a rod and line they've very often farked off lol.

Ray, that water looks superb! I like little rivers like that where you can mooch for miles, i'd deffo be back for a go if it where round here .

 

[108831]

I can remember a hell of a time ago walking down miles of the Windrush spotting a group of seven barbel,nothing big,largest about six pounds,I returned several days later thinking how easy it would be to catch one,my god,how wrong could I be,I tried everything,putting a lead in and I mean putting,not casting,scared the hell out of them,I caught a two pounder after six hours fishing free lining a lobworm from ten yards upstream,I don't know who was more shocked,me or the barbel.

 

[theartist]

Sounds like one of the many channels the River Colne finds itself in round the Airport (too many to list of top of head) Not sure there's too many rivers that have spawned other named rivers none of which have their own source. The fact that the Colne runs into the Thames as a small brook doesn't reflect well on a mighty river that has also carved a valley of famous pits.

Much is club water round there or you could be round the corner from travellers sites, for both reasons I'd do quite a bit of research before wetting a line

 

[103841]

I use to do this on small streams in the close season surprising what you could see. They seemed to disappear once the season opened.

I’ve noticed that too, plus I’m sure the school hols don’t help, young lads casting thick lines and heavy weights is a sure way to spook the chub in my local stretch.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Another airport pick up today. I couldn't resist another look. No barbel today but some chub up to about 3lbs and some nice looking roach. Access to the water is difficult to say the least. chesties would be the way to go, casting upstream under the bridge. I took my life in my hands and crossed the busy A30 and looked from the other side of the bridge. I saw no signs of fish and access was even harder from this side. I looked it up on Google earth and it is called The Duke of Northumberlands River. I would give it a go but the drive and the fact the fish are likely to spook easily is putting me off.

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[Tee-Cee]

A barbel of 8lbs or so in 18" of water - now that is what I call proper 'seat of your pants' fishing! Of course you have to hook the fish first....

Nice little project to have around this time of year, though............Late evenings, sort of thing.

 

[Ray Roberts]

https://www.force.org.uk/assets/documents/wr-201410-crane-fish-and-fishi

I found this which was interesting.


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