LIF Fish In 2017

[edsurf]

Considering you all had a very productive day in very cold conditions, sounds like a lot of whinging.

 

[edsurf]

Yep.....got to agree Ray. Theyre not long lived fish the grayling so we probably need to wait for a certain year class to come through & peak before it will be full of lumps again. I always enjoy the LIF do's but the biggest challenge yesterday was not booting the BF out at Fleet because he was doing my head in moaning about his broken Hardy all the way home !

Throop has my vote. Something for everyone and we have a man on the inside !

Not as easy as you think, you are all not Neil who knows this river so well.

 

[S-Kippy]

Not as easy as you think, you are all not Neil who knows this river so well.

I know its not easy but the fish are there and it cannot be anything but helpful to have Neil in your corner. Quite honestly, much as I enjoy the LIF day it is getting terribly predictable. Its not cheap and for many of us it aint just down the road either.

And it was bloody cold......which may not have bothered me that much when I was younger but it does now !

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

Considering you all had a very productive day in very cold conditions, sounds like a lot of whinging.

Its a water full of small grayling that are not hard to catch. Go back some years and you had to work to get the fish going, and you might have to move a few times before you done that. I cant see anyone whinging, those that have said something know the venue, and know how it has changed.

I dont know about you, but i like a challenge, finding the fish, getting the feed right, adjusting your rig etc etc, then catching, thats all part of a days fishing for me.

I dont mind paying for a days fishing, and i have paid more than £27.50 plenty of times, but the fishing has been more of a challenge. It,s a 2 hour drive each way for me to the LIF, thats if the M3 and M25 are clear. Last time there it took me almost 5 hours to get home. Thats a whinge.

I have fished the Stour and Avon many times, and even Neil will tell you he still finds it a challenge, but the quality of fish are far better.

For anyone who just wants to turn up and catch fish without having to think about it, then the LIF is the place to go right now, that might change in the next few years. But its not for me again for a while, as the time and cost are not worth the quality of the fishing or the challenge.

 

[edsurf]

Its a water full of small grayling that are not hard to catch. Go back some years and you had to work to get the fish going, and you might have to move a few times before you done that. I cant see anyone whinging, those that have said something know the venue, and know how it has changed.

I dont know about you, but i like a challenge, finding the fish, getting the feed right, adjusting your rig etc etc, then catching, thats all part of a days fishing for me.

I dont mind paying for a days fishing, and i have paid more than £27.50 plenty of times, but the fishing has been more of a challenge. It,s a 2 hour drive each way for me to the LIF, thats if the M3 and M25 are clear. Last time there it took me almost 5 hours to get home. Thats a whinge.

I have fished the Stour and Avon many times, and even Neil will tell you he still finds it a challenge, but the quality of fish are far better.

For anyone who just wants to turn up and catch fish without having to think about it, then the LIF is the place to go right now, that might change in the next few years. But its not for me again for a while, as the time and cost are not worth the quality of the fishing or the challenge.

Try the Frome next time Ray, you have to search them out , not as many fish but a much better stamp, well worth the effort.

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

Try the Frome next time Ray, you have to search them out , not as many fish but a much better stamp, well worth the effort.

I have fished the Frome also as one of the clubs I used to be a member of had a section. Very good challenge to just find the fish. Best to stay over for a couple of days as it’s another distance venue, but well with the time.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Interesting thoughts on Throop as an alternative. It's certainly not an easy venue but at £10 a day it's excellent value. I would happily organise and help as much as possible but a weekend on there could be a bit busy (I hardly ever fish it at weekends nowadays). To hopefully get good winter conditions it would probably have to be December or more likely post Christmas, January/February.

With about a dozen or so we would potentially be pretty well spread out and maybe going in at different entry points so perhaps not as social as the start of a day at LIF. An early meet at about 6:00am to access the fishery from 6:30am would help considerably and maybe get us in the same general area.

On the very positive side there are plenty of options. It responds well to trotting, static and spinning methods. The roach revival has been gaining momentum over the last few years with good fish throughout the fishery. Good dace and perch are well distributed as are pike. My main winter target is always the chub with plenty of 4lbs/5lbs fish as well as a good chance of bigger. Throw in a bonus barbel or two and generally it's a fine fishery despite a lot of negativity from some quarters.

Easy choice for me as I'm quite local and very biased, somewhat more difficult for anyone travelling any distance and not even seen the fishery

 

[Neil Maidment]

One advantage of planning for a Throop trip might be that we don't need to book a date way in advance. We could pick a date and have more flexibility based on conditions and forecast. We could perhaps confirm the date right up to a week or so before. I could pick up everyone's ticket in advance (payment needed perhaps 7 days prior) to make it an easy arrival and straight down to the river bank.

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Neil.
I used the online DT purchase last time.

Takes 1 minute and one can hold details on phone or print off. Very user friendly.

I'm in

 

[Neil Maidment]

Neil.
I used the online DT purchase last time.

Takes 1 minute and one can hold details on phone or print off. Very user friendly.

I'm in

Excellent!

Oh! Just a note to everyone who might attend: Graham also knows a thing or two about winter fishing on Throop........ except the bit about getting truly huge chub actually in the landing net........... mg:mg:

 

[tigger]

Excellent!

Oh! Just a note to everyone who might attend: Graham also knows a thing or two about winter fishing on Throop........ except the bit about getting truly huge chub actually in the landing net........... mg:mg:

Where is Throop Neil, I like the sound of it but it might be a little far a field for one days trotting?

Just googled it and it says Bournmouth......too far I reckon!

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

Thanks Neil

Btw. I never put a dislike to Tiggers post above. Someones being naughty!!!

I would make it a 2 day thing personally because of the distance.

 

[sam vimes]

Grayling fisheries are notoriously up and down, especially with regards to bigger fish. Their pretty short life span and inconsistent recruitment sees to that. If you hear that a grayling fishery is throwing up bigger than average fish, it's best to make hay while the sun shines. If you wait too long there's a fair danger that you've missed the short window of opportunity. Give the LIF a year or two, and a bit of natural wastage, then you might find it's back to throwing up big girls again.

My own local river seems to be in a fairly low numbers and relatively small fish stage currently. Hopefully, in a year or two, those fish might just end up being a bit bigger than the usual average for the river. I won't hold my breath for any three pounders though. One of these days, I'll get to hear of a river that's not a million miles away from me dishing up 3lb+ fish and I'll actually get my backside in gear to go and fish it.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Where is Throop Neil, I like the sound of it but it might be a little far a field for one days trotting?

Just googled it and it says Bournmouth......too far I reckon!

Yes, just north of Bournemouth on the Dorset Stour. BH8 0DQ gets you in the general area.

 

[tigger]

Yes, just north of Bournemouth on the Dorset Stour. BH8 0DQ gets you in the general area.

Thanks Neil, we used to do a dog show there but the drive down is pretty dire and the drive back even worse! It would be worth travelling that far if there was more than one person going and for at least a couple of days fishing. The cost of fuel and distance puts the blockers on it for one person really....looks a nice place though!

 

[S-Kippy]

Grayling fisheries are notoriously up and down, especially with regards to bigger fish. Their pretty short life span and inconsistent recruitment sees to that. If you hear that a grayling fishery is throwing up bigger than average fish, it's best to make hay while the sun shines. If you wait too long there's a fair danger that you've missed the short window of opportunity. Give the LIF a year or two, and a bit of natural wastage, then you might find it's back to throwing up big girls again.

My own local river seems to be in a fairly low numbers and relatively small fish stage currently. Hopefully, in a year or two, those fish might just end up being a bit bigger than the usual average for the river. I won't hold my breath for any three pounders though. One of these days, I'll get to hear of a river that's not a million miles away from me dishing up 3lb+ fish and I'll actually get my backside in gear to go and fish it.

Yep....i reckon that's where we are on the LIF atm. Bottom of the cycle and it will be a year or 3 before the big girls start showing with any consistency. That's not to say there aren't still good fish there to be caught but the lower river is without doubt absolutely stuffed with fish of a certain year class currently. Funnily enough it was not dissimilar last year except that there were a lot of tiny grayling about.....i only had one really tiny fish on Saturday.

And no eels thank the Lord !

Me and the BF are definitely up for a crack at Throop.

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Oh! Just a note to everyone who might attend: Graham also knows a thing or two about winter fishing on Throop........ except the bit about getting truly huge chub actually in the landing net...........

Glad I only lose floats

 

[Graham Elliott 1]

I'm not biting