River Medway

[Matt Parker]

Section of Fishery or river stretch...Yalding
Date...................30 January 2002
Time fished............11.30am-4.30pm
Weather conditions.....Clear, then overcast and drizzle
Water conditions.......The sluice gates on the weir were completely open to allow the floodwater to run off. As a result the water level above the weir had dropped by about 8 foot, exposing much of the river bed, and the river itself had the appearance of a tidal trout stream in spate at low tide (if you can imagine such a thing). Below the weir, more standard flood conditions prevailed.
Water Temperature...... not taken
Bait .................. turmeric-flavoured maggots; casters & hemp
Method ............... stick, then blockend.
Results ............... 1 13oz roach and some bits
Brief description of the session and any remarks............ Had planned to fish above the weir but decided even I wasn't crazy enough to attempt it given the conditions. Fished about 30 yards below the road bridge. Heavy balsa stick 1 rod length out in a slowish glide. Roach came out after about ten minutes in and seemed to imply a good head of fish in the swim, but next two hours were biteless. After stopping for an hour to get the AA to fix the car (throttle cable had snapped just as I was parking) returned to fish the feeder. Regular bites but only from tiddlers (roach, dace, gudgeon).

 

[Matt Parker]

Section of Fishery or river stretch...Yalding
Date...................26 February 2002
Time fished............11am-4.15pm
Weather conditions.....Overcast, windy & mild, becoming rainy with gales.
Water conditions....... Coloured and high
Water Temperature...... not taken
Bait .................. casters
Method ............... stick, then groundbait feeder.
Results ............... 3 roach: 14oz, 11 oz, 6 oz. 4 bream about 2.5lbs each. 3 gudgeon.
Brief description of the session and any remarks............
Returned to Yalding continuing attempts to catch large river roach. (My modest definition of "large" is over a pound.) Sluice gates thankfully back in usual position. River upstream of weir returned to normal level. Fished about 300 yards upstream of the weir. Started on light balsa stick about 1 rodlength out in 8 foot of water but strong downstream wind put me off after 1/2 an hour. Switched to groundbait feeder and double caster 2/3 across. Bites came immediately and continued throughout session. Hard to spot bites given the gale force winds which rose up, but roach bites bolder than bream bites. Bumped off about three more bream at the net: due I think to the wind and to coupling a medium-heavy feeder rod with a light tip. Roach target not quite reached but confident of achieving it before the end of the season. Retired sooner than planned because rain had seeped through Barbour.

 

[Steve Holman]

Section of Fishery or river stretch:Fordcombe
Date:19th January2006
Time fished:8.00am to 1.00pm
Weather conditions:Overcast and cold wind
Water conditions:Fining down nicely. Good flow and colour
Air temperature:7c
Water Temperature:
Bait:Trout pellet paste and cheese
Method:Quivertipping
Results:No chub
Brief description of the session & remarks:Alternated small bits of paste and small cheese cubes. Not even a tremor, despite fishing 6 different swims. Couldn't believe it. Not too cold a day and river looked perfect

 

[Christian Tyroll]

Section of Fishery or river stretch: Ashurst
Date: 15th july 06
Time fished: 3.30pm - 7.30pm
Weather conditions: sunny, with a slight wind
Water conditions: As a weir normally is.
Air temperature: 20c
Water Temperature:
Bait: luncheon meat, boilies
Method: 2 rods, quiver tip, alarm
Results: 1 small barbel, 8oz roach, 10oz chub and 1lb 1/2 chub
Brief description of the session & remarks:
all fish came to luncheon meat apart from the bigger chub. caught my first ever barbel which was good, had lots of runs on boilies but no connection.

 

[Christian Tyroll]

Section of Fishery or river stretch: Ashurst, below weir
Date:23rd July 06
Time fished: 2pm - 9pm
Weather conditions: Sunny, slight cloud, slight breeze
Water conditions: low but a bit of colour after a bit of rain
Air temperature: 25c (note above entry was 27c i got it wrong)
Water Temperature:
Bait: maggots, boilie
Method: stick float, ledger
Results: lots of gudgeon and a few chub
Brief description of the session & remarks:
used my pint of maggots within 2hours and then switched to ledgering boilies. Managed 3fish on boilies, all hooked unlike last time. i think keeping the bait tight to the hair really helped catch the chub. the 3 chub weighed 2lb 1oz, 3lb and 3lb 10oz. I have total faith that if the Barbs are in the swim and feeding these will catch them, also glad the chub like them to! instead of fishing with an alarm i fished the rod tip up and waited for knocks, the avon tip was still very responsive,