River Don

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster prison
Date...................03 Feb 02
Time fished............1pm-5pm
Weather conditions.....Very Windy, Mild
Water conditions.......River was up about 2 feet (50%) and tanking through. Almost all pegs unfishable.
Bait ..................Meat, Boilies, Cheesepaste
Method ...............Quiver tipped bomb in various slacks.
Results ...............6lb 2oz Barbel
Brief description of the session and any remarks............Couldn't find a suitable swim. Moved about a bit. Missed one knock on Boilie 2ft from the bank. Moved into a swim with a good slack with 20 minutes to go. Hooked and landed p.b. Barbel on Meat. Spooked loads of other fish while playing it. There must have been loads of fish there.

 

[Matt Brown]

Cheers Ron. Blanked today though!

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster prison
Date...................05 Feb 02
Time fished............9am-2.30pm
Weather conditions.....Very windy again, Mild
Water conditions.......River was up about 4/5ft feet (double depth) and really pushing. Almost all pegs unfishable.
Bait ..................I Tried Meat, Boilies, Lobworm & Cheesepaste hookbaits over Pellet.
Method ...............Quiver tipped bomb 10ft out into the least boily water in a slack.
Results ...............Nowt!
Brief description of the session and any remarks............I manage to get what I thought would be the best peg on the day. I say that because even the River Cheswold and the Backwater under Crimpsal Sluice were bombing through. Anyway, no proper bites, maybe a few tiny liners, loads of tackle lost on snags and had the indignity of having the largest Chub I'd ever seen roll over my bait.

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster prison
Date...................10 Feb 02
Time fished............2.30pm-5.30pm
Weather conditions.....Mild but windy
Water conditions.......River was up about 2ft and had dropped 2 feet from previous morning
Almost all pegs still unfishable.
Bait ..................I Tried Meat, Bread and Cheesepaste hookbaits over Pellet.
Method ...............Quiver tipped bomb into a slack. Moved pegs once.
Results ...............Nowt!
Brief description of the session and any remarks............Despite the river looking good I only managed a definate couple of knocks on Cheesepaste. I can't help thinking that something nasty has been washed into the river. I talked to an angler who was fishing for bits and he'd only had a few small Roach from a favoured peg.

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, St Mary's Bridge
Date...................17 Feb 02
Time fished............3.15pm-5.45pm
Weather conditions.....Mild but windy
Water conditions.......River had dropped to only 1 ft over usual level, but was still pushing. Most pegs looked more appealing than they had for weeks.
Bait ..................Meat & Cheesepaste
Method ...............Quiver tipped bomb to known fish holding area on far bank.
Results ...............1 Chub, about 1 lb
Brief description of the session and any remarks............River still going too fast. Struggled with 4oz lead fished upstream. Missed a good bite, but also had knocks and a couple of liners. Fish were obviously feeding. I should have fished a peg where I could have caught closer in. Better presentation would have meant more fish. Can't wait to try again!

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, St Mary's Bridge
Date...................03 March 02
Time fished............3.45pm-6.30pm
Weather conditions.....Mild, NNW Wind
Water conditions.......River has been up for about 5 or 6 weeks. It's still 4 feet up, but dropping. Most pegs still unfishable
Bait ..................Meat, Paste, Hemp & Maggots
Method ...............Quiver tipped bomb into a slack on near bank.
Results ...............1 Bream 4lb 1oz
Brief description of the session and any remarks............No other bites. I'm really hoping the river drops so I can get a good couple of quality sessions before the season ends.

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, St Mary's Bridge
Date...................06 March 02
Time fished............10.45pm-6.15pm
Weather conditions.....Mild, 50mph gust from SW
Water conditions.......River has been up for about 5 or 6 weeks, but had dropped from 4 or 5 feet up to only 18" up in the last 3 days. Coloured, but in a natural way.
Bait ..................Meat, Paste, Hemp & Maggots
Method ...............Quiver tipped bomb & stick float and maggots..
Results ...............1 Bream 4lb (again), 2 Chub at about 1.25lb, 3 Roach and 4 Perch (all around 6oz to 8oz)
Brief description of the session and any remarks............Hooked and lost a smallish Chub first cast on the float. Caught both Chub and one Roach in the first hour, but moved pegs because I coudn't cope with the wind. Next two pegs I were worse but persevered anyway but no bites were forthcoming. The last peg was slacker. The Bream was the only bite all day on the tip. The small fish came on the stick float, just off the main flow. I missed quite a few bites, but most of these I blame on the wind!

There's just time for me to get a couple of more sessions in before the end of the season. Fingers are crossed hoping the water continues to drop and the wind follows suit!

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, St Mary's Bridge
Date...................11 March 02
Time fished............11.00am-3.30pm
Weather conditions.....Mildish, wind had dropped from previous days, but was still awkward.
Water conditions.......River has dropped to only 10 inches over making all pegs fishable again. The level dropped 3 inches while I was was there, then rose 1 inch when it rained.
Bait ..................Meat, Paste, Hemp & Boilies
Method ...............Quiver tipped bomb
Results ...............No fish, no bites. I have a feeling something evil is polluting the water. Conditions were almost perfect and I should have had tons of bites. There was loads of rubbish coming down even though the level was dropping quickly. Maybe the dredging upstream has started. Hopefully they will have finished before the season re-opens!

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, Behind Prison, below sluice and River Cheswold just downstream.
Date...................08 Dec 02
Time fished............8.15am - 10.15am
Weather conditions.....It was supposed to be cold according to the forcast but it was mild enough to fish wearing a non-windproof fleece and no outer shell.
Water conditions.......About 1 ft up. A few Roach topping below the Salmon Run. Saw one largish Barbel roll. Looks good for Barbel and Roach. One bloke had had a few small Perch while using worms for Barbel.
Bait ..................Spinners and Plugs
Method ................Spinning. 7ft Rod.
Results ...............2 Pike. One about 2lbs the other about 3.5lbs, plus a Perch around 6oz. I also had 2 Pike come off - one right in front of me (guestimate 4lbs) and one at the net (about 2lbs). Maybe one or two other knocks.

Brief description of the session and any remarks............Quite happy about that for 2 hours fishing for a spinning novice. I wish I didn't have to go to work. Didn't lose an Spinners!

1st Pike came from below the Salmon run on a small plus. Had one Pike, one Perch and lost a Pike on the Cheswold about 20 yards upstream from corner peg (where it joins the Don). Lost one from right below Crimsall Sluice. Must try that peg for Roach in future.

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, Behind Prison, below sluice and River Cheswold just downstream.
Date...................15 Dec 02
Time fished............8.20am - 10.00am
Weather conditions.....Rain, rain and more rain.
Water conditions.......About 2.5 ft up. Saw a bit of fish movement in the slack, but the river is mainly unfisheable, plus there's debris floating down.
Bait ..................Spinners and Plugs
Method ................Spinning. 7ft Rod.
Results ...............Nowt!

Brief description of the session and any remarks............I was a bit depressed when I saw how much the river had risen overnight. The bottom of the Salmon Run and the joining of the Don and Cheswold were fisheable but it was very cold.

Had one take but the hook came out after the fish shot off the other way. Bugger!

 

[Phil Heaton]

Section of Fishery or river stretch: Sprotborough between wier and road bridge (pegs 2,3 and 4)
Date: 5 Jan 03
Day Ticket/Club/Private: Doncaster AA
Time fished: 08:00 to 13:00
Weather conditions: Bright, sunny, but very cold and frosty
Water conditions: approx. 3' of extra water, but not too coloured.
Water Temperature: Not taken (bet it was not far off 0 deg, all local stillwaters and floodwaters were frozen)
Bait: Cheese paste, bread and spiced meat
Method: light ledger in margins and slack swims
Results: naff all
Brief description of the session and any remarks: from about 10:00 a few fish (some of a substantial size) started topping. I feel that an afternoon session into darkness could have been productive, but it was good to be back on moving water. I would suggest that if we don't get much more wet stuff the river will fish better come mid week after it has fined down and lost some more of its excess water.

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, Behind PrisonDate...................19 Jan 03
Time fished............Noon - 3.30pm
Weather conditions.....Rain at first, but petered out. About 6 degrees Celcius
Water conditions.......About 2.5 ft up and rising. Lots of debris.
Bait ..................Boilies, Pellets and Pinkies
Method ................Bomb & Maggot Feeder
Results ...............Blankety Blank!
Brief description of the session and any remarks............Baited up using a bait dropper and had a good fish on second cast. It was Barbel of about 5lbs and I had it up at the surface three times, at my feet but it snagged me and I lost it.

Carried on fishing the same spot (mid river) with a 5oz lead but the river rose 8 inches in an hour and a half. Had to move because lead wouldn't hold and ran out of places to sit!

Moved upstream of the Salmon Run but only had one bite on 3 pinkies down the side. The river was much more fishable here but I couldn't find the fish.

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, Behind Prison
Date...................26 Jan 03
Time fished............11am - 4.00pm
Weather conditions.....Mild - about 10 degrees, cloudy but windy, then windier, then gusty!
Water conditions.......About 1 foot up. Needed 3oz lead to hold mid river (2 rod lengths out). River dropped 1" in the first hour then rose 3" in the next 2 hours, then settled.
Bait ..................Boilies, Pellets and Meat
Method ................Bomb
Results ...............Blank! (Again!)
Brief description of the session and any remarks............Missed 2 really good bites. You know where you get a sharp pluck which alerts you, so you put your hand over the rod, then wraps round like mad. I missed both of them and I don't know how. Had other plucks and knocks. I left some of them and tried to hit others but with no luck. Most activity was on meat and while the river was dropping.

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, Behind Prison
Date...................02 Feb 03
Time fished............11am - 3.00pm
Weather conditions.....Cold with a biting wind. Odd showers.
Water conditions.......Almost normal level, colour dropping out but snowmelt cooling things down.
Bait ..................Boilie Paste, Cheese Paste & Bread.
Method ................Bomb (also tried Stick Float but it was too windy)
Results ...............1 Chub (about 1.25lb) and Pike (about 5lb - foul hooked)
Brief description of the session and any remarks............Dropped liquidised Bread in 6 swims. Missed 2 good bites on first 2 casts on Bread. Hit the third (also on Bread) and landed the Chub. Next cast missed a bite on HNV Paste. 6th cast struck and foul hooked the Pike in the tail! It started raining and had no more bites in that swim, or the nest 2 swims. Had 2 more bites in the 4th swim but missed them. Packed in because I was too cold!

 

[Matt Brown]

Section of Fishery or river stretch... River Don, near Doncaster, Behind Prison
Date...................09 Feb 03
Time fished............11am - 4.50pm
Weather conditions.....Fairly Mild, Low downstream wind
Water conditions.......Almost normal level, nice colour
Bait ..................Boilie Paste, Cheese Hemp & Casters
Method ................Bomb (also tried Stick Float)
Results ...............1 Roach / Bream Hybrid - about 1lb
Description............Missed 3 other bites and had two liners. The Hybrid was caught on Boilie Paste. Surprisingly no bites on casters. Conditions seemed perfect. Very puzzled, once again.

 

[Phil Heaton]

Section of Fishery or river stretch: Sprotborough Weir
Date: 13 July 2003
Day Ticket/Club/Private: D / T
Time fished: 16:30 to 22:00
Weather conditions: Hot And Dry
Water conditions: Normal summer level and flow
Water Temperature: not taken, but warm Bait: Bacon Grill, Sweetcorn and pellets
Method: 1.5oz tip on Avon rod
Results: 8 chub between 1.5 and 2lb
Brief description of the session and any remarks: The fishing was patchy, fish only being taken on meat, but when fish were active I missed more bites than hit.

 

[Phil Heaton]

Section of Fishery or river stretch:Behind Prison
Date:27 December 2003
Time fished:09:30 to 12:30
Weather conditions: Windy, cold but dry
Water conditions: Up maybe 6", running off with little colour
Air temperature: not taken but frost on ground
Water Temperature: warmer than air
Bait: worm
Method: crow quill avon, fished in slack water 3ib line and size 12 super specialist hook.
Results: 12 Good perch to 1.75lb
Brief description of the session & remarks: The fish entered and left the area regularly, but came in spasms, the catching zone was only maybe 12' diameter in water up to 9' deep. Strange but all the bites were very sensitive and had to sit on hands for them to develop and allow a few seconds with the float under the water before striking.

 

[DAN .(gnome hater )]

Section of Fishery or river stretch:sprotty falls
Date:16.9.06
Time fished:06.30-17.00
Weather conditions:0vercast/warm
Water conditions:falling after heavy rain from mid week
Air temperature:19-20
Water Temperature:average
Bait:worms
Methodole fished chop worm via flat float
Results:40 lb mixed bag
Brief description of the session & remarks:started off slow but was fishing in 11 ft of water perch showed first followed by skimmers and roach,
topped up swim with 2 droppers of chop after every 4 fish.
bream switched on mid day landed 7 bream biggest being 4 lb,
roach started getting bigger towards end of day.
3 lb barbel landed to end session

 

[CRITTER]

how did the don fish last year anyone?