Thames: River Thames - is it fishing for anyone else?

[Murton Bere]

Have been three or four times, sometimes fishing on into dusk/dark with big baits but a couple of times feeding and fishing with maggot knowing this would possibly attract masses of small fish.

Not a touch! Have heard stories that matches in and around Medley have been won with ounces but can't swear it's true. But I've also fished a local lake with Tench in it and usually if they're not having then small silver fish will - again, not a touch.

And this is not just me, mates have also suffered.

What's going on?

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Seems to be a slow start all round this year.

You have to ween the fish off their natural food.

Patience. This rainfall might liven thigns up a bit - hopefully NOT TOO MUCH.

 

[Murton Bere]

I'm used to patience Jeff - with my lack of angling ability I have to be!

But no pesky bleak, no swaggering Perch picking up my worm intended for larger quarry? Seems a bit strange to me. But I am hoping the rain will stir things up.

 

[dsr1]

I have fished the Thames a couple of times this season, the last about 10 days ago. I have caught fish on both occasions throughout the day. Most of the fish were roach, plus the odd dace and small chub, nothing of any size. I fished the float, mostly using punched bread as the moment a maggot went on the gudgeon and bleak appeared.

I was fishing further upstream than you, around Buscot.

David

 

[alan whittington]

Murton, ive been twice on the Thames just below Abingdon,one blank with just the odd touch and on Saturday fished a good chub and bream swim where you always have a chance of a barbel and had a wrap round,what was it a 4lb tench,also had a go on the Thame,one bite,4lb+ chub,it seems extrordinarily slow with the only fish topping seem to be little fellas.

 

[Specihunter]

lets hope the rain improves the flow .

 

[Murton Bere]

Not really picked up yet.

Visited Windrush on Thursday evening - 3 Chub including 4 1/2lber. (also a loose siting of an Otter I believe).

Back on Thames below Abingdon on Friday night, not a sniff again. I'm sure it's just a case of it switching on, I fished maggot as a gauge of what was happening but not a touch. Bigger stuff as it got dark but no real bites to speak of. The water at times though looked like heavy rain was falling on it with the mass insect hatch taking place. Natural food like this can't pre-occupy ALL the fish so easily can it? Only two 'rises' seen by anything sizeable.

 

[Specihunter]

where on the windrush were you fishing

 

[Murton Bere]

Near confluence with the Thames

 

[Specihunter]

which club owns that stretch. I had a 2lb from newlands .

 

[peter crabtree]

Kingston on Thames last night at Canbury gardens,20 fished a match 6:30 to9pm ,and I'm very happy to say that 2nd place came to an angler (10+LB) all goer roach and dace on the stick float.Considering this venue has a BIG population of cormorants and there has been no flow or colour, I am feeling a lot more confident than I was at the start of the season. Bring on the autumn!!!

 

[Nik Foad]

Fished the free stretch of the Thames by Windsor Rugby pitch last sunday from 5pm to 10pm. Not a thing.
Will keep on trying!

 

[alan whittington]

Been today just below Abingdon,my mate and i caught nothing,its becoming habit forming.

 

[sergioge]

Hi mate,i fish the Thames everyday and ive definatly found out that the tidal sections of the river are fishing better than the non-tidal,the non-tidal is really slow to pick up this season and ive noticed an abnormal amount of weed that is absolutely crammed full of natural food for the fish im not sure if this has anything to do with it but ive done a few nights on the non-tidal and not even a bream has come out so i decided to fish the tidal for the last two nights and what do you know four carp to 28lb 11oz and 9 bream to 8lb 4oz,im definatly going to keep trying on the non-tidal as i fished the same section of the river in kingston last season and had 7 carp out in a night to 34lb 6oz and got overwhelmed by bream but try and get on the tidal sections of the river between teddington lock and richmond it is fishing alot better at the moment.tight lines.

 

[alan whittington]

Im glad someone is catching on the river somewhere even if it is on the tidal,well done Rivercarper

 

[sergioge]

Thanks mate,im off again tonight to try my luck on the non-tidal somewhere in between kingston and hampton court,bring on the autumn,tight lines.

 

[alan whittington]

And so say all of us,im off to Christchurch with the family for a couple weeks shortly(i will get a few hours on the Stour most evenings)and hopefully when i get back things will have kicked off.Tell you what the way it is where i go it would be good to be overwhelmed by minnows(yuk,what am i saying)

 

[peter crabtree]

Hi Rivercarper,have you fished around Kew bridge recently?I have read of kills down there.

 

[Murton Bere]

At least someone's seen some action.

Rivercarper - good stuff. Sadly the tidal is not in the equation for me living in Oxford. I've been on the Thames three times in the last week including last night. One bite last night which I think was a small bream and I don't always hit them not that that worries me as they're not what I'm targetting.

Some signs of the odd fish topping but it's dreadfully slow. Some signs of crayfish attacking my bait too last night which is a worrying sign. Where I fish at Culham they've not been too big a problem but they seem to be spreading.

I also fish a stretch at Northmoor which I've only been to twice in the first week. Good Roach stretch but the local farmer has his cows in there at the moment and they trash my car! Lick it all over and smash off door mirrors in the process. I now have two bloody dents in the rear door!

Good for beefburgers that's all.............

 

[geoffmaynard]

I've done no better. I've had a couple of sessions at Teddington with little to show for it but small bream and a couple of fat dace and just had 4 hours at Weybridge for ziltch.