Swim Names

terry m · Jan 12, 2015

We all probably know the normal run of the mill swim names, The Bay, The Gate, The Dead End, The Point etc etc, but I learnt of a new swim name on a large mainly carp water near to me. It was called 'The Benefits Bank' name after the supposed high numbers of out of work individuals fishing for very long sessions. An unusual name for a swim.

Any unusual swim names on your waters?

nicepix · Jan 12, 2015

There is a swim on the River Dearne that has produced two 14lb+ barbel that is known locally as 'Duelling Banjos'. If you fish it and live to tell the tale you'll realise why.

binka · Jan 12, 2015

We have one which is now referred to as "The Cresta Run", this was after my mate slipped returning a 22lb pike and proceeded down the steep bank on his backside before ending up in the river up to his neck still clutching the landing net with the fish inside.

There's also "The Fart Swim" (self explanatory, i'll spare you the details) and "The Windmill" which is a barbel swim affectionately named after what the often lightening bites tend do to your rod rest head!

smudger172 · Jan 12, 2015

On a local reservoir the only swims named are the pier swim that Alan Wilson made famous when he broke the tench record back in the day, and the pipe swim where Ken Smith equaled the perch record a few years back.

S-Kippy · Jan 12, 2015

A few local to me spring to mind. On the GUC there is an outflow everybody round here knows as the "Poo Flumes"...and for pretty obvious reasons and on the Colne we have the infamous "Cyanide Straight".

Years ago when my local stretch of the Colne held a decent head of big roach one of the best spots was "Pop's Corner"...though I could not tell you who Pop was. Sadly Pops has silted up now and that year class of roach are long gone.

peter crabtree · Jan 12, 2015

The " Railings " at Canbury gardens Kingston on Thames.
Locally on the Colne... "The stumps". "The bomb hole". "The doctors".
GUC Croxley; "Animal house". A huge overhanging Hawthorn on the opposite bank holding big carp. Long since gone

GUC Tring, "the Gusher" a clean water outlet from the sewerage works...."The tins" at Wilstone above the lock onto Gudgeon stream.
GUC Ricky. "Hemp bridge"
GUC Aylesbury arm canal at Aylesbury..."Tescos"

mg:

Phil Hatton 2 · Jan 12, 2015

We have a swim on the Dane known as 'Shrinkers' It received it's name after one of our guys slipped in whilst netting a Barbel...apparently the water was cold.

cattyfatty · Jan 13, 2015

me and my mate named a swim in are local pond called "crappy corner".
this is a true story
the story is we where fishing 2 swims in these high reeds pegs , but you could see folks but they couldn't see you too much.
well this old bloke came and set up across from us we could see him hopping on one leg then the other then looked around to see if any one was about then dropped his kegs and you could see his white skinny arse with a brown substance hitting the deck for all to see.
my mate was laughing nearly coming off his chair , i was the same,well my mate stood up and shouted "stop sh#tting in the peg you dirty bast##d".
with that old guy turned around and said " its the mrs cooking i've got the shits cannot be helped". he didn't even clean it up , i checked next day when i went.
did it on the footpath.....

russell_bush · Jan 13, 2015

'Gracelands' is a swim on a local stillwater, where our mate 'Elvis' Gubbins used to fish regularly. 'Three Stumps', a local barbel hotspot is now re-named 'Stump-less' after the floods of the last few years...

The Runner · Jan 13, 2015

Think the Colne at Uxbridge must be just about the only stretch of river that doesn't have a swim called "The Stump"
We have some self explanatory ones, The Railings, Apple Tree, Perch Hole, Hollybush etc and some less explicable ones, mainly relating to long gone features ;
"Shooting Tower" used to have a clay pigeon shoot on the far bank

"The Dole House"- building behind it used to be the DHSS offices

"The Lawn"- was once a nice tulip and daffodil planted lawn in front of what was Fisons; kept its old name, as "The Impenetrable Tangle of Buddleia and Coils of Wire" is too much of a mouthful.

"Atlantis" aka "Gravel Island"-mid-river island disappeared years ago after a flood...

Further downstream, it's still known as Pops Corner- none of us have any idea why either. Some of the older anglers also refer to an area bit down from Pops as "Tinpots" for equally obscure reasons.

A favourite from my youth 40 years ago on the Tidal Tyne was "The Shitfountain" at Clara Vale...

sam vimes · Jan 13, 2015

Most swim names seem to revolve around fairly obvious features (historic or current) or the names of those that regularly occupy the swims. Sometimes it's a mix of the two. Most of the time, such names a pretty uninteresting unless there's a interesting backstory.

The names I tend to like best are often not in common use. Those made up by a few and applied unknowingly to the rest of the anglers that frequent the venue. Sometimes there's good reason why they aren't known to all!

The nature of the rivers in this neck of the woods do not lend themselves to having named swims beyond the geographic (Easby Bend, Station Bend, Langton Bridge etc). One I do recall from my youth was known as Grayling Flats. Everyone knew what and where you meant if you said it, but it seems to have fallen out of common use now. Another I recall was The Sunken Bridge. Thirty years ago, it was blindingly obvious why it was called that. Now it's not quite so obvious, unless you look carefully or see it in very low water conditions.

The Runner · Jan 13, 2015

Forgot one...
Permanent peg 17 is far better known as "The Helicopter Pad". It was always the favourite swim of a husband and wife who used to be members who , one working party, built an abnormally large platform there so they could fish it side by side. A few days later some wit painted an "H" on it
Platform long since replaced but the name has stuck

flightliner · Jan 13, 2015

The "suitcase swim" where a chopped up murder victim was found on a major midlands river some dozen years ago.

binka · Jan 13, 2015

flightliner said:
The "suitcase swim" where a chopped up murder victim was found on a major midlands river some dozen years ago.

That was a gruesome find flighty, I know the stretch you mean.

thecrow · Jan 13, 2015

The suicide swim on a syndicate water in the middle of a golf course, the swim was so named as it was in a corner that golfers tried to drive over, most didn't make it.

chub_on_the_block · Jan 13, 2015

Cyanide Strait on Thames at Tadpole Bridge (it was deadly poor)

river wanderer · Jan 13, 2015

I have heard Of swims close to the car parks called. the old man's peg. and one on the wheelock ticket called the waiting room. the stumps,the point, the sand banks,are some others I have come across.

Bob Hornegold · Jan 14, 2015

A syndicate I use to belong to had a swim know as " Dead Mans Shoes ", I believe it was know as this because that was the only way you could get into the syndicate

Bob

law · Jan 14, 2015

My club had a lake built.
After a couple of years, a swim became know as Franks Swim.
The club didn't have anyone called Frank as a member, so who knows where the name came from!

Swim Names

terry m

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nicepix

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binka

Guest

smudger172

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S-Kippy

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peter crabtree

AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)

Phil Hatton 2

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cattyfatty

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russell_bush

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The Runner

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sam vimes

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The Runner

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flightliner

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binka

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thecrow

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chub_on_the_block

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river wanderer

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Bob Hornegold

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law

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