Shallow Water Swims

Mark,

Even though the results of that day were not what we had hoped for I think that, given the pitifully low water level, we didn?t fare too badly.

Some of the nicest things on this part of the river are the birds and other wildlife that abound at Britford to which Mark refers.
In fact, while I waited for Mark to wander back to the car park I spent an enjoyable 20 minutes or so watching an egret feeding on the far bank of the old course of the river.
It was truly magnificent and especially so as it was almost in the shadow of Salisbury Cathedral.

I could not agree more with Mark regarding the handling of the Grayling on the Avon. They do seem to be even more fragile than elsewhere and I try whenever possible to unhook them without removing them from the river. It is not easy but more than worth the extra effort.
Whatever else you do please, never, ever place them in a keepnet as they will in all probability not survive!

The bailiff on this stretch, Stuart, is one of the most helpful and nicest people I have ever met. In September when Ron Clay and I first fished this stretch (actually for about 5 days on the trot) he really went out of his way to put us both on decent swims and was more than free with tips and information.

Now, Mark is being a little modest about his fishing the Trent Trotter.
I can tell you that he gave a virtuoso display of how to fish this method. Such was the master class that both Stuart and I spent a long time just watching and learning.

I have used the method before and it is most effective when faced with really low water levels. In keeping with many of fishing?s ?discoveries,? Billy Lane tells in his book that he stumbled on the method following a tangle, and developed the further from there.
Although I have tried the Walker modification, I do prefer the original Billy Lane set-up providing that you can obtain some very (and I mean very) soft shot.
Otherwise the Walker modification is a far safer alternative.

The problem I now have is that I contrived to loose my last Trent Trotter float a few weeks after the day with Mark.
So, if anyone knows of a tackle shop where you can buy these remarkable little floats, please e-mail me with the details.

Mark, I really enjoyed that day and I hope that we can repeat it soon.

Thanks Mark - another enjoyable read. I've fished the section you were on several times without anything like the same results(in fact no results!) but you have encouraged me to have another crack!

Peter, I'm not at all sure whether Trent Trotters were ever commercially produced but you would know better. Thinking back to Billy Lanes chapter in his "Encyclopedia of Float Fishing", I recollect he adapted standard Avon floats for the purpose. Looking at Marks picture it looks like an avon with its bottom stem chopped off? Perhaps this is the way forward rather than building from scratch?

I would recommend the "Encyclopedia" to any float fisherman.A great read.

Nigel,

Mine were so old I really connot remember where I got them from, although, Marks & Marlow rings a bell in the old (and fading) memory banks.
The ones I had were a little more pear-shaped than a modified Avon, but I am thinking of "adapting" some old Avon floats anyway.

Billy Lane's Encyclopedia is as good a read, and just as applicable, today as it was when first written IMHO.

Another good book is Kevin Ashurst's World Class Match Angling".His use of simple peacock quill floats is worth a read.

That's a lovely article Mark. Great memories of my time with Peter at Britford.

I think that the Drennan Loafer, the small one is very close to the Trent Trotter.

I put it on with a simple top and bottom rubber.

By the way, the last time I walked into my local tackle shop and asked for a packet of rubbers, he told me to go to the chemists shop down the road.... )