Neil Maidment
Moderator
I've had a couple of "conversations" via various messenger apps with some acquaintances who query why I bother with fishing "a place like Throop Fisheries" so often. After all it's always crowded and well past its sell by date (slight contradiction there methinks).
Well, me and the Stour, Throop in particular, have a bit of history.
I was introduced to fishing by my uncles on the lower Stour way back in the late 1950's. Into the early 1960's, still in short trousers, I expanded my horizons when I used to make the relatively short walk and later bike ride down Yeomans Road from my home in Castle Lane to Throop.
I have distant memories of Ernie Leah, the eponymous Throop Bailiff and certainly remember the New Weir when it was "new".
I had my first barbel from what is now Beat3 (was Littledown Estate). My first chub came from School Bridge from the same swim I much later had my first ever 7lber on the float. First proper roach and perch both came from the Mill Pool.
Most of my uncles had fished the Stour and Throop for years including for salmon and sea trout. Amongst many successes, one of them had what we believe is still one of the biggest recorded salmon from the Stour at 30lbs+. In fact he is "still" down there now and will be for ever more :wh
I fished Throop regularly right up to 1988 when family and career took me to London and further afield. Occasional visits were then restricted to 150 mile round trips and the odd family visit.
Having had the opportunity to take early retirement, my wife, a Poole girl, and I both decided that back home to Dorset was the first choice. We finally made that move in July last year. The fishing wasn't necessarily the most important thing but I didn't protest too much.
So this last season was the first for many years I've been able to concentrate on a proper effort on Throop, and in particular for the chub. 99% of all my chub fishing is with a float rod and centrepin in hand. In that mode all is well in my world.
Thanks to Ringwood & DAA and indeed the small band of members for keeping the fishery in such stunning condition, much appreciated. God willing I'll be back next season, and for a few seasons more, it's trotting heaven!
Here's a slide show of some of the highlights of my Autumn/Winter chasing the marvellous chub within Throop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSD2ww6iTVM
Well, me and the Stour, Throop in particular, have a bit of history.
I was introduced to fishing by my uncles on the lower Stour way back in the late 1950's. Into the early 1960's, still in short trousers, I expanded my horizons when I used to make the relatively short walk and later bike ride down Yeomans Road from my home in Castle Lane to Throop.
I have distant memories of Ernie Leah, the eponymous Throop Bailiff and certainly remember the New Weir when it was "new".
I had my first barbel from what is now Beat3 (was Littledown Estate). My first chub came from School Bridge from the same swim I much later had my first ever 7lber on the float. First proper roach and perch both came from the Mill Pool.
Most of my uncles had fished the Stour and Throop for years including for salmon and sea trout. Amongst many successes, one of them had what we believe is still one of the biggest recorded salmon from the Stour at 30lbs+. In fact he is "still" down there now and will be for ever more :wh
I fished Throop regularly right up to 1988 when family and career took me to London and further afield. Occasional visits were then restricted to 150 mile round trips and the odd family visit.
Having had the opportunity to take early retirement, my wife, a Poole girl, and I both decided that back home to Dorset was the first choice. We finally made that move in July last year. The fishing wasn't necessarily the most important thing but I didn't protest too much.
So this last season was the first for many years I've been able to concentrate on a proper effort on Throop, and in particular for the chub. 99% of all my chub fishing is with a float rod and centrepin in hand. In that mode all is well in my world.
Thanks to Ringwood & DAA and indeed the small band of members for keeping the fishery in such stunning condition, much appreciated. God willing I'll be back next season, and for a few seasons more, it's trotting heaven!
Here's a slide show of some of the highlights of my Autumn/Winter chasing the marvellous chub within Throop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSD2ww6iTVM