The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I talk to anglers around the Hampton court area where the Mole and ember enter each season and often hear of sea trout being caught. I've never had one myself though

There's definitely sea trout as far up as Reading and possibly further up. I suspect the come through the lochs.

I also believe that they will jump the weirs in times of high water. If barbel can do it so can a mini-salmon!

I am sure I said this before but when I used to play on the Woolwich ferry as a kid(1960's) we used to look over the side and we used to see these tied up things floating down the river , they were known locally as Thames Trout, you would not want to catch one though.
Thinking about the river back then I do not think any type of fish would have survived that stretch of water, it really used to pen and ink all through the summer months and if the tide was out the mud stunk to high heaven. Back then you could hardly see the river for boats and barges going up and down and heavy industry puffing out smoke and effluent at a tremendous rate. What an improvement we have now and fish can be caught anywhere down the river both fresh and sea species.

If anyone thinks Thames weirs are a barrier to Trout or Salmon forget it, Standing on Shepperton Weir as a youngster I watched a rather decent Brownie make it's way in instalments up the weir at the end of the walkway, this was in the middle of summer and at average water levels. Trout, Salmon and Sea Trout make Barbel look tame in regards to the water they can navigate

Even Beluga whales now!

Just seen a Thames trout /sea trout, late this afternoon whilst cycling home. Notably, it was about 3 lb and very silvery and thick bodied, and dead! Looked like a couple of cormorant slashes were responsible for its demise. I saw it on the Thames right next to the Kennet mouth, and several hundred yards from where some years ago I caught one just a little bigger up at Blakes lock. Both were very silvery almost like salmon and the Loch leven strain! Anyway, not nice to see such a lovely fish dead, but at least they're still in the Thames. I also saw one last year chasing a hooked bleak as I reeled it in, and I also caught another one about ten years ago on sweetcorn at Shiplake, near where the Loch leven trout were originally released and is the location for much of the brilliant book 'Thames Trout' by Hobbs.

Spinning with a bleak - should sort one out from a weir-pool!

Yer, that's on my to do list for the summer!

Friends of mine have taken a few sea trout over recent years from the tidal Thames whilst pike fishing...We used to take a few brownies from Marlow Weir in the 70's (while minnow live baiting for early season barbel) before they took it off the Thames weir permit for 'elf and safety' reasons.