The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Mercman wrote:My daughter is at Christchurch too Reedling, I will take a walk along there next time I am in Canterbury. I have to agree with you it is a lovely town, also some of the coastal towns are nice too. I particularly like Herne Bay, it's like turning the clock back 50 years, largely unspoiled.

We like Herne bay Mercman and Whitstable is nice as well. A bit further afield Sandwich and Deal are well worth a visit and the Roman fort at Richborough is an eye opener.

Technically it's free to the residents of the Canterbury area, since the time of Henry the eighth and between the railway bridge near thanington upstream and vauxhal road downstream.

Never heard of that before Greentura even the EA booklet on fishing the river says it is free fishing within the perimeter of the city. But some of these old laws and permissions have never changed over the years so technically that could well be the case. You hear of these long forgotten rules and legislations cropping up quite often especially with rights of passage and some very obscure items when people want to throw a spanner in the works so to speak at planning items. Do you know if the law has been upheld in living memory before now?

I had a couple of hours on the Stour in Canterbury yesterday whilst the wife was shopping. as I had never fished here before I did a bit of roving setting off from the Westgate Gardens and worked my way up to the railway bridge, just trotting worms and feeding maggots.

I have read that all of this is free fishing right up to the end of the playing fields and its a beautiful stretch and quite deep in places with lots of swirling eddies.
Had a couple of good tugs then this little surprise.

From the clipped tail I think it was a stocky, a bit slim though, hardly 3lbs and swam of none the worse for wear, then the phone went and I had to go.
I can't wait for the next shopping trip!!!

JW