The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

My local Bristol Avon has seen a demise in Chub, Roach, Perch and Barbel. It has been hit hard but Otters and "other" issues. There are loads of Bleak and Minnows in the stretch I fish but it is getting harder to find the sort of fish and fishing I did say, 10 years ago? Very difficult to put a "mixed bag" Together.

I will try the upstream stretch of Christian Malford this season. Last year I saw a top of small fish, they looked like huge shoals of dace between 1 - 2 oz, in that part of the river. Looks good for a day on the long whip. Or may have to try out a trusty "Still water blue" as in the summer it is virtually Stillwater.

A gudgeon was the first fish I caught during my short lived attempt at fishing when I was young. Can't wait to get out and see if there are stillany around here.

Catfish.017 wrote:Yes Chubman, I'm afraid in my experience the E.A. Are uninterested in any situation that requires real effort to remedy. iI've recently sent a lengthy email to Natural resources Wales (our E.A version) catalogue img the steep decline in the stocks on every coarse fishery (and there aren't many) in the Swansea area due to cormorants and Eastern European 'anglers'? They have to respond within ten days. I'm not exactly waiting with bated breath!

I live in Llandrindod Wells and I emailed them a lot about my river losing all of it's fish from chub to Minnow (mainly through otter predation). Most of the answers they give you are nothing but uneducated guesses as to whether the species in question will make a come back. I asked them if they would mind doing a fish count and they told me my river wasn't due for any surveys at this time.

At one point it seemed as though I may be getting somewhere because I was asked to report some of my findings to their marine department. The chap I spoke to seemed really excited about some of the things I'd seen, so much so that the phone call lasted over 20 minutes but nothing ever came of it.

The fact of the matter is they are just too under staffed because of the lack of government funding that they can't afford to do a lot of the things they'd like to do.

My first ever gudgeon two days ago, bequeathed by the mighty Swale.



They don't seem to be that common up here. Admittedly I've never actively fished for them but my, aren't they pretty! This was from a stretch of water still full of big fish on which I've witnessed its resident otters cruising down at dusk and the occasional cormorant.

The Trent use to be full of them,but I seldom catch one these days,If I do it is normally using a very small custom made feeder with half a dendra worm.....which can be deadly when after a Trent perch.

Back in the 70's you could catch 10lb or more in a session,I fished a small weir pool at Clifton and caught some real fat chinny's (that's what we use to call them).....I always smile and take time to look at these wonderful little fish when I catch one...

I caught 4 Tuesday

River Test.......they are there for the taking:




The Mole likes Gudgeon: