The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

It took a whole year of catching minnows before I finally caught a 'proper' fish, a dace of 6". I was so proud I took it home to show my mum and dad, that was in 1965. I went on to catch dace frequently in the swirling waters of French Weir on the Tone and later at Yeovilton Weir on the Yeo, they were the bread and butter fish with the roach making the sandwich filling. I still catch them when trotting maggots on the Wye and I am still always happy to slip them back after admiring their delicate form. Quite how anybody can fail to spot the difference between dace and chub is beyond me.

Plenty of dace in the River Cam last year. Had some days where that was all i'd catch. Not entirely sure if the river holds anything around the 1lb mark. A beautiful fish and one of my favourites.

Lechmere wrote:It took a whole year of catching minnows before I finally caught a 'proper' fish, a dace of 6". I was so proud I took it home to show my mum and dad, that was in 1965. I went on to catch dace frequently in the swirling waters of French Weir on the Tone and later at Yeovilton Weir on the Yeo, they were the bread and butter fish with the roach making the sandwich filling. I still catch them when trotting maggots on the Wye and I am still always happy to slip them back after admiring their delicate form. Quite how anybody can fail to spot the difference between dace and chub is beyond me.

'Dented dace', I was always taught in respect of telling them apart from small chub, as a lad. (The dented bit meaning their concave dorsal fin, against the convex dorsal of the chub.)

BigFish wrote:Wargrave as on the Thames?

I often fish around Shiplake.

That's the one.

Well if you fancy a session from my punt pm me.

Thanks BigFish. When I am up that way I usually fish with my dad (weirpool in the garden). He also has access to fish from Henley sailing club and a boat at Bushnells, so pretty spoilt for choice

Is that the weirpool behind Shiplake lock? You are spoilt for choice! That looks very barbely!

Fat Fish Floats wrote:The river Beult, my local & favorite river, here in Maidstone, kent is awash with Dace. A lovely little fish, keeps you busy when the others aint biting. My son and I caught over 200 in a 5 and a bit hour session on one occasion, great fun on very light tackle. Lovely.

I can share your delight in the Dace and the good sport to be had on the Medway. On ultra light tackle they are not to be despised and last summer on the Sports ground stretch in Tonbridge I had one that went a cracking ten ounces!. .

Whereabouts on the river in Maidstone do you fish? I used to fish in the town stretch and in the Millennium Park a few years ago and feel a visit may be overdue.

BigFish wrote:Is that the weirpool behind Shiplake lock? You are spoilt for choice! That looks very barbely!

No, St Patrick stream in Twyford. Although having the boat makes most of the weirs fishable, as you will know