The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I am an occasional reader of the Angling Times and always note with interest anything that is written about my favourite river, the Lea. I particularly follow the local news for catches and reports from the East of England, and am beginning to see more and more reports of large fish being caught, notably chub, perch and barbel from various stretches of the Lea, especially around the Cheshunt - Broxbourne area. Is this because they are growing fat on a diet of signal crayfish or is my beloved river on the up after several seasons in the doldrums? Any thoughts or personal experience from the local readers on this forum?

When I return to the UK I will certainly try to find out more, sounds very promising!

If you mean the Lee Valley Regional Park section, Fishers Green, it has always had better than average size fish.

I hope so . My limited experience of the Lea is that there are some small in area places : upper Lea,kings weir and Fishers green where there is good fishing . There are some big wild carp around in some other areas and some other hot spots ... but there are barren areas ... but I think you maybe right that its in an upward cycle .... hope so.

Ramey marsh always looks so inviting ..but fish ? ... takes some finding let alone catching

My all time fave river too

having a few big fish is not alway good news for a river you need full range of classes in a river to be healthy in my view

Tench Dreamer wrote: ↑Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:10 pm Ramey marsh always looks so inviting ..but fish ? ... takes some finding let alone catching

That's sad - I grew up fishing that stretch and remember it was alive with silver fish. I used to love watching gudgeon feeding on the gravelly bottom by the big bend and would try to choose individual fish to target. There were massive shoals of bleak too which were hugely fun and frustrating in equal measure. I found that jigging a small devon minnow in the margins there called in shoals of perch which were sometimes suicidal in the way they attacked the lure - as well as attracting lots of small roach in which seemed to be fascinated by watching the lure jigging up and down.
The bigger perch and jack pike were reliably found under the barges and in front of the lock gates.
I've got some very happy memories of fishing at Rammey Marsh.

When I worked just off Gillender St, Bromley by Bow many years ago we often saw fish topping in the river there(and loads of rubbish I must add), would they have been freshwater fish or could they have been Mullet or Bass this far up river(Thames/Lea)?

Rammney marsh ...through others , a new club etc There's been lots of effort to try and get these silver fish stocks up . Comorants are around and maybe they have ate some . But I guess they are in there somewhere . But I'll still have a session on that bend at the end of the island around May .. Mid week so quiet and actually two summers back I had my PB Eel ... It was as long as my right arm

Reedling wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2017 11:36 am When I worked just off Gillender St, Bromley by Bow many years ago we often saw fish topping in the river there(and loads of rubbish I must add), would they have been freshwater fish or could they have been Mullet or Bass this far up river(Thames/Lea)?

The River Lea above Twelvetrees Crescent was full of Coarse fish with large roach, bream and tench, below Twelvetrees you couldn't fish the main river as it went through the Gas works.
But just below Twelvetrees was the Limehouse Cut that went to Limehouse Basin, this was also fishable down to the Basin at Commercial Rd.
Both these areas used to be tidal when they opened the gates at high tide. Now they don't open the gates anymore the fish seem to have declined in numbers. I used to fish The cut at Commercial Rd and the Main river by Stratford Flyover the section known as Calor Gas, this has now been gated and you cant park there anymore the same with the whole area, it,s all residents parking I also use to fish the Docks on the Isle of Dogs never seen Mullet or Bass from there but occasionally you would catch Smelt or small Dab.

Hi I fish the Lea on and off and have noticed an increase in smaller species such as dace and roach (a particular favourite) also.
Dean194bt