The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

As discussed in another thread, the dace is often thrown back, the angler thinking it is a small version of some other species. Such a shame that the dace doesn’t get the praise it deserves. I have a small river near me, the Wallington, that holds a fair few dace, although a fish more than 8oz is seldom found.

The rivers that meet behind the Broadlands fishery near Southampton are the Itchen and Blackwater, I am told that these stretches hold some really big dace with fish over 1lb caught every year. As it’s in attached to a club ticket I own, I really must try for them this season.

The carp fishing for me this season has been very up and down with the back end of summer being very fruitful. But, with all this talk of rivers, Chub, Barbel, Dace and Gudgeon, I feel myself being drawn to flowing water once again.

I have not caught a dace for years, I think the last time was on the Warwickshire Avon.

A few years ago I was invited to join a syndicate run by Frank Guttfield on the river Windrush. I fished
it a few times and had some lovely dace but nothing huge. Frank was sure there are record fish in there.

Had a few dace from the Avon at chippenham recently,its been a long time catching a dace,so long in fact I was unsure as to what it was for a second or two.I'd forgot how beautiful a fish it is.

I've never caught a dace, I think there are some in the wye but they are seldom seen around here.

I'd love to catch one.

One of my absolute favourite fish (and the starring role in a book I am writing for children!) - light tackle or even on the fly: beautiful. There's a great old mill pool I fish beneath a chesnut tree on the River Tas that is a haunt of dace, a great spot to fish, smoke a pipe and settle the nerves!

I had some really big dace, around the 1lb mark from the middle Thames, back in the 1970s, caught on trotted bread. They seemed to disappear for a number of years. However, on a few trips up to fish with my dad, we have caught a fair few. Not big fish, 6oz or thereabouts. It is nice to see them making a comeback.

I fish for them regularly on the Thames and think they are great fun to catch especially when their bites are very quick. Normally I use trotting tactics but this summer I'm going to try to catch them on the fly.

A few years ago I fished for them at Christchurch from the punt on the Avon. There are masses of them there to 1lb.

I have taken quite a few over the last few years on light maggot feeder, set out for roach. Mostly around the Wargrave area. Lightening bites.

Wargrave as on the Thames?

I often fish around Shiplake.