Rivers /How are they Performing in your Area

[BIG COL]

As part of my Exercise routine i have been hobbling up & Down the River Bank (lower Severn )
Every Morning this week
Not many Anglers about but those that are
Have been enjoying some Excellent sport ,its too early for Barbel to show in Numbers around Worcester
But Have witnessed 3 or 4 Very Big bags of Bream over the last 3 days
Most caught on A plain Open end Feeder with Caster& Worm or Bread on the Hook
these fish are ranging from 1.5lbs to 6+lbs
They are being caught from Areas that they used to show in Years gone By
Seriously thinking of going to have a day in a couple of weeks time
I have lost all interest in Fishing @ the moment & thought of giving it neck
But these last couple of Days to be actualy out in the Country side by the side of Running water has reminded me of why i loved this sport so much !!
River Gear could be re surfacing sooner than i thought !!

[SPADGER]

Great to hear you interest is rekindled Col.
I often walk down our local canal and it takes me back in time to when I was a kid, the smell of the elderberry blossom gives me flashbacks to when I was a nipper trying to catch roach and perch on a cheap fibreglass rod and a roddy 802 reel.
I would willingly give it a go again but they are not safe foe a 53 year old man anymore, to many idiots for my liking.

[Ducci82]

Col I felt the same @ 19 had a few bad experiences in matches where I had framed or won was real bitter feeling towards me doing well on some opens. I lost interest for x3 years then started fishing the rivers again few night sessions at anchor lane and a few sessions at danery and I was rekindled I started going with my grandad again and got slowly back in to club matches. The competitive angler in me started again and I really enjoy my angling again I'm still relatively il young (31) and two kids 8+5 keep me busy along with work mean when I do get out I make the most of it! I really hope u don't abandon a sport u have dedicated so much to! That running water is mesmerising it casts it's spell on u it almost makes u feel like your the catch of the day! Tight lines bud

[BIG COL]

Spadge
there is a stretch of Canal not 1/2 a mile from my house that is absolutely Stuffed with Fish !!
No one fishes it because there is a Gypsy camp right by it .
If you stopped to look @ canal never mind fish your Car would either be Vandalised or Nicked within minutes
To attempt to Fish would be Stupid .due to the fact you would end up with no Gear & possibly being threatened or even Assaulted
A few yrs Back i would have give it a go as i was more than capable of Looking after myself & would never consider walking away from a Fight!!
I am now 60 & my Feelings are the same ,Sadly my Body just Aint up to it any more,
Ducci82
When i am able to get down the River Safely i will most definately be spending some time with a Float rod in my hand
Also a few sessions targetting Bream /Barbel /Chub ,with the added Bonus of spending time in the Real country side & all it has to offer
Rather than Sitting by the Muddy Puddles Day in Day out
Hopefuly it might rekindle my Competitive spirit

[scottyp]

a friend of mine has been fishing the pitchcroft at Worcester a fair bit recently and having some great nets of skimmers, bream and perch upto 35-40lb. No signs of any roach at the moment tho.

[MarkV]

Warwickshire Avon at Warwick is where I often hang out. Been a few times since season began on club water. More than i'd care to admit to recently lol. Really got my interest going again after becoming bored with local stillwater commercial.

Lots of bites and small fish on the river, access good and ...every peg is bloomin different ) ! Haven' t managed to work out half of them yet, if you ever do. So interesting and so many different ways to fish it. Waggler, stick, pole, whip, bolo, feeder, link ledger, slider.... anything you can name.

[daskin]

Rivers beat muddy puddles any day, a commercial near me has opened a new "lake", LAKE how the hell could you call a muddy trench a lake for gods sake.

[SPADGER]

Do you think angling pressure pushes them out of their favoured areas Col ?

It's interesting that you say they are being caught from areas they used to show in years gone by. Lack of pressure over the last 15 years of commie dominated angling and they have settled again in favoured areas.

[BIG COL]

To an extent i do think Angling pressure rather than force Fish out of an Area ,does the exact opposite !!
I have witnessed 5 huge nets of Bream from Areas that as far as i am aware have not been fished for many many years!!
What i have noticed is the Shoals of Fish seem to be a lot Bigger.Years ago they used to be caught on 2 or 3 Adjoining pegs ,the Fish i have seen this week seem to be spread over 6 to 10 pegs ,
what is Noticable is the Missing year classes lots of 1 to 1.5lbs Skimmers ,NO 2 to 3lbs fish @ all loads of 5 to 7lbsfish in the River
No Bore Pigs ,sorry Ruffe,no Bootlace Eels,no Dace & very few Roach or chub have been caught as yet
I have just been to Severn Stoke & sat Watching a Fella Fishing a Stick (not very well) but never the less enjoying every minute
Virtualy off end of the Rod 8ft deep on what over the Years has been an Area that yu would catch Loads of Roach
He has not had 1 in the 2.5 hrs i was there but he has had about 22 to 25lbs of Perch
Bait pint of Hemp & 1.5 pt of Bronze Maggot
The 1 thing that i have noticed is the Number of Anglers who are on the River fishing Method Feeders with nothing but Pellet & Boilies
sat behind pods & Alarms (catching sweet F/A)

[norwich lad]

Go bream fishing Friday nights,last few weeks, had 2 trips to the Thurne and had plenty in the 2-4 lb bracket,last week was fish all through the night!.

This week tried the Yare just outside norwich, had just 1 fish,had fish rolling, just 5 bites between me and friend Steve, an otter spent 5 mins rooting in the swim.and I think it just switched them off. Other anglers also struggling. Back to the Thurne next week I think.