Big Fish Column: Yo-yo temperatures make life tough for anglers but good pike and perch catches reported

INCONSISTENT weather nearly always results in inconsistent fishing and with a week of yo-yo temperatures it was tough going on most of the local fisheries.

River predators

The Thames was probably the stand out venue of the week with some good pike and perch reported from around the Marlow area, including a lovely ‘stripey’ of 2lb 12oz to Bourne End angler Tom Reynolds who fished a soft rubber lure on 20lb braid to connect with the fish, along with three small pike, all around the 3lb mark.

A much larger pike, pulling the scales to 12lb 4oz, was the reward for Andy Wheeler who presented a small fish bait under a waggler-style pike float fishing a swim in the lock area. Andy also connected with a couple of small ‘jacks’ but was delighted when the bigger fish took his bait shortly before he packed up. Andy beat the fish with 12lb main line and size 8 semi-barbed trebles to 20lb wire.

Chub remained the mainstay of the smaller rivers and although the Thames continues to produce a few seriously large fish – at least one 7lb plus specimen has been reported locally this month – it was the smaller rivers that were to the fore last week. The best fish reported was a nice Loddon chub of 5lb 14oz that fell to the bread bait offered by Twyford’s Gerry Tyler. Gerry presented a ‘large chunk’ of white bread on a size 6 hook direct to 6lb line to net the fish from a section of the river close to Dinton Pastures.

Drought?

Anyone who has fished our local rivers recently will no doubt be aware that we are short of water and in need of some rainfall to inject a little depth and pace. Fewer will perhaps be aware that the subject of drought is being raised again throughout the southeast region. Groundwater is in serious need of recharge and the majority of our reservoirs are well below normal level for the time of year with some, including the region’s largest reservoir, Bewl Water, are currently operating at one third capacity.

A dry winter could well have far-reaching problems and while the prospect of a hosepipe ban to start off 2018 may not be of interest to most anglers the fact that some of our local rivers could be in serious peril by next spring should be!

Local trout prospects

Even the local trout fishing has gone off the boil a little in response to the weather but over at Haywards Farm Lake boat anglers are continuing to get amongst the fish, including some great blues and browns.  Lures fished slowly have been the most successful tactic and the biggest two fish of the week were a 6lb 7oz rainbow to David Sterne and a 7lb 3oz blue to Chris Gibson. Despite the cool temperatures, the rod average remains a very respectable 3.8.

A period of relatively stable, mild conditions before another period of cooling should see the inconsistent pattern of angling continue.

Any anglers wishing to report catches may contact me at ian@bigfishtrail.com