Fisherman Mike Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Caught this beauty yesterday, not a big fish (just under 3 1/2) but scale and fin perfect, beautiful colour and proportions and most likely never been caught before. Weather wasn’t perfect for Chub fishing but it couldn’t resist the double lob offering bumped along the gravel with an Arsley on a link ledger. These clean water fish on the upper river don’t fight like chub I’ve caught on any other river in England they fight like billy-o and this one held its own in mid flow for several minutes on light tackle thrashing its head from side to side like a great white skinning a seal. The stretch is the Upper Thames at Eysey downstream from Cricklade, Wilts and the most beautiful stretch of the river imo, which I have been fishing for 43 years man and boy. The river has never had this much water in it in July in that time and the stream which joins from the right (where the streamer weed is) is Ampney Brook which is usually a trickle this time of year. The main river has a gravel bed and is usually fordable by foot in many stretches in high summer. As you can imagine the stretch is a roving chub fishermans paradise. I also hooked into one of the stretches Barbel yesterday but would you believe the hook pulled out over the landing net. It was about an 8 lb. fish…. I also had two Brown trout at 1lb 8 oz each but the camera battery went flat.! The wildlife is spectacular on this stretch too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brown Sauce Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Good work Mike and a nice write up, but as they say, without proof the latter part never happened Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted July 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Good work Mike and a nice write up, but as they say, without proof the latter part never happened :lol: what you mean if I go out like I do most times and miss 50 pigeons I need photo evidence.. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoggy Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Nice result Mike......3 of us are off to the Ouse on Sunday....In search of Chub and Barbel. Have some homemade stinky paste [made with crab meat and Garlic] to try out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Cracking fish and nice looking bit of water fella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brown Sauce Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 :lol: what you mean if I go out like I do most times and miss 50 pigeons I need photo evidence.. :lol: Well there's always the pile of spent cartridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted July 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Cracking fish and nice looking bit of water fella. yes its lovely thanks...the virgin thames is a wonderful stretch of water before it gets to mid thames and detrius, deisel oil, toilet paper, litter etc etc... The source percolates out of the limestone aquifers above cirencester and its sweet enough to drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Lovely write up and great pics Mike is this free water? if not what are the costs... Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendersons Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Nice fish Mike. Stop encouraging people though we are normally lucky to see another angler in a season. It's part of this club spaniel http://www.scac.org.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 I used to fish that way a few years ago I think the Club I joined at the time was called Golden Carp or something similar. probably a completely different stretch of water but must be very close. Brown Trout always featured in the bag in those days as well. Chub fishing has been very poor for me this year and I haven't even seen a barbel yet so well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendersons Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 I used to fish that way a few years ago I think the Club I joined at the time was called Golden Carp or something similar. probably a completely different stretch of water but must be very close. Brown Trout always featured in the bag in those days as well. Chub fishing has been very poor for me this year and I haven't even seen a barbel yet so well done. I believe that stretch is a little further down in water eaton? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 The 2nd picture looks like something out of Mr Crabtree - lovely spot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted July 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 I used to fish that way a few years ago I think the Club I joined at the time was called Golden Carp or something similar. probably a completely different stretch of water but must be very close. Brown Trout always featured in the bag in those days as well. Chub fishing has been very poor for me this year and I haven't even seen a barbel yet so well done. yep Swindon Golden Carp they used to have the opposite bank to SCAC Im not sure if they are still in existance as a club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 :lol: what you mean if I go out like I do most times and miss 50 pigeons I need photo evidence.. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw100 Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Well done mate its not about size all the time! Beautiful fish sorry to hear about the old whisker though I bet you was truly gutted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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