Wessex

[willtrevt]

i am a VERY keen young salomon fisherman and am VERY keen to have a shot at a salmon in the south. I live near blandford and so can reach the avon and frome easily. I tried the avon (royalty) in august last year but no luck! How do i get onto these rivers at this time of year? Do i need to be a member if not how can i get hold of day tickets. If you are not keen on saying on a public forum please PM me, I understand that people work VERY hard to find good water but it is always nice to pass on to the next generation.. MAny thanks.

[salar76]

Will - I don't suppose you've been on Rynda for the last couple of years? Your username is very similar to someone I met out there...

Cheers,

Lawrence

[exerod]

hodge said:

Somerley produced yesterday - someone managed a 23 lb fish and another one was lost.

I can confirm that there were no 23lb fish in the Frome this weekend, I blanked! In fact the Frome fish have always been a bit later, a bit smaller and a bit fewer compared to the Avon




willtrevt are you still fishing with that brown cardboard box on your head?

Andy

[hodge]

Hi Willtrevt
You could do no worse than join Christchurch Angling Club, who have access to alot of the Avon, including the Somerley Estate.
Another fish last Friday to the angler who had the 23lb fish on Thursday - this one was only estimated around the 27lb mark!! A weight of 25lb+ was entered in the book.

[exerod]

willtrevt, the Avon sounds like a better bet at the moment!

You have a pm.

Andy

[stoater]

Willtrevt sounds an odd name to me, sommat's not quite ringing right here. Best advice is in a little book by Lt.Col. S.H.Crow, "Hampshire Avon Salmon". As you know, as a schoolboy, homework reaps dividends. You cannot expect to learn the River's secrets all at once, but good luck. It's great to know these superb fish still run the southern English rivers.

[hodge]

Another 20lb+ fish from Somerley yesterday - day off tomorrow, hope there's one or two left!

[fatcast]

Does anyone know anything re sea trout fishing in Christchurch harbour with the christchurch angling club ? Hoping to get down to the Avon over Easter - wondered if any fish were running as yet ?

[exerod]

I'm fairly certain the Avon sea trout season is the same as the Frome, it doesn't start until the 15th of April. With the big salmon about on the Avon why would you want to fish for sea trout anyway!

Andy

[fatcast]

Was thinking about the summer ........ Should have said hoping to get down to the Avon to try and catch a salmon !!! Will be first time for me as a member of Christchurch AC - do you know their water at Somerley at all ?

[exerod]

fatcast said:

Will be first time for me as a member of Christchurch AC - do you know their water at Somerley at all ?

I don't know the Avon at all, hodge will be your man.

Andy

[hodge]

Hi
On the Somerley water, the area around Ibsley is where the fish to date have been caught.
Useful info can be found at the following:
www.wsrt.org.uk/news/Avondiary2007.html
www.knappmill.co.uk

I think the Christchurch Angling Club website is currently out of action.

Tightlines,

Sean

[fatcast]

Thks for this .......

[fatcast]

Hodge, Went down to Somerley over the w/end and had a lovely, if fruitless time....... water looks fantastic and saw noone else at all..... One question - is there anywhere that you can get hold of a more detailed map of the beats on the Avon with details of where all the pools / lies are ? There's just so much water that all looks like it would fish pretty well, that its difficult to know where to concentrate........

Apologies if I'm asking for hard earned secrets but any help much appreciated. If you'd prefer PM's let me know......

[hodge]

Hi Fatcast
I went down Friday, but no luck. A friend had a 16lb fish on Sunday from Ibsley Pool.
I have some copies of the old beat maps, which name all the pools - if you let me know your address, I can send you a copy.
Sean

[hodge]

Another 20lb+ fish off Somerley this week and a couple of very big fish lost yesterday. Hopefully, I maybe able to get there tomorrow!
Good luck to any of those who venture out this weekend - and don't forget a net, preferably a sizable one, if you are intending to fish Somerley - you never know your luck!!

[severnfisher]

Hodge,
Are these fresh fish that have come in on the tides and taken the weirs on relatively low water?

I'm hoping for the same thing right now on the Severn.
Tom

[hodge]

Hi Tom

Yes, they are fresh fish running on relatively low water. Water levels have dropped over recent weeks, but the weirs are regulated on the Avon and the water flow is still drawing them upriver - can make it difficult on the lower river. I have a rod lower down and catches are a bit down on Somerley. Hopefully, over the next few weeks, more fish will show on the lower reaches, which is usually the case and I may connect with something at last!

[severnfisher]

Thanks Hodge. Interesting to see that they still run up on relatively low flows. We can experience the same thing on the Severn even though the weirs are bigger.

[exerod]

This season is shaping up better than last. We have escaped the worst of the rain until last weekend. Sunday the river went into a near bank high thick brown flood but this was the first unfishable day since March.

A few nice fish have come off in the last month (I don't know why they are so much later than the Avon fish). The sea trout seem to be on the up again, there could hardly have been many less than last year!

Success last Saturday



Andy