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How far ?

David Craine

David Craine

Senior Member & Supporter
After reading the club membership thread, I was wondering how far members would travel for a days fishing .

I will travel 100 plus miles for a days sea angling , but more or less draw the line at anywhere more than probably 60 miles maximum for a day coarse fishing, and then not too often.

I do not live in an area with much river fishing at all. I can target barbel within a minimum of about 30/40 miles, so any day trip has to be planned . I do not do full nights, and will probably call it quits at ten pm as is the rule on my most “local “ river venue, and elsewhere probably only fish till midnight elsewhere where allowed. I do have a couple of seasonn tickets but day tickets offer better prospects generally.

Sadly my once preffered closest river venue has been spoilt by greedy landowner who has banged up prices and spoilt the river banks, so I am having to drive further for even a few hours fishing.

Still waters are still available locally if you like fishing from platforms.

Not my cup of tea at all.




David
 
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I detest driving. It just bores me to tears, and I have used it as an excuse to not go at times. But it is a means to an end.

Luckily, I live within an hour of the Trent, the Dove, the Derwant, the Soar and other rivers if I wished to push it a little. I don't fish as often as most people, so I mainly drop in on the nearby Trent stretches, which are about 30-40 minutes away.

I take my hat off to those who do travel good distance to fish though, I couldn't do it. I simply wouldn't go.
 
I'm lucky to have clubs on the doors step, but the fishing quality has dramatically nose dived.
I have a mate that will willingly pay to fish a particular club venue but blanks, (there's hardly any fish in there anymore!) and when I mention other better areas a little further afield he kinda makes the excuses of not wanting to travel the extra 15 min which is crazy as the total time for him would be 40 mins max, and he could claim his fuel costs through his business!

I on the other hand, have joined another club further afield, but the prospects are far better with seriously big fish of the type I'm wanting to target. I guess its all well and good to fish pretty little local venues, but if your blanking 9.5 times out of 10, and then only catching the few same fish time and again, then why bother giving money to clubs that aren't maintaining or helping to restock their waters?

I was contemplating fishing the Dorset Stour and River Avon which would of been 1hr 50mins away, but can't justify a water that wouldn't allow for night fishing & now of course the fuel costs! 👍
 
As far as I need to, to get where I want to be and hopefully catch what I want to catch.
I find that with increased effort comes reward and if that means getting out of bed a bit earlier or driving for 2-3 hours then I’ll do it. I fish the nene and the G Ouse a lot as my local venues but I like a bash on the upper Trent and I’m not particularly phased by a good run up north to fish on the swale too.
 
Of course you might question the carbon footprint question when we chase around the country in search of fish, whilst bemoaning the lack of fish in our rivers.
I wonder how many better venues are driven past in search of a good days fishing, just seems a bit ridiculous to me.
For me 30 miles is about the maximum I would want to drive, that takes in the Wye, some of the middle Severn and most of the Warks Avon, some of the Teme and the Arrow.
Ideally I like a short drive of 10 miles and that allows me a stress free session.
Would be interesting to draw a 10 mile circle around where we live and see whats on offer.
We might be surprised, and a lot better off financially, considering filling up a car is £100.
 
Julian Griffiths said:
I'm lucky to have clubs on the doors step, but the fishing quality has dramatically nose dived.
I have a mate that will willingly pay to fish a particular club venue but blanks, (there's hardly any fish in there anymore!) and when I mention other better areas a little further afield he kinda makes the excuses of not wanting to travel the extra 15 min which is crazy as the total time for him would be 40 mins max, and he could claim his fuel costs through his business!

I on the other hand, have joined another club further afield, but the prospects are far better with seriously big fish of the type I'm wanting to target. I guess its all well and good to fish pretty little local venues, but if your blanking 9.5 times out of 10, and then only catching the few same fish time and again, then why bother giving money to clubs that aren't maintaining or helping to restock their waters?

I was contemplating fishing the Dorset Stour and River Avon which would of been 1hr 50mins away, but can't justify a water that wouldn't allow for night fishing & now of course the fuel costs! 👍
Click to expand...
There’s bits you can night fish both. More options for this on the Stour. An RDAA membership with a night permit, would offer you night fishing on the Stour. I know some holiday anglers will fish the Avon till kick off then transfer to the Stour for the night.
 
Hi men ,

Me and Sue thought nothing of driving any distance if needed . We have in the past had the gear ready in the car and after an early shift start out a 2.30pm for a trip to the Teme for the evening , 2 hours each way redlining it 😜. We did some silly things , fished the Kennet with our friend Colin , caught a fair few up until the afternoon then cut across country to the Teme for the evening .
I think the silliest ( but an adventure) was catching one on the Kennet but with it being busy driving to the Arrow , catching , then moving over to the Teme 😁. These trips were 100 miles plus , but fading memory and rose colored spectacle may have made them seem easier.
So , the fact is if the fishing was how we wanted it , there was no distance we would not go for , diesel permitting.

Hatter
 
Hi men,

Sue just reminded me of another 3 river trip , Arrow for the morning , Teme for the afternoon stalking , then Top Barn on the Severn for the night , all made easier having a bed in the back of the car 👍

Hatter
 
I can be fishing the Vienne within 15 minutes of leaving the house, but the best swims on that river and the Charente are an hour away. My work takes me over a wide area and so wherever possible I try to combine fishing sessions with the end of my working day to save time and cost. Discounting holiday venues I try to stay within an hour's travel for fishing trips.
 
This time of year I will readily do a 90 mile trip to the Severn once or twice a month, get there for 1st light and you still have 15 hrs of fishing (no night fishing allowed)…but I’m also very lucky in having the Ouse within walking distance of home. If you share the long journeys with friends it’s cheaper and more enjoyable
 
Not as far this year! ££. Definitely not as often anyway. Have tickets on the Gt Ouse upper and Thames again upper. Both within 30 miles. I do want to get on the Trent this season though.
 
I was about to start a thread on the same subject after I heard about diesel selling for £2.50 a litre in London today !

Ive reduced the distances I’m prepared to travel since I returned to coarse fishing 3 years ago. Now if it’s further than about 1.5 hours I’m not really interested. That realistically restricts me to the lower Severn and the upper and middle Thames.

Part of that reflects the fact that I haven’t fished a whole night for 12 years and most of my fishing these days is very short sessions of 3 hours or so.

But and it is a big but, some fish are still on my hit list (eg a really big chub, a double figure tench and a proper zander) and so when I hear about possible locations my ears do prick up…maybe, maybe.
 
I live close to the Thames but sadly dont feel safe fishing it on my own

so instead I drive the 300 miles round trip to the mighty Trent and the club I am in I can feel completely safe I of course fish 2 nights met and become friends with some amazing people that look after me Northern Hospitality is alive and well :cool:
oh and the fishing is amazing too:)
 
I look back on some of the miles I put in when I match fished and shudder. I'd think nothing of fishing a match on the Bridgewater canal in Manchester one day, then another on the Gloucester canal the next. Over to the Fens, yeah, no problem. I wouldn't do it now though.
 
Due to the family reason, I normally fish half a day top, so I normally limited my travelling time to 30mins. I am close to Thames and Cherwell, (only 20mins walk), and my clubs have good coverage of the river, so normally roving with a bike, not many barbel these days, but I am happy with chub and roach.
 
My drive to the Dove or Upper Trent is approx. 90 minutes, though I usually do a night (or two). Only about three time a month at most, however, so not a huge burden. Petrol prices may restrict me this season, as I drive a campervan.
My local ticket was once fairly prolific for barbel, but no more. Not as picturesque, either, as the two aforementioned rivers,
 
Generally stay fairly local within an hours drive but about 9 times a year venture 3 hours driving, Trent, Hants Avon and Test, making them 3 day fishing trips mainly staying in mates or hotels.

My recent Grafton trip was a 3 hour one.
 
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