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River Reports

I haven't delved into Twitter but some interesting tweets on there from what I just saw.

That said, much of this web traffic is duplication anyhow. Same stuff gets posted on here, other forums, FaceBook, Twitter and no doubt their younger cousins.

Personally I keep my posts pretty much to BFW and TAC forums and a few FaceBook groups (of which there are too many).

What with reading fishing blogs and watching YouTube channels I am finding it hard to get any time on the banks ;)

Stephen
 
I used to give more info about the warks avon but after reporting a large fish (for that river) I was criticized for not being a local angler. Since then I report conditions as I see fit and fish as splashers(less than 10lb) or barbel or fish (greater than 10 lb)
I now won't help more than that and expect nothing more.
Just let people know that they are feeding
 
John McGough said:
Well said Tony, I note a good example of what you have said sticks out like a sore thumb on the Loddon thread.
You asked a simple question...... 'Anyone fishing the FAS waters'?
You didn't ask 'whats being caught'?
You didn't ask what stretches'?
You didn't ask what swims?, what bait? etc etc etc.
No one posted a comment for nearly 2 days.
As soon as one of the Loddon regulars post a trophy shot 7 others reply within hours but I noticed no one replied to you unless by pm.
I had the same last season when I simply posted that I would be spending some time on the Loddon in the coming season and looking forward to meeting a few of you........................... Not one reply!
So helpful and welcoming.

Good luck to you on the Loddon
Keep your trophy shots in your album.

;)
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I agree with John here, sometimes there isn't even a request for information just wanting to talk and share experiences on the same river but most of the threads are a closed book these days.

Not sure where everyone has gone to who used to post on here and in the river report area, probably got fed up like me and gave up.

I met some very helpful people when I moved to Dorset and started to fish the stour and also one kind member who took time out to show me the Warwickshire Avon when I moved here but these guys really are in the minority BFw for the most part is just a clicky website for people to post up pictures of their fish don't think ill be using it much anymore....
 
Tony, as you know I am happy to reply to pm's with queries about fishing.

What I have been more aware of, and one of the reasons I asked the question in the poll as per DG's post, is that you can actually affect other people fishing quite a lot by giving too much away.

A couple of my pals who originally fished a bit of the Loddon, that contained exceptional fish, were undone by loose lips, that had the glory hunters / sponsored anglers arriving in droves and writing about their captures.

Some of the guys who post on here have had amazing captures, but simply choose to keep it amongst trusted pals.

A local river record was beaten out of sight by a friend when I was fishing with him last week, but he won't say / publish anything. Nor will I give details.

If others want to post pictures etc, thats fine, some great captures, and nice to see the pictures. It's entirely up to them.

As for facebook/twitter............sad. But thats just my opinion.

Graham
 
Thinking back to when I joined BFW in the days of the 'old' forum a lot of the stuff being discussed on the river reports was related to water conditions, particularly river level, falling/rising etc. The EA river level site has pretty much done away with the need for such questions so perhaps that's also a reason why the river reports see less posts these days.
 
Personally, I find the river reports invaluable, wherever they happen to be posted on the net. I live an hour or more from the river so that could mean a two or three hour round trip. I'm not really in a position to have just an hour or two on the banks so I value talk of how it is fishing. This year I didn't bother with going till the Thames for the first six weeks because nothing was really happening barbel wise because of what was (or wasn't) being reported.

When I am on the banks, I like to report back with plenty of info to help my fellow anglers. It is not all about location, bait or any one single factor. In reality, just reporting how hard it can be can actually help people out a lot in their own quest.

Stephen
 
Having been a victim of 'death by PM', "What bait, which swim, can I come fishing with you?" in the past I find that I'm a little more guarded these days and report in more general terms.
 
I use River Reports quite a lot especially when I'm fishing a water that's not local to me. River levels especially my local stretch of Trent I can get from the EA website.
I will gladly pm information about my local water to anyone but what I will not do to a complete stranger is mention specific swims. I will offer advice on bait, tackle and area's to look at. I have put in countless hours many fishless trying to locate my quarry, why should anyone who has not persevered benefit from someone else hard work.
Haven't posted much about it this season as it's not really produced much.

Paul
 
I certainly have not been troubled by folk sending me messages asking for specific swim details etc. Oh, hang on, I have just realised why. When I read the river reports for my local, what interests me is the condition of the river, whether or not people are catching and what sort of approaches folk are having success with. All of that I think can be shared in relatively general terms. "A feeder approach with small pellet and long hooklengths". "Maggot feeder". "Boilies with pva bags at night". People don't need to state exactly what kind of pellet or boilie for example. The winter when we might get more preoccupied with water temperature/levels etc and whether or not fish are feeding in the cold I find very helpful. I still go to my usual stretches and either do what I was going to do or adapt it slightly on the basis of what others have experienced. It may also dictate whether or not I actually go.

Catch reports are helpful because they can give an insight into how a river maybe fishing but they are just part of the picture. Sharing experiences is also part of the oxygen that a forum needs to survive and flourish. So it is a shame if people choose to post nothing whatsoever, but I can certainly understand why people would take that position when their angling has been badly affected as a result of being more open in the past.
 
Graham Elliott said:
Tony, as you know I am happy to reply to pm's with queries about fishing.

What I have been more aware of, and one of the reasons I asked the question in the poll as per DG's post, is that you can actually affect other people fishing quite a lot by giving too much away.

A couple of my pals who originally fished a bit of the Loddon, that contained exceptional fish, were undone by loose lips, that had the glory hunters / sponsored anglers arriving in droves and writing about their captures.

Some of the guys who post on here have had amazing captures, but simply choose to keep it amongst trusted pals.

A local river record was beaten out of sight by a friend when I was fishing with him last week, but he won't say / publish anything. Nor will I give details.

If others want to post pictures etc, thats fine, some great captures, and nice to see the pictures. It's entirely up to them.

As for facebook/twitter............sad. But thats just my opinion.

Graham
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Graham you have been more than helpful via pm to me.

I think everyone is getting side tracked to the issue I mentioned.

I'm not talking about bait choice swims etc but just to ask if anyone I fishing a particular club that I was I fact a member of fir 2 years gets no response but some one put a pic of a fish up and a dozen replies follow suit.

It's the closed book attitude that unless you are in a click u don't even get a reply to a very general question...and that goes for a few people on here who get th same treatment!

I wondered why I don't bother to come on here much anymore, that will do me I a while anyway!
 
Without looking back, I think you were asking about FAS or Farnborogh AS water at Sindlesham. Since I didn't know the answer to the specific question I didn't post an answer myself. I suspect that is the real reason there was little response - no one knew what the answer was.
 
Tony, very specifically regarding your FAS question, I know of only one poster fishing their waters and he would probably not wish to say anything as it would then be obvious where his catches are from. I know pretty much where all the other posters fish and to be honest most of them know each other personally through fishing the same club waters.

Overall, regarding river reports, I think there is a little too much secrecy which has crept in and I associate some of that with the influx of Carp anglers into the Barbel scene. The other aspect is of course the number of friends people have made through BFW, I have met loads of people who have become good friends with whom I now chat with away from the forum.
When I joined BFW way back (2003 I think) Barbel fishing as a specialised area was quite new and niche and over the following years a great deal of pioneering and experimentation took place, there was masses of discussion on here in those days due to the number of people involved and trying new things. These days many have dropped off and little new stuff is tried, hence less general discussion
 
Hey Tony, A few of us are still around ;-)
10 years ago things were very different. There were plenty more fish to go round and helping others realise their aspirations was enjoyable. Unfortunately the more anglers catching regularly puts enormous pressure on fisheries and before you know it everyone and their mate knows the most secret of swims and the rest is history..... Seeing angling 'celebs' befriending locals and the same 'celebs' then staking out very secret local swims for a crack at a known big fish put me very firmly off giving out info. Angling for some is just a means to become 'known' and the importance to conserve or protect is something that too few anglers fully understand or appreciate. If you are ever back down our way you know I've always got time for you but the Stour and Avon are very much shadows of their past.

Darren.
 
Darren Smith said:
Hey Tony, A few of us are still around ;-)
10 years ago things were very different. There were plenty more fish to go round and helping others realise their aspirations was enjoyable. Unfortunately the more anglers catching regularly puts enormous pressure on fisheries and before you know it everyone and their mate knows the most secret of swims and the rest is history..... Seeing angling 'celebs' befriending locals and the same 'celebs' then staking out very secret local swims for a crack at a known big fish put me very firmly off giving out info. Angling for some is just a means to become 'known' and the importance to conserve or protect is something that too few anglers fully understand or appreciate. If you are ever back down our way you know I've always got time for you but the Stour and Avon are very much shadows of their past.

Darren.
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Well said Darren....do I assume you are not one of Crooky's dreadful ex carpers? :D

Cheers, Dave.
 
No Dave, not been around the forum for a few years but was 10 or so years ago. Lost interest in fishing mostly because of differing attitudes and glory hunters. Hoping to put that behind me and rekindle something........
 
Some years back in the time of Yuku, the Medway thread was amazingly popular and even contentious. A gentleman nicknamed 'Moaner' became involved and the banter was at times unsuitable. Everyone was posting that they had sent pms to each other.

In the end the Moderators intervened and the thread was for a time closed.

Most of the contributors were members of RTWAS,as am I, and the club has its own website. Even here very few fish are reported.

Strange things fishing forums.

Oh by the way you all have a pm......

:)


As ever,

Hugo

xx
 
Darren Smith said:
No Dave, not been around the forum for a few years but was 10 or so years ago. Lost interest in fishing mostly because of differing attitudes and glory hunters. Hoping to put that behind me and rekindle something........
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Hello Darren.....long time
Mullet, Bass, Tench and Carp (plus a few far flung fish) have been keeping me occupied, only 1 trip on the rivers this season in a swim you know well, yielded a chub.
Neil
 
Hi Darren,

Good to hear from you :)

That's sad to hear especially about the lovely avon and stour.

My own fishing has been sporadic the last few years sometimes I have bought a ticket and not even used it other times I have fished once or twice a year!

I originally took up river fishng to get away from the crowds on the lakes, sadly things have changed drastically these last few years.

I feel in someways syndication may be the only way forward to bring things back to the way they were....

I will let you know if I ever get back down just for old times sake I hope you find the enthusiasm to get back to the banks of the stunning avon and stour again...


Darren Smith said:
Hey Tony, A few of us are still around ;-)
10 years ago things were very different. There were plenty more fish to go round and helping others realise their aspirations was enjoyable. Unfortunately the more anglers catching regularly puts enormous pressure on fisheries and before you know it everyone and their mate knows the most secret of swims and the rest is history..... Seeing angling 'celebs' befriending locals and the same 'celebs' then staking out very secret local swims for a crack at a known big fish put me very firmly off giving out info. Angling for some is just a means to become 'known' and the importance to conserve or protect is something that too few anglers fully understand or appreciate. If you are ever back down our way you know I've always got time for you but the Stour and Avon are very much shadows of their past.

Darren.
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Tony Carter said:
When I joined this forum (the original one) over ten years ago, the river reports threads were a great source if exchanging info for people all fishing the same rivers and helping each other out.
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Tony Carter said:
I originally took up river fishng to get away from the crowds on the lakes, sadly things have changed drastically these last few years.

I feel in someways syndication may be the only way forward to bring things back to the way they were.....
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Tony - are you serious? You want everyone to be a great source of info on the river threads, helping everyone out, but at the same time want the banks deserted - and if not, syndicate them to keep everyone off? Wow.
 
Andrew Boyne said:
Tony - are you serious? You want everyone to be a great source of info on the river threads, helping everyone out, but at the same time want the banks deserted - and if not, syndicate them to keep everyone off? Wow.
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Andrew ... are you telepathic ? you read my thoughts ! :p
 
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