Wild fishing

[Paul Bullinger]

Fishing the Wharfe recently on a stretch I had not visited last year .I walked the banks to check out the swims I knew the layout of,only to find that they had become overgrown and thick with HB. Nobody had so much as set foot in them and other anglers had seemingly just stuck to two easily accessible swims.
I took a machete and dog spike and cleared a couple of swims I was more or less familiar with , there was still the waterside level plateau big enough to fish from on both locations.

I fished both and had a couple of good days with multiple catches up to the low double figures in weight.
My own question was. I am almost 71 and still fairly fit and able , other anglers had ignored everywhere but established swims.
Have they not got the physical fitness, ability or adventurous spirit to do a bit of gardening ?

It is not hard for anybody with an average amount of physical strength and mobility , or is it just laziness and other anglers are taking the easy option.

I noticed on my return a week later that the swims I had cleared had obviously been used by other anglers, in fact somebody had cut steps down to them, left a couple of empty lager tins,an empty Golden Virginia pouch and a clump of birdsnest line in one .

Makes my blood boil !


David

That's my point David, you KNEW where those swims were despite the vegetation! I fear that when I walk a new stretch of water, hidden behind the tall grass and plants are some cracking swims!
I don't mind doing a bit of gardening to clear a path providing I don't inadvertently step into air and end up in the river!
As to the litter you found, that is another matter completely and makes me so angry I've lost count of the number of times I've cleared up after so called anglers have fished in a swim.

 

[Simon Archer]

It wasn't even wild and I fell through this gap on the left between the platform and the bank. Didn't see it as it was as overgrown as the right side. Really hurt my right knee, as that folded underneath me as my right leg went through the gap. Good job the platform was there, as I'd of been in otherwise.

 

[Richard Parsons]

What if there's no space for an unhooking mat?

 

[Paul Bullinger]

It wasn't even wild and I fell through this gap on the left between the platform and the bank. Didn't see it as it was as overgrown as the right side. Really hurt my right knee, as that folded underneath me as my right leg went through the gap. Good job the platform was there, as I'd of been in otherwise.

View attachment 25064

Ouch! Just zoomed in on your photo Simon and can see where your foot went down. Not pleasant. The little fishing club I'm a member of in Norfolk has some old, and dilapidated platforms, which, thanks to a generous grant from the EA, we will be replacing later this year. There is a tendency for carp to nibble away at lake margins and its amazing how they can erode the edges!!

 

[Stephen Crowhurst]

I know one day my fishing will be limited to places that don't require climbing, or pushing through vegetation to places with platforms and toilet facilities but for now I will enjoy things. Growing up scaling cliffs and rocks to shore fish with my Dad, getting there was all part of the experience.

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men ,

No ledge to fish from , so I used to did my heals in laying against the bank forcing the earth flat untill it was good enough . Sue used to pass the rod down etc . It was a great swim , caught many fish from it , and be would grown over each time we returned on our next trip . I caught Teme barbel to 9lb , but this was a swim where were see bigger

Really missing it , Hatter

 

[Paul Bullinger]

Hi men ,

View attachment 25289

No ledge to fish from , so I used to did my heals in laying against the bank forcing the earth flat untill it was good enough . Sue used to pass the rod down etc . It was a great swim , caught many fish from it , and be would grown over each time we returned on our next trip . I caught Teme barbel to 9lb , but this was a swim where were see bigger

Really missing it , Hatter

Blimey Mark...now THAT is what I mean by wild fishing. Quick question: did "watercraft" lead you to think that would be a good swim?

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men ,

We used to spend hours watching and feeding them where possible . This was a really lucky find as the bank was undercut just a rod length to the left with balsam hanging over , and as we were looking at a feature downstream we caught a golden flash out the corner of our eye . We put some bait in but it took a long time before we could find the best way to approach them . From then on we never had to put any bait in , we used to turn up mega quiet , and lower a bag of pellets to them as once you caught one they would be really spooky so ended up in there twice a day . I caught a double just downstream , but a fish we see there but never caught was definitely a lot better , one day will have to return to paradise

Hatter

 

[David Dodge]

Having watched Dave Roberts video of him fishing the Lugg and seeing him slithering down banks of vegetation, it got me thinking about this whole concept of "wild fishing".
I'm in my early 70's, still pretty active, I walk a lot and obviously fish a lot. But here's the thing, I tend to put safety first, particularly when fishing fast flowing and/or deep rivers. Am I missing out though? I never bash down bankside vegetation to take a peek at a potential fish holding swim, choosing instead to find an established swim.
Am I being a wuss? Should I embrace the thrill of "discovering" a new swim. Or should I play it safe and just fish from nicely engineered flat swims?! Thoughts/experiences please guys.

 

[Kevin Brown]

I’ve had to literally slide down the bank on my backside to get to the waters edge
Only way back up was on all fours clinging on to any available Himalayan balsam that was strong enough to hold me

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hi men ,

Just come across these pics , and thought of this thread

The rope is dangling next to sue , I sit at the top, then just when the fish is ready for the net I go down using it . After that it's nit one pearl one to get back

Happy days on the Teme , will we ever get back to our way of fishing

Hatter