Hi All,

Started fishing a Thames weir stream back as a kid, like 20 years ago now, had few nice Barbel to about 8lb, but spent most of my time stalking chub

Moved onto the Windrush, which was fantastic, I spent many many hot summer days stalking they fish along a mile of so stretch, right off the A40. I think I saw 3 other anglers in the whole time I was fishing there. Used to be more Barbel than I could count in multiple swims as well as the also nice brown trout. Then one year the fish just disapeared, litterally, I went from having lots of fish going in multiple swims and desperatly avoiding the chub to next season scratching for a chub just not to blank......nothing to do with otters......no nothing to do with otters!

Anyway, I moved into Dorchester village last year. Spent lots of time walking the thame in the close season, found lots of barbel, some huge, but I was really un prepared for just how much angling pressure that place gets! I work from home and the river is right outside my house so I nip down to have a look most lunch times, rarely even mid week is Hurst medow not being fished by at least one guy.
I caught one fish in like 8 sessions (short hour before hour after dusk efforts) and it was tiny lol. I did have some truly huge Chub (some chub I saw in the off season were immense), but I'm not going to bother next year as I have never gotten on with competeing with other anglers as well as with fish (as a stalker who likes to rotate swims its gutting to watch 3 other guys fishing the same tiny stretch all dropping into and baiting the same 4 swims).

So, hi.


Chris

Hi and welcome

Cheers, Nick

Hi Chirs,
Did you ever fish the Windrush at Witney? Quite a small but lovely part of the river? I used to live just a few minutes from it and loved popping down there stalking chub on bread flake and a light link. Never had a barbel out though despite seeing then sit up under the main road bridge over the river in town.
Never saw an otter down there maybe too close to town for them.?

Yeah, I used to park on the A40 and walk up to the Windrush, just by ducklington lake.

Hi Chris
I used to walk the windrush around Witney, stunning bit of river. I fished the thames at lechlade all the time for perch, I was told there was no barbel that high up the Thames??? Is that right? Lovely part of the world. You ever get on the Kennet?

I'm not sure. I dont see any reason why there would not be fish that far up.