River Mole in Surrey

[Troydog]

What a beautiful little river this is, or maybe was. In our teens four of us would cycle off from Merstham whilst it was still dark, through sleepy Reigate town and down the old A25 to cut off left down the hill to Betchworth. Betchworth was a tiny village with a pub and a church and not much else but we'd park up in the farmers old barn and wander across the fields to the weir. What wonderful timeless times these were and we caught perch , dace, roach and chub with the odd carp thrown in for good measure. I drove through Betchworth a couple of years ago and, as you can imagine, it is a totally different place now, fifty years on. I didn't stop to look round, I chose to preserve my memories intact.

[Nigel Rainton]

Very wise.

[Troydog]

Thank you - we used to collect mushrooms in the field that is now the M25!

[CraigM]

I caught my first "proper" perch [ie. one that put a bend in the rod!] aged 13 from the mole at Esher & used to fish it near Box Hill.

My Dad had a house at Brockham close to the river. One of his friends has had double figure barbel from a club stretch near Dorking recently, so presumeably the river is healthy even if some of it's surroundings have changed.

[Olly]

Fished the river years ago in the Esher/Hersham and Molesey areas before the giant flood of Molesey in the 60's. Cycling with my tackle from Twickenham past Kirks on the way there and homewards. The Flood: - http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/incoming/gallery/4735907

Moved to Cobham in the 70's for a few years and fished the Cobham Court AC waters. Loads of chub.

One friend lives on the Mole in Molesey now - on the flood relief channel. Cap, pike, zander, etc at the bottom of his garden. Another has 400m of bank at Brockham where barbel, chub, pike, etc are present.

[Stour Otter]

Hello Olly.
My late fishing partner William (Bill) Gillingham was I think also a member of the Cobham Court AC water and bequeathed to me many of the audio tapes he recorded in the 70's and 80's while fishing the Mole in this area before he retired to Bournemouth to live with his uncle and later moving to a mobile home site on the banks for the Dorset Stour. He sadly passed away last spring very quietly in his own home while listening to his favourite jazz artist Chet Baker, just after his 83rd birthday. A lover of angling, tigers and motor bikes, riding his 950cc Honda up to the age of 81.
We had many happy hours fishing the Dorset Stour, while I fished the long trots with swan quills and flake, he would be fishing his "Kamikaze" swims, with his special mix of cheese paste after the chub.
Happy days, will always be missed.

William Gillingham 1933-2016.jpg

[Bjp]

Just today i visited a stretch of the mole at Cobham on the calpac ticket which is also available on a day ticket. Sign of the times i guess but i found swim numbers 10 and 24 & 25 but any others were completley impossible to find so overgrown and cleary not fished. I tried to get to the water in several other places but just impassable 6-8ft high nettles and in some places a steep drop off was partially hidden from view.

Common sense prevailed but i will return in the winter to see if this little river still holds some fish. I have heard of the usual river species plus the odd barbel shame as it may be an ideal water for 20 mins in each swim type of fishing if you could get to it but clearly no one has been here since the pre-season work party.

regards

bjp

[Olly]

So that was downstream of the main A245 road bridge then. Used to have loads of chub. Near the CALPAC Manor Pond that I fished as a Cub!!

They also have the Stew Pond Epsom where I caught my first crucian - many many moons ago!! Listening to the big cat's roars at Chessington Zoo. And having residents from over the road swimming in the pond!

I cannot recall meeting William whilst I was a local member of CCAC whilst living in Oxshott for a few years.

[Bjp]

yes that is it olly had a walk round the pond as well did find some intense feeding going on in one corner very few fishing it in fact the third person turned up as were leaving no lillies again they seem to have vanished everywhere i go to this season

regards

bjp

[Ignis2018]

The mole is still the same ,park in church car park walk across from the old barn to the weir ,loads of good fish still in there,and some decent carp.on carshalton club book. Excellent waters available.