The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Yes, So far I have only fished Molsey, but intend to try a few more next month and through the Autumn. I would love to get to grips with some nice pike, but need to find out were some of the best pike on the Thames are living!

Mr B

the pike fishing used to be good down stream of walton bridge i would also try the desborough channel and the loop but beware there are catfish resident and they are breeding so things might of changed

Ok, I will look into that this autumn, Thanks mate.
Yes,I heard about the Catfish... interesting? I have fished at Walton a few times but not for pike.


Thanks again

Mr B

Earlier this year the EA drained part of the lock cutting at Windsor (opposite the race course) and one of their technical blokes said they found two very very big cats in there. Recently the place was overrun with works prior to the Olympics so you couldn't get on the race course side (Civil Service Water). This weirpool has produced more than one 30+ pike in the last couple of years.

I was brought up in Oxfordshire during the 1960's and fished most of the weirs within cycling distance namely Radcot and Grafton but most often, Rushey. With a Witney AA ticket a Tadpole Inn Season Ticket and a weir permit we had more than enough water to occupy us. There was also free fishing around if you knew the farmers.

Rushey Weir is above Tadpole Bridge between Bampton and Buckland. The weir pool is not large but at the time contained a good head of most Thames species. Chub were the most common but Barbel, Roach, Dace and Perch were there in significant numbers. When the Tadpole Inn stretch was used for matches the best place to go was the weir pool because it was never pegged - too much advantage to be had! In the 60's every Sunday would see several London and Birmingham based coaches parked outside the pub. When the whistles blew at the end of the match we used to finish at the weir and walk back asking for any unused maggots. That could yield half a bucketful on a good day.

In those long hot 60's summers the oxygen levels in the main river would drop and fish would move into the weir pool just below the sluices. It was possible to take a lot of chub in these conditions but also a lot of pike. They would move up with their prey and as live minnow was a favourite chub bait you often found yourself fighting a pike.

In the winter the weir and the main river were often unfishable but if they were a raging torrent the sheltered water of the lock cut offered good fishing especially at the tail of the island. The most effective methods were "laying on", or link legering with maggot and bread. We were great followers of Peter Stone as he lived locally at Wolvercote and we would try his methods whenever we could. He was a devotee of minnow as a bait not only for Perch and Chub but also legered for Barbel!

My parents still live in the area so I may well invest in a weir permit as part of my reintroduction to fishing.

Frogmore.

LOVED YOUR POST FROGMORE NICE MEMORIES TO CHERISH, HOPE YOUR REINTRODUCTION TO FISHING GOES WELL

Brought back a few memories of my dad teaching me to fish in the late 70s Tadpole bridge, Letchlade and Buscot weir being our regular haunts.

I just found this thread on our own forum - there you go!! Someone else fishing Rushey Weir at roughly the same time as me!

http://www.traditionalfisherman.co.uk/v ... =71&t=3411

Frogmore.

I am thinking of getting a locks and Weir permit. Yesterday my lad and I fished above Buscot weir on the first peg. This is day ticket but the bailiff didn't show up. We had a good few hours with Roach, Dace and Perch. I lost a good fish on the stick float which I think was a Chub or a Dog Perch. There were two anglers fishing the weir pool run off. This was marked Private and I think you need the locks and weir permit to fish.They appeared to be fishing big baits. It screamed Barbel. Not sure if it contains them, but what a lovely bit of water and not too far for me to drive.

Before you buy a permit check on the EA website if this lock /weir is covered on said permit. Not all locks /weirs are on, because some are private or club waters.