River Welland

[Rutland Rod]

Looked over the bridge at Stamford this afternoon and although there was little flow and the water was a touch coloured there were masses of fry and many larger fish up to around 12'', afraid I can't say what they were but looked like mainly Roach and Chub, very encouraging for the future. Plus Swan sitting on 9 eggs on the George Hotel side of the river.
Tight lines
Dave

[Swythyn Troutbeck]

Pretty stretch of water, isn't it? I used to see plenty of roach in the town fields section but never got around to fishing it, usually choosing to go upstream to Ketton for some lunker chub. There was a wonderful tobacconist/newsagent/second hand bookshop near the bridge you were standing on, where I bought many an old fishing book and even a stuffed salmon which was hiding under decades of dust on top of one of the bookcases. It was in a sad state and I made a mess of my first attempt at restoring it. A second and better attempt is planned when I retire in November. I wonder if the shop is still there? Happy memories.

Troutbeck

[Rutland Rod]

Troutbeck,
Yes the excellent shop is still there ! but the Welland upstream of Stamford is not as good as years gone by when you fished there, it still looks great but for many reasons the big Chub and Roach which were around in the 70/80/90's are not common. The stretch from Tinwell/Ketton up to the A47 at Duddington/Tixover was always good, and it was rare to see another angler. I used to do most of my 'chubbing' further upstream around Morcott/ Barrowden, never had a 5lb fish but loads of 3's and 4's, it didn't matter if it was snow covered banks and zero temps or tropical conditions the fishing was always good, now some lengths of the river have now been stocked with trout, the EA with other parties are doing a good job in trying to make the Welland and its tributaries open to migratory fish and man made obstructions are being removed. EA electro fishing survey's have shown some area's very low on fish stocks, the EA recently put a lot of Dace in near Market Harborough so there doing (in spite of budget cuts) what they can including habitat improvement. But a chap I met who's garden backs down to the river at Duddington told me that Otters and Cormarants take plenty of fish in particular 'stocked trout' ! However the fishing is looking up downstream of Stamford with EA surveys and anglers catches good so all is not lost !
Tight lines
Dave

[Rutland Rod]

In todays Stamford and Rutland Mercury it reports the sad news that Stamford Welland Amalgamated AA founded in 1878 has been wound up, the club had the fishing on 17 miles of the Welland from Uffington in Lincs upstream to the Barrowden area in Rutland. They were struggling for committee members and the last meeting resulted in only 3 members attending, this followed an AGM in April when anglers were asked to get involved or the club would cease. The Chairman reported that only 40 tickets had been sold last year, and says that the Welland is not what is was and that anglers prefer fisheries where they can catch all day.
Tight lines
Dave

[DaceAce]

Dave,

Does anyone fish the wide Welland (Crowland Bridge downstream) at all nowadays? I only ever fished it once in the late 70s on a very hard National but know it once held some very good fish.

[Rutland Rod]

I don't know Dace Ace, I have a Peterborough AA book (which I got for the Nene) but I think they have stretches up Spalding/ Crowland way, all my Welland fishing has been from Stamford upstream to Mkt Harborough. When I was working my area covered south lincs and as us anglers do whenever you cross a river you always look out for anglers, it was very rare to see anyone so could be a reflection of the Welland / lower Witham and drains not being what they were, however................we know fish often thrive by little angling pressure so I suppose its a case of trying, its the old thing that if its reported a water is fishing poorly then anglers stop going.

Tight lines
Dave

[Rutland Rod]

Well done to the EA in these resource reduced times. Hugh Bunkers team for the Nene/Welland are proposing to carry out 'soft engineering' for example installing 'flow deflectors,submerged vanes and brush wood enclosures. Designed to improve river conditions for Sea Trout, Course Fish and Eels on stretches of the Welland downstream of Stamford, plus on a stretch of the River Gwash.

Tight lines
Dave

[Swythyn Troutbeck]

Soft engineering really does deliver results as I discovered on the Upper Witham and The Gwash used to be a good little trout stream many years ago so here's hoping...!

Troutbeck