the river teme

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Gary Bills
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the river teme

Post by Gary Bills »

I recall an interesting session I enjoyed in July 1989; a group of us camped out for three days at Stamford Bridge on the Teme, and I had an experience with barbel that made me realise how often we get bites and do not know it. A long-term angling friend, Martin Flavell and I decided to leave the pack and explore upstream, into some slightly wilder reaches. Martin wanted roach on the float, and he only had a light match rod and 3lb line. I had my Webley Super Barbel and 6lb line, coupled with a chubber float and size 12 hook. Well, we found a spot where a willow tree had fallen into the Teme, and barbel were all round it, flashing over the silty bottom. The water was gin clear and shallow and, as I was the one with the heavier tackle, Martin suggested that I should "go for it", while he decided to lie on the bank, right by the tree, to watch and enjoy events. To cut a long story short, I hooked and landed five barbel - striking when Martin indicated that the bait - red and white maggots - had been taken. Not once did the float go under! Not once! At best, the chubber seemed to pause in the current, and that was all. Usually, there was not even the slightest bob, and every fish was hooked fairly in the mouth. The float was set to just trip the bottom, and I would make the bait rise only a little as the float approached the branches. I've never forgotten that remarkable day!

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St.John
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Re: the river teme

Post by St.John »

One of the clubs I am a member of owns a couple of stretches of the teme, which I have just started to explore. The first time I saw the river I thought 'wow, this is tiny'. Then I thought 'bloody hello, that's the biggest chub i've ever seen!'.
This little, intimate river is a haven for stalkers, home to large wiley chub, gigantic barbel, salmon, trout, grayling, perch, dace, pike and those are the species I saw in about 9 hours of bank time. In the summer it is a low, gin clear stream with high banks and over hanging willows. I can imagine it being a raging torrent in the winter. It has lovelly layout, with pool followed by gravely glide into another pool. Heavy tackle is a necessity due to hard fighting fish and an abundance of snags. I am still very new to this river, but i am really going to enjoy getting to know her. The one draw back is that it has a little bit of a litter problem. I picked up two carrier bags of rubbish today, and will be taking a bin bag with me next trip, something I hate doing, but cannot leave. Anglers that leave rubbish on the bank should be banned from angling. No ifs, no buts. They are scum.
"Be patient and calm-for no man can catch fish in anger."

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Mark
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Re: the river teme

Post by Mark »

st.john wrote:Anglers that leave rubbish on the bank should be banned from angling. No ifs, no buts.
I agree totally ST, there is no excuse whatsoever for leaving rubbish.
Mark (Administrator)

The most precious places in the English landscape are those secretive corners,
where you find only elder trees, nettles and dreams. (BB - Denys Watkins-Pitchford).

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St.John
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Re: the river teme

Post by St.John »

No there's no excuse. I really hate picking up other peoples s#!t, but hate fishing amongst it, and leaving it there more. A jolly good gaffing would probably sort the buggers out! I've banned people for life on the stretch I bailiff for leaving rubbish. It's completely out of order, and anyone who does it is not a proper angler.
"Be patient and calm-for no man can catch fish in anger."

Tony1964

Re: the river teme

Post by Tony1964 »

Litter makes me very mad indeed and also very confused. To me fishing is about enjoying the countryside as much as it is about catching fish. I do not understand how any fisherman would leave the very place we hold dear in such a mess. Not only is it unsightly but it is also hazardous to the wildlife we love.

I am also amazed at FB's tale of barbel fishing. I was always warned about how fierce a barbel take is, whipping the end of the rod around leaving the angler in no doubt that he has a bite. His friend is obviously very skilled to be able to recognise such activity.

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St.John
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Re: the river teme

Post by St.John »

I've had similar happen to me on the wye. There is a little run which the barbel sit in where you can watch them take bait from the bank above them. I was fishing with one of my friends, and he had his bait at the top of the run. I snuck onto the little rise above the run and trickled some pellets in on top of the bait. I saw the barbel move up the swim and sift the bait. Picking it up and spitting it out very quickly. When one got to the bait it sucked it in, spat it out and sucked it in again. Moved up the run a little then realized it was hooked. Then charged. That one little observation changed the way I feed in ground bait. Instead of being obsessive about getting the free offerings tight to the hookbait, I now scatter it over a wide area, making the fish move about the swim, giving them less time the think (due to competition), and hopefully having them make a mistake a little easier. Just how I do it, but it works for me!! Also the teme barbel are really shirty fish.
"Be patient and calm-for no man can catch fish in anger."

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Mario
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Re: the river teme

Post by Mario »

im looking forward to the new season at new club who runs the fishing at powick on the teme anyone else on the forum who likes to fish on the teme and have you any big barbel or chub out or even a big pike story to tell

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