The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Evening Gents,
Reading the post from Tizer "Is it me?" Got me thinking about that vast,watery place we call the Fens.I have had some wonderful times there over the years,fishing for Pike and Zander.
I know there have been ups and downs there over the years but I still love the place and fish there most winters.
Who else has fished there and is anyone else still fishing there?Who knows,a TFF Fenland jaunt?

During the nineties I used to travel from Kent to the Fens to fish for Zander. The Middle level and Cut-Off Channel were my favourite venues.
The problem with fishing the ML in those days was the number of car break-ins if you were night fishing (which I was due to the distance I travelled). I chased off some guys that were showing a bit too much interest in my car at 1 am. The following night I saw a vehicle coming up a dirt track that I was parked on so I went to investigate. It was the police and they said they were having trouble with vehicle break-ins and that their squad car wasn't fast enough to catch them! The bean counters had decided that an underpowered but economical diesel car was the ideal police vehicle for the area.
Even with these problems it was still a wonderful area to fish.

I've always loved the fens, the big skies, the whistling wigeon and the winds that you don't always notice until you shut the car door and think you've gone deaf. I have had some wonderful times there fishing the Delph and the Old Bed. Happy days.

Think I have mentioned the Fens and how much I loved them,that is why it hurts so much to see what has happened to them,because I am a lone piker my fishing went downhill a long time ago, for the blokes on the grapevine or lived down there , they managed to get a few more years out of the drains and didn't believe what I said until just the other year even their pike fishing went down hill big time,now because it was starting to affect them they have started ,The Fenland Pike Fishing Iniative which envolved the police and the EA and the pac..................hope it works........just a shame you can't fence of the fens to keep out the 2 legged otters.

I was lucky enough to own an old static caravan in the mid/late 1970's that was based at Littleport. It was a great time to fish the region, even though river levels became very low for a while. For several years I travelled around fishing not only stretches of the Great Ouse, but also the Lark, Wissey, various drains etc etc. I know that for various reasons the fishing has declined since then, but I have my memories and they are enough!

Tizer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 22, 2021 8:29 am Think I have mentioned the Fens and how much I loved them,that is why it hurts so much to see what has happened to them,because I am a lone piker my fishing went downhill a long time ago, for the blokes on the grapevine or lived down there , they managed to get a few more years out of the drains and didn't believe what I said until just the other year even their pike fishing went down hill big time,now because it was starting to affect them they have started ,The Fenland Pike Fishing Iniative which envolved the police and the EA and the pac..................hope it works........just a shame you can't fence of the fens to keep out the 2 legged otters.

Hi Tizer,there is still good fishing to be found in the Fens if you get off the beaten track.The popular drains are pretty hard especially the ones with easy access ie the Sixteen Foot.
I think the Fenland Pike initiative may be bearing fruit as some of the EE's I have spoken to know their stuff and return their catches.Kings Lynn AA do a good job of bailiffing their waters and come down hard on offenders.
Lets all hope the Fens return to the glory days in our lifetimes.
Grumpy.

I’m days gone by I used to fish the old Bedford the counterwash and the hundred foot drains in Earith and had a really good time after biking from Cambridge at 3oclock in the morning ,what times they were,My favourite Lode was in Reach ,in east Cambs ,the EE have now taken a lot of the fish .Terry

Grumpy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:18 pm

Tizer wrote: ↑Sun Aug 22, 2021 8:29 am Think I have mentioned the Fens and how much I loved them,that is why it hurts so much to see what has happened to them,because I am a lone piker my fishing went downhill a long time ago, for the blokes on the grapevine or lived down there , they managed to get a few more years out of the drains and didn't believe what I said until just the other year even their pike fishing went down hill big time,now because it was starting to affect them they have started ,The Fenland Pike Fishing Iniative which envolved the police and the EA and the pac..................hope it works........just a shame you can't fence of the fens to keep out the 2 legged otters.

Hi Tizer,there is still good fishing to be found in the Fens if you get off the beaten track.The popular drains are pretty hard especially the ones with easy access ie the Sixteen Foot.
I think the Fenland Pike initiative may be bearing fruit as some of the EE's I have spoken to know their stuff and return their catches.Kings Lynn AA do a good job of bailiffing their waters and come down hard on offenders.
Lets all hope the Fens return to the glory days in our lifetimes.
Grumpy.

I hope you are right but I have to say this,I hear it a lot ,ie you just have to get off the beaten track, No one can get off the beaten track more than them,they only have a rod and small backpack,there is no where that they can not go, Unless of course you have a boat.

Hi Tizer,sobering comment but for some reason I always keep optimistic about the Fens and other issues.Last year I had a session on a drain I had never fished before.I had four Pike to just over 14lb and lost two,all in a morning.I didn't even go far from the van!
What with Covid a lot of EE's have headed back to whence they came.Lets hope they stay there!
I heard from an EA baliff last year about some monster Perch being netted and returned during a survey.Theres life in the place yet.
Take care,
Grumpy.