Keith Arthur’s
I’d not be surprised to see a record fish out this autumn
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ISEE that some big old bream are coming out of one of my old stamping grounds – Walthamstow Reservoirs.
I fished there in my very early teens when my uncle worked for the old Metropolitan Water Board and got me a season ticket for a ‘guinea’ (£1.05) way before I was legally allowed.
In those days Walthamstow was home to some very big bream, although I could never catch them.
I did have some decent roach, small skimmers, perch and even ruffe, which were a nuisance when fishing maggots, so bread was the bait.
Following multiple stockings and movements of fish, many of the lakes turned into out-andout carp waters, although there have always been bream around, some of them very large indeed and also still able to avoid me.
Obviously, with so many carp being stocked, the risk of KHV is always there and last year there were many dead fish... maybe not identified as KHV victims but I’m certain in all such cases that the constantly mutating virus is at least culpable.
Now what’s happened is the bream are seemingly easier to catch, and even bigger than ever.
They are not being bullied out of the trough by carp, and I would not be at all surprised if the good old ‘Stow’ produces a very special fish this autumn, possibly even a record.
“What’s happened is the bream are seemingly easier to catch, and even bigger than ever”