Fishery of the Week
Thrill to stalking them on the Ivel
River Ivel, Beds
FOR those of you who love nothing more than roving a winding stretch of feature-filled river, why not try the Ivel… home to the fish of your dreams?
This river in Bedfordshire could be considered paradise for those who seek an up close and personal affair on flowing water.
An abundance of overhanging willows, streamer weed-infested glides and shallow gravel runs makes for a beautiful scene straight out of Mr Crabtree.
The environment here is perfect for fish of all species – roach, perch, chub and barbel all thrive in the richly oxygenated water, and the barbel once reached sizes capable of challenging the British record.
I may have missed out on the record-shakers, but from what I can gather, those brave enough to continue chasing dreams could be richly rewarded.
I’ve fished a couple of short sessions in recent weeks, with clear conditions not only enabling me to indulge in my favourite approach of stalking, but also giving me an insight into what lies beneath the surface.
I won’t give away too much, as I’m a firm believer in reaping your own rewards, but I’ve seen all the aforementioned species at weights well into their respective specimen brackets.
STEALTH FOR CHUB
Chub would be my number one target when visiting any river at the moment, though they are extremely shy here. Do your best not to make your presence known by slowly creeping from swim to swim, before introducing your bait with as little disturbance as possible. I’d recommend a traditional roving approach, because if you’re lucky enough to catch, the chance of further bites are lost as chub spook in search of sanctuary. I prefer to freeline or use a light link leger set-up here.
My biggest chub from the river so far fell to a freelined chunk of breadflake, and came after I’d spotted a fish lying up under cover. I watched it intently as it manoeuvred itself across the gravel, snaking its way in and out of a snag which hovered just inches from the surface, telling me that a tricky cast had to be made to give me my chance.
It’s casts that ‘plop’ into the chub’s lair after dangerously brushing the branches that usually produce an instant bite, and here was no different.
Rocking the rod back and forth gave me enough momentum to swiftly fire my offering under the snag and out of sight, so much so that I wondered whether it’d gone too far and into the foliage – but small ripples indicated I may have made the wonder cast. Ninety nine times out of 100 they go into the tree!
The chub disappeared from sight while I was left eagerly anticipating a bite at any moment, the flow working towards me making it difficult to feel for the take… had she taken the perfectly-delivered flake trundling across the gravel?
BATTLE JOINED
My line remained slack as a large chub emerged from the shadows, the only sign of a bite being the expression of the fish as it swam. Its chalk-white lips were chewing as it swung round in the current.
Wallop! That was enough for me to assume it had made its mistake so I had to strike, an assumption that was proved correct by a sudden twist of silver and bronze, followed by thumping head-shakes as the chub dived for the cover of marginal streamer weed.
Luckily I’d gone prepared with strong line, so I could keep its head up and steer it clear of danger, eventually netting it after a typically short but explosive battle. With the adrenaline still coursing through me, I quickly removed the wedged size 4
hook and held the fish up for the camera. What a fish it was too!
Short and stocky fish, with the classic colours of a summer chub, its sun-tanned bronze back melded beautifully into a mixture of golds and silvers on its flanks, contrasted emphatically by its copper fins skirted in black – much like the tail which powers their fighting attributes. Because of the hot conditions I didn’t weigh it, but it was well over the 5lb mark – a fine fish to end the day. LOCATION: Iver Mill, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 8AZ CONTACT: Andy Davis, Andy’s Angling Centre, 01462 850 061 WEBSITE: www.ipafishing.co.uk PRICE: Membership only, see list of controlling clubs