Fishery of the Week
Huge lost fish sets pulses racing for next trip
Ouse at Radwell
OVERHANGING trees, O enticing rafts and shallow reedy runs – the Great Ouse at Radwell is a playground for monster fish.
Elusive barbel running to double figures are found in this stretch of river, alongside chub to 7lb and perch to 4lb.
Like most UK rivers throughout the summer, the Ouse has run low and clear – far from ideal for targeting specimen fish, so Angling Times news reporters Freddie Sandford and Chris Hayden knew they had their work cut out during a recent visit to the stretch after specimens.
“It was really a case of catching whatever we could in the conditions,” said Freddie. “After walking the banks I settled on a swim immediately below a dense bed of bulrushes, causing the water to quicken and twist downstream.
“I set up a 7xNo4 stick float and began to steadily feed the swim with handfuls of maggots and hemp. Baiting my hook with a single red maggot, I swung the float out and watched its red tip run steadily downstream until it dipped, and my strike was met with a solid, jagging resistance. I swung in a roach of around 4oz, and after slipping it into my keepnet I threw some more maggots in and recast. I spent around an hour catching small dace, chub, roach, and perch until the action was interrupted by something more substantial.
“While I was reeling in a tiny roach I saw a small perch following it, behind which a much larger fish rose from the depths. A large, bristling perch was the culprit, and as it effortlessly opened its mouth and inhaled the small roach I felt its powerful lunges on the rod as line peeled from my reel.
“Sadly, the big stripey spat the roach out – however, seeing that fish motivated me to return to the river in the autumn and target these fish.
“Chris headed further downstream to a swim where a tempting raft leaned over the river. He cast out a maggot feeder and hoped to catch a larger fish – but under the tricky conditions all that took his bait were small gudgeon and chub.
“We will back here when conditions have improved, count on that!” PRICES: £55 until March 14, 2019 CONTACT: Vauxhall AC, www.vauxhallanglingclub.co.uk