BAA Tales

[Zerkalo]

I went to this stretch I've been fishing on the Severn the other day. As I was walking down to the peg, 4 chaps with cockney accents started chatting to me.

They asked if it's a busy stretch, telling me they'd had to by BAA membership each for their visit as somewhere near Bridgnorth they wanted to fish is on some other book now.

I said "No, it's quiet here. That's why I like it there's loads of pegs".

"Good" they said, "There's 4 of us and we've just been to Arley and couldn't find enough pegs, the banks are too steep and the pegs not well cut out enough".

"They're about as good as you get on the Severn on this stretch" I said as they pointed out a peg that needs a work party, "I'm walking down to the second meadow as there's a few decent pegs on a bend down there".

"Second meadow?" they asked, "How far is that?"

"About 10 or 15 minute walk" I reply.

Looking a bit perturbed by the prospect of walking so far, we wished each other well and I expected to see them fishing. When the bailiff came along, he asked if anyone else was fishing further along. I told him there were 4 anglers looking for pegs and he told me he hadn't seen anyone. I didn't see anyone on my way back either, so I presume they'd gone to check out two 'decent' BAA stretches of the Severn and not found anywhere to their liking.

It got me thinking, maybe they should expect to have to walk further as there's 3 or 4 miles of river on this stretch, maybe they expected too much from the pegs, or maybe it is the BAA that need to do more to cut out more pegs? I felt a bit sorry for them as it was 3pm, they were obviously on a holiday and looking for somewhere to fish.

 

[Silverfisher]

I don’t pay much attention to walking time and distance when I’m fishing tbh, there is just comfortable distance and too far! I’d say most places I fish are probably about 10 minute walks though.

 

[Zerkalo]

I don’t pay much attention to walking time and distance when I’m fishing tbh, there is just comfortable distance and too far! I’d say most places I fish are probably about 10 minute walks though.

I think the reason this stretch is so quiet is that most BAA anglers must be lazy and the walk puts them off. I travel light though and carry all my gear on my shoulders. The pegs in the first meadow seem the most popular even though they're not the best pegs as it's the shortest walk. I'm not complaining as it means I've found somewhere I can go of an evening. Does make me wonder about matches on the Severn though, must be quite peggy on the stretches I know, and relatively small matches compared to some of the ones around Bewdley.

 

[rudd]

Bloody pansies
I used to walk from Aldburgh dirty wall to the aeirals on Orford island with wellies on, thermals, Sundridge SAS suit, holdal with two rods/beach buddy/7ft tripod and a backpack with gear, food, flask and bait.
Had to walk up to two hours along beach as the track is private property.
Was an awsome spot to fish back then and worth the effort for big codling /cod.
Despised the members who drove 4wd or quads along track to get to the various marks when sneaking along the track if they asked you to get back on beach. If they got caught giving non members a lift - banned by their club.
Most turned a blind eye to track walkers but many didnt.

 

[Zerkalo]

The thing is I've only fished less than about 10 different pegs in the 3 seasons I've recently had a BAA membership. And what scares me is I'm told meadows 3 & 4 have the best pegs on this stretch, you're looking at 30 minute walk maybe. I think the people who say to fish down there might be having a laugh as 20 minutes with a hill at the end is about as far as I've managed.

 

[carphauler]

It's like HL LB, you can walk way up past the water treatment plant but people rarely do and fish opposite the Unicorn stretch, apparently the fishing further up is quite good. As said Arley gets busy because of the easy parking in the first meadow but that's not necessarily where the best fishing is, come October it'll be dead again anyway then I can fish any peg I like.

 

[Robwooly]

I walk loads when on the Severn and people often ask when they hear my London accent why I come all that way, I just point and say "That's why"

I loved the steep banks and miles of fishing on offer when I first fished it and still do.

If any holidaying or visiting angler has a moan about the banks being steep suggest they try the Teme

 

[spooky1966]

i remember the time walking the cam stretch from clayhive to baits bite in the matches fully loaded ASI and rest of my gear, now that was a challenge

 

[NoCarpPlease]

i remember the time walking the cam stretch from clayhive to baits bite in the matches fully loaded ASI and rest of my gear, now that was a challenge

crikey - that must be a mile and half at least.
We always pegged from baitsbite down ... and I always seemed to draw near to the lock!

I reckon the most I've walked with full match kit is about a mile (radwell roadside to hurdlefoot) and the furthest pegs at Bartonsham on the Wye must be close to that distance as well). But age is catching up and I do use a barrow these days!

And yes - people are generally lazy! There are a few exceptions thankfully.

 

[spooky1966]

crikey - that must be a mile and half at least.
We always pegged from baitsbite down ... and I always seemed to draw near to the lock!

I reckon the most I've walked with full match kit is about a mile (radwell roadside to hurdlefoot) and the furthest pegs at Bartonsham on the Wye must be close to that distance as well). But age is catching up and I do use a barrow these days!

And yes - people are generally lazy! There are a few exceptions thankfully.

Yea I had to walk it as I was travelling with my dad and we had a argument, he was pegged at clay hive and I was just on the bend at the car park by bates bite and refused to drop me off so I walked from the hotel to near the lock nearly bloody killed me

 

[Arry]

I used to fish the Trimpley bit above Bewdley... got a ticket from Stinky Stan and fished that... always had good Barbel and Chub there... especially on the section by the bridge with the missing spans

 

[Zerkalo]

I used to fish the Trimpley bit above Bewdley... got a ticket from Stinky Stan and fished that... always had good Barbel and Chub there... especially on the section by the bridge with the missing spans

Been meaning to check this stretch out. Apparently the parking arrangements have changed so there's more of a walk so I need to go and have a look before I fish it. That's the thing with Quatford (and Danery I think) only room for maybe 10 cars at a push but I see them occasionally booked for club matches.

 

[Arry]

You used to e able to park on the road by the water works years ago... dunno about now... last time I fished up there was in the 90's

 

[tunna]

It is a long walk down to meadows 3-4 at Quatford, i drew meadow 4, 3 times in the BAA big un matches some years ago i was knackered by the time i got to my peg, with all the gear, since then walked it twice with rods,chair and bag much easier going light to fish opposite the brook at brooke section the famous "Harris's peg" - when river is low easier to fish it from brooke section as you can wade halfway across and drop feeder in the hole

Harris's peg - robin Harris won the All-England Championship in 1971 beating over 1,000 anglers on the River Severn at Quatford from a swim which is now known as Harris’s Peg. He was later awarded the MBE for his services to angling.

 

[carphauler]

You used to e able to park on the road by the water works years ago... dunno about now... last time I fished up there was in the 90's

Last time fished the stick ups I parked on Northwood Lane carpark but have been told in the past to be weary of parking your car there, it's a short walk down the field then.

 

[Arry]

Thats the name... Northwood Lane... we stayed in the Severn Valley Guest House and supped in the Black Boy PH... ( bet thats had a name change now?)

 

[Total]

@Zerkalo .........Doesn't anyone fish Iron Bridge anymore?

 

[Zerkalo]

@Zerkalo .........Doesn't anyone fish Iron Bridge anymore?

No idea mate. I've been there on a school trip years ago but not for fishing.

 

[Total]

Thats the name... Northwood Lane... we stayed in the Severn Valley Guest House and supped in the Black Boy PH... ( bet thats had a name change now?)

Still the same....

The Black Boy Public House, Wyre Hill Bewdley

 

[Silverfisher]

Just tried to work out a few of my regular stretch walks on google maps. Can’t select the actual routes but going off what it comes up with a bit less than half a mile seems about the average but I’d say it seems less. Half a mile sounds quite far!