Stillwater fishing in Kent (Medway area) - It’s ludicrous

[Flathead]

Yep that’s the one ?. Thinking of joining the Kidlington club as well as littlemore next year as whilst they obviously share the same odaa waters it would give me in addition to them and the littlemore stretches (which are a lot now they water share with RDAA) some more productive canal and cherwell stretches (now accessible again due to works) for still only about £40 for the two clubs.

If you join the alliance as well you would cover most of the rivers in the area

 

[Silverfisher]

If you join the alliance as well you would cover most of the rivers in the area

Is that the oxford and Abingdon alliance? Problem with them is that unlike the odaa clubs which do a lot of work and see a lot of footfall they neglect their river stretches to the point that there’s hardly any swims. Stupid really as if they did the work there’s no reason that they couldn’t get as many members as littlemore.

 

[Flathead]

Is that the oxford and Abingdon alliance? Problem with them is that unlike the odaa clubs which do a lot of work and see a lot of footfall they neglect their river stretches to the point that there’s hardly any swims. Stupid really as if they did the work there’s no reason that they couldn’t get as many members as littlemore.

Problem with many clubs is finding volunteers to do the work, especially with an aging membership.

At one time the swims would not get so overgrown because of the anglers fishing them nearly all season.....I remember matches with hundreds of anglers along the Thames around Oxford....it no longer happens

 

[TrickyD]

Not sure where in Kent you are, but Warlingham and district AS membership gives access to Claygate and Orchard Place farm in Marden. These are predominantly match lakes, so will have lots of carp in, along with other species. Gabriels fishery can be fished by joining a number of clubs. There are lots of clubs around giving access to commercials.

 

[Silverfisher]

Problem with many clubs is finding volunteers to do the work, especially with an aging membership.

At one time the swims would not get so overgrown because of the anglers fishing them nearly all season.....I remember matches with hundreds of anglers along the Thames around Oxford....it no longer happens

If they don’t ask the question they’ll never know, often get a dozen or so at the littlemore work parties.

And yeah the heavily fished stretches on the odda cards like medley, sandford, Clifton etc always have near permanent swims warn into the banks that only require minor work from the clubs but the other stretches do need more attention which some clubs more than others are willing to give them.

 

[dave the fish]

Have you tried Tonbridge and district.

Membership

 

[Pompous git]

Didn`t realise Maidstone Victory had a waiting list. Good club, get on it.

 

[smiffy]

I thought anglers were supposed to be a diminishing breed ?

It’s strange isn’t it. This year my club apparently has had many new members due to Covid.
I think clubs are happy with a much lower membership than they would have had 20-30 years ago. Some clubs had thousands of members.

 

[Silverfisher]

It’s strange isn’t it. This year my club apparently has had many new members due to Covid.
I think clubs are happy with a much lower membership than they would have had 20-30 years ago. Many clubs had thousands of members.

I guess it’s a regional thing. We have a lot of water around here so we have a lot of anglers. Probably less than years gone by but a lot more than some other parts of the country.

 

[smiffy]

I guess it’s a regional thing. We have a lot of water around here so we have a lot of anglers. Probably less than years gone by but a lot more than some other parts of the country.

Definitely. Here in Essex it’s all about syndicates,expensive ones at that. All the clubs are based on Carp aswell. Carp fishing has never been more popular here. I should move to Hereford or Ross?

 

[Silverfisher]

Pretty even mix of the river and canal match and pleasure scene and the big pit carp scene here with a bit of trout fishing beyond that.

 

[OldTaff]

Not sure where in Kent you are, but Warlingham and district AS membership gives access to Claygate and Orchard Place farm in Marden. These are predominantly match lakes, so will have lots of carp in, along with other species. Gabriels fishery can be fished by joining a number of clubs. There are lots of clubs around giving access to commercials.

I live close to Maidstone - if it were just me I wouldn’t care, I’ve done plenty of travelling to fish day ticket waters in the past. I just want to get my young son on the bank for really short sessions to build his enthusiasm without a car journey that lasts 3 times longer than we fish.

 

[mickthechippy]

Mote park in the centre of maidstone,

plenty of fish, day tickets a £5 for grown ups, kids fish free

 

[OldTaff]

I’ve cracked it !!!!!!!!!!

Went on FB late last night bemoaning my plight - I blame a pooey day in work and many beers with dinner - and got told to stop messing about with stillwaters & fully booked clubs but instead get onto the River Medway free section from Allington Lock to Maidstone town centre.

Highly recommended with easy parking was a stretch in Ringlestone so we’ve given it a go.

With only a 5m elasticated whip, landing net, seatbox, tin of hemp and a pint of casters it was a 2 minute walk from car to a tarmac towpath & neat flat pegs. 12’ of water @ 4m out.

In went a baited hook over a couple of handfuls of hemp - instant bite !

That‘s how it kept going for the next 40 mins we fished - bite every cast producing roach, gudgeon, perch and little skimmers. Had to fish hard to the floor with the olivette about 6” from the hook to get through the bleak but that was fine.

Next swim had a dad with his 8yr old bagging up exactly the same but getting slightly larger fish on 6-7m of pole having groundbaited too plus he’d had a few bonus large skimmers and a proper bream.


We are now river anglers time to watch a lot more YouTube and buy more kit


Karl

 

[OldTaff]

Mote park in the centre of maidstone,

plenty of fish, day tickets a £5 for grown ups, kids fish free

That is my fallback plan for my day off next week - last midweek session before my boy starts primary school

 

[davej1981]

I’ve cracked it !!!!!!!!!!

Went on FB late last night bemoaning my plight - I blame a pooey day in work and many beers with dinner - and got told to stop messing about with stillwaters & fully booked clubs but instead get onto the River Medway free section from Allington Lock to Maidstone town centre.

Highly recommended with easy parking was a stretch in Ringlestone so we’ve given it a go.

With only a 5m elasticated whip, landing net, seatbox, tin of hemp and a pint of casters it was a 2 minute walk from car to a tarmac towpath & neat flat pegs. 12’ of water @ 4m out.

In went a baited hook over a couple of handfuls of hemp - instant bite !

That‘s how it kept going for the next 40 mins we fished - bite every cast producing roach, gudgeon, perch and little skimmers. Had to fish hard to the floor with the olivette about 6” from the hook to get through the bleak but that was fine.

Next swim had a dad with his 8yr old bagging up exactly the same but getting slightly larger fish on 6-7m of pole having groundbaited too plus he’d had a few bonus large skimmers and a proper bream.


We are now river anglers time to watch a lot more YouTube and buy more kit


Karl

Sounds great! Very few free waters near me nearest to me is a good 30mins away and is tidal so for a couple hrs around family commitments rules it out, the only 2 places there used to be free are now run by a club or syndicate

 

[Silverfisher]

I’ve cracked it !!!!!!!!!!

Went on FB late last night bemoaning my plight - I blame a pooey day in work and many beers with dinner - and got told to stop messing about with stillwaters & fully booked clubs but instead get onto the River Medway free section from Allington Lock to Maidstone town centre.

Highly recommended with easy parking was a stretch in Ringlestone so we’ve given it a go.

With only a 5m elasticated whip, landing net, seatbox, tin of hemp and a pint of casters it was a 2 minute walk from car to a tarmac towpath & neat flat pegs. 12’ of water @ 4m out.

In went a baited hook over a couple of handfuls of hemp - instant bite !

That‘s how it kept going for the next 40 mins we fished - bite every cast producing roach, gudgeon, perch and little skimmers. Had to fish hard to the floor with the olivette about 6” from the hook to get through the bleak but that was fine.

Next swim had a dad with his 8yr old bagging up exactly the same but getting slightly larger fish on 6-7m of pole having groundbaited too plus he’d had a few bonus large skimmers and a proper bream.


We are now river anglers time to watch a lot more YouTube and buy more kit


Karl

Sounds good mate. Can’t beat a mixed bag from a river ??

 

[OldTaff]

Sounds great! Very few free waters near me nearest to me is a good 30mins away and is tidal so for a couple hrs around family commitments rules it out, the only 2 places there used to be free are now run by a club or syndicate

Turns out there’s an absolute stack of free stretches dotted along the Medway and a couple of other little local rivers too - the FB page gives info on carp sections, pike sections, chub sections, etc and I think everywhere holds little silvers & perch for toddler tiddler fishing

 

[Cobweb]

I’ve cracked it !!!!!!!!!!

Went on FB late last night bemoaning my plight - I blame a pooey day in work and many beers with dinner - and got told to stop messing about with stillwaters & fully booked clubs but instead get onto the River Medway free section from Allington Lock to Maidstone town centre.

Highly recommended with easy parking was a stretch in Ringlestone so we’ve given it a go.

With only a 5m elasticated whip, landing net, seatbox, tin of hemp and a pint of casters it was a 2 minute walk from car to a tarmac towpath & neat flat pegs. 12’ of water @ 4m out.

In went a baited hook over a couple of handfuls of hemp - instant bite !

That‘s how it kept going for the next 40 mins we fished - bite every cast producing roach, gudgeon, perch and little skimmers. Had to fish hard to the floor with the olivette about 6” from the hook to get through the bleak but that was fine.

Next swim had a dad with his 8yr old bagging up exactly the same but getting slightly larger fish on 6-7m of pole having groundbaited too plus he’d had a few bonus large skimmers and a proper bream.


We are now river anglers time to watch a lot more YouTube and buy more kit


Karl

Fished the Ringlestone stretch myself. Good place - used to be able to park right by the river, but now just a short walk

 

[OldTaff]

Fished the Ringlestone stretch myself. Good place - used to be able to park right by the river, but now just a short walk

I parked by the houses - restriction Monday to Friday but fine on weekends - right at the end of the little path to the bank.

People on the boats opposite were lovely, chatting to my son when they saw he was on the whip and clapping when he landed a fish