BACK TO THE FISHING
Now and with just over a week to go before the new season gets underway many are already speculating as to where the big weights are going to come out. For my money, it is going to be the River Lane section of Orton. I think the pegs just below the new road bridge in the 460s could be worth a try, better still the 520s and the 560s should produce some cracking sport to the pole or feeder. Higher up the river, Stibbington should produce some chub on the boats and around the railway bridge and for those prepared to walk the downstream section around the pylons could see some big bream weights. The roach are usually slow starters, a lot will depend on flow and colour as to whether they will feed in the first couple of weeks but keep feeding hemp and you could tempt a few.
I like the look of Oundle's waters on the Nene, expect bream and tench weights to the chopped worm and caster approach with the added bonus here of carp, and lots of them.
From Oundle down to Peterborough, if you have ever wanted to bag a river carp or two then there is no better time than the first couple of weeks of a new season. Plenty of bait in the right location and a little patience and you could well take a double!
FERRY MEADOWS
did not have the best of seasons last year but I firmly believe it is still one of the best bream waters in the country. It could get off to a flying start, we have had a reasonable amount of rain and some warm weather which should encourage bream to feed. This is an out and out feeder water and you will need plenty of worms and casters to keep them coming with the hot pegs expected to be on the Milton Bank on Overton. Carp anglers will also be eager to get back on to both lakes, I have seen pictures of 40lb plus carp taken so there is ample opportunity for anglers to record personal bests from the fishery. I have been asked to remind all those that fish here, that there is still no night fishing allowed on either lake and anglers should be clear of the complex by dusk.Peterborough handbooks are now on sale at the local tackle shops, priced at just £24 for a season they still represent good value for money.
WHITTLESEY
have acquired some more fishing rights on fenland drains to add to their already impressive list of waters. You will now be able to fish at Tebbitts Bridge on one of their club books. It is a water that I have not fished for several years but it had a fine reputation for roach, tench and bream fishing then, so no reason why it should not produce the goods now. A Yaxley/Farcet/Holme club card (£12) will entitle you to fish the likes of Black Ham, Bradfords Bridge, Fields End Bridge and their jewel in the crown Raveley Drain. Perhaps better known for its top class winter action, I know of a lot of anglers that fish it through the summer months for tench and have had some excellent nets.
RIVER WELLAND
IT will be interesting to see how the River Welland performs this season, it is a noted early season bream water which can often produce three figure weights to those that have pre-baited swims. Weed is often a problem though, so if you intend giving the river a try anywhere from the Folly mouth through to Crowland Bridge and down towards Spalding, make sure the section you intend fishing is not too badly effected. The Deeping St. James club control the river down to the Four Mile Bar Bridge and they also have fishing rights further upstream on the narrow sections through the Deepings. Put that all together with a small lake and their ticket price of £18 looks very good value for money. LATEST news is not too good I am sorry to say, several anglers had pre-baited but had little results over the first couple of days.RAMSEY ANGLING SOCIETY
The Ramsey Angling Society have their usual mix of fenland drains on offer, many anglers in the area get a Ramsey handbook to fish for the tench and bream along the Forty Foot. One of my favourite sections though and one I can thoroughly recommend is Staffurths Bridge. It is a cracking summer water, full of roach and rudd with huge shoals of bream and better still one of the few waters that has tench along the whole section. Club tickets are priced at £15.EARLY SEASON WATERS WORTH A TRY
OVER the past couple of seasons I have had my leg pulled on more than one occasion after announcing that the new season is going to get off to a flying start, only to see some pretty poor returns come in. Well this year I was a little more conservative with my predictions and for once it would seem that opening day was better than expected, particularly on the River Nene. Bream and tench showed at Oundle, Wansford and best of all on the Peterborough DAA section above the railway bridge in the 50’s. River expert and Peterborough’s head bailiff John Means new exactly where to find the big fish and after a heavy baiting session proceeded to bag bream and tench on red maggot and worm finishing with close to 40lb. Very few roach have shown, but they are always slow starters, elsewhere bream and skimmers were also taken on the Orton Downstream section and I heard of some cracking action from those fishing the city centre. It is still early days, yet this could be the start of a good year on the Nene. The River Welland was a completely different story I am sorry to say, this once great bream river was not at its best on opening day. Despite heavy pre baiting Angling Times men Richard Grange and Ian Toombes failed to make any impression, although I did hear of a good weight taken down at the Spalding end. Our Fenland Drains have also started well with the Twenty Foot, Forty Foot, Cock Bank and the Old Nene at Benwick all in good early season form. I doubt we will ever again see rows of anglers on our natural venues but if their form does continue through the summer months we could well tempt a few to return.I have had some really good reports coming in from anglers fishing the North Level Drain at Tydd Gote. Bream and tench have shown with plenty of skimmers also being taken. Squatt and pinkie worth a try but its chopped worm and caster for a big fish approach here.