WEIR POOL
The weir pool is synonymous with double figure Barbel (in excess of 19lbs). The chub fishing is also excellent with specimen-sized fish in excess of 6lbs not uncommon. The fishery record is in excess of 9lbs. The weir pool holds double figure pike and bream and Perch to over 4lbs. The silver fishing is a fish a chuck and a great way to get the kids started with a float rod. In recent seasons there has been a significant increase in the numbers of quality Roach and Dace re-colonising the Weir pool with larger fish falling to seed baits in the summer. The Weir pool is organised into 9 marked swims and these can be fished on a day ticket.
East Bank 1
is next to the weir apron and is essentially a Barbel only swim, other species occasionally turn up here but for the most part if you get a bite it will be a barbel. There are 2 choices of where to fish in the swim either tight under the apron casting through the veil of water or too the left downstream at the side of the bush. Both options benefit from being fed particle bait as feed in a bait dropper. When water temps are in the higher range hemp, corn, maggots and pellet are effective. In the colder months maggots will still work but with some floodwater in the river lager smelly baits will often work.
East Bank 2
is known as the bay as it large back eddy. Cast tight to the right against the bank or too the left straight out to the end of the tree. Barbel, Chub and Bream can all be caught from this swim. Baits and techniques are very similar to EB1, this swim can be good in flood conditions when sometimes fish can be caught right under the rod top.
East Bank 3
known as the Beach, fronts the tail of the pool where its starts to shallow onto large gravel areas. A rod fished too the right next to the tree will produce the occasional Barbel but recently bream have been showing here. Towards the middle of the pool is a good area for big Chub, Bream and the occasional large Perch, again Barbel might occasionally show but it is less likely.In flood conditions a bait cast to the left alongside the fallen tree will produce good chub which move into the area which in normal conditions is quite shallow.
West Bank 1
the other weir apron swim , tactics are identical to EB1 except a downstream cast into the pool will sometimes produce a fish or two, it is essentially a swim where you need to be fishing as near the apron as you can.
West Bank 2 & 3
are a case of fishing to middle of the pool into the main flow where the depth is over 3 metres in places, constant accurate ground baiting with a dropper or swim feeder will draw fish into the area. Bream, Chub and Barbel are all possible depending on river conditions. These 2 swims are very good for stick float fishing if you want to try for the roach and dace.
West Bank 4
is an excellent swim for big chub which can be caught casting to the trees opposite or downstream to the small overhanging bush. The chub can be caught float fishing. The occasional big bream or barbel is also very much on the cards in this swim, particularly with a drop of floodwater inn the river.
West Bank 5
is a swim that is hard to pin down, fish can sometimes be caught close in behind the small upstream bush, in the middle channel near a sunken barrel and sometimes across to the far bank. For all it's uncertainty it has produce Barbel over 15lbs and Chub close to 8lbs. So not be ignored.
West Bank 6
the chicken run was once described as the best chub swim in England when 30 or more chub over 4lbs could be caught in a session, the numbers are not on the scale any longer but there is still a chance on the right day of catching 2 or 3 chub over 6lbs with a big 7 pounder in the mix for good measure. Big barbel occasionally get caught in this swim also which is best fished tight to the tree opposite although in flood conditions a rod fish downstream along the near bank can produce fish .