Day Ticket Barbel Fishing - Kings Weir

I take a trip to the river Lea on the Kings Weir day ticket section in search of a Barbel or Chub before he season ends.
#barbelfishing #chubfishing #coarsefishing #riverfishing #riverlea #kingsweir #cadance #sonubaits #barbel #chub #dayticketfishing #dayticketbarbelfishing

[@paulwhite4738]

Great video. I used to fish Kings Weir during the Winter in the late 70s early 80s when I was a teenager. Used to be a long walk from where my dad parked the car then, maybe a couple of miles. Was still a day ticket water back then. Used to fish way down the end of the river in one of the last swims before the Leisure Sport Fishers Green venue began. The bailiff used to shoot at the rats along the opposite banks with some sort of air rifle. He kept huge snakes at the cottage. There was also a black cat that used to frequent the last few swims. We used to arrive early in the morning when it was still dark, trudging through all the mud (sometimes it was frozen solid). I remember the hum from the electricity pylons. Best fun was trotting with maggots, always used to catch a few chub. I remember a particular cold morning when it was still dark and I was in the 2nd last swim before the LS venue. I had an old Winfield ledger rod that was really for pike but I had an isotope in the end that rattled when I had a bite. Well, first cast I had after 15 mins this thing rattled and the rod bent over. I had what felt like a nuclear sub on the end that just motored UP stream and would not stop. Smashed me up eventually as I could do nothing with it. Memories !

[@AnAverageAngler]

Hi Paul, what a great write up 👏🏻 I’m glad you enjoyed the video and it bought back those fond memories. I love my river fishing, and like you whilst on the bank it brings back memories of when I was just a school lad fishing on a Saturday or school holiday. I started of aged 11 getting a bus to Crystal Palace park, and never caught anything, then the chap or ran the lock tackle should suggested smaller hooks and line (I used all my paper round money to buy some) and jump on the train to Hampton Court and fish the Thames. That some friends and I would spend days there catching Minnows (the target was we couldn’t go home until,someone had caught 100). Then we discovered ledgering and the river was full of beautiful gudgeon which I still adore to this day. With the river season just around the corner, I’ll hopefully be doing some more videos soon.

[@paulwhite4738]

@@AnAverageAngler Thanks Mark, one never forgets those memories. I started as a 7 year old catching minnows from the Thames in an R Whites lemonade bottle while my Dad float fished. Hampton Court, Walton and a few other places on the Thames. Progressed to tench and carp in the summer months and pike, barbel and chub in the Winter. Now being in Australia for the past 30 years it's a bit different !. Still some expats over here that are still doing the carping but different attitudes over here. Too busy to get out much at the moment but retirement in a few years and I'll dust off the rods again.

[@AnAverageAngler]

Good luck with retirement. I retired last year and on the Carp front am having probably the best year I’ve ever had which I put down to being able to go when the lakes are pretty empty (I’ve just done 2 days/nights for 4 fish to 25lb 11oz when everyone who fished the weekend on that lake had blanked). That said I still prefer the river and as videos go they get a lot more views than Carp videos, so I tend not to do them unless fishing a day ticket venue where I think someone wanting to go to may view the video for any information. I visited Australia a few years back, and yes definitely a different mentality when it comes to fishing. Good luck 🤞🏻

[@silentangling]

I do love a day ticket video. Interesting and informative thank you for sharing and inspiring

[@AnAverageAngler]

It’s a totally different kind of fishing there as there’s only 6 pegs, so no chance to move, and quite close to your fellow angler 🤦🏼‍♂️ I’ll definitely go back in the summer just to see if I can get one out of there, but wouldn’t be my chosen venue as I like to move around if nothing’s happening.

[@JamesPilgrim-ql2to]

A great informative vid, thanks Mark. Great to be given these venue details. Please keep it up. Cheers Jim

[@AnAverageAngler]

Thanks Jim 👍🏻 Glad you enjoyed it.

[@ianward6755]

Love watching your videos. Keep them coming

[@AnAverageAngler]

Thanks Ian 👍🏻

[@AnAverageAngler]

Thanks mate. Yes when I was a lad all the rivers were free now it’s hard to find a free stretch 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@briantimson1397]

Wow brings back memories. My dad took me there in the early 70s. You could also get a breakfast there too

[@AnAverageAngler]

A breakfast would have been nice 😋 Not an option now

[@tonycamplin8607]

I used to fish that part of the Lea regularly back in the early 1960s, the Kings wear section was free fishing back then. I was really shocked and surprised to hear how extremely expensive a day ticket was. The part I fished most was at Dobbs weir that belonged the LAA, the river was full of fish back then, you certainly wouldn't have blanked. I used to fish touch ledgering with a rolling weight, mainly for big roach, caught quite a few over 2lb, the best bait was silkweed. There were also lots of chub and the odd barble. Back then before water was abstracted there was a lot more flow, the only thing that hasn't changed is all of that bankside rubbish!

[@AnAverageAngler]

Hi Tony, Thanks for watching. Yes the river (like most now) is a long way off what it was back then. I commented to someone else how all the rivers were free fishing when I was a lad, but sadly those days are long gone 🥺 I’ve never tried the Dobbs Weir section. As for the “bankside rubbish” I’m hoping that’s not how it is all the time there given it’s now privately run by the house owner, but I’ll see when I give it another go in the summer.

[@tonycamplin8607]

@@AnAverageAngler Thanks for replying, I still can't get over the fact that you didn't catch a single fish, in my day that would have been impossible. Maybe I'm relying too much on my rose tinted glasses!

[@AnAverageAngler]

@@tonycamplin8607 I can’t believe nothing touched the worm. 100% if there were any fish in the area they would have had a go at it 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@turtlejones9279]

Used to fish here regularly in the the late 70,s and early 80,s, was absolutely stuffed with the whole range of coarse fish, tactic back then was at least 5 pints of maggots in a day fed with a bait dropper, and a ton of hempseed, made for a busy days fishing, but always had great results, the fish back then would actually follow the bait dropper and waited for the bait to come out!!! Also sweetcorn works great for big hauls of big Bream, wish you better luck next time :)

[@AnAverageAngler]

Thanks for watching. The fish stocks are definitely depleted now on that stretch (most rivers now days). Next time I’m going to give the maggots a good go on one rod just to see what (if anything) is in there 🤞🏻

[@turtlejones9279]

Its hard to know what is depleting the fish stocks everywhere, I remember as a 5 year old fishing the River Lea, just 20cm from the bank, I could see huge shoals of Gudgeon, Perch and Roach etc, I did notice a few years later a lot of sort of oil slicks on the water surface that i thought came from the small motor boats, which Im sure they did, and I'm sure that a lot of "Modern industrial practices " added to that also, but am still shocked to this day that a thriving river as the River Lea once was, died so quickly over such a small space of time, back then, and Im talking about 40 years ago, Nature and the Rivers were thriving, and now I feel like Im living in a "Lord of the Rings film" I watched a YT video a few weeks ago, sorry I can't point you to the exact video, but it seems that some people are noticing this same thing on the beautiful River Wye, and the Anglers are trying to get to the root of , excuse the pun "Why?" The more help they can find, the better.Praying that the Wye does not suffer the same fate as the Lea. Maybe more anglers can get involved in projects like this, otherwise in a few small years, all we will know is to draw blanks. God Bless

[@robertmeadows7508]

Hello ! I've spent some wonderful days fishing here in 1960 s_ 70s! Prefer the weirpool just under the apron in turbulent waters! Also had fish from a tiny side stream opposite house during floods!

[@AnAverageAngler]

Hi Robert, Thanks for watching. I’m aiming to fish the main weirpool I. The summer months and will do another Vlog (hopefully with a fish to show 🤞🏻)

[@formicapple2]

My first visit to Kings Weir was in 1962. Then the fishing rights from the weir pool downstream to the Met Police fishing club stretch about a mile were owned by the LAA. Someone in the LAA forgot to renew the lease and the LAA lost it all to Jim Carey. Anyway, the LAA managed to recover about the last 1/4 mile so we were able to continue fishing there. The fishing was always THE best in the LAAs portfolio. I caught my first specimen barbel there as a 9 years old lad. Returned to Chesent Broxborne stretch of the Lea last year after a 40 year absence. Discovered all the lea was no fishing due to the overhead power lines. Or private fishing. Shame youngsters are no longer allowed to roam and learn the sport with their mates.

[@AnAverageAngler]

Seemingly most stretches of most rivers now are “owned” or run by someone and as such means we have to pay to fish 🥺 . The glory days really have gone along with most of the fish

[@alanrichardson7790]

thanks mark for swift reply take care

[@rogerbaker3914]

I’ve Fished the day ticket weir section a couple of times about 15 years ago and had some big bream. I managed to join the private section of the river last year but unfortunately not fished it yet. Been told most of the barbel are gone and it’s so hard fishing now.

[@AnAverageAngler]

Thanks Roger, it’s a shame you haven’t fished the members section as I’d be interested to hear from non invested people what it’s really like? I know there aren’t many Barbel in the stretch, but hopefully it’s still worth the effort in the summer 🤞🏻

[@jonreed5510]

Always shows in AT. Some big fish. There was an article a while back raising concerns that no small fish have been caught recently. Was thinking of getting down next season but it’s a good old 100 + miles away.

[@AnAverageAngler]

I do get AT so wasn’t aware. I was talking to one of the other anglers who’s fished there a few times and says it’s hard to catch anything, but if you do it’s normally a good size. Over the past 5 years I’ve fished the Severn a fair few times and you used to be able to locate numbers of Barbel in the 5 - 7lb bracket, where as now you’re catching less but the fish are now bigger (likewise the Chub). All in all it’s not looking good for the future with the smaller fish not coming through. I’ll be giving to weir another go in the summer to see how I get on

[@fishingforbiteswithmo]

I blanked on the Severn on Monday. Do you think they aren't there or just not feeding in winter flood conditions? Tight lines 👍

[@AnAverageAngler]

I think they’re probably not there. Even pegs I know change every year after the floods. Generally I’d move pegs after 2 - 3 hours if I’ve not caught or at least had some knocks. Unfortunately all the pegs were taken yesterday so I couldn’t move.

[@paultant6741]

Remember fishing King's wier many years ago. It was a lovely summers day and I fell in. No problem hung my clothes onto the bushes to dry and carried on fishing with just my underpants on. Didn't realise the bailiff then was female but we did have a bit of a laugh

[@AnAverageAngler]

Some of the best things about fishing are memories from years gone by 👍🏻

[@alanrichardson7790]

mark what is the ruckbag you have cheers

[@AnAverageAngler]

Hi Alan it’s the korum transition ruckback (the smaller one of the two (compact)

[@peterwebb1026]

Hi Mark, how are you getting on with the shark rod tip lights?

[@AnAverageAngler]

Hi Peter, they’re actually really good. I thought they looked a bit chunky when I got them, but they’re fine. Have you been up to the Severn at all? I have a chance to go Wednesday, but still can’t decide if it’ll be worth it?

[@peterwebb1026]

No, haven’t managed a Severn trip, it’s just never seemed the right conditions especially with the distance involved. Can’t get down there next week so that’s it for me this season. Good luck if you do get over there👍

[@AaronCarpAngler-UK]

🎉

[@andybell369]

The wye is fishing its best for over 40 years. Unfortunately, not for the game fish. Everyone knows it's the bloody chicken factories

[@turtlejones9279]

"River Aktion UK" Jeremy Wade

[@AnAverageAngler]

I’ll have a watch. It seems to be a common theme on all rivers at present, which I guess is a combination of water extraction, pollution & predation 🥺

[@turtlejones9279]

@@AnAverageAngler or Politics ? I hope not

[@AnAverageAngler]

@@turtlejones9279 Who knows?

[@nobodysperfect1049]

Although I fished this many years ago ….I have to say it looks like your pulling into a scrap yard when you get through the gates …wouldn’t take more than a couple of days to smarten the appearance up …it’s a lovey place , not many fish these days but a classic looking venue ..but very scruffy …just my thoughts !!

[@AnAverageAngler]

That’s exactly what I thought when I drove in. Also whilst sat in my peg I thought it was in need of a lot of work (watching the recording back and it’s actually worse than I’d thought) I’m hoping when I go back in the summer it’s had a good tidy up as it really is in need of some TLC 🤞🏻