Langport & District Angling Association
Fishing News
River Parrett
River levels
The Angling Trust has put a useful website on the internet for finding river levels; one I use when planning a fishing trip on the river.
The web address is www.fishinginfo.co.uk.
Click on the 'Find A River Level' tab and enter 'Langport' in the search box.
This will show a map of river level measuring stations in the Langport area.
I find the 'Monks Lease Wq' at Combe and the 'Oath' at Oath Lock locations give meaningful levels for the river.
Beware the level at 'Westover' which is the river side of the Westover Pumping Station opposite Cocklemoor in Langport. When the river is low, this measuring station shows a smooth horizontal line which suggests the level sensor is probably above the current water level and so not showing the correct level.
I hope this site is of some use to you.
Thursday 25th June
Fran and I fished on Stuckies. It was a very hot day, air temperature was about 32°C.
The water was completely clear and the eel grass was almost up to the surface and across the width of the river. The river was flowing gently.
Fran fished a 6 metre whip at a depth of about two feet with maggot on the hook and loosefed maggot and hemp.
He caught roach, rudd, bleak, skimmers and perch. He finished with a total of 3lb which would have been more if it hadn't been for half a dozen pike attacks due to the very clear water.
I fished a long rod and centrepin reel with a very light stick float. I fished two feet deep with bronze maggot on the hook and loosefeeding maggot.
I caught roach, bleak, skimmers, hybrids, chublets and perch for a total of 4lb 6oz.
Thursday 2nd July
Fran and I fished halfway down Stuckies. The day was mainly overcast and breezy with light rain showers from lunchtime onwards.
The river was very clear with a nice slow flow. The eel grass weed limited our fishing to a maximum depth of about 2 feet. Unfortunately, with the water so clear, the pike kept attacking everything we hooked.
Fran fished a 6 metre whip with maggot or caster on the hook over loosefed hemp and caster.
He caught roach, rudd, skimmers, chublets and bleak for a total weight of 3lb 9oz.
I fished a long rod, centrepin and a light stick float (the pace of the river was just right for pulling line off the reel). I fished bronze maggot on the hook over loosefed maggot.
I caught roach, rudd, skimmers, chublets and bleak for a total of 2lb 8oz.
Combe Lake
Coronavirus Pandemic
Remember the 2-Metre Rule, keep your distance from other anglers and we'll all be safe.
Hand sanitiser is available at both gates for your protection.
The virus can live on metal for up to 72 hours so I spray the padlock and parts of the gates and latches with my disinfectant spray before touching them. A good habit to get into!
Shutting and Locking
Please make sure you shut the gate securely in the otter fence when entering and leaving the lake.
We are finding, all to often, that the main gate is being left unlocked.
When you leave by the main gate, please make sure the padlock is correctly attached and locked securely. Scramble all the numbers on the lock.
Protect the lake, and your fishing, by ensuring that the gate is securely locked.
If you are fishing Combe Lake, why not let me know what you caught; photos of your catch would also be appreciated. We'd love to know how it's fishing for our members. Email me.
WEED
I know some members aren't happy about the weed in our lake. However, the weed is very beneficial to our fish and the waterfowl. It contains lots of food in the form of invertebrates. It provides shelter and protection for our fish. It also helps to keep the algae levels down and improve water quality.
Most of our fishing can be done in front of the platforms so we only need to clear the weed from where we want to fish. This is easily achieved by spending a few minutes raking before we tackle up. This gives a short period for the swim to settle before fishing. Raking also stirs up the silt which attracts the fish into the swim.
A simple weed rake (as shown above) can be made by joining two garden rake heads back to back and securing with cable ties. A length of strong nylon rope can be securely attached.
Thursday 14th May
An evening session produced this nice-looking mirror for Liam Kerry.
Thursday 21st May
Giles James, after catching a carp of about 20lb early in the morning, moved to a swim that was clear of willow fluff. He caught the mirror and the common off the top on floating dog biscuits. Mid-afternoon the tench switched on and he caught four and also had the bream, all on sweetcorn.
Although one side of the lake was clear of willow fluff in the morning, the prevailing breeze dropped in the afternoon and the fluff covered the lake, making it almost impossible to fish.
If it is a windy day there should be some clear patches which are fishable. Once it has rained appreciably, the fluff should sink, leaving a clear surface.
Thursday 28th May
Fran and I fished the east side of the lake. With an easterly breeze, large patches of water were clear of willow fluff when we arrived. With changes in wind direction during the day, some fluff moved into our swims and caught up on the line and in the rod rings but it didn't stop us fishing.
We were the only anglers fishing, probably due to the willow fluff being such a nuisance at the moment!
It was certainly a very hot day!
Fran fished the pole, loose-feeding pellet with pellet or sweetcorn on the hook.
He caught a few roach, rudd, perch and this nice 5lb 2oz bream for a total of 5lb 8oz.
I fished to the large lily bed with a waggler, loose-feeding micro and expander pellets with expander or banded hard pellet on the hook.
I caught a few roach, rudd and this nice 3lb tench for a total of 3lb 10oz.
There's still a lot of willow fluff and it's worse in the western arm of the lake. As you can see, the eastern arm is clearer in patches and is fishable.
Thursday 4th June
Fran and I fished the two pegs at the north end of the eastern side of the lake.
It was mainly overcast with a north-westerly breeze. Water temperature was about 20°C.
After the rain the day before, there wasn't a lot of colour in the water.
Fran fished the whip with a waggler rig into open water between a lily bed and a weed bed. He fished expander pellet over groundbait and loosefed expander pellet.
He caught roach, rudd, perch and some small tench for a total of 2lb 12oz.
It was nice to see small tench; it shows they've been breeding successfully in recent years.
I fished a waggler into open water with expander pellet on the hook over loosfed expander pellet and hemp.
I caught roach, rudd and a small skimmer for a total of 1lb.
The rain, the day before, had sunk all the willow fluff but as the temperature increased during the day, some willow fluff and the seedpods which had contained the fluff, were being blown down onto the water, making fishing a bit difficult in the afternoon.
Thursday 11th June
Fran and I fished the east side of the lake today. It was an overcast day with reasonable rain showers in the afternoon.
It was a bit windy at times with a north-easterly blowing either off our backs or down the lake from the north end.
There is now virtually no willow fluff; just a few bits, now and then, drifting down off the trees.
Fran fished the pole with expander pellet on the hook over some groundbait and loosefed expanders.
He caught roach, rudd and four tench for a total of 6lb 4oz.
I fished the waggler using a centrepin and a 13' match rod.
I caught four small roach using expander pellet on the hook over groundbait and loosefed expanders.
In the afternoon, I switched to sweetcorn in the margins, loosefeeding a few grains of corn and expanders and some groundbait to catch these two tench, 1lb 14oz and 3lb 12oz.
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