Fishing a "swim" on the Bristol Avon (UK)

[bristolmod]

Tomorrow 1 July 2021 I will be fishing a "swim" on the Bristol Avon (UK) upstream from Keynsham.

I last fished this in June 1967 in the "Summer of Love" with a friend.\

I will be using an 840 although I still have the 300 I used then- the rod will be a Normark Avenger 2000 13 foot. Maggot will be the hook bait.

I hope all those anglers I fished with over 50 years ago are looking down- it will be an emotional day for me.

Chris

[Ted Lanham]

bristolmod,
I'm looking forward to finding how the trip turns out. Luck!

Regards,
Ted Lanham

[bristolmod]

went quite well! Basically a fish a cast although very small (apart from the pike that took a perch as I was reeling in!!) Very quiet and only saw one other angler. Maybe I won't leave it another 54 years........

The 840 worked flawlessly!

[Ted Lanham]

bristolmod,
Any day spent fishing is better than most.

Regards,
Ted Lanham

[bristolmod]

totally agree Ted- some days I've fished all day in the pouring rain and not had a bite. I've had tangle after tangle and said to myself "why do I bother??"

Next day its all forgotten and I'm eager to get bankside again.

When i was a kid I'd get up before dawn, fish all day and return after dark- soaked through and tired. I think advancing years brings home our mortality...yesterday was a LONG walk to the swim, tugging a lot of gear in hot weather.

But as you say, any day fishing is better than most.

Till next time!

Chris

[Wallace Carney]

Hey Chris,

I've been waiting on someone else to ask, but I guess I'll be the one...

What is Fishing a Swim?

Kind Regards,
Wallace

[don309]

I thought it was a swim bait. Than I see Chris walked to the swim. WHAT IS IT

[Bailarm]

A 'swim' is a section of running water that you might fish, perhaps trotting a bait from a float or rolling a ledger through it. More confusing UK words.

Trotting is to allow the float to take the bait downstream, very often from a centrepin reel, but it might also have been done from what was once called a swimming reel, a cheaper alternative that might need the line pulling from the reel by hand.


A ledger is a fixed weight on the bottom, but on occasion anglers use one that is too light and which can therefore shift downstream from time to time. These 'rolling ledgers' are particularly popular with barbel anglers. Barbel being a strong bottom feeder which fight very hard indeed and need careful handling to release safely, as they are exhausted.

All that said, sometimes UK anglers say 'swim' when referring to a still water spot they feel will hold fish.

[Wallace Carney]

[bristolmod]

Oh these "Colonials"!!!

My definition of a "swim" is a place on a river which allows some sort of access through the vegetation either side. They are either natural openings or some where that has been developed over the years by usage or indeed careful pruning of the vegetation to allow access.

It provides cover for the fisherman.

Many swims on the Bristol Avon involve a steep climb down (in some places 20 feet or so) to the river- not for the ill footed!

I'm sure there are plenty of "British" words and phrases that will crop up in the future- don't hesitate- just ask!

best

Chris

[shootrj2003]

So,I’ll hazard a guess,is a “ Barbel” a catfish?