Monday, 21 May 2012

Bristol Frome - fishing better than ever

After a tiresome day at work I checked out of family duties for an evening on the Bristol Frome. This little river I take for granted but it's always there just 5 minutes away to take my mind off work. I usually end up here if I get frustrated in the traffic and tonight was just about as bad as it gets at about 17:30! Anyway my favourite little pool turned up the goods with a nice fish at about 11" on the dry that I cast to rising on the far bank. This was quickly followed by a couple more on the nymph. On  the way down I could see the spate had shifted a few mature trees and opened up a space for me to cast downstream to stretch I could did not normally fish. Just a little flick to a dimple that look more like a Dace than a Brownie. It was another nice little Brownie to the dry.




As you move downstream the river slows up and I watched some big Chub (3lb+) rolling on the surface - one day I'll target these and be successful on the fly. Next fish on the nymph another Brownie although a slight different colouration - almost plum tinting and different characteristics to the normal Brownies here. 


I lost a good fish of over a pound rising under some Alders but soon made up for this with three more lovely Brownies including my Bristol Frome PB which must have been over 1.5lb. The last two rising within metres of the motorway stanchions. In all I must have caught 10 or more wild Brown Trout and lost 3. This was my first visit this year and if anything the fishing seems to be better than ever. On the way back to the car I clocked a good 12" fish in the Bradley Brook but couldn't tempt it.


My Bristol Frome PB - blurred as light was fading.


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16 comments:

  1. Unknown16 February 2018 at 08:10

    Fantastic! I've caught a few lovely trout and chub last year a bit further up, in between Winterbourne and Frampton Cotterell. This was on small spinners and soft plastic jigs. Funnily enough, I started learning to fly fish late last year and have just bought myself a small rod with the intention of wandering up from Frenchay to Frampton. Tight Lines!

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    1. Suburban Flyman16 February 2018 at 12:45

      Its good to hear trout are caught further up I used to see rising trout all the way up to Yate 10 years ago but not sure that is the case now. Its difficult to fly fish without wading and a lot of stretches are slow and deep towards Frenchay where only a small lure fly will do. You can catch Dace, Chub, Roach and Brown Trout on fly on Frome together with the odd Minnow on the smallest of nymphs.

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  2. Che15 May 2020 at 04:39

    There are a few of us who have fished for trout, on the fly, regularly over the last 12/13 years on the Bristol Frome. We’ve caught them from Eastville to Winterbourne Down. My FB is 4lb but we’ve all have a few fish over 3lbs and many in the 1.5-2.5lb mark. It gets tough when when the river is low, so early season when there is a little flow in the river and the hatches are at their peak is best. My preference is roving long distances looking for rising fish and catching them on dry flies. Looking for the bigger splashes to find the bigger fish. There is a good hatch of mayflies in recent years. We always take time to encourage others to return the fish, as they river obviously isn’t stocked. Most of these stretches now have resident otters. Which we’ve been lucky enough to see on a number of occasions. Including find their holts. Kingfisher and dippers are a common site, with the occasional roe and muntjac spotted. Enjoy, but please return the trout so that future generations can enjoy catch wild brown trout within our city 😊

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  3. Suburban Flyman6 July 2020 at 08:52

    Che sorry only just saw this comment we met on river back just post lock down in the evening when the lady you were with caught he first trout. Good to see you and hear of your experiences. Not been back to Frome recently but keen to target some of those Chub. Little river always special place for me as just down the road.

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  4. Dom28 October 2020 at 09:29

    I was glad to see comment that chub can be caught here. I live locally and have little time . My aim is to head down around frampton Cottrell and target some chub on the link ledger . Is this a possibility ? I ve had a walk down and with some more colour in the water like there is now it looks fairly chubby . Any advice appreciated as this location would be ideal for me

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  5. Dom30 October 2020 at 06:45

    Caught a small chub on the link ledger at frampton Cottrell..hopefully there are some bigger ones in there will try again and keep you updated !

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  6. Suburban Flyman31 October 2020 at 16:08

    Dom glad you had a Chub at Frampton. Seen a few just downstream of Globe pub around 1lb mark. Down towards Frenchay there are some bigger fish 3lb plus in the slower stretches. Seen river black with Chub at Frenchay bridge during spawning. Good Dace and Roach also about in section just upstream of Frenchay. Cheers Mike

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  7. Dom3 November 2020 at 03:09

    Thanks Mike I will defo try nearer frenchay too , it's a lovely river really enjoying exploring it when time allows ! My fault for having 5 kids lol

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  8. RobM7 February 2021 at 14:35

    Great photos. I'll be down this summer with a little 6'8" 2wt I have. Who owns the fishing here/what memberships are needed (if any)?

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  9. Suburban Flyman8 February 2021 at 12:09

    The stretch from Hambrook to Frenchay is not managed by anyone as far as I am aware. It’s a busy dog walking path but full of surprises. Lower down in Oldbury Court, Vassalls park and Eastville is all free.

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  10. RobM9 February 2021 at 03:03

    Thanks for the info - much appreciated. Is there any grayling/coarse-on-the-fly action there at this time of year or is it really trout water?

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  11. Suburban Flyman11 February 2021 at 14:33

    No Grayling unfortunately possibility of Chub, Dace or Roach on nymph but generally in warmer months. Quite variable each season with segregation between weirs, trout always constant.

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    1. RobM12 February 2021 at 03:34

      Thanks! Yep this cold snap is particularly unpromising I suppose.

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  12. Che12 February 2021 at 02:25

    Yes there are some big Dace and Roach in the Frome. We’ve had chub over the years, but not as many as I’d expect TBH. The River is clean enough to hold grayling these days, with good numbers of aquatic invertebrates. There are several breeding pairs of dippers for example. It would be lovely to see grayling introduced. There is quite an eclectic mix of fish in the Frome. We’ve had the occasional carp and bream whilst fishing with worms. There are few tench and I’ve seen golden orfe. As I’ve said please do put the big trout back to breed as it’s not stocked. The nearest rivers I know of that hold grayling are the Little Avon, Cam, Wellow and Midford. The best grayling fishing I’ve found is in the middle/ upper Wye, where 1-2lb fish aren’t uncommon.

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    1. RobM12 February 2021 at 03:42

      Thanks! I might get down for a walk this weekend and see if anything's moving. Yep even on stocked rivers I'm C&R unless it's not allowed.

      Thanks for the grayling tips - are any of those rivers open at the moment? I looked briefly into the Cam, Wellow and Midford but it looked like they all closed around the end of Dec. I thought grayling spawned around March/April but if the water is closed, it's closed. Might be back up to the Wye when we're allowed again!

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  13. Suburban Flyman12 February 2021 at 09:48

    River Chew holds Grayling although numbers have dropped in recent years. Suggest Compton Dando area Keynsham ticket gives loads of water. Grayling are spread thinly generally in well oxygenated riffles and runs.

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