Trip #110 – River Yeo (Wyndham Walk) – Frozen Guides and Shopping Trolleys

To preface this post (and many posts to come), I have multiple posts which are just sitting, needing a slight amend, or are just waiting to be published, so over the coming weeks, you will see posts dating back over the last 2+ years. It’s been fun revisiting these posts, and it has sparked some nice memories, as well as some ideas and potential locations for the future. Anyway, here is the first, Trip #110…

Today was cold. I mean, really bloody cold. The kind of bitter, piercing winter chill that gets right into your bones and makes you question your own sanity for even looking at a fishing rod. But honestly, there was only so long I could stay cooped up in the house staring at the four walls before driving myself completely mad.

I’d recently managed to get my hands on a Yeovil & Sherborne Angling Association “rivers only” licence. I’d heard a rumour on the grapevine that this specific permit was soon to be discontinued, so I was incredibly keen to get out on the bank and get some proper value from it. Having recently walked a rather nice-looking stretch of the River Yeo down near Wyndham Walk, I decided that was the destination for today’s winter excursion.

To be fair, the river hadn’t been looking great after the recent flooding, but it was finally fining down. It still held more than a distinct hint of colour, but as I checked one of the little feeder streams running into the main track, I spotted a small school of roach shoaled up in the clearer water. My logic was simple: if the silver fish are huddled up here, there must be a few predators around ready to hoover them up. That was the mission.

I opted for a very light, mobile roving approach. No heavy gear today-just me, a light spinning rod, and a pocket full of assorted shads. Given that it took me the best part of five whole minutes just to defrost the windscreen of the car, my expectations and ambitions were admittedly not very high.

The Setup

• Rod: 9ft Savage Gear Parabellum spinning rod
• Reel: Shimano Sierra 4000FD
• Mainline: 40lb Braid
• Hooklink: Wire trace (essential with pike and snags about!)
• Lure: 3 & 4-inch shads (various colours)

Arriving at the river, I have to say it looked surprisingly picturesque wrapped in the winter frost. I rigged up, stepped down to the first swim, and lobbed out a small 3-inch black shad. My plan was to work each spot thoroughly using a fan casting style, methodically covering the water from a 2 o’clock angle right round to 10 o’clock. I’d give it half a dozen casts in each spot, feel for any taps, and then move further down the bank.

I’d just moved into my second location when a lady walking past approached me. She looked at the murky water, looked at my tiny rod, and asked, “Are there actually any fish in there?”

I replied, “I’m trying my absolute best to find out love, but no luck just yet!” We exchanged a brief polite smile, and I continued wandering further down the river.

A little further along, I found a lovely-looking pool situated right opposite the golf course. It looked incredibly fishy. I flicked the shad right into the slack water, let it sink, and as I started the retrieve, bang! I registered my first affirmative bite of the day. A proper, sharp wrap. Sadly though, in my frozen state, I reacted a split second too late and completely missed it. Proper schoolboy error, but at least it proved they were there!

Moving down past that spot, I started heading closer to the train station. Up here, the banking was becoming decidedly more precarious and slippery underfoot. Rather than risking a chilly swim, I decided to head back to the car and drive round to the next accessible stretch, which sits just beyond the water treatment works.

By this point, things were getting serious. Actual ice was starting to form in the rings of my rod, and the car dashboard was registering a balmy -4°C. Still, it beats sitting at home doing weekend chores!

When I arrived at the next stretch, it was clear the waterworks had a part to play in the environment. The water looked a slightly different colour here-not necessarily bad, just different. I carried on regardless, and after about 5 or 6 minutes of walking the path, I stumbled upon a truly fantastic pool. I paused to take a mental note of it; that spot is absolutely crying out for a return visit next season with some proper dead baits.

I also found a few quieter, deeper-looking swims that I am positive housed some lovely perch. But right about then, reality hit me. I suddenly realised I couldn’t actually feel my fingers anymore. It became glaringly obvious when I tried to swap my shad for a different colour and found I couldn’t even operate the tiny metal snap link it was connected to. When you can’t open a clip, it’s time to go home!

I decided to call it a day after three hours of wandering the frozen banks. It was a lovely, peaceful day in the fresh air, but my god, I do wish I had packed some gloves.

Venue Review

It’s quite difficult to give this area a fair rating. On one hand, it’s highly accessible, but on the other, it is frequently visited by members of the public and dog walkers, and there are some steep banks.

More frustratingly, on several occasions, I spotted a load of paraphernalia in the river that definitely shouldn’t be there. We’re talking shopping trolleys, traffic cones, old fencing, and various other assorted bits of town detritus sitting in the water course. It understandably made retrieving a lure along the bottom a bit tricky and a tad risky.

Hopefully, I will return next autumn to see what else this stretch holds, by which time I desperately hope the local council or EA will have removed the rubbish.