1 Acre(s)
If you are looking to catch some of the big barbel and chub at Anchor Meadow, the Island pegs are usually the ones to head for.
Turning left after you cross the bridge leads to the slower moving water above the weir whilst turning right leads to the weir pool itself and the faster moving water downstream.
The biggest fish in 2010 to come from the fast moving water below the weir weighed in at 15lbs whilst some 30 double figure fish were taken by anglers fishing the last peg off the point.
The main methods of fishing the Island pegs are trotting an Avon Stick downstream, using a swimfeeder or ledgering.
Most popular baits are luncheon and pet meat, a fairly hefty bunch of chopped worms or slugs for the barbel and chub and maggots, casters and bread for the roach, bream and perch.
When float fishing it often pays to wear chest or thigh waders and to wade out slightly from the bank.
Although it doesn't look it, the water at times of normal flow is only about three-and-a-half feet deep, but wearing waders enables you to control the float better.
Set the depth at between three and four feet and 'button shot' the line by spacing weights evenly along its length with fine dust shot nearer the hook.
After casting, hold the float back slightly to allow the bait to run downstream ahead of the float.
Bites will usually be obvious as the barbel tend to take the bait fairly viciously.
However, be prepared for a good scrap as you will not only be fighting the fish but also the current! Float fishing is really only suitable from Pegs 19, 20, 32, 27, 28, 29 and 38, 39 and 40 off the downstream point of the island.
When ledgering use about a one - ounce free - running Arlesey Bomb on the main line stopped about 18 inches to two - feet from the hook by a lead shot.
An alternative is to set up a similar sized weight on a fixed paternoster which acts like a bolt-rig.
Again, whichever technique you use, the bites will be vigorous so those fishing lighter lines of under 6lbs should slacken their slipping clutches to avoid being broken on the take.
An alternative technique is to freeline worm or meat, using part of a blade of grass or grass stalk to hold the bait on the hook.
When fishing for the roach and other silver fish, anglers need to take plenty of bait as regular feeding is required to keep the fish in the swim.
A good supply of float and ledger weights is also required as the current can roll the weight around the river bed causing the terminal tackle to snag on rocks on the bottom on occasions, although this shouldn't happen if angler fish with their float set shallower and hold it back as it passes down the swim.