The Complete Fisher Forum

[marxach]

I won a day on the Allen in Dorset in the WTT auction. I took it today and had a really good time. Full report here

http://walksandfishes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/allen-20-may-2013.html
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Regards

Peter

http://walksandfishes.blogspot.co.uk/

[Bovver]

Thanks, enjoyed reading about your day out

[JCP]

Looks like you fished the Allen stretch which begins by the bridge at Walford just on the outskirts of Wimborne.Stretch below around the town is actually free fishing but some of the local community are not satisfied with that and venture upstream from time to time.Luckily the stretch is quite difficult to fish from the bank where you were fishing.We had the pub which was there by the bridge for a while.It is now a private company offices which has done the river a favour as there is now no general access to the river.I had a few altercations there with people who were adamant the fishing was an any method free for all This river was a jewel and could be again with a little help.Suffers from over extraction and lack of real positive management upstream since folks like the late Harry Teasdale left us.A real close friend of mine Greg Lake and I fished the Allen when we were young and later in life he bought and began renovating an old then pretty derelict Mill House on the river and with good advice from our mentor Harry we nurtured his stretch of water into a river of dreams over the years he owned it.There were two mill pools on the stretch and the fishing was just unbelievable.We even made an episode of "Out Of Town" with the late Jack Hargreaves and his cameraman Stan Brehaut.The Allen holds many precious memories for me and for Greg and we still manage to share a few days together on a river somewhere.I still live close to the Allen and it is saddens me to witness the decline due to the river being low priority to the landowners throughout its course.Yes it is still a source of income for the various estates it flows through but unfortunately it is a shadow of the river it once was.I am happy you enjoyed your day and you did extremely well.Always were some cracking grayling on the lower stretch but not too many further upstream.We once had a good run of salmon and sea-trout.Some years back there was a mill pool above where you were fishing until the river course was changed for development purposes.I have watched the migratory fish going upstream and pool above the sluice full of kelts on their way back to the sea.A classic case I am afraid of the river that once was and may well never be again.Thank you for the report and good fishing on your travels.Hugh Miles "Liquid Gold" featuring the Allen is worth a view on Utube.

Best JP

Best JP