Bourn Brook
Bourn Brook is a charming picturesque little waterway that joins the Cam just
above the weir at Byron’s pool.
It’s a challenging venue that might seem at times to be totally devoid of fish, but if you approach the water quietly, with little disturbance, on a cloudy overcast day, and fish a light line and small bait in a swim with a lot of cover, you should catch.
In the summer, the Brook tends to be clear and still and can suffer from floating duckweed. It’s probably best fished for just a couple of hours in the evening for small roach, dace and perch. As autumn approaches, longer sessions can be considered. In the winter, if it’s mild and wet, and there’s colour and flow, the Brook can burst into form and catches of decent roach and big perch are possible. Small pike are also present and there’s a chance of a good chub when it’s in flood.
As you arrive at the water, pull in and park on the grassed area on the left. Our access is on the motorway side of the Brook, upstream toward the motorway to the pump house and downstream through the gate down to the river.
Upstream from the bridge to the pump house. Access to this section is through the gap in the hedge. We only cut a couple of swims out near the bridge in the summer. This part of the Brook sees very little angling, but may be rewarding to the roving specialist looking for Chub, Perch or Carp. Some very interesting looking swims with overhanging bushes up towards the pump house, but it’s probably best left until the winter when it’s got colour and flow. The better winter swims in this section are from the bridge to the tree, and then up to the bend. From here, the Brook narrows up considerably and isn’t really of interest to the angler who wants to sit on a box for several hours.
Downstream from the bridge to the river. Access to this section is through the gate and along the track. This part of the Brook is wider and deeper and is fishable all the way down to the river. The swim nearest the bridge is one of the deepest parts of the Brook and can produce some very good perch in the winter. Through the gate and along the track you’ll come to the point where the Brook is at its nearest to the track. It’s a good spot to try for those winter floodwater chub in the deeper water under the near bank. Next, there’s the big wide bend with a tree at its apex on the far bank. Some good nets of roach have been caught here in the winter. Finally, the last few swims from the “white post” down to the river are popular throughout the season..
What works on the Brook? Chopped worm for the Perch and bread punch for the Roach are the number one winter baits. In the summer, try maggot or pinkie with a light textured groundbait mix – something like Supercup, Special, etc.
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