Why do I go lave net fishing?? It’s certainly not just about the catching. Early doors in the estuary in June, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

I was scanning a box of river pics this week and was delighted to find this one. Tom Wildin (centre) my great grandfather, on the Queenstown 1931. Colliery wagons in the background at the upper dock in Lydney.

Severn shrimp were once a prized food. At the close of the salmon fishing season a fine mesh would be hung on a lave net frame, the net would the be ‘driven’ through the shallows. Fussy to prepare but easily the best food to come out of the estuary. There are now only two Severn shrimpers.

In a few months time, millions of elvers will be nearing the end of their journey from the Sargasso Sea. Many will enter the Severn estuary, they can make for truly a special sight. Sadly we don’t welcome them with open arms. (If you didn’t think elvers could get any cooler, look under UV.) 1/4

Notable salmon captured on the Severn in 1892. There’s a note stating that no very large fish were taken, 48lb being the heaviest! My great-grandfather Walter Prosser was the bailiff at Lydney.

July 1961. Howard Harris and to my knowledge the last sturgeon caught with a lave net. I was brought up with tales of sturgeon in the estuary and have hoped throughout my time in the river that I might see one.

CRY FOR THE WYE Why do we campaign? For many water campaigners, the main concern is the profiteering water companies that discharge vast volumes of sewage into our rivers and seas. For #SavetheWye our target is agricultural pollution. Thread.

I’ve a recently moved over here from the other place, so a little bit more about this account. I’m aiming to raise awareness of/celebrate the fisheries of the Severn estuary. They were once part of the fabric of riverside communities but are probably going to disappear completely 1/5

Here’s my favourite explanation on what happens to conger eels on a cold night. “You see, sir, the congers comes up to the top of a frosty night to look at the moon, gets nipped by the cold, and can't get down again.”

I was chatting with a friend yesterday about an almost forgotten part of the Severnside calendar. In the autumn/winter conger eels would be gathered off the sand at low water, known to me as “picking up”. This was something that his Grandfather used to do. 1/2

Where to start on here? Let’s have a look at the lave net, the only heritage fishing method still practiced on the Severn. A great clip of Colin Cooke demonstrating how to use a lave net, we do things exactly the same, except now we’re a 100% catch and release fishery.

A new space to spread the love for the Severn estuary. Hopefully making some new friends and finding some old ones by simply waffling on about the estuary’s heritage fisheries.