This year was the first time in memory that I wasn't a quivering wreck on opening day - I'd been putting a lot of time and effort into the tench and bream closed season fishing and it left me knackered! But the tenching is now done for another year and the bream fishing will be much more relaxed now, just a few spaced out sessions over the summer and autumn. Yesterday evening I cleaned my centrepin and respooled with new line, and sitting there spinning it idly got the old spark back...

Now I'm itching to to get back on running water! I said it several times, but the Thames (my main focus this season) is out of sorts, so I'm going to start off on the forgotten little tributary. It's a beautiful summer's day, I'm stuck at work, and all I can think about is creeping to the top of a wooded glide, sprinkling a few maggots and that first magic trot down with a happy, red-tipped stick float.

Hopefully it won't be too long before I can take the first (of hopefully many) photo of a wonderful, fit and sparkling fish from the new little river. I wonder what I'll catch?

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I know how you feel, I'm at work all this weekend. I managed to get out on the first day but since then i have been so busy I'm itching to get out as well. It didn't help with my missus opening a can of sweetcorn last night to put in the tuna pasta. Its one of those smells that just make me think fishing. I just hope this glorious weather holds out for a while.

Just finished work luckily and have to sort out my gear and bait and then its off to the boat for the night ,Reading this means i will divert round by the tackle shop for some maggots and try a bit of trotting to as there is a lovely long glide near the tail end of the island , Thames algae bloom still in full affect but hopefully for not much longer Steve.

Good luck Steve

The weather looks OK for the weekend... I may crack before then and do a couple of hours one evening after work. I need to see that float wander downstream!

It's even worse when you've been and enjoyed and are too busy to get out again..............heeeeeeeelp, stuck in front of a computer for the next few days!

Hopefully a few of us will be able to get out, even for a little bit, at the weekend, and post a report or some photos to help the poor land-locked souls keep their sanity

Well I've dried up my local river fishing now
No trotting available to me at all so I'm very jealous of you guys, canal for me this coming weekend.

I can't believe some of you haven't been out on the rivers already!?! I got out on the 16th and managed to catch sunstroke, chronic hayfever and a mild case of trenchfoot (severely sweaty feet, anyway) as well as a few fish.
Since the start of the season my AN reading time has noticeably decreased too, despite only having had two outings to date.
(Is it just me of is the number of new topics down in the last week?)

I purposefully limited the closed-season lake fishing to intensify the enjoyment of getting back on the river and I'm glad to say that it worked!
Good luck to all of you out soon; fingers crossed it will be worth the wait.

I had my first little go on the new tributary today, just a couple of hours in the afternoon, and what a cracking bit of water it is! I didn't walk too far as I didn't have much time, but I saw a couple of nice chub (about 3lb apiece) sunbathing next to some bullrushes and fished a couple of lovely spots elsewhere. As it was so hot I found a bit where the water tumbled over a shallow gravel glide before deepening off slightly to about 2.5ft and going round a shady bend, a bit of extra cover and oxygen for whatever lives there. First trot down, a roach Seond, a dace. Third, a chub. Fourth, a perch! It was great fun. After about 30-odd fish I decided to move.

The second spot was a deep glide under a canopy of shady and very snaggy trees - over 6ft deep. From this spot I took lots of beatiful roach and a nice perch of getting on for a pound.

So, a very enjoyable and interesting first dabble. It looks as if a decent roach or two might be on the cards, which is great - they are hard to find on the tributaries these days. Also, it looks perfect for big perch, and big chub.

I'm going back for another go tomorrow I love sussing out new waters. I thought this one might be a struggle, but it's teeming with fish! Now I just need to find the big ones...

Fished Friday night and had a Barbel late on of 9lb and then last night had this one which was trying to reach the Thames when i hit it and it didnt want to stop ,New pb 10lb 10oz for the kennet and i am well happy





Hope to get out on the Thames next weekend for a change of scene and to try a couple of spots i have been baiting there but depends on the algae bloom , Anderoo sounds like you have found another little gem there and a much better bet than the Thames at the moment/winter sport venue ,Rusty did you manage one today ?? Steve.