River Kennet, Newbury, Saturday 2 January 2010

Today has been one of the most demoralising sessions I can remember. Not just because I blanked but because everything that could go wrong did.

Firstly my plan was to switch stretches of the Kennet. I haven’t fished any TAA waters since joining NAA and so I was going to rectify that on a nice bit of shallow river where I’ve had good days before. Maggots bought I changed the plan (heaven knows why) and headed off to an NAA stretch. On trying to reach a good looking swim I trod onto what looked like a solid bed of reeds only to sink up to my knees in mud. The racket I caused by extracting myself must’ve ruined any chances of catching anything much to the dismay of an angler fishing the opposite back whom I hadn’t noticed. To his credit he didn’t say anything but I could tell he was annoyed and I didn’t blame him.

Thereafter the day was a series of tangles, snags and general annoying stuff happening. I decided to try rolling meat but cut my thumb opening the tin. It was only a small cut but blood was dripping on everything so I bandaged the wound and then found that it hindered reel control. I lasted about two hours and by the end I was trotting just one cast in each swim before moving on, I realised then that all enjoyment had gone and I should stop.

The positives (and I’m really clutching at straws here)? A bailiff asked to see my card and as I put my rod down he said that I didn’t look like a poacher so not to worry. I must look like a competent angler then, it must be the hat. Another chap, one who’s swim I hadn’t ruined, caught a 24lb 9oz Pike, that should make interesting reading for JV44.

Think I’ll take a break for a couple of weeks.