Chris Plumb's Blog

Another book review - and a bit of a minority interest methinks!
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Fish & Fishermen in English Medieval Church Wall Paintings
By Frederick Buller
 
A curious and rather unusual book that will fascinate anyone interested in Angling history – of which I thinks ther...

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I well remember as a youngster hunting for tiddlers in my local (then) River Witham. Sticklebacks were brought home in triumph and saw out the summer in a tin bath by the back door - this book brought back those childhood memories....
 
The Little Book of Little...

or Fate and the Fisherman. By John Aston.  
 
One of the best angling books to come out of 2012.  
 
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"Message for Chris Plumb ...
A Dream of Jewelled Fishes (recommended to me by C Yates) is not a little gem, but one of the finest angling books to have been wr...

My PB List.
Haven’t done one of these for a while and it seems an appropriate way to ‘celebrate’ my 400th  blog post.  And I’ve even dug out and scanned a few old photos (rather crappy ones I have to admit!) which are appearing on the WWW for the 1st  time.
 
Best Carp – 27lb 6oz . 15 August 2008. Blue Pool...

Plumby's Annual Round-up!
 
 
This time last year the word on everyone’s lips was drought. We’d had 3 dry winters on the trot – hosepipe bans were already being introduced and the chalkstreams of southern Britain were drying up. The springs feeding the Kennet didn’t ‘burst’ at all during the winter of 11/12,...

Middle Kennet Estate - Kintbury
 
0715 - 1800
 
Cold and frosty start - bright and sunny morning with some cloud in the afternoon. Cool but light breeze. AT -3ºC->6ºC but felt much warmer out of the wind and in the sun! Almost  spring like and a vast improvement on Monday (and last Friday!)
 
16 Chub; Only 1 under 2lb, mo...

River Kennet - Speen Moors
 
1030 - 1530
 
Bright, cool (5ºC) and breezy with a few snow flurries on a stiff northerly. WT 44ºF. River still high but down over a foot on my last visit of 5th Jan. This...
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was halfway up the 6...
 
 
4 Chub;...

River Kennet - Newbury
 
1130 - 1430
 
Cold (2ºC) with stiff NE wind - Brrrr.   WT down to 41ºF
 
3 Grayling; 2 smalluns and one close to a pound. 22 Dace, 1 Roach & 11 Gudgeon.
 
I had great plans for this week - however they all involved mild, misty spring mornings (and evenings!) by the canal in pursuit...

Middle Kennet - Nr Newbury
 
0715 - 1745
 
Cold and RAW, with frequent snow flurries and a mini blizzard around lunchtime. Strong and dessicating NE wind. Temps 0ºC or below all day (line freezing to rod ALL day), wind chill must have been minus loads! Spring is here - NOT! WT a balmy 43ºF.
 
17 (!) Chub; Almost all over 2lb - big...

River Itchen - Twyford Meads 0800 - 1100
Itchen Navigation - Winchester 1130 - 1430
River Lambourn  - Shaw - 1530 - 1700
 
WET. Rain, continuous, unrelenting rain. Mild - 10ºC and no wind (so that's alright then).Did I mention the rain?
 
Twyford Meads - 9 Grayling, best 2; 1lb 5oz & 1lb 3oz the rest all small.16 Salmon Parr,...