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The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

20.8.22 - Dobsons - the day after the day of days

Never try to repeat a success, they say, so after my over 150lb haul at Willows yesterday, I thought I'd give the carp a rest and pit my newly discovered angling skills at Dobsons. Patches of feeding bubbles punctuated my swim all morning, but bites were of a premium no matter what method or bait I tried to tempt them with. Ended up with a tench of 3lb 10 and two bream of 1lb 2 and 5lb. Bit of an anticlimax I suppose, though I did get hook something big towards the end that shot for th
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Dobsons

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The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

19.8.22 - Willows - the day of days

All started pretty standard. Set up a float as there was fishy movement close to shore, and after 3 hours, had 2 commons of 4lb 6 and 6lb 8, plus a bream (unweighed) of around a pound. Bites slowed and with the sun starting to climb and having seen some movement two thirds of the way to the island, I chucked a method feeder at them, rather than tight to the island, as seems to be the fashion. This suggestion was pooh-poohed by one of the revered club denizens on his daily stroll. He was only try
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Chris Plumb's Blog

20 August

River Kennet - Thatcham 0630 - 1000 Bright and sunny. AT 14º -> 20ºC. River VERY low. 10 Chub; 3 over a lb (two not by much - the other around 2lb) all the others small - 4-6oz. 6 Roach - all around the same size as the small chub (and occupying the same swim). 2 Gudgeon - a rare sight in these parts. 1 Ruffe - a MUCH rarer sight. 3 brownies - all small. I first fished the Kennet in 1969 at the age of 8 when I was taken to a weirpool on Lower Benyons by my Great Grandfathe
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

16.8.22 Willows

A good fun evening started with two missed bites and a 7lb 15 common within the first 10 minutes. I'd half an idea that it might be good going as the afternoon had brought the first rain in weeks and weeks following the lower air pressures and temperatures of the heat wave that has been threatening hose bans and our sanity. A lovely fat 12lb mirror soon followed before the deluge came. I huddled under the brolly for a good 45 mins while the rain crashed down. It was beautiful. It also meant
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Chris Plumb's Blog

14 August

Harris Lake - Milford 1530 - 2330 Hot, overcast and sultry - though the clouds parted somewhat after dark to allow me to see a couple of long streaky Perseids. AT 33°C on arrival and still 20°C when I pulled into my drive at home, at a little before 0100. 7 Crucians; 4 over 2lb - biggest 2lb 15oz - with all the other 2lbers around 2-04 - 2-06. 10 Tench;  all over 3lb - with half over 4lb - best 2, 5lb 11oz & 4lb 11oz. 4 perch - small, 3 rudd - micro small - all took a bare hoo
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

12.8.22 - Willows

The ploy of starting at 5am to overcome the torpor of another 32 degree plus day ultimately backfired. My two modest carp came either side of midday, with the number of smallish bream that came from time to time not making it anything other than a tough day. The highlight was the company of my neighbour and new fishing pal, Chris, who was fishing for the first time since 1998. I've not seen such a smile as wide at his reintroduction to the noble art, though the fish god's chose only to
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Chris Plumb's Blog

10 August

Willows Lake - Thatcham 1830 - 2230 Hot and sultry. AT 30° -> 20°C. Shirtsleeves evening - with a glorious full moon (nearly - it's actually tonight!) rising in the SE.  1 Tench; 2lb 1oz. 2 Carp; 14lb 5oz, 6lb 7oz. 1 perch - small. A torpid evening watching a mainly stationary float - and not even avoiding a float caught carp - though, thankfully, the 6lb common decided to motor out toward the island rather than dive into the lilies a mere couple of feet from where it was
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

8 & 9.8.22 - Bellwood and Willows

A second consecutive weekend away allowing me to fish on Monday afternoon and my usual Tuesday evening. Was turned away from Willows by the fire brigade on Monday, kids having set a fire in the tinder dry reed beds. Turned back to my nemesis, Bellwood. On what must be my 6th or so trip there, I've not caught anything more than half a pound, and my paltry 4 roach for 5 ounces barely troubled the scorers. Are you sure it's got fish in? The fire engines had gone by Tuesday, and within 5 m
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Chris Plumb's Blog

6 August

River Kennet - Hambridge 0530 - 0730 Cool and clear. AT 7º (!) -> 13ºC (Was thankful for my fleece!). River VERY low - can't remember when I last saw it this threadbare. 2 Chub; 1lb 10oz & 1lb 7oz. 11 Dace - all small. 5 Roach - ditto apart from one of around ½lb. 2 Gudgeon, 2 Bleak A couple of hours trotting and home for breakfast! Doesn't look like anyone's been here since I came in June, place was a jungle! Banker chub swim was full of bleak & and small dace - s
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Chris Plumb's Blog

3 August

Alders Lake - Thatcham 1800 - 2230 Warm and overcast. AT22º->20ºC 1 Tench; 1lb 11oz. 1 Roach, 4 Perch - all small ( but not micro-small!) A very frustrating evening as I repeatedly had sail-away, unmissable bites which had me striking at thin air! Still can't decide whether it was signals or small fish taking the shot - suspect the latter as the bait came back unmolested! Dusk eventually saw some fish actually hooked but the only one to put a decent bend in the rod was a f
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

26.7 & 1.8 - Knotts & Willows

Two afternoon trips to try out my new pole either side of a few days away. For the first, I went chasing the large roach that are meant to have been jumping out at Knotts. Plenty of bites, though I had to keep switching float depth and baits to keep them coming Did manage 23 of the silvery red-finners, but none bigger than 4 ounces. Nearer the margin later on, I extracted 3 small  perch, and a spritely 15 ouncer. But bites dried up completely towards dusk and I packed up early. In the meant
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Chris Plumb's Blog

30 July

River Kennet - Brimpton 0530 - 1000 Warm, muggy with hazy sunshine. AT 15º -> 22ºC. River very low. 2 Chub; 4lb 9oz, 4lb 4oz & 2 chublets. 9 Dace; 5 absolute chunks all 8-10oz, 7 Roach - variety of sizes but nothing over 6oz. 1 Perch: small, 1 Bleak. 1 Brownie: 1¼lb. For the second river trip in a row I get to see an otter and this one defintely wasn't shy! I'd eased into position mid-river to get a run through a favourite chub swim, only to get the flippin trout prett
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Chris Plumb's Blog

28 July

Alders Lake - Thatcham 1830 - 2230 Warm, overcast and muggy (for the most part - skies clearing and getting cooler and dew-y when I packed up). AT 22º -> 16ºC 1 Tench; 4lb 2oz. 1 Carp: 2lb 8oz. 1 Roach - handsized. It's that time of year when venues are chosen for the quality of the blackberry picking! 3lbs picked in a little over ½hr - which has already been converted into Jaq's wonderful bramble jelly this morning - was followed by 4 hours watching a mainly stationary fl
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Chris Plumb's Blog

25 July

River Kennet - Padworth 1715 - 2145 Warm, overcast and very breezy. AT 22º -> 16ºC. River low and threadbare! 13 Roach and 7 Dace. Nothing particularly noteworthy - though all the roach were a handsized or slightly bigger. A lively hour catching 'silvers' followed by 3 hours sat behind a couple of stationary quiver tips for the inevitable blank targetting a barbel (and to think this place used to be called 'Barbel Alley'). Had intended to stay a bit longer - but an early p
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Chris Plumb's Blog

23 July

River Kennet - Marsh Benham 0530 - 1130 Bright and sunny. 13ºC -> 22ºC. River very low with a tinge of colour. 2 Chub; one just over a pound the other even smaller. 40+ Dace and Roach - in roughly equal nos (slightly more dace). None of the roach were noteworthy but several of the dace were - the two I weighed went 13oz & 11oz and had another 3 or 4 over 8oz. 2 Bleak. 1 Rainbow; 2½lb. A 'scratchy' morning, failing to find any big chub or any bonus bream backups! Starte
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

0
The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

23.7.22 - Willows

First light had me casting my float adjacent to one of the few lily patches believing the fish would be hanging around seeking oxygen. And so they were, at first, and quite soon I had a few roach to my name. The next sink of the float had me spending over half an hour playing a very annoyed carp. With the water as warm as soup, his energy seemed boundless and time and again he took line and refused to come anywhere near me. Eventually he got bored, or felt sorry for me and in he came. A good loo
The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

18 & 19.7.22 - Heatwave at Dobsons

You may recall that temperatures on Monday were due to reach 36 degrees - far too much for my gardening work, so I cancelled that and attempted to stay cool on a swim situated between two large trees that shaded me for all but the middle of the day. It was predictably hard going, and though I changed methods and depths throughout, only ended up with a battle-weary warty old bream of 4lb 2 its smaller relation of 1lb 6, a tenchlet of 1lb 14 and a dozen or so roach and perch to 10oz. If youdo
The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

16.7.22 - Newbury Angling Association v Shipston Angling Club - Enborne Canal

My first time representing NAA with a match against one of its friendly rivals. Apparently this home-and-away competition has been running for nearly 10 years. We fished the unfish-friendly 10am til 3 on one of the brightest and hottest days of the year so far (not much of a brag, it's been over 25 degrees every day for what feels like weeks).  . Combined with the regular boat traffic, which regularly interrupted the fishing and ensured any loosefeed was washed away to other swims, sport wa
The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

12 & 15.7.22 - Dobsons

An evening session and an all-dayer, both in high heat. I thought the ease in temperature on Tuesday evening would bring the little darlings out for their tea, but just had the two bream of 1lb 4 and 5lb 6. Did lose a largish-carp which might have made it a less disappointing session. For the first tow hours of light on Friday morning, I watched delicious feeding bubbles all over my baited areas, but neither a method fed wafter to my left, or cage fed corn to the right were on their br
Chris Plumb's Blog

15 July

Willows Lake - Thatcham 1900 - 0000 Warm, calm evening with high cloud clearing enough to have a good view of the International Space Station which passed overhead twice whilst I was on the bank. AT 25º -> 15ºC. Shirtsleeves all evening though copious amounts of DEET was required to keep the mossies at bay! 6 Tench: best 3lb 4oz, with another just shy of 3lb the other 4 around 1¼lb ±4oz. 1 Crucian; 1lb 7oz. 2 Carp; 8lb 4oz & 7lb 13oz. 1 Perch - small. A super evening,
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Chris Plumb's Blog

13 July

Alders Lake - Thatcham 1930 - 2300 Warm with high broken cloud - affording a super view of the Super 'Buck' Moon when it got dark. AT 25º -> 17ºC. 2 Bream: both 3lbers but not by much. 1 Tench 1¼lb. 2 Perch: small An evening with a slow start and a livelier finish! I nearly packed up after an hour or so as I was being totally plagued by crayfish and whilst they did a quick disappearing act - usually a good sign that something that would find a signal a tasty snack has appe
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Chris Plumb's Blog

9 July

River Kennet - Thatcham 0645 - 1115 Warm and mainly overcast - though clearing. AT 19ºC. Quite breezy. River low. 5 Chub: best 3lb 5oz with another close to a lb - the other 3 quite small. 1 Dozen Dace & ½ Dozen Roach - all small apart from one of the roach which was around 6-8oz. 1 Perch; a 'netter' and circa 1lb. 1 Gudgeon. 3 Brownies - all over 1lb but under 1½ (think I caught the same one, twice!) Very pleasant morning's trotting - fishing half a dozen swims in rotati
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

0
The Newbury & Port Talbot Blanker

5.8 & 9.7.22 - Dobsons

Three cracks at my nemesis. Dobsons always promises so much, though I rarely find it in prolific form, and sense it relishes being awkward. Tuesday evening: Clipped up and casting every 5 minutes fir the first hour laid out a bed of groundbait 30 yards out. I slowed the casting before slowing and waited for the ensuing bites. Only a 12oz bream and two roach around the 6oz mark to show for the effort. Rod 2 was dropped closer in, line and drag drum tight and rod positioned ready to grab and
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