Harris Lake - Marsh Farm, Milford
0000 - 0500
Clear, quite cool, still with some breeze. 11ºC - but felt chillier.
5 Crucians: 3 over 2lb - 2-13, 2-11 & 2-04. 10 Tench: most in the 2-3lb class. Biggest 2 went 6-05 & 4-04. 1 Perch.
If the previous 10 hours angling had been frustrating the next 4 were totally frenetic. Fishing right under my rod tip in the margins my float fished prawn sections were taken within minutes of casting out each time. What was slightly curiou
Johnsons Lake - Milford
1300 - 2315
Bright and sunny - though felt surprisingly chilly in the shade and into a stiffish breeze.
5 Tench; Biggest 4lb 11oz
I've had a trip here every June since 2014 and over the past 6 years haven't failed to get one (usually several!) of the lakes famously big crucians (even getting a PB last June). So it was more in expectation than hope for a repeat performance. I had reckoned on picking a Monday would find the venue a little less busy - a
Dobsons Lake - Widmead
1500 - 0600
Mainly overcast with drizzly showers - Cool 12-15ºC.
2 Carp; 10lb 10oz & 6lb 3oz. 1 Bream; 5lb 6oz. 6 Perch. 1 Roach.
Slow, slow night, punctuated on the stroke of 1am by a rather nice common - the only time my bite alarm indicated a fish in the whole session. All the other fish fell to float fished maggot on the marginal shelf (I was hoping to connect with some of the tench that had been showing recently!) Of course I wasn't even meant
Alders Lake - Thatcham
1830 - 2230
Cool, overcast evening after a day of persistent rain. 14ºC all evening but felt cooler facing the breeze (which at least kept any mossies away!)
7 (!) Tench; 4 small ones (last year's stocking?) and 3X3lbers - biggest 3lb 8oz.
Well I wasn't expecting that! It's taken a while since the fish kill 15 years ago and the remodelling of this lake - but if this is the sport now on offer then all the effort has not been in vain! I hadn't even planne
River Kennet - Widmead
0845 - 1145
Warm & Sultry.
1 Chub: 1lb 10oz, 21 Dace - with around a third 8oz or better - weighed a couple, both at 10oz and had another 4 or 5 that weren't much smaller. 1 Grayling - small. 3 Brownies - a pounder and 2 tiddlers.
Having exhausted my first swim it was off to another spot a mile or so downstream - and a haul of cracking dace. This swim 'looks' very chubby so it was nice to have that confirmed - all be it right at the end of the sessi
River Kennet - Hambridge
0500 - 0800
Cool, misty start - though quickly warmed up. River at normal levels and carrying a surprising amount of colour - didn't think there would have been much boat traffic to colour it up.
1 Pike; 9lb 6oz, 2 Chub; 3lb 3oz & a pounder. 1 Dace. 2 Brownies one that must have been close to 2lb and a tiddler.
I had planned an evening session on a stillwater for today - but weather warnings for thunderstorms this evening saw me up at the crack
Middle Kennet Weirpool - Marsh Benham
0500 - 1100
Warm, sunny and quite humid - temps already 15º C when I pulled into the car park at 0430. A lovely summer's morning - though the mossies were out in force!
10 Chub; 7 over pound, with 2 over 4lb - biggest 4lb 9oz. 2 doz Dace and Roach - in roughly equal nos - slightly more dace than redfins - nothing particularly big, though most of the roach were 'hand-size' or better. 1 Perch; under lb but needed the net, 1 Rainbow - c3lb.
Willows Lake - Thatcham
1830 - 2300
Coolish, overcast evening though temps didn't really drop when it got dark - 14ºC.
2 Carp; 8lb 5oz & 7lb 11oz
Entertaining evening as both fish took an age to land on lightish tackle and float rod (I was after crucians as per usual!). Thankfully there are few snags and you can wear them out at distance with the only jeopardy being when you get them close in to net and they seem to realise there are tree roots available! Was hoping that
Warwicks Water - Thatcham
1800 - 2300
Warm sticky evening - shirtsleeves weather - apart from the mossies!
1 Tench; 2lb 7oz. 2 doz+ Roach & Perch (2-1 in favour of roach) - all small - save for a couple of perch which might have pushed 6-8oz.
Started off float fishing maggot - a plan that I was quickly dissuaded from - as the float never had time to cock before I had a fish on. So within half an hour I'd switched to corn and settled down to an evening watching a stationar
Alders Lake - Thatcham
1800 - 2230
Warm, slightly overcast evening with little breeze - still 17ºC when I left.
3 Bream - all of a similar stamp between 2¾ - 3½lb.
Beginning to make a habit of this!! Bites at a premium - not a touch for the first 2 hours or so then all three fish between 8.30 - 9.30pm as a shoal of bream obviously got their heads down over some groundbait. Quite a few fish topping as it got dark but no more action. Stayed for another biteless hour hoping for
Willows Lake - Thatcham
1400 - 2200
Warm and sunny with a nice breeze to keep the mozzies away!
1 Tench: 3lb 13oz. 2 Carp: 5lb 11oz & 4lb 6oz.
A rare (very - I usually have a bit of a break in the spring) 'closed season' outing - a trip to cure the lockdown blues! Just wanted to sit on the bank and watch a float for a few hours not even so bothered about catching! As usual I set my stall out to try and snaffle one of the lake's big but scarce crucians and as the tackle sh
And so another season comes to a close - not a bad one despite the wet weather disrupting several plans over the autumn and winter (including the annual Itchen IAC fish-in). I did at least get a PB this year. Still no barbel,though there is a planned trip to the Wye to try and rectify that in 2020 - and the season finished strongly with 3 SB's in the last 4 days.
Biggest Carp. 15lb 8oz, 28th June. Ledgered pellet - Method Feeder. Jubilee Lake - Thatcham. My now annual trip to try and get
River Kennet - Hambridge
0945 - 1445
Mainly cloudy with sunny spells and light drizzly showers. River still full to bursting, not dropped at all!
3 Chub: 4lb 13oz, 3lb 4oz & a tiddler. 3 Dace - all small, 1 Grayling. 3 Brownies (all around 8oz) and a 2lb rainbow!
Plan for the last day was for a Double Header in the hunt for a big chub - morning at Brimpton and the afternoon here. But having trekked ¾mile with chesties and full pack I turned around and walked straight back
Kennet & Avon Canal - Enborne
1430 - 1800
Still bright and breezy with a brief drizzly shower. AT down to 8ºC when I packed up.
10 Perch; 6 over 1lb - best 3, 1lb11oz, 1lb 14oz, 2lb0oz.12 Roach - all small & 3 Bleak
At last some bigger perch - with the odd exception I've had loads of perch around the 1lb mark this winter from different parts of the K&A - I obviously found a different year class today as the pounders were all over 1lb 4oz.
River Kennet - Speen Moors
1000 - 1400
Bright and breezy - though thankfully nowhere near as windy as yesterday. AT upto 12ºC. River flooded but clear.
1 Chub; 2lb 7oz, 3 Dace - all smallish. 2 Brownies a pounder and a parr.
Late start after yesterday's exertions - and a scratchy session really just killing time before a dusk raid for stripeys on the canal (see part 2).
Middle Kennet Estate - Kintbury
0730 - 1730
Cool (5ºC or thereabouts all day) and very blowy with frequent squally showers of rain,sleet or hail! River VERY VERY high - highest I've ever seen it here - many swims needed waders just to get to the'bank'.
21 Chub; 7 over 4lb - biggest 6lb 3oz - a real lump! 4 Dace; 2 that were weighed went 14oz & 12oz - the other 2 weren't much smaller. 2 Roach - small and only 3 Brownies - all 3lb +
A wild day on a wild venue - thankfully
Kennet & Avon Canal - Woolhampton
1500 - 1800
Mild, bright and very breezy. AT still 11ºC when I packed up. Canal quite coloured up after all the rains.
13 Perch; 5 over 1lb and a couple just an ounce or 2 shy of that. Biggest 2: 2lb 13oz & 1lb 13oz. 1 Roach - 9oz (on a whole lob!)
I've now had nearly 2 doz perch over 1lb from here this winter but this was my first 2 (and I think the 1-13 may be my 2nd best from here this year!) Yet again I fished a different spot - b
Kennet Carrier - Marsh Benham
0645 - 1145
Mild with sunny spells AT 12ºC when I packed up. River VERY full but with little colour.
17 Chub (!): 8 over 3lb - best 4lb 4oz, the rest all over 2lb. 6 Brownies to nearly 5lb & a 2lb Rainbow.
Start of my 4 day end of season extravaganza when I hope to fish 7 or 8 venues in the next 4 days. First up was 'my' syndicate stretch of the middle Kennet and for the first time this winter 'Chub Corner' lived up to its moniker.
First
River Lambourn - Newbury
0730 - 1000
Overcast and mild. River VERY full - over a foot up on normal winter levels, BUT clear as always.
22 Grayling - most in the 10-14oz class with a few slightly bigger. 1 Dace - 11oz (another sandpapery male). 2 Brownies.
Usual fall back after another week of rain has pushed the Kennet into full flood again. Fish of a remarkably similar stamp - dace was a real bonus.
River Kennet - Hambridge
0930 - 1230
Cool, bright and quite breezy at times. AT 5-7ºC. River very high - highest I've seen it this winter - though with minimal colour.
1 Chub 2lb 13oz. 3 Grayling - one close to 1lb the other 2 half that. 1 Dace. 2 Brownies a 2lber and a tiddler.
Fished for over an hour for my first bite - just starting to doubt my sanity and planning a move around the corner to fish the Lambourn when the bigger grayling turned up. Clearly the slow trickle of
River Kennet - Speen Moors
0745 - 1315
Mild and Windy, VERY VERY Windy! River in the fields - but with only a little colour.
1 Chub: 2lb 10oz, 3 Dace: 13oz, 10oz & 8oz. 1 Roach - small. 1 Rainbow Trout 4lb 4oz.
A WILD day in West Berkshire. Couldn't get to most of the swims I'd usually fish because of the flooding and when I could it was way too windy - had trouble just standing let alone holding a rod! However was keen to fish here as the venue's been closed all winter f
Kennet & Avon Canal - Woolhampton
1500 - 1745
Mild and breezy - with sunny spells. AT 10ºC. Canal still with quite a bit of colour.
3 Perch; 1lb 13oz, 1lb 10oz & a tiddler.
Bunked off work early to snatch a couple of hours on the canal - though in truth I needn't have rushed - no bites till gone 1700 and all the fish came in a flurry around 1730. Fished half a dozen new swims - including the one which produced.
Kennet & Avon Canal - Woolhampton
1515 - 1715
Clearing skies after 24 hours of continuous rain courtesy of Storm Dennis. Canal very full and coloured up.
2 Perch; a 'pounder' - but not by much and a tiddler.
Snatched session to cure a weekend of cabin fever!
