Trout Fishing - Fly - River Kennet mixed fishery, Newbury
Spells of rain or showers but much of the rain was light with some drier interludes. The air temperature had dropped markedly over the lasttwo nights and went milder during the day. A stiff breeze had transferred the warmer air into the water -I hoped. The weather might hold into Sunday, although rain was on its way in, sweeping across from the west. I decided to take a chance.
I decided that I would go to the Kennet. A new s
Easter - the first long weekend of the season. With the long weekend coming up plans had to be made, kit has to be replaced. Unusually for me I looked up the weather forecast. I say unusually as for many years I have known that the weather can not be forecast with accuracy. Past experience has taught me that the Met Office can not be trusted, so, on the recommendation of Alan Roe, I consulted Met Check. Friday for my post code area it said it would rain all day, starting between 06:59 and 07:00.
Another nice day and the usual start in the same pool. Once again the successful fly was my stuck shuck emerger. A couple of fish came to it. Nothing unusual, both about 12 inches. Time to explore further. The next pool up seemed devoid of trout. About 50 yards further upstream I spotted a rise, close to my bank (there is no access from the opposite bank. Carefully I waded up a gravel bank mid stream to where I could cast at the fish. Twice I rose the fish and twice miss timed the tightening of
In response to the mail I had asking "If that was your season's bests what are your PBs?" Here they are!
Carp - 27lb 6oz: 15/08/08, Method Feeder/Hemp Bogey, CEMEX Blue Pool, Burghfield.
Pike - 18lb 10oz: 10/02/01, Freelined Lamprey section, River Lambourn, Newbury.
Barbel - 12lb 4oz: 27/07/04, Ledgered 14mm Halibut pellet, River Kennet, Thatcham.
Bream - 9lb 7oz: 02/09/06, Ledgered 14mm Halibut pellet, Horseshoe Lake, Yateley.
Brown Trout - 8lb 12oz: 14/03/08, Trotted M
According to the Met Office I wasn't going to be able to fish today for high winds. When I looked at the weather it was bright clear and still. Another great forecast form the Met Office. I wouldn't mind if we didn't pay them so much to get it wrong. Met Office weather presenters are the highest paid civil servants. I wouldn't pay them in washers.
Once again work conspired to stop me getting out, but I made an escape today, though it was a little late. At the river there were plenty of fish
What a difference a week makes! After last Sunday's great start, I spent all week looking forward to getting back to the Irwell. work rules out a mid day trip in the week. Yesterday dawned bright and clear, not too windy, it looked ideal. by 7 am I was sat at the tying table cranking out flies at a good rate. Sustained, as usual, by a steady flow of coffee. Anticipation was building nicely, until 9:20 that was. When I was disturbed, mid whip finish, by my door bell. It was Mr Plod. He kindly inf
As always on the first day of the new season, I set off to wet a line. Since the close of last season I've moved, new job new home. My new place is only 5 minutes from the Irwell, on foot. That means new season and a new river to explore. Local knowledge I had gleaned yesterday in the toy shop gave me a starting place. I'm beginning to fear the local toy shop. They have started offering me coffee when I enter. It’s not good to be that relaxed around tackle for sale.
This morning it was bri
Well that's it for another season and a pretty indifferent summer was more than compensated by an excellent autumn/winter campaign! Weights in red were new PB's set this season.
Best Carp: 27lb 6oz, 15/8/08. Hemp bogey/Method feeder, Cemex Blue Pool, Burghfield.
Best Pike: 10lb 14oz, 18/10/08. Float fished lob worm, River Kennet, Speen Moors.
Best Barbel: 8lb 11oz, 2/7/08. Ledgered 14mm Halibut Pellet, River Kennet, Newbury.
Best Chub: 6lb 6oz, 8/3/09. T
River Kennet - Speen Moors
0615 - 1015
Bright and breezy AT up to 12ºC. River surprisingly full and bombing through. Canal above Guyers Lock has been practically dewatered - so think a breach must be emptying into the river.
2 Chub (3lb 2oz, 2lb 14oz), 1 Brownie (2lb) 4 Gudgeon
3 hours playing 'hunt the fish' eventually led to a couple of chub from a swim I've never caught one from before! Upto that point it looked like a few early gudgeon were going to be 'blank savers'!!!
River Kennet - Barton Court
0630 - 1815
Dull and over cast some light drizzle in the morning some milky sunshine in the afternoon. Max AT 11ºC.
17 Perch: 9, 1½lb+, best 3: 2lb11oz, 2lb 6oz, 2lb 0oz. 1 Chub 2lb 10oz, 3 Dace, 2 Roach, 7 Gudgeon, 1 Brownie - 1¼lb
Anglers Net fish-in. Biggest two perch from Gunters, all others (including chub) from Railway Cut. 4 perch on maggot 5 on float fished lobs.
River Kennet - Nr Newbury
0700 - 1800
Bright and breezy - with heavy afternoon showers - becoming really quite windy. Max AT 10ºC. River 'full' and carrying a bit of colour,
7 Chub - best 3; 6lb 6oz (new PB) , 4lb 5oz, 4lb 0oz) 70+ Roach and Dace in roughly equal nos. - all small save for one lovely roach of 1lb 1oz, ½doz Gudgeon, 1 skimmer Bream, 1 small Perch, 5 Brownies - biggest 4lb 4oz, 1 Rainbow 2½lb.
A day of the river with Paul. All fish o
Kennet & Avon Canal - Thatcham
0630 - 0900
Dull, overcast and mild. AT & WT 47ºF. Water quite clear.
4 Perch: (2lb 14oz, 2lb 6oz, 1lb 11oz & a tiddler), 2 Chub: 2lb 10oz & 1lb 14oz, 1 Pike 3lb.
Perfect perch dawn - so somewhat surprised to find some chub taking up residence in my favourite perch swim. They were the first two fish I caught. Lost another at the net and then caught the pike so moved swims to (succesfully) find some perch! All fish on float fished lob
River Itchen - Lower Itchen Fishery
0830 - 1745
Bright and sunny start - clouding over in afternoon. Max AT 13ºC. River still quite high and carrying a surprising amount of colour given that we've had no rain for a fortnight.
16 Grayling (10 over 1lb - in order of capture: 1lb 2oz, 2lb12oz, 2lb 6oz, 1lb 4oz, 2lb 10oz*, 1lb 5oz, 2lb 1oz*, 1lb 10oz, 2lb 11oz, 1lb 7oz*), 1 Chub 3lb 3oz, 2 small brownies.
Hard (well harder than usual!) but very rewardi
Middle Kennet Estate - Nr Hungerford
0700 - 1745
Clear and misty then overcast - touch of frost to start, Max of 10ºC. River at 'normal' levels.
36 Grayling - 16 over 1lb - best 3; 2lb 1oz, 1lb15oz, 1lb 13oz, 6 Roach - best 4; 1lb 6oz, 1lb 4oz, 1lb 3oz, 14oz, 9 Dace - best 4; 15oz, 14oz, 12oz, 11oz, 9 Rainbow Trout to 2lb, 3 Brownies to 2½lb.
Fantastic days trotting. First ever 2lb+ Kennet grayling - my previous river best was 1.14 so beat it twice
Kennet & Avon Canal - Thatcham
1500 - 1715
Cool with hazy sunshine. AT & WT both 43ºC. Water levels up with some colour.
1 Perch - 1lb 13oz.
So nearly a blank! Solitary bite at the 'death' - and even then I nearly lost it as it was grabbed by a jack - briefly - as it was landed.
River Lambourn - Shaw
1130 - 1430
Bright, sunny and cool - 4ºC. River 'full' and clear - travelled very light so no thermometer.
19 Grayling - 5 over 1lb, best 2 of 1lb 6oz each. 5 small Roach 3 Brown Trout (½ - ¾lb).
Pleasant afternoon in the snow - all fish on trotted red maggot.
Snow fish......
River Kennet - Newbury
0800 - 1200
Cold and overcast - easterly breeze. AT & WT both 42ºF. River up at 'normal' winter levels - little colour.
5 Chub - 4lb 6oz, 3lb11oz, 3lb 10oz, 3lb 6oz, 3lb 3oz, 5 Dace, 3 Grayling, 1 Brown Trout (c¾lb) & dozen Gudgeon.
All fish on trotted maggot though started with worm for first ½hour or so to see if any perch were in residence - not a sniff yet strangely had the 4-6 chub first trot when I switched to maggots (and three more soon afte
Kennet & Avon Canal - Thatcham
1315 - 1715
Cold & sunny - AT 5ºC (± 1ºC!) Water quite coloured - and this section of canal around 10-12 inches lower than last visit in December. WT 42ºF.
2 Perch - 3lb 5oz, 2lb 8oz. 1 Chublet
Biggest perch at 1530 - just as the sun left the water. 2lber last cast in the gloom. Both on lobs. Biggest perch of the season so far.
Middle Kennet Estate Water
0800 - 1700
Bright and very breezy, 4ºC. Water carrying some colour after yesterdays rain - though dropped out noticeably by the end of the day.
4 Chub; 3lb, 2lb 4oz and 2 chublets, 19 Dace; best 2, 13oz & 11oz, 8 Brownies; best 2, 4lb 7oz & 4lb 3oz, 1 Grayling.
'Scratchy' sort of a day playing hunt the fish. Spent the morning exploring a carrier I'd not fished before - and probably won't again as it appeared devoid of fish!! Biggest chub on cor
River Kennet - Speen Moors
1200 - 1500
Cold and overcast - everywhere looked a picture covered in hoar frost - but it just made the line stick in the rings. Thatcham weather site hasn't got above -0.2ºC all day. WT a balmy 39ºF.
1 Chub 2lb 7oz, 1 Brown Trout 2lb 14oz
Somewhat surprised to get anything given the conditions (I had hoped it would warm up a bit!) Both fish on trotted maggot. Brownie in superb condition - & fought well above its weight - thought I'd connected w
River Lambourn - Shaw
1300 - 1600
Cold and cloudy, 1ºC. River quite 'full' and clear - suspect the springs have 'sprung' on the downs...
17 Grayling - 4 'pounders', best 3 - 1lb 12oz, 1lb 10oz, 1lb 9oz (!!!), 4 Roach - all small, 3 Brownies - 1 circa ¾lb.
Blimey! Where did they come from? Biggest ever grayling from here - and my first grayling over 1½lb from here since Oct 2001. All bigger fish from same swim - and all caught within first ¼ hour of fishing! Very pleasant afternoo
River Kennet - Nr Newbury
0800 - 1630
Cold, bright and sunny - no thermometer but temps must have hovered around 0ºC all day - line was icing in the rings upto 1000 and again from around 1500!
13 Chub - smallest 2lb 14oz, biggest 2; 5lb 6oz, 4lb 9oz. 1X2lb+, 7X3lb+, 4x4lb+, 1X5lb+. (Total Weight of Chub: 50lb 7oz). 3 doz Dace and Roach - mainly dace - all small. 2 Brownies - best 3lb, 1 Rainbow - circa 2lb.
Brrrrrr! A cold winters chubbing - all on trotted maggot. Paul managed 6
