Jump to content
  • entries
    271
  • comments
    217
  • views
    76931

About this blog

I started this blog in March 2021, having blanked in over half of my fifteen winter trips to various waters of Newbury Angling Association. The rivers, canals and lakes are fine, I'm just not very good at catching the fish in them. Oddly, i seemed to get a bit better for a while, but 2023 has undone all that. In July I moved to South Wales, not entirely for the weather, but to enforce a change in my fishing luck.

Read more  

Entries in this blog

Speen Moors

11.2.22 - Speen Moors & 12.2 - Speen Moors and Dixons

Friday. Got to Speen in the frost at first light with some cheese paste and link legers. Threw a few freebies in half a dozen swims, then fished them in turn. Had a 3lb 6 chub early doors (I'm only 97 behind you now, Chris!). No more chub action was to ensue,  just three swim-thrashing trout each around the two and a half pound mark. Sitting watching the quivertip not move very much, I switched to a trot for just a roach and a dace, but thought how 'pikey' (the fish kind, not the scrote) and ple
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Speen Moors

2
Willows

14.3.23 - 25.4.23 - Various - mainly Willows

It's been a tough Spring. With chilly water and my forthcoming move to South Wales eating at my fishing time, there's been little to trouble the scorers from largely short, sharp sessions. When concern for my well-being was expressed by an anonymous reader of this bog (thanks, Chris) I decided to update the following catalogue of mediocrity. 14.3 - Willows - A shortish evening stint, colder than yesterday and zero degrees when I packed up. One wintery shower caused a 'hailbow'. 2 Commons -
Willows

22.06.21 - Willows

1 - The birds. As if being pestered by geese, cormorants, ducks and terns wasn't enough, I had two grebes building a nest in the edge of the lilies by which I'd intended to fish. Not only did all their tromping about on the pads scare any fish down to the safety of the depths, they had sex right in front of me. Three times. It wasn't much to see and blimey,  I thought I was quick. 2 - The fish. My only bite in the first 2-hours came on a method-feeder with single chocolate orange wafter and
Hambridge

27.8.21 - Hambridge

A sneaky 90 minutes fish on my local canal section. Spent the first 15 minutes loose feeding then in. Trotting braid on the centrepin, holding back a chunky loafer float was great fun, but I wasn't troubled by too many fish. As per normal, I lost more than I banked as they shook so violently to get off - I must get those micro-barb hooks, eh Chris. A couple of roach and a handful of dace (even if one was a clonker of 8 ounces or so), was scant return. But there was final cast excitement when the
knotts

14.04.21 - Knotts

Right. An evening unaffected by snow showers where I can have  a crack at what I imagine are large-ish roach in the swim where I can consistently catch half-pounders. Though I get a tiddler first cast, it's quite slow despite regular gentle loose-feeding of two swims. I finally get most bites fishing at around 7ft deep. The biggun's remained elusive, though I did end up with fourteen roach in a few hours, five of which between six and twelve ounces. So the big ones remain elusive, though all the
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in knotts

2
Hambridge

22.7.21 - River Kennet - Hambridge

A bonus 75 mins fishing in the 6th continuous day of 30 degrees temps with searing sun.  I don't have waders, which limits me, I believe to just two swims, both adjacent, so with 15 mins of baiting up time, a half hour in each is probably about right. Not a lot around today, just half a dozen small roach and a chunky 8oz dace, but I did end with my favourite fish, the gudgeon. Not much to report about the fishing, so here's a few gudgeon facts: - As well as being the most characte
Willows

23.10.21 - Willows

A mixed day. I predominantly fished the margins on a virtually deserted lake. Within 5 minutes, I'd hooked a good carp on float fished single corn dipped in my top secret ingredient, that had the centrepin screeching and took me right, left and central before falling off the hook, unseen, after around 10 minutes of fun. If this wasn't annoying enough, I then missed bite after bite after bite, the float dragging under every 5 minutes or so, yet I couldn't hit any of them. I began to suspect crays
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

0
River Lambourn

3.11.21 - River Lambourn

My gardening work is slowing down now, so I got to squeeze a 2-hour sesh in this afternoon. After so much rain recently, I'm surprised to see the water low, so low that I don't even bother with the very shallow first park-bench swim. At the first spot with more than a foot of depth, get a 4 ounce brownie as an angler stops to say he's caught 30 today, having been fishing the stretch for 5 hours. Hmm, hope he's left me some. At the bridge, catch the smallest trout I have ever seen, I thought it w
Willows

12.11.21 - Willows

Ok, Ok, I know you must be bored with the same old Willows entries, but with morning rains due and a stiff breeze, I opted for a huddle under the brolly than face the exposure of the rivers. I was the only one fishing there all day, which, as a true misanthrope I loved, but then the fish were mainly of similar thinking. The first swim brought just a handful of roach (to a fair 7 ounces) and some skimmers. A change of swims to get the wind out of my face brought more of the same before
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

0
Marsh Benham

18.1.23 - Marsh Benham

Minus 5 last night, so my gardening work was off. Hung about until 9 when it'd warmed to minus 2 and made my way to the beautiful frosty and sunny syndicate. Water level still high with a few unfishable, I prebaited half a dozen with mashed bread. Legered breadflake smeared with my mystery ingredient. I knew it would attract trout, but it was so cold I was happy to keep catching and, who knew, maybe the temperature will keep them subdued and let the chub in. No such luck. I think the low, bright
Marsh Benham

7, 10 & 11.3.23 - Marsh Benham

With the river close season rapidly approaching, I managed three sessions at the syndicate. Tuesday evening - Took the cheesepaste to a number of swims. Caught a 1lb 12 chub early on followed by two angry brownies in the 2lb bracket. As it darkened the temperature dropped faster than a 4-oz Arsley bomb as a kingfisher flew low and fast past my rod tip, a barn owl landed in the trees opposite and an orangey full moon rose behind me. It was all breathtaking, but I only managed one more browni
kennet

19, 21, 22.1.22 - Hambridge, Speen, Hambridge

A week of hard, cold weather meaning not much gardening on, but more chances to fish. Wednesday pm - a few hours at the canal. Much quieter than of late, with 17 roach (compared to the recent 50's) albeit the largest a pleasing 4 ounces. Oh, and 3 bleak and a minnow, if you're counting. Spent the last hour on lures hoping for repeats of last weeks perch, but with another frosty night imminent, I think it was just too cold for them. Friday - Minus four at kick-off, with the canal at Ebo
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in kennet

0
River Ely, St Fagans

16.10.23 - River Ely, St Fagans

My first trip to a Welsh river, some 40 minutes from home which is far further than I'd normally travel, but I'd been getting severe withdrawal symptoms. And a nice river it looked too, perhaps most like Brimpton from my Berkshire Kennet days, with few accessible swims but lovely chubby overhangs. Total disaster. Having found the screw-piece had somehow been lost from the end of my landing net handle, I snapped off the last 4 inches of my (once) 15 ft Cadence rod. On my first trot thro
Hambridge

5.11.22- Hambridge River and Canal

A change of circumstances meant I grabbed some roving tackle and pinched 3 hours on a wet and windy afternoon at my nearest venue. I'd bought waders a few months ago and not got them out the box, so a short trip seemed the perfect opportunity to give them a go. Wading out, I realised how uneven the bottom is and what power water has at even at knee height. It opened up the swims behind the clothing warehouse and made me more aware of the comparative water speeds. I trotted along the crease
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Hambridge

4
knotts

6.4.21 -Knotts

Having fished after work a week ago in twenty-three degree heat, this Tuesday I hoped that the day's snow showers were over and I'd just have the north wind to deal with. No such luck. I was hit by a 15-minute blizzard that dropped 2mm pellets of white around me while the wind took every bit of feeling from my fingers. Surprisingly perhaps, I had by then managed seven roach, one about half a pound, which made it worthwhile despite the early finish and chilblains. 
Dobsons

10 & 13.5.22 - Alders and Dobsons

(a) Tuesday evening. Alders. Unpleasant westerly wind made float fishing tricky. Had a 5lb bream after 15 minutes and that was it. A couple of additional bites was more than my counterpart had all session on the bank opposite me, so I was happy to have caught a fish. Very Alders. (b) Friday. Dobsons. Even more unpleasant westerly wind made float fishing tricky. Had a mad half hour mid-morning - a bite on float had me into a good fish. One fight later I had my net ready when up to the surfac
Willows

4, 7, 8 October 2022 - Willows, Bulls lock, knotts

Trip 1 - Tuesday evening. With the evenings closing in, it's lakes only on a Tuesday as I don't like fishing into the dark on rivers. Had some maggots left over from Sunday's match, so started on the pole at Willows. However, one roach in, a gusty wind got up which gave the surface a chop. I felt that a bobbing float wouldn't be conducive to good bait presentation so I switched to the method feeder and aimed for the island. Others seemed to be struggling to catch so I was happy with three carp i
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

2
River Ely, St Fagans

6.12.23 - River Ely, St Fagans

My third trip to the Ely. It's my nearest coarse river and, with a stop at Bridgend to pick up maggots, took me about 50 minutes. That's too long, but I'm missing my chub fishing. We've had a clear and chilly last week that's warmed in the last couple of days with some rain and cloud giving a pleasant lift in temperature that I think makes it ripe for action.  It's a lovely looking river, much like the Kennet in places with glides and overhangs - very chubby looking. Having suffered two bla
Alders/Willows

21.5.21 - Alders/Willows

What a day. The back end of May, and I'm in thick jumper, gilet and coat as the lakes are once again buffeted with 40mph winds the whole day, flipping the lilies up off the water while with on/off (mainly on) rain flattened them down again.  My plan to fish Willows was blasted away by the sou'westers, as all I could do was huddle under my brolly, which I'd had to lash to the otter fencing behind me for fear of it ending up in Slough.  With the incessant lowing flipping the lilies and cre
Kennet & Avon Canal

12.1.22 - K&A Canal - Hambridge

Well, that was a fun afternoon. The plan always was to spend the first half of it with stick float and single maggot on the canal. Despite the morning frost, it was beautiful in the sun, and with no wind or boat traffic, it was like a millpond. Once the fish picked up on the gentle loose feeding and occasional conker of groundbait, the roach came in thick and fast. I stopped when I got to 50 (in less than 2½ hours) , supplemented by six bleak (not dace). Curiously, the roach started small,
Willows

06 08 21 - Willows

Ooh lovely - air pressure falling (just) below 1,000mb brought the prospect of hungry fish with easing stomachs. (a) 6:45am til 11:30  One bite. Missed it. Mixed it up - fished far, fished close, swapped baits, loose fed. Nothing. (b) 11:30 - 2:30 - 5 carp. All in pristine condition. 5lb, 7lb 8, 5lb 10, 5lb 2. 8lb 14 and a bream, 4oz. Could barely put the rod down without knocks or line bites. (c) 2:30 - 4:45. - Not even a nudge The knack of angling is catching in sessions (a
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

2
Willows

21.11.21 - Willows

Well, like a fool I'd been listening to the hyperbolae of  recent weather forecasts, warning us of a huge drop in temperature. Sure, it was 6 degrees, but the sun was beautiful when I pottered in the garden potting up bulbs and sweeping leaves this morning, so I hurried up and made my way to the lakes. After my disheartening river stint on Friday, and believing the canals to be no-go zones at times of temperature drops, I elected for Willows thinking the sun on the shallow water might at least m
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

0
Willows

11.5.21 - Willows

There was a repellent south wind when I arrived, creating quite a chop, and with anglers on my fave sheltered swims on Alders, I went for Willows, with the wind on my back casting at the island. A good evening. Commons of 9lb 7, 8lb 6, 10lb 14 all in beautiful condition, and a tiddler Mirror of 3lb 8. 30lb+ of fish is always a good day. I hit every bite too, for a change, albeit I lost two more fish. 
Willows

06.11.21 - Willows

A Saturday morning to fish, and yesterdays frosts gone (though still requiring a fleece, waistcoat and thick coat). With the winter rule of 2 rods being allowed on the lake, I fished a light float to my left, and a boilie on a bomb in the margin to my right. I've never used a boilie before, but these were kindly donated to me and with it still nippy, was not sure the fish would be bothered to break into the cargo of a method feeder. Nothing on float, not even a bite on maggot/caster or
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

0
Dobsons

8.4.22 - Dobsons

I turned up bright and early after yesterdays winds to find a chap fishing in my chosen swim. Turned out it was celebrity commentor from this parish, PeterJG, who said he recognised me from this blog. What a top gent he turned out to be. Very quick to play down his undoubted angling abilities, I didn't believe a word of it, as he out-breamed me 4-3 and threw in a few of his beloved roach on top. A total pleasure to meet you, PJG. My estimations that the air pressure being sub-1000 woul
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.

  I accept