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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.

Entries in this blog

Marsh Benham

11.11.22 - Marsh Benham

A third consecutive week trotting on the syndicate, and a similar return from the other two. The warm autumn continues, 13 degrees and overcast making it comfortable to fish, though the water level was considerably lower from last week - maybe down a foot in the weirpool, and the predominantly sandy bottom visible in most of the carrier swims. This didn't put the fish off. I fished maybe 6 swims in all for 36 roach to 14 oz, mainly in the 6-9 oz range, 10 dace, 10 chublets, 8 perch and 2 brownie
Willows

8.11.22 - Willows

I was planning to go chub fishing this evening at a syndicate water, but was put off by (1) talk from another member of crayfish, combined with the view of a professional crayfish trapper that they are most active under full moons combined with (2) a second consecutive Tuesday of winds and threatened sharp showers had me thinking it would be slightly less unpleasant under a brolly in relatively sheltered Willows, than roving across open country casting between swaying branches over a narrow rive
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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dixons

7.11.22 - Dixons

When my Monday morning gardening customer cancelled at short notice, I was delighted to get a bonus 3-hours fishing in. With no maggots to fish the Lamborne or Hambridge, I pulled out some mackerel I had in the freezer from last winter, grabbed a couple of heavy rods and made for Dixons. Warm for November, dank and with light rain, it seemed perfect and I cast out a leger 20 yards to my left, and a bung a similar distance to my right.  After about half an hour, the buzzer sounded a couple o
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in dixons

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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
Marsh Benham

4.11.22 - Marsh Benham

Another lovely day on the syndicate. Water level not much higher than last week after all that rain, but flow running quicker. Caught fish from the off, moving swims every half an hour or so. Having lost too high a number of larger fish last week, I landed all that I hooked, except one. In the weir swim, I struck into something unmoving that after a few seconds making up its mind, turned on the afterburners and my 4lb hook length never stood a chance.  I ended up without anything huge, but
Willows

01.11.22 - Willows

A strange evening, my first Tuesday evening after the clocks went back. I'd intended to do some evening chub fishing on the river, but with strong winds and yet more heavy rain due, I felt an evening huddled under the brolly would be a slightly less uncomfortable than roving the banks. Naturally, I was the only one on the lake as I was blown down the bank. With the two-rod winter allowance now in place, I cast one to the island, the other along in the margins. I made friends with a mallard
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Kennet & Avon Canal

28.10.22 - Marsh Benham

After Tuesday afternoon/evening where the only bite came just before 9pm for a 5lb 4 mirror, I've changed my daytime fishing routine from the lakes to predominantly rivers and canals. My trip to the Marsh Benham syndicate on Friday turned out to be great trotting fun after an annoying morning. Fishing by a weir pool, the first bite came after about an hour, a decent fish which bored upstream as I speculated whether it would be a chub or maybe a perch. Turned out it was a 3lb 5 bream, and so
Dobsons

18, 21 & 22.10 - Willows and Dobsons

Tuesday - My usual evening session. it took me three rubbish casts to realise I'd wrapped the line round the rod when putting the sections together. An odd evening with many trembles on the rod tip that refused to develop into proper bites.  I swapped baits to try and encourage some positive takes and in the end was happy to settle for mirrors of 5lb 4 and 6lb 4 plus commons of 5lb 10, 4lb 5 and 6lb. I'm delighted to report that the last fish was Blinky, the one-eyed common, who I last caught on
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Dobsons

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Kennet & Avon Canal

15.10.22 - Enborne

With the rivers running low and the temperatures up and down for the lakes, I stuck to the canals. Last night was warmer than of late, and with it overcast with no wind, I fancied a crack at the perch. I set up in the coloured water below Guyers Bridge for a second session on the recently built platforms. 5 seconds into the first cast of the day, something grabbed the worm and took the pole tip round hard. It was on for 30 seconds or so before the 4lb hooklength snapped. I'd seen a big flash of
Willows

11.10.22 - Willows

A not fishing conducive scorching 18 degrees and millpond conditions when I set up at 3:30 in an unusual swim for me, but thinking it was where the last of the evening sun disappeared and the air would chill fast.  Plumbing the depth with my pole, I snagged and brought in a weighing sling in the margin; the one I lost at this swim the evening I caught a 13lb Mirror on 3.3.21. That was the only excitement until dusk having barely had a bite. Just before dark at 6:30 and having switched
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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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
Kennet & Avon Canal

2.10.22 - Help for Heroes match - Enborne

Despite pouring Sunday morning rain, 31 turned up for the NAA's annual charity match. That was a good turn out, especially as only 30 bacon rolls had been ordered for the pub meet beforehand, and guess who missed out? What's more, I managed to leave the slice of bread pudding baked and wrapped by the lovely Mrs S at home on the kitchen worktop.  No food, unless I fancied worms or casters, at least I'd picked up my bottle of water to enjoy in the rain. I drew one of the new platforms below G
Speen Moors/Enborne

30.9.22 -Enborne/Speen Moors

With temperatures crumbling as autumn starts to get in gear, I started my migration from lakes to the canals and rivers. The morning could have been perfect for perch at first light- misty and still, but overnight it had dropped to four degrees, the coldest since spring, and maybe that turned them off. I managed to get some pole practise in prior to the match at Enborne on Sunday, presenting and jiggling a worm right in front of their reedbed ambush points, but only managed one of about hal
Willows/Dobsons

26 & 27.9.22 - Willows & Dobsons

Monday - Day off for my Auntie Jackie's funeral (don't be sad, it was her time) allowing me a bonus 3 hours fishing beforehand. I'd planned a river trip, but with brisk winds and showers forecast, decided instead to huddle under the brolly in the comparative shelter of Willows. As I sat biteless and without a puff of breeze (WHY do i ever follow the forecasts?), a guy set up to my left and had soon caught two carp, while a chap arrived to my right and caught three. I eventually had just the one,
Dobsons

23.9.22 - Bream Day - Dobsons

Arrived in the rain to find my preferred swim was closed for repairs, so with the whole lake to myself, as it was all day, I took myself to a new swim for me on the opposite bank. After a biteless hour I was losing faith and was strongly considering a move to the generally more reliable Willows. I'd packed up one rod when I noticed that the line on the other was not pointing in the direction that I'd cast it. I picked it up to find a fish on the end. Although this dropped off unseen, it encourag
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Dobsons

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Willows

19.9.22 - Willows

I'd intended to try chase the bream at Dobsons again, but parking up, was told by a dog-walker that it was bivvy-city over there given Her Majesty's funeral day, so I defaulted to Willows. Pretty pedestrian session, I landed every bite and after mirrors of 4lb 10 & 8lb 10 plus commons of 3lb 4, 7lb 13 and 7lb 14, a par evening was boosted by a slab of a 14lb 15 common soon after dark. The other highlight: a splash in my swim turned out to be made by a kingfisher which immediately flew up and
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Willows/Dobsons

16 & 17.9.22 - Willows and Dobsons

I dug out the first jumper of autumn as we begin the approach the end of the lake season. Friday had 15mph northerly winds forecast at Willows, so I thought I'd be a clever so and so, and fished into the teeth of it, casting at the sheltered side of the island in front of me. At first it worked like a dream. In the only area of calm water on the lake, while others appeared to struggle, in 90 minutes I had mirrors of 5lb, 4lb 10, & 4lb 6 plus commons of 4lb 8 10lb 2 &5lb 2.  I suppose I m
Willows

9.9.22 - Willows

A slightly better than par day at the Willows. With the air as still as can be and at a lower pressure after heavy rain most of yesterday, I had hoped for better. With nothing happening on float, I defaulted to the method feeder and through the day found pulses of fish at different ranges - commons of 4lb 8, 6lb 5, 5lb 15, 6lb 9, 5lb 9 & 6lb 5, with mirrors of 6lb 6, 7lb 12 and two bream, both under a pound. I've caught plenty of feisty carp here in recent times, but no doubles for aaaa
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Willows

6.9.22 - Willows

OK, so the heatwave has definitely gone. This evening the SW wind was blowing grey and black clouds hard and fast overhead making it look more Mordor than Berkshire. The chop on the water meant float fishing was out and pinging the method feeder out towards the island brought only phantom bites as the wind caught the bobbin. I chanced that the carp may be sheltering so came back to a rod length or two out near the cover of the lake's lone overhanging willow. A bite soon ensued. Winding in,
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

4
Alders/Willows

2.9.22 - Alders & Willows

Ridiculously, I thought that the overnight rain (yes, rain!) and slightly lower air pressure at first light might bring the notoriously plentiful but cagey fish out at Alders. After 2 hours without a touch, I took the hint and crossed the causeway to their noisy neighbours in Willows. A slow start, bumper lunch time then slower afternoon, brought commons of 7lb 12, 4lb 4, 5lb 6, 5lb 15, 5lb 12, mirrors of 6lb 11, 6lb 4, 4lb 11, 7lb 12 and 6lb 5, plus a single 2lb 11 tench. None of the bigge
Willows

30.8.22 - Willows

A slightly disappointing end to a month which brought almost 400lb of fish - my best month to date. Had 2 Commons and 2 Mirrors, all around the 5-6lb mark, but that was half the story. I had two more snap brand-new 9lb hooklinks  and lost three more on the wind in. I thought I'd appeased the fish gods too, by passing my rod soon after hooking a fish to a nice young  boy who, fishing on his own in the swim next to me, had apparently fished all day for a small bream. Half way through the
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

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Avington

29.8.22 - Avington

On Sunday I walked along the stretch with Mrs S and friends on the way to a Bank Holiday beer at Hungerford. There were several sets of delicious looking feeding bubbles that had me desperate to return minus wife and plus rod ASAP. That chance came the next day, with a few pinched hours in the afternoon. The feeding bubbles, naturally, weren't there today; but I've rarely found that Avington fishes well in the sunshine. I think maggots or casters would have improved my chances, and certainl
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Avington

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Willows

26.8.22 - Willows

After last Friday's bumper haul, I'm keen to give it a go in the same swim. There's a slight chill in the air first thing which perhaps explains the lack of the fishy surface movement seen last week. It's fairly quiet on the bottom too, though 'takes' at 6:30 and 7:30 both end with fish dropping off the hook after several minutes of playing. Later in the morning, my luck changes, and in come a 7lb 2 common, tench of 2lb 6 and 21lb 10. Then a mirror of 7lb 10 and more commons of 6lb 10, 6lb 4, 7l
Bayleaf the Gardener

Bayleaf the Gardener in Willows

2
Dobsons

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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Willows

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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