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Diary of a (mainly) river angler.

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Coarse Fishing

4 February

Middle Kennet Carrier (& main river) - Marsh Benham 0900 - 1500 Cloudy, with the odd sunny spell. Mild. AT 8º - 10ºC. River very pacey with a tinge of colour. 6 Chub: 2lb 8oz - 3lb 13oz. 2 Dace: both quite chunky. 2 Roach: smallish. 6 Brownies: 1½ - 3¼lb Started off on the main river - making the long walk down to my south bank slack for just 2 bites and 2 fish, a 3lb 7oz chub and a 3lb spottie! By 1100 I was working my way up the carrier hoping against hope not to get to
Coarse Fishing

31 January

River Kennet - Speen Moors 1100 - 1430 Cloudy with sunny spells, milder. AT 8ºC. River high, pacey with colour dropping out - was noticeably less turbid when I packed up than when I arrived. 2 Chub: 3lb 4oz & 3lb 0oz. 1 Dace: 10oz - a sandpapery male in spawning condition. 2 Brownies: 1¼lb and one half that. Bit of a gamble, but hopeful that the river would have dropped down enough from last weekend's rain to make it fishable - and so it proved. Trout first cast wasn't a
Coarse Fishing

30 January

River Lambourn - Shaw 0930 - 1300 Cold, bright and sunny. AT 0º - 7ºC. River full, clear (of course!) and pacey. 1.71m on the Shaw gauge. 10 Grayling: a couple of 'pounders' (though not by much) all the others 6-10oz. 3 Brownies,  two of around ¾lb (and possibly the same fish!) and a parr. Default when the Kennet is in flood - which it most certainly is after Éowyn and Herminia recently. Very scratchy morning, to be expected in bright conditions with half the ladies coming fr
Coarse Fishing

22 January

River Kennet - Hambridge 0930 - 1230 Cool, calm & cloudy. AT 3ºC. River very high and clear - higher than my last trip here just after Christmas despite no rain for the past 2+ weeks. 1 Chub: 2lb 5oz. 3 Grayling; all 6-10oz. With storm Éowyn on the way and Mrs P out with her sister I switched my usual Friday outing. Chub first cast - on lob intended for a big perch that have been showing up here  lately. It would be my only bite on worm - grayling caught after I switched
Coarse Fishing

21 January

Kennet & Avon 'flowing' Canal - Colthrop 0900 - 1300 Cool, cloudy & calm. AT 0ºC - 5ºC. River at normal winter levels with a hint of colour. 1 Chub: 4lb 6oz. 1 Grayling: 1lb 1oz. 1 Brownie: c¾lb. Another recce session exploring some new swims based on some recent 'intelligence'!😉 Fished 3 new spots giving each an hour or so and had the chub and grayling from the first one I dropped into. Only other bite was from a nuisance brownie which trashed my third swim!
Coarse Fishing

17 January

River Frome - Wool 0830 - 1400 Cool, calm & cloudy. A benign winter's day! AT 4º - 7ºC. River quite pacey with a tinge of colour. 1.17 on the East Stoke gauge. 11 Grayling; 6 over a lb - best three: 2lb 2oz, 1lb 14oz, 1lb 10oz. 7 Brownies: a 3lb+ and half a dozen small-uns. 2 Sea trout; 2½lb & 3lb. Slow and steady day - fish from 3 swims though the majority from just one spot. Sea trout were a bit of a menace - I lost 3 after extensive aerial antics and was also brief
Coarse Fishing

8 January

Middle Kennet Carrier (& main river), Marsh Benham 0930 - 1400 Cold & cloudy. AT hovering around 0ºC all day. River very full and quite coloured up - sort of milky in appearance. 3 Chub: 1lb 14oz, 2lb 7oz & 3lb 7oz. 7 Trout between 1½ - 3lb. 5 browns and 2 that were bright silver and if I was on the Itchen would have said immediately were sea trout - but this stretch is a long way from the sea!  A frosty day on the bank. Hoped the cold snap would have put the trou
Coarse Fishing

2 January 2025

River Lambourn - Newbury 0930 - 1330 Cold and sunny. AT -1ºC - 3ºC. River quite full and clear as always despite yesterday's rain. 1.66m on the Shaw gauge. 12 Grayling; 5 over a lb (though not by much) best 1lb 6oz. 5 Brownies - all small. Scratchy session, to be expected given the bright conditions. Most of my usual banker swims produced nothing apart from the odd trout - all the grayling coming from just 2 spots... First fish of 2025.  
Coarse Fishing

31 December

River Kennet - Colthrop 0930 - 1330 Mild, overcast becoming breezy. AT 9º - 11ºC. River at normal winter levels and quite clear. 3 Chub: 5lb 6oz, 4lb 11oz, 3lb 5oz. 1 Grayling 2lb 1oz (!!). 1 Brownie; c½lb. With heavy rain forecast for tomorrow and likely to stuff the river up for my 'traditional' New Year chubbing trip I thought I'd get in early! A splashy brownie first cast in my 'banker' swim wasn't a great omen - thankfully my 'less reliable' back up produced all the rema
Chris Plumb

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Coarse Fishing

27 December

River Kennet - Hambridge 1000 - 1330 Cool and misty. AT 6ºC. River high, pacey and clear - pretty much the same level as 2 weeks ago despite no appreciable rain in the interim. 1 Perch: 2lb 9oz. 2 Grayling: 1lb 7oz & 1lb 2oz. 3 Brownies: a 'pounder' and a couple @ c½lb. Failed attempt to get more than one perch from this swim - though very pleased to get another fish over 2½lb from here - my 6th this season over this weight from this spot. Mainly fished lobs - which also
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

24 December

River Kennet - Speen Moors 0900 - 1230 Mild and overcast. AT 9º - 11ºC. River 'full' with little colour - looked in fine fettle - pity no one told the fish! 4 Dace: all quite chunky though nothing noteworthy. 2 Brownies 1¼lb and one half that. 'Traditional' pre Christmas trip to use up any bait in the bait fridge before said fridge is commissioned for Christmas duties! A bit of a head scratcher angling wise. River looked neigh on perfect but I struggled for bites all morning,
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

20 December

River Kennet Backstream - Colthrop 1300 - 1530 Cool and cloudy. AT 7ºC. River at normal winter levels - not quite as pacey as last time here. 3 Chub: 4lb 5oz, 3lb11oz, 3lb 2oz. 1 Grayling c ¾lb. Another sesh in my new found chub swim and the chub were at home this time! Caught the bigger two then rested the spot for an hour while I tried yet more new swims - for the solitary grayling. Third chub immediately after the hiatus - adding up to a very satisfactory short trip!
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

16 December

River Lambourn - Shaw 0900 - 1330 Mild and mainly overcast. AT 8º - 11º. River quite high (1.65m on the Shaw gauge) but still a foot lower than last winter's floods. Gin clear as always. 13 Grayling: 5 over a lb. Best two; 2lb 2oz, 1lb 9oz. 9 Brownies - all small (6-8oz) or parrs. Scratchy morning, with only one of the usual hotspots producing anything of note (the 1-9 lady). After an early lunch, tried a nice glide under the trees (hence quite tricky to trot from) which I've
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

13 December

River Kennet - Hambridge 1315 - 1515 Cold, dreary & drizzly. At 4ºC. River high, pacey and clear.  1 Perch: 2lb 14oz. Just fished lobs. One bite, one fish, though it was another belting perch from here. All the same, I'm beginning to wonder how many are re-captures as I've not had more than 2 from here in a session this season!  
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

11 December

Middle Kennet Carrier (& main River) 0900 - 1400 Cool and overcast. At 4º - 6ºC. River high, very pacey, clear and weed free. 3 Chub: a couple of 3lbers (best 3-07) and a 'pounder'. 3 Roach, 2 Dace - all fairly small. 9 Brownies 2-3½lb. 1 Rainbow: C. 2½lb. Worked my way down the entire length of the fishery - trying to avoid trout - though not very successfully - a very disappointing Chub to Trout ratio! And it looks like the silvers are doing a bit of a disappearing act
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

4 December

River Kennet (& Backstream) - Colthrop 0900 - 1300 Cool, calm & cloudy. At 4ºC - 8ºC. River quite pacey with a hint of colour. 1 Chub; 4lb 13oz. 4 Brownies - all 10-12oz. I had a cunning plan for today. Return to my newly found big chub swim, use up the last of my corn from the weekend's Itchen trip and empty the swim of its inhabitants! Well that was how it played out in my head - the reality was somewhat different. After a couple of hours without a bite from my targ
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

1 December

Lower Itchen Fishery 0830 - 1600 Mild and rainy all morning, brighter after lunch save for a shower as I packed up. AT 13º. River at normal levels (maybe a little high) with some colour which got worse during the day. 9 Grayling: 7 over a lb, Best 4: 2lb 6oz (SB), 2lb 5oz, 2lb 2oz, 1lb 14oz. 2 Chub: 4lb 12oz & 4lb 3oz. 6 Brownies 2-3½lb. A soggy day in Hampshire at a fish-in organised by Neal (Big thank you BTW!). Got a 2lb 2oz grayling first trot through which took the p
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

27 November

Middle Kennet - Marsh Benham 0900 - 1200 Cold and cloudy. AT 5ºC. River very high and the colour of milky tea - very sub-optimal! 1 Roach: handsized. 1 Brownie: 3½lb. I knew conditions would be challenging but didn't expect to see the river quite so coloured up - quite a rare sight this far up the Kennet. Nearly turned around and went straight home but instead walked down to the flood swim I fished quite a bit last winter in high water. Bumped a fish in the first 5 mins which
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

22 November

River Kennet - Brimpton 1300 - 1530 Cool, bright and breezy. AT 6ºC. River at normal levels with a tinge of colour. 1 Chub: 3lb 3oz. 2 Dace: both quite chunky. 6 Brownies: 4 over a lb, three between 1¼lb-2lb and a brute of 4lb 6oz. Makes a change for my first cast trout not to ruin my chub chances! In fact I'd caught 2 brownies before my target species put in an appearance - thankfully both trout had been  hooked a long way downstream from the chub lair! Rested the swim for ½
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

20 November

River Lambourn - Newbury 0800 - 1200 Cold & clear. AT -2º - +3ºC. River at normal levels and gin clear as always - despite nearly an inch of precipitation falling yesterday. 13 Grayling: 6 over a lb - the best two went 1lb 11oz & 1lb 9oz. 1 Brownie - small. First cold snap of the autumn - proper grayling weather with the ferrules icing up for the first hour or so. Bit of a scratchy session - usual catch a couple and move on tactics with only one of the 'hotspots' from
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

15 November

River Kennet - Hambridge 1145 - 1515 Cool, overcast becoming brighter. AT 8ºC. River still 'full' and clear - has hardly dropped since my last trip despite no significant rain since 19th October! 3 Perch: 3lb 9oz(Season's Best), 2lb 11oz & a tiddler. 1 Chub: 3lb, 1 Dace; chunky! 3 Brownies: a swim trasher of around 2½lb and two,½lbers. Successful (very) perch hunt! Started out on lobs and had the 2lber almost immediately - however it would be my only bite on worm. Somewha
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

12 November

Kennet & Avon 'flowing' Canal & Backstream, Thatcham/Colthrop 0730 - 1430 Cool & breezy with sunny spells. AT 4ºC - 10ºC. River at normal levels and quite clear. 5 Chub: 5lb, 4lb 10oz, 4lb 3oz, 3lb 15oz, 3lb 7oz. 4 Dace: a smallun and 3 good-uns - which all got weighed 2@10oz topped by one of 12oz. 1 Grayling 1lb 2oz. 2 Brownies - a 'pounder' and a parr. Started off on the hunt for big dace and for the second trip running here a 1lb grayling turned up in my dace s
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

8 November

Northcroft Stream - Newbury 2145 - 1515 Cool, calm and overcast. AT 8ºC. River at normal levels. 1 Chub: 2lb 5oz. 2Doz+ Dace: One real good-un of 13oz the rest hand-sized. 2 Roach: small. 2 Brownies both ¾-1lb. Another failed attempt to get a barbel on the float from here. All fish apart from the big dace from the weirpool. Season's best (so far!)    
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

6 November

Middle Kennet (& carrier) - Marsh Benham 0900 - 1300 Mild, overcast and calm - yet another day of anti-cyclonic gloom. AT 11ºC. River at normal levels - looks in really good nick! 5 Chub: 4lb 8oz, 3lb 3oz, 2lb 11oz, a 'pounder' and a chublet. 14 Roach - all small apart from one clonker which needed the net and was c10-12oz. 6 Dace; all chunky but nothing especially noteworthy. 3 Brownies: 2-3¾lb. Typical morning wandering around my syndicate stretch with all 3 bigger chub
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Coarse Fishing

1 November

River Frome - Wool 0700 - 1400 Mild, mainly cloudy with sunny spells. AT 11ºC. River in fine fettle, quite pacey and with a tinge of colour. 1.10m on the E Stoke gauge. 16 Grayling: ALL over a lb(!) with eleven 1½lb or better. Best four: 2lb 5oz, 2lb 2oz, 1lb 15oz, 1lb 14oz. 2 Sea trout, 3lb 15oz and a 'pounder'. 3 brownies - all 4-6oz. A splendid day's grayling fishing, all fish caught trotting (of course) - my arm aches. First time I've fished the opening day on the Frome a
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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