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Diary of a (mainly) river angler.

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27 October (Part 2)

River Kennet - Speen Moors 1000 - 1400 Bright and sunny (for the most part!), AT 9ºC - 13ºC. River up 3 or 4 inches on my last trip here but with little colour. 7 Chub; 3lb 6oz, 2lb 11oz, 2lb 8oz, a 'pounder'  and 3 chublets. 5 Perch: all between ¾-1¼lb. 1 Roach - small, 1 Gudgeon, 1 Brownie; 3lb+. A lively morning - went for a wander initially, though ended up relying on my favourite spot on the weir pool, with all fish of substance coming from it. It's becoming a bit of a b

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

27 October (Part 1)

Kennet & Avon Canal - Enborne 0730 - 0930 Continuous rain for the entire 2 hours I was bank-side. Started just as I made my first cast and eased off just as I made my last! AT 9ºC 13 Perch - with the majority a lb or better - the six I weighed went: 2lb 12oz, 2lb 7oz, 2lb 3oz, 2lb 2oz, 1lb 14oz & 1lb 12oz with most of the rest in the 12oz-1lb class. First part of a favourite 'double-header' and a repeat of my trip here at the start of the month - with 3, 2lb perch in

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

22 October

Lower Itchen Fishery 0830 - 1700 Bright start - clouding over somewhat after lunch - with a brief shower, AT 5º-15ºC. River full - bank high in places - though, thankfully not too much colour. 20 Grayling - very few under 12oz  and quite a number around the 1lb mark. The three I weighed went 1lb 10oz, 1lb 15oz & 2lb 6oz. 1 Chub 4lb 10oz. 7 Brownies - 2-3½lb. Super day's sport and thanks to Neal for organising. We had permission to fish the upper beat - alas the river was

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

20 October

Middle Kennet carrier - Marsh Benham 0930 - 1400 Sunny spells after another night of heavy rain. Mild/warm for the time of year. AT 12º-17ºC. River up several inches and carrying quite a bit of colour - which had noticeably dropped out somewhat by the time I packed up.  4 Chub; 4lb 13oz & 3 chublets. 1 Bream: 2lb 11oz. 3 Perch: 1½lb and a couple of tiddlers. 16 Roach - nothing noteworthy. 3 Dace (ditto). 1 Brownie -3lb. Despite spending a lot of time and effort on the mai

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

17 October

River Lambourn - Newbury 0730 - 1100 Cool and overcast - clearing to bright sunshine. AT 8º- 12ºC. River at normal levels. 19 Grayling with over half around the pound mark or better - the three I weighed went 1lb 8oz, 1lb 9oz & 1lb 12oz. 1 brownie - small. First frosts of the autumn always put me in the mood for grayling and this was a bit of an insurance session in case Storm Babet stuffs up the Itchen for my planned visit this weekend. Usual tactics of catch a couple an

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

13 October

River Kennet - Hambridge 1100 - 1400 Warm and breezy - becoming increasingly sunny after a wet morning/overnight. AT 17º-20ºC. River down 8 inches on my last visit here but carrying a bit of colour after heavy overnight rains.... 1 Chub: 1½lb. 1 Perch - fairly small. 11 Dace - most small with a couple of chunkier ones. 3 Roach - all small. 2 Brownies: 2½lb and c¾lb. Bit of a scratchy session - had hoped the rain might have pepped the river up - but a couple of splashy trout i

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

11 October (Part 2)

River Kennet - Speen Moors 0945 - 1415 Warm, overcast and breezy. AT 16º-18ºC. River down around 6-8 inches on my last trip here 3 weeks ago. 14 Perch: All 12oz or more - best two went 1lb 10oz & 1lb 12oz but all of the others were a few ounces either side of a lb. 6 Chub: 2lb & 1lb 10oz and 4 chublets. 9 Roach - all small apart from one 'netter' of round 10oz. 1 Dace - small. 12 (!) Gudgeon. 2 Brownies - a lump of around 3½lb and a parr. Super morning's sport and I w

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

11 October (Part 1)

Warwicks Water 0700 - 0900 Warm, overcast and quite breezy. AT 16ºC 14 Perch - nothing noteworhty. Another fruitless session after mythical monster perch - without the redemption of a tench or two. Small perch were everywhere I tried and a high lobworm attrition rate had me packing up and moving venues much quicker than I'd hoped!

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

6 October

River Kennet -  Brimpton 1230 - 1500 Warm and mainly sunny. AT19ºC. River with good flow (for mid autumn) and a tinge of colour. 3 Chub: 3lb 6oz, 2lb 15oz and a 'pounder'. Hooray NO trout! Both my 'banker' chub swims gave up a fish and nothing with an adipose fin - which makes a change - first time this season that I haven't caught a spottie from here - long may it continue!

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

5 October

Kennet & Avon Canal - Enborne 0700 - 0900 Warm, calm and overcast. A lovely, benign autumn morning - perfect perching weather! AT 11º-14ºC 10 Perch: 7 over 1lb (6 over 1½lb). Best 3: 2lb 13oz, 2lb 6oz & 2lb 4oz After Monday's false start (on the Perch front at least) it was a first visit of the season to a more reliable perch venue - though one that didn't produce a 2lber for me last season. That was all put right in the first ½ hour when I had 6 perch from my first 6

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

2 October

Warwicks Water - Thatcham 0700 - 1300 Warm, calm and overcast (though a thunderstorm rolled in just after I packed up 🙂) AT 16º-18ºC 2 Tench: 5lb 14oz, 2lb 2oz. Doz+ Perch: all fairly small. Reports of big stripeys had me starting my autumn perch campaign on this rarely fished and somewhat neglected pond. It was always going to be a case of trying to avoid the small perch and hope a biggie turned up. However I thought I'd hit the jackpot first cast - my float hadn't even cock

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

29 September

Middle Kennet (& Carrier) - Marsh Benham 0700 - 1400 Bright and sunny after overnight rain. AT 14º-16ºC. River at normal levels with a tinge of colour. 12 Chub; 6 over a lb - best 3lb 6oz, and half a doz chublets. 8 Perch; 1lb 12oz & 7 small-uns. 1 Bream 2lb 2oz. 30 Roach & Dace (more roach), 'a' roach of 12oz the only noteworthy fish. 1 Bleak. 1 Rainbow -  unwelcome as ever but a real lump @5lb 10oz. All out attempt at trying to snaffle some bigger chub and avoid

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

25 September

Willows Lake - Thatcham 1730 - 2200 Warm(ish!) with a pleasant southerly breeze to keep the mossies and dew away. High cloud - but not enough to mask a bright gibbous moon. AT 20º-14ºC 2 Carp: 11lb 6oz & 8lb 2oz. 2 perch - small. Last evening here this summer (probably!) and first time this season I haven't caught a tench from this lake. Smaller carp was early doors (though preceded by the two micro-perch) and I then spent 2 hours staring intently at a stationary starlite

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

22 September

River Kennet - Speen Moors 1045 - 1430 Bright and breezy with one light shower (and one cloudburst to finish!). AT 15ºC. River 'full' and with some colour - though not as much as below Newbury. 5 Chub: 2lb 7oz, a couple of 'pounders' and a couple of chublets. 3 Perch; 2@1lb 6oz (definitely different fish) and one of around 10-12oz. A dozen Roach - quite a few chunky ones. 2 Dace, 1 Gudgeon. 1 Trout parr. First visit here this season and the thundery showers kept me to the wei

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

21 September

River Kennet - Hambridge 1400 - 1630 Bright with thundery showers. AT 15ºC. River up 10 inches on my last trip (I measured it!) and quite coloured up. 1 Bream; 2lb 4oz. 2 Perch 1¼lb and one around half that. 10 Roach - all handsized. 2 Dace. 2 Gudgeon. With 37mm of rain yesterday (1½inches in old money) making it the 9th wettest day in the last 20 years - locally, I wasn't surprised to see the Kennet close to winter flood levels. Perfect excuse to drop into my favourite flood

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

8 September

Middle Kennet (& carrier) - Marsh Benham 0600 - 1230 Hot and muggy. AT 18ºC - 28ºC. River a little on the low side but not at all bad for September. 12 Chub; A couple of around ¾-1lb - the rest all juveniles of around 6 inches. 1 Bream: 3lb 14oz. 50 Roach & Dace (more roach) - nothing especially noteworthy. 5 Perch - all small. 2 Rainbow's; 3½ & 4½lbs. Early start to try and make the most of the cool of the morning - but didn't really feel it after the long hike t

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

4 September

Harris Lake, Marsh Farm Fishery, Milford 1500 - 2300. Hot and sunny with a stiffish southerly breeze - clear, warm evening. AT 28ºC and still 17ºC when I left. 7 Tench; best 6lb on the nose plus a variety of sizes (1X5lb+, 2X4lb+, 2X3lb+, 1X2lb+). 2 Crucians; 2lb 6oz, 1lb 13oz & 1lb 11oz. 20+ Roach up to 10oz. 3 Rudd - all around 8-10oz, 1 Perch- small. The return of summer put me in the mood for some more crucian fishing - though in truth they didn't get much of a look-i

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

30 August

River Kennet - Hambridge 1600 - 2230 Overcast, breezy and quite cool - clearing to reveal great views of the blue super moon! AT 17ºC - 12ºC. River a little on the low side... 1 Chub: 4lb 13oz. 2 Perch 1lb 9oz & a tiddler. 5 Dace & 3 Roach (all small). 4 Gudgeon. 4 Brownies - all small. Evening session ledgering for barbel preceded by half an hour's trotting to inoculate me from a blank! I needn't have worried however, as the chub fell well into the dark on my ledgere

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

29 August

River Kennet - Brimpton 1400 - 1700 Cool, overcast and breezy with fine drizzle for last hour. AT a decidedly autumnal 15ºC. River a little on the low side - but not out of the ordinary for late summer. 1 Chub- un-weighed but around a 1lb. 9 Dace - all quite chunky. 10 (!) brownies all around 8-10oz with one a tad bigger. DAMN TROUT! Rare foray to the lower and slower stretches of this venue - but not before starting in my 2 'banker' chub swims - where the trout were insatiab

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

23 August

River Kennet & Carrier - Marsh Benham 0700 - 1330 Warm and sunny (after a cool start) and with a very helpful couple of hours overcast from 9-11am - bites at a premium once this burnt off! AT 11º - 24ºC. River at normal levels with a tinge of colour. 3 Chub: 4lb 4oz, 3lb 1oz, 1lb 13oz. 7 Perch - 1lb 15oz the rest all quite small. 2 doz+ Dace - various sizes with quite a few chunky ones - biggest went 12oz and had another 4 or 5 around the 8oz mark. 15 Roach - all small. 1 Blea

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

21 August

Alders Lake - Thatcham 1730 - 2230 Bright and breezy. AT 20º - 15ºC. 4 Bream: 4lb 8oz, 4lb 5oz, 4lb 2oz, 3lb 10oz. 4 Tench: 4lb 3oz, 3lb 3oz X2(different fish I think!), 2lb 11oz. 2 Carp: unweighed but both around 1½lb. 6 Perch; - most around 6-8oz. 2 Rudd. A very busy evening with bites and fish from the off - smallest Bream was actually first cast!. Bites tailed off after dark - only one fish after 9pm - exact opposite of what usually happens. All fish on float fished prawn

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

18 August

River Kennet - Hambridge 1230 - 1530 Warm and overcast after heavy rain this morning (15mm in 3 hrs). AT 19º-23ºC. River up a tad and with a bit of colour after said rains! 2 Chub: 4lb 5oz & 3lb 11oz. 9 Dace and a Roach - all small. 6(!!) Gudgeon. 3 Trout parr. I had intended to spend today on my syndicate stretch further upstream - but torrential rains this morning put paid to that idea. It's not really a venue for a short session as it takes me over an hour from door to

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

16 August

Willows Lake - Thatcham 1730 - 2230 Warm and overcast - clearing. No breeze so copious amounts of DEET required to keep the mossies at bay! AT 23º-17ºC 2 Tench; 4lb 7oz & 4lb 3oz. 2 Carp; 8lb 6oz & 6lb 11oz First evening this summer on here when the carp have been a nuisance. Along with the 2 I landed I lost another 3 to hook pulls - two after lengthy fights and getting close to netting - ho hum they weren't what I was after any hows! Thankfully there was a lull in ca

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

14 August

River Kennet - Hambridge 1130 - 1330 Dull and drizzly - quite breezy too. AT 16ºC. River still with nice flow for late summer. 1 Chub: 4lb 1oz, 11 Dace & 3 Roach - all small. 3 Gudgeon, 2 Grayling c6oz, 1 Perch - small, 2 brownies (ditto). Mrs P at the hairdressers was an opportunity to return here with a bigger saw to do some more 'gardening'! And of course I wasn't going to pass up the chance to wet a line for an hour or so.... Nice chub first cast - followed by the usu

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

11 August

River Kennet - Hambridge 1300 - 1600 Warm and muggy. AT 25ºC. River still with good levels for mid August! 3 Chub: 3lb 13oz, 3lb 0oz and one of around ¾-1lb. 8 Roach & 8 Dace - all small. 2 Gudgeon. 1 Brownie- small. Friday afternoons - I am 'persona non grata'  at home as Mrs P has a coffee afternoon with her friends - a tradition that goes back over 30 years (it was originally her post-natal group!) so Friday's are going to be a regular fishing day now that I have retir

Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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