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About this blog

Diary of a (mainly) river angler.

Entries in this blog

17/18 June

Newbury AA Lake - Thatcham   1500 - 0900   Very breezy with heavy drizzle to start, fine clear night.   5 Carp - best 8lb 1oz, 1 rudd, 1 roach.   Very very quiet night on a usually very prolific water. Paul did somewhat better in the next swim with 10 carp to 12lb 6oz. Tried - and failed miserably for one of the lakes few big crucians
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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16 June 2009

Marsh Farm, Godalming   0815 - 1930   Warm with bright sunshine. Max 23ºC   5 Crucians - best 1lb3oz, 2 Tench - best 3lb, 1 doz Roach & Rudd (best roach 1lb 5oz), 1½doz perch, all small except for 1 just shy of a lb, 1 gudgeon.   A 'social' start to the season in the company of Alan and Paul. Alan and I 'toughed' it out on Harris all day in the hope (forlorn in my case, though Alan had 3, 2lbers) of a monster Crucian. Paul wimped out and moved to Richa
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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26 May

Eastern Solent - on Valkyrie out of Langstone Harbour - Skipper Glenn Cairns   0830 - 1500   5 Bream (all 'keepers'), 5 Pouting   Bright and breezy after a dull drizzly start - becoming VERY breezy!   A day spent on a rather choppy Solent in the company of Alan Tomkins and friends. Alas, I left my sea legs at home - spent ½ the morning chucking up and all afternoon trying not too - did very little actual fishing! Which was a pity as the bream fishing was rather good, everyone caught wit
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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My PB List

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

1

Season's Bests 08-09

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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14 March

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'!!!
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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13 March

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.  
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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8 March

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

2

1 March

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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27 February

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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20 February

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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14 February

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.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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8 February

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......    
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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31 January

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

4

24 January

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.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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18 January

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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10 January

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

1 January 2009

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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29 December

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
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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27 December

River Lambourn - Newbury   0815 - 1030   Cold and clear -1ºC -> 2ºC. River at normal levels.   7 Grayling - best 1lb 2oz, 2 small brownies.   Short session as I needed to pop out for some maggots for Monday's trip...
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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24 December

Kennet & Avon Canal - Thatcham   1400 - 1615   Dull, overcast and calm. AT 7ºC. WT 50ºF   7 Perch - in order of capture... 3lb 1oz, 2lb 13oz, 2lb2oz, 2lb 9oz, 2lb 13oz, 2lb 14oz, 2lb 10oz.   Opportunistic trip - as was unexpectedly allowed home early for Christmas! Float fished lobs. Last 4 fish caught in the last 20mins. Early Christmas prezzie!
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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20 December

River Kennet - Speen Moors   0745 - 1115   Mild, overcast and breezy, 11ºC. Water levels down 4-6 inches on last Sunday - still carrying a tinge of colour. WT 47ºF.   1 Perch, 2lb 7oz, 6 chublets all ½ - 1lb, 4 gudgeon.   A real struggle for bites despite seemingly ideal conditions - though WT still a little on the low side - so I'm blaming that. Perch came after an hour and half of trying lobs - chub when I switched to maggot.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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14 December

Middle Kennet Estate Water   0800 - 1600   Cold and overcast 0ºC ->5ºC. River very coloured - very unusual for this stretch.   2 Chub (5lb 0oz, 1lb 6oz), 2 Perch (2lb 1oz, 1lb 11oz), 14 Dace (2 X11oz, 1X10oz), 4 Brown Trout - (best 2½lb)   Bit of a struggle in a very coloured river. Both chub and 2 biggest trout on sweetcorn. Perch were first AND last fish of the day - one on maggot one on lobs. All dace were a good size - had 4 more around the 8oz mark. Paul had a very similar return
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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6 December

Kennet & Avon Canal - Nr Thatcham   1400 - 1615   Cold and clear. AT 7ºC -> 3ºC. WT 42ºF - canal carrying a little colour.   2 Perch - a fine brace - 3lb2oz & 2lb 9oz. 1 Pike, 8lb 6oz.   A succesful dusk trip for stripeys - despite the cold bright conditions. Pike 1st cast (yet another worm caught pike) and biggest perch on the stroke of 4pm just as the light was fading fast.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

29 November

River Lambourn - Shaw/Newbury   0715 - 1230   Cold and overcast 1ºC -> 2ºC   14 Grayling - 5 pounders - best 1lb 5oz, 5 Roach, 7 Brownies.   A trip with Paul - and a change of plan - had originally planned a morning's perching - but we decided that conditions were too 'sub-optimal' for stripeys!!!
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

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