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About this blog

Diary of a (mainly) river angler.

Entries in this blog

22 November

River Lambourn - Nr Newbury   0845 - 1100   Overcast and chilly 5ºC. River at normal levels - and gin clear as usual!   9 Grayling - all a nice size, best 4 - 1lb 10oz, 1lb 7oz, 1lb 6oz, 1lb 3oz. 3 Brownies - all small.   Nearly didn't go as the weather forecast had been pretty dire - glad I did however - very pleasant couple of hours trotting.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

2

15 November

Kennet & Avon Canal - nr Thatcham   1400 - 1630   Overcast, mild with and upstream breeze.AT 13ºC. WT 51ºF. Water quite clear.   5 Perch (3lb 2oz, 2lb 6oz, 2lb 5oz, 2lb 3oz, 1lb14oz) 1 Pike (4¼lb), 1 Chub (c1lb)   Couldn't pass up such perfect conditions for perching! All fish on float fished lobs and all caught after 1530 - a manic last hour of daylight!
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

9 November

River Kennet - Near Newbury   0730 - 1630   Bright and breezy - rain from 1500. 4º -> 11ºC. River rose an inch and coloured up a bit during the day.   13 Chub ( 5lb 9oz, 5lb 3oz, 4lb 7oz, 4lb 1oz, 3lb 10oz, 3lb 8oz 3lb 0oz, 2lb 11oz, 2lb 8oz. 1¼lb - & 3 chublets!) 7 Brown Trout - biggest 4lb 14oz, 6 Rainbow trout - biggest 3¾lb, c100 Dace & Roach - in roughly equal nos. Best roach 12oz, best dace 9oz, ½doz Gudgeon!   River was teaming with silve
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

6 November

Middle Kennet Estate water - Nr Hungerford   0700 - 1700   Dull and overcast - Last day of Anti-Cyclonic gloom? 10ºC. River at 'normal' levels colour from the weekend's rain now all dropped out.   41 Grayling (4 'pounders' best 1lb 5oz, over 2 doz circa 12oz), 17 Dace - (best 2 weighed 12oz & 10 oz, 8 over 8oz), 1 doz Trout (50-50 Rainbows/Brownies) best 3¼lb Brownie.   Lovely day exploring the carriers with a float rod and CP. 12oz dace was first fish of the morning - which got me r
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

5 November

River Kennet - Speen Moors   0700 - 1100   Dull and overcast - some very light drizzle. AT 52ºF, WT 50ºC. River up a couple of inches - some colour but fining down.   7 Perch (2lb 13oz, 2lb 6oz, 2lb 5oz, 2lb 2oz, 1¼lb and 2 small-uns), 1 Trout (2¾lb), 1 Chub (small), ½doz Roach, 3 Gudgeon.   Perfect conditions for perch - 2lbers all came in a rush between 0800 - 0900 - all caught on lobs. Smaller perch and trout form the weirpool on trotted maggot.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

1 November

River Kennet - Newbury   0700 - 0945   Cold, overcast with a chilly easterly breeze. AT 1º -> 4ºC. WT 43ºF (down 6ºF in 5 days) .River quite low, clear with some leaf litter.   1 Pike (6lb 6oz), 4 Chub (all between ¾lb - 1¾lb), 11 Dace, 1 Grayling.   Slow morning in one of my favourite trotting swims. Pike followed a couple of dace in - so 10 mins with a floating plug soon had him on the bank! All other fish on single red maggot.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

30 October

River Lambourn - Shaw   0800 - 1200   Overcast and chilly with a couple of short, sharp showers. 2º -> 6ºC. River at normal levels with a lot of debris and leaf litter (EA were cleaning the Gauge Weir at the top of the venue!)   17 Grayling (best 1lb 5oz), 5 Roach, 1 Brown Trout   Catch a couple and move on - fished a dozen swims - never had more than 2 fish from any of them. Trotted red maggot.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

27 October

River Kennet - Nr Newbury   1830 - 2300   Clear and frosty. AT 5º -> 0ºC. WT 49ºF. River up a couple of inches - with little debris.   1 Barbel 5lb 8oz, 1 Chub 3lb 3oz.   Chilly evening, though fishing under the tree kept the frost off. Chub 1st cast, Barbel at 2100.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

25 October

Kennet & Avon Canal - Thatcham   0715 - 1030   Clear and frosty - hazy sunshine. 0º -> 10ºC   2 Perch (1lb 15oz, 1lb 1oz)   An exploratory wander up and down the canal - in sub-optimal conditions for perch. No bites in first 1½hrs - quite a bit of boat traffic too! Both fish on lobs.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

18 October

River Kennet - Speen Moors   0715 - 1115   Overcast start then bright and sunny. 5º -> 11ºC. River at normal levels - little leaf litter or debris.   5 Perch (1lb 14oz, 1lb 12oz, 1lb 10oz, 1¼lb and one of around ¾lb), 2 Pike (10lb 14oz, 5lb 13oz), 5 Dace (a couple close to 8oz), ½doz Chublets, Roach & Gudgeon.   Early morning dawn raid for some perch with Paul. Shared the same swim and Paul had a nice brace (2lb 13oz & 1lb 15oz). My 3 biggest pe
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

13 October

River Itchen - Nr Eastleigh   0830 - 1830   Overcast and mild all day, some v light drizzle at first. 15ºC. River at normal levels with some leaf litter.   51 Grayling (36 over 1lb including 13 over 2lb (!!!) Best two: 2lb 13oz, 2lb 9oz), 9 Brown Trout (all between 1½-2½lb), 1 chub 4lb 12oz, 1 Salmon 5lb 10oz.   First ever autumn trip to this stretch of water - courtesy of Paul's excellent networking skills. Brilliant day's angling - Paul had 27, 1lb+ gra
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

10 October

River Kennet - Thatcham   1300 - 1500   Bright and Breezy. 17ºC. River at normal levels carrying some debris.   2 Barbel (5lb 2oz, 3lb 4oz), 10 Chub - all between 10oz - 1¾lb, 1 Brown Trout 1lb 10oz.   Cracking little trotting session. All fish on double red maggot.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

6 October

River Kennet - Newbury   1815 - 2315   Overcast and mild - 13ºC. WT 53ºF. River up an inch or so and with a bit more colour after Sunday's rain. No debris.   2 Barbel (6lb 4oz, 3lb 13oz), 1 Chub (2¼lb)   Fished the frying pan swim again. First bite at 2015. An evening more notable for the wildlife commuting through my swim. A mink - in the water, several large rats in the margins (being hunted by the mink???) and a badger on the bank!
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

4 October

River Kennet - Speen Moors   0645 - 1100   Cool and overcast - ice on the car for the first time this autumn. 2º -> 10ºC. River at 'normal' levels.   5 Perch (2lb 15oz, 1lb 14oz and 3 little-uns), 5 Chub (1½lb and 4 chublets), 1 Pike (1¼lb!), 1 doz Roach, ½ doz Dace & Gudgeon.   Perch and Jack on float fished lobs - biggest perch from Speen for 3 years. All other fish (apart from 2 chublets) on trotted Maggot. Both Perch in first ½hour of fishing.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

29 September

River Kennet, Nr Thatcham   1830 - 2300   Cool and breezey evening 12ºC (but felt colder!) River low and carrying quite a bit of leaf litter and floating weed - made bait presentation difficult.   2 Barbel (4lb14oz, 4lb 3oz)   Same venue - though different swim to 2 weeks ago (15 Sep) with remarkably similar results! Again both fish caught by 2000.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

27 September

River Kennet - Newbury   0645 - 1100   Foggy, 9ºC. River low.   6 Perch best 1¼lb, 2doz Dace, 1doz Roach, 2 Brownies (biggest 1lb), 1 Grayling   A mornings trotting/worming. All perch on lobs (if the crayfish didn't get them 1st!)
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

22 September

River Kennet - Nr Newbury   1830 - 2330   Overcast with drizzly showers. 14ºC. River quite low - needs a drop-o-rain!   5 Barbel (6lb 10oz, 6lb 2oz, 5lb 9oz, 4lb 3oz, 3lb 15oz), 1 Chub 1½lb   A return to the 'Fryingpan Swim'. 3 barbel in 1st 45 mins then 3 more fish between 21-2300.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

20 September

River Kennet - Speen Moors   0630 - 1100   Bright sunshine after a cool and misty start. 5º -> 15ºC. River quite low.   1 Pike (5lb 14oz), 8 Chub (4lb 9oz & 7 chublets), 3 Perch (1lb12oz, 1lb 5oz and a smallun), 1½ doz roach, gudgeon and dace (mainly roach).   First session of the autumn hunting for big perch - though jacks and chub seemed to be occcupying their haunts from last year. All chub and the pike on lobs, most of the chublets were in th 12oz-1lb range - which is a good s
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

15 September

River Kennet - Nr Thatcham   1845 - 2315   Cool and clear - high hazy cloud. Full moon. 15º -> 10ºC (But felt chillier with a very heavy dew!). River lower than I expected after the heavy rain last Friday.   2 Barbel (4lb 10oz, 4lb 7oz)   A return to the hotspot I discovered last autumn (see last seasons enteries for 29 Sep, 1 Oct & 15 Oct) - though not so much joy this time! Both fish at dusk - either side of 2000.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

13 September

Newbury AA Stillwater - Thatcham   0700 - 1300   Calm and cloudy with sunny spells, 11º - 15ºC.   8 Carp (best 2; 8lb 11oz & 8lb 6oz, rest 3½ - 5lb), 7 Crucians (Smallest 1lb 2oz, 4 over 1½lb, biggest 1lb 11oz), 1 small Tench, 9 roach, & a perch.   At last, a decent crucian session!! All crucians caught between 0930 - 1130. All fish on float fished meat - lift method, except 3 carp - including biggest 2 - on freelined breadflake.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

8 September (Part 2)

River Kennet - Nr Thatcham   0930 - 1230   Overcast, 15ºC. River at 'normal' levels - carrying some colour after the recent heavy rains.   3 Barbel (6lb 13oz, 4lb 5oz, 3lb 11oz), 3 Chub (3lb 4oz, 2lb & a chublet)   Great session on trotted maggot - (and I also bumped a couple). Fed swim for ¾hr, then had all the fish in a little over an hour - no bites after 1130.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

8 September (Part 1)

Northcroft Stream   0700 - 0900   Overcast 13ºC. Stream low - sluice was ¾'s closed.   1 Pike 4lb 4oz, 2 Chub 2½lb, 1¾lb, 1 Bream 1¾lb, 3 doz Roach, Dace & Gudgeon (mainly roach and gudgeon), 2 Perch.   Trotted red maggot - pike took a couple of red maggots on the retrieve.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

1 September

River Kennet nr Newbury   1915 - 2315   Very breezy, 15ºC, Drizzle for last ½hr. River down as low as I've seen it all summer (but still with good flow and a little colour).   7 Barbel, (8lb 4oz, 6lb 7oz, 6lb 2oz, 4lb 10oz, 4lb 4oz, 3lb 14oz, 3¼lb), Chub 3¼lb.   Fished a rarely visited swim - though it won't stay that way after last night's haul!!! 8lber first cast (and a frying pan 2nd cast - see picture!) - all fish in the first 3 hours - no bites after
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

29/30 August

Newbury AA Lake - Widmead   1900 - 0700   Warm and overcast, temp didn't get below 17ºC all night (Just as well as I'd forgotten my shelter AND thick shirt!)   2 Carp (10lb 9oz, 8lb 15oz), 2 Tench (5lb 6oz, 3lb), 2 Rudd & a perch.   Another slow night after tench in seemingly great conditions. Biggest carp early - on float fished meat other & tench on Method Feeder/Pellet.
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0

25 August

River Kennet - Thatcham   1900 - 0000   Warm, overcast and breezy. 17ºC (even at Midnight!) River at normal levels.   Blanked   Lovely balmy evening to be by the river amongst the bats (the air was thick with them!!! ) Very frustrating swim this!! On my 1st ever visit in July 2004 I had 3 fish from it; 7+ Carp, 8+ barbel and my PB barbel of 12.04. Went back a fortnight later and had a 7+ barbel. Thought at the time I'd found a great little hotspot. However I returned twice more that seas
Chris Plumb

Chris Plumb

0
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