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Season's Bests 2020/21

Chris Plumb

Entry posted by Chris Plumb in Coarse Fishing

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Plumby’s Annual Round-up.

And so another season comes to a close – and I’m just thankful that I had a season at all. The Angling Trust somewhat came of age this year and showed itself to be an effective voice for anglers with its successful lobbying of government for angling during the pandemic. Fishing local did curtail my usual winter jaunts south in search of big ladies – but it was a small price to pay.

Best Carp: 13lb 14oz. 9th September.  Float fished maggot – Willows. I rarely carp fish and usually try and avoid the blighters – this was a ‘by-catch’ on light-ish tackle meant for tench and crucians – and needed a helping hand to land!

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Best Pike: 9lb 6oz. 17th June. Floating plug – River Kennet, Hambridge. Most of my pike in any given season are caught accidentally while perching (Pike love lobs). This one was bothering dace in a favourite Kennet swim and couldn’t resist the lure of a floating plug wobbled past its lair!

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Best Barbel: 7lb 7oz. 14th September. Ledgered pellet – River Wye, Llanthomas. Not having had a barbel from the Kennet in 5 seasons – this was a sneaky trip to Geoff’s (with borrowed tackle) whilst holidaying in Hay. Ironically within a couple of weeks return I was catching small barbel from the Kennet!

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Best Tench: 6lb 5oz. 23rd June. Prawn sections, lift method - Harris Lake, Milford. As usual my summer consisted of a few trips across to Godalming to fish the wonderful Marsh Farm complex. Johnsons was always too busy – but thankfully Harris next door saved the day!

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Best Brown Trout: 6lb 1oz. 8th August. Ledgered bacon grill – Kennet weirpool, Marsh Benham. I rarely weigh trout let alone take their picture but this was one impressive spottie – even if I was a little disappointed it wasn’t a barbel!

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Best Bream: 5lb 10oz. 14th July. Float fished maggot – Alders. My biggest ever bream from this venue (by an ounce!)

Best Chub: 5lb 9oz. 8th March. Trotted red sweetcorn – River Kennet, Kintbury. In terms of numbers my 2nd best ever season on the chub front with 131 over a pound caught (I had 136 in 14/15). I had to wait until the last week of the season, however, to find the big ones- this was the best of 5, 5lbers caught in a morning from the same swim.

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Best Perch: 3lb 10oz. 20th February. Float fished lobworm – Kennet & Avon Canal, Enborne. Biggest perch for 5 years and first 3lber in that time –also my first 3 from this venue. Probably rate it as my best fish of the season.

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Best Crucian: 3lb 1oz. 14th August. Prawn sections, lift method – Harris Lake, Milford.  Harris,  again coming to the rescue after a poor evening on Johnsons.  Continues my run of 6 consecutive seasons with a 3lb+ crucian.

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Best Grayling: 2lb 2oz. 19th October. Trotted  maggot - Lower Itchen Fishery. Due to Covid this turned out to be my only trip to the Itchen or Frome this season – so in hindsight really pleased it resulted in a 2lber.

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Best Roach: 1lb 0oz. 21st July. Trotted maggot - River Kennet, Padworth. Had quite a few roach over 12oz this season but this was the only one that nudged the needle to the 1lb mark – from a surprise venue as well.

Best Dace: 15oz. 21st November. Trotted maggot – River Kennet (flowing canal), Thatcham. Another big surprise from an unexpected part of the river – my biggest dace for over a decade.

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Edited by Chris Plumb
revised chub numbers

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Bayleaf the Gardener

A splendid set of statistics, Chris.

By comparison, you trounced me (though my year end will be 15th June), though I offer my 8lb bream from Dobsons as my zenith, and came to within mere ounces of your pike and carp records. 

This said, I reckon I'm not far away on top bleak, gudgeon and minnow fellers, though wouldn't want to be too presumptuous.

Where I'm most sickeningly jealous are chub, where I'm exactly 128 behind your total pound plus Leuciscus haul. I really haven't got to grips with them at all. 

 

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Chris Plumb

I love chub - had over 100 'pounders' in 5 of the last 9 seasons - and one of my seasonal targets is to get a decent one (well a pounder at least!) in every month of the season (June-March). Not many years I don't achieve it. Fun fact anagram of Chris Plumb is Mr Chub Lips - which has been my nom de plume on other online forums in the past!

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Bayleaf the Gardener

Ha ha! That's brilliant!

Martin Strike can become 'Mini Star Trek' or 'I'm Stinker Rat'.

I think tench have to be my fave, with their skin silkier and eyes cuter than a supermodel. There surely isn't a more evocative moment in fishing than while mist wisps over the water at 4am, those frothy bubbles rise by the lilies near your float, while mist wisps over the water at 4am. Pure Mr Crabtree.

Chub come a close second, not just because of their rarity value as far as my fishing goes, but their contradiction of gluttony and shyness. A bit like me really!

 

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Chris Plumb

Slight edit - spent a rainy day tidying up and reconciling my records and realised I'd had a better season on the chub front (fish 1lb+ wise) in 14/15.....

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