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15.10.21 - River Kennet, Aldermaston

Bayleaf the Gardener

Entry posted by Bayleaf the Gardener in Aldermaston

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So, my first ever session at Aldermaston. I've walked the stretch a few times now, including two days ago when I saw a nice rainbow trout landed. 'I've had a few here,' the man said. 'There's a trout farm downstream.'

The river looked beautiful, so despite the NAA website warning that: 'this can be a difficult water to fish and will challenge your skill as a river angler.'  I was very excited as I headed for the water. Through the session, I alternated between a 50 yard perfect-for-trotting swim, and a slower bend. On the latter I had nothing, not even a bite on legered meat/pellet/cheese and only a scant roach, a dace and a well-received gudgeon trotting until mid afternoon, when a rare bite had we winding in a better fish when it unexpectedly turned on the afterburners, the burst of power causing the fish to be lost and me winding-in the curly-ended 5lb hooklink showing where my knot had failed. Schoolboy error. Half an hour later, a good fish; not as large as the earlier nuclear sub, but this one dropped off the hook. Next cast, another bite and I guess it was the same fish taking the double maggots. A great fight, taking me upstream, downstream, and doing its darndest to get into the numerous snags along the far bank, but I finally got it, a beautiful 5lb 3 rainbow trout. So OK, I'd have preferred it to be a chub (any over 2lb continue to evade me), but seeing as it was the last bite I was going to get in the session, it was most welcome. Furthermore, it was my first rainbow since 1975, where I squealed to catch several on breadflake on a childhood holiday in Wales (picture attached).

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newbury imp

Tremendous rainbow ,very strong generally ,whether or not they should be there is debatable ,the Kennet though never prolific for me ,still has the surprise fish element ,caught a weird fish , trout like but silver ,I had a picture and a flyfisher told me it was a triploid.

Worst feeling in fishing for me losing one ,without knowing what it was.........because of this I fish thicker lines than most.

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Bayleaf the Gardener

Hi Imp. Yes, I'm well off cracking the Kennet. There are clearly good fish still in it, but I don't seem to have the skill to find them. I generally use stronger lines too for the same heart-breaking reason. A triploid is a new one on me, though I hear that sea trout are occasionally caught. Do you have a pic?

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Chris Plumb

Hopefully the rainbow YOU caught was a triploid! Farmed rainbows are usually triploid - bred with an extra set of chromosomes to make them sterile - so as to prevent natural populations getting established of an introduced invasive species! (They also put on weight quicker if sterile) However I don't think its 100% foolproof - I caught a rainbow from my syndicate stretch a couple of years ago which emptied its ovaries of eggs in the landing net - something that shouldn't have been possible if it was sterile!

https://www.gethooked.co.uk/game/sexy_trout

 

Edited by Chris Plumb
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The Flying Tench

Superb Rainbow, Bayleaf, congratulations!  Surprised to hear the chub are evading you, though I must admit they are evading me on the Thames. When I was in Newbury a place I never heard talked about on AN but where I couldn't fail to catch a chub or two was the side stream north of the river/canal just below the A339. I realise you may already have enough on your plate, but PM me if you want any more details. 

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