The Flying Tench's Blog

Ah, F.T. I know that feeling only too well. I can offer no advice, but do extend the arm of solidarity. 

Fish, eh? Your posts remind me of me - I feel that technically, I tend do the right thing, but nobody tells that to the fish.

Offering no solution, and not knowing the Thames (well, not since Kingston and Teddington circa 1976) but making suggestions from what you have written:

- short sessions - a much wiser angler than me on this site once said he'd rather fish 2 hours when they were feeding, than 6 hours when they weren't. Do your times coincide with the warmest time of the day, or when research shows other anglers are catching on the venue?

- Looking at the Angling Press, I notice that many of the large chub seem to come the first hour into dark. 

- No obvious chub swims - maybe fish venues that have them, or research where they've been caught in the past.

- random casting of cheese paste. Maybe throw in a few freebies in, say 6 areas, then fish them in turn? If the water is clear, they say bread or corn is good.

- clear, low water. Blooming difficult. I think anyone would struggle.

- how about piking? I'm giving them a go tomorrow. Without wishing to appear rude to them, they seem to me to be less finicky than some species this time of year and dare I say, less fussy over baits/techniques.

There, don't listen to a word I have to say as I don't have the catch record to back it up, but I hope there's a thing or two to think about. But top rules are (i) only go if you're enjoying it, which it sounds like you are, and (ii) it beats playing golf, so think yourself lucky!

Thanks BTG. I really appreciate the solidarity!

Re specific points:

First hour after dusk. Yes! And when I was in Newbury a lot of my best fish came then. I was struck by a comment by CP recently that the dinner bell rang at 4pm! And very recently I was speaking to an angler who had had several 6lb chub, and he was just starting to fish about then. The problem is that, post cataracts etc, I find it a problem getting home driving after dark with the car headlights in my face. Not totally impossible, but for the more middle range chub I'd have hoped I could catch in the day - though I do fish till the start of dusk.

Pike. True what you say, and I must say IMHO the piking here is very good, better than Newbury. I've had a few, but it's another ball game to get geared up for, and at present I feel it would distract from my current winter objectives of roach and chub. Though when the levels really come up a lot of prey fish and pike shelter in the lock cuts, and THAT will certainly get me interested.

Water temperature. Now here's a conundrum. I've discovered a swim (which used to be well known before Didcot A power station was demolished) where the warm water from the power station used to flow in. But what a lot of people don't seem to realise is that, to an extent, it still does, from the existing gas powered power station, Didcot B.  I've taken the temperature there a couple of times, and each time it was about 20 deg C, much higher than the main river. It is ideal for float fishing, as you can sit on the hard shoulder above where the warm water goes in and trot down, though this is not viable for me as on grey winter days I can't see the float well enough. But of course I can ledger. The puzzle is that I went there a couple of times in Oct/Nov and only got tiny fish. Thinking it over it occurs to me that though you'd think the water flowing in would attract the fish because of its warmth, coming out of a pipe it won't have much food value. So where will the fish be? I've been casting over to a bush and also just under where the pipe comes in, where it should be warmest, but perhaps I should fish the crease with the main river which might combine  at least some warmth and food? All views welcome!

Must admit, I'm not a great fan of fishing into dark on rivers as I'm clumsy enough in the light tbh. Then again, I don't think I've really done any since night fishing  as a teen at Molesey. I can remember the panic  that bringing in a large and angry eel caused us youngsters at 2am. This said, I've enjoyed lake fishing into the dark lately, where somehow I feel less likely to kick my tacklebox into still water, and landing a fish without mishap seems more plausible. I must try again.

If I am to topple into the water, the Didcot B sounds the place to do it. If I were a fish, I'd certainly be choosing the warmer water now, maybe downstream of that entry pipe where the residual warmth joins the natural flow of food, but hey, what would I know.

To cement my solidarity with your run of bad luck, I insisted on a blank when went to Knotts lake yesterday, in a swim I'd encountered large(ish) roach and perch last year, and has enough cover to look pikey. I wasn't disappointed: the only fish I wound in was the half-mackerel on the pike rod. Does this count? It didn't fight much. Not a single touch on float either, the rotters. Ah, well, turkey it is for Christmas dinner after all.