River Kennet - Speen Moors

0845 - 1300

Bright and sunny - with a cool northerly breeze - though felt very warm in full sun! AT 17ºC when I packed up, River very low.

5 Chub: 2X 2lbers and 3 in the ¾-1lb class. 5 Perch; All over 1lb, with 4 over 1½lb, best three 2lb 3oz, 2lb & 1lb 13oz. 30+ Roach - various sizes with around half a dozen 'netters', I weighed one of these at 13oz and the others were of similar stamp - great to see! 1 Dace: a real good-un of around 10oz. 1 Gudgeon, 1 Bleak, 1 Brownie - unweighed but a real lump of at least 3lbs and probably pushing 4!

Super morning's sport from the large weirpool. I had started by fighting my way up the overgrown banks of Parliament Draft - getting soaked in the process from the heavy dew to be greeted by a cormorant working the water - not the welcome I'd have liked! I did run a float through a couple of swims but was further dispirited when an otter plopped into the river from the opposite bank! Within ¾hour I was working my way into position on the large weirpool where I'd stay for the rest of the morning - a super mixed bag and my biggest perch from Speen for 10 years - which was a real surprise.

Not a great pic(alas) of the biggest perch - a real fatty!