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14.11.22 - Hambridge and river Lamborne

Bayleaf the Gardener

Entry posted by Bayleaf the Gardener in Hambridge

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With my morning customers enjoying a holiday, I have a consecutive bonus Monday few hours fishing. Take my waders to the river Kennet at Hambridge and fish three swims. The river is very low which, along with angler failings, contributes to only modest returns of 7 dace, a roach and a beautiful gudgeon. On the plus side, no lost big'uns as tends to happen to me here. On the downside, no big'un's to lose.

Realising it's not going to be a great return, I squelch my way over to the Lamborne. Not having been here since last winter, I'm shocked at the low level of water. The first few swims are so low as to seem unfishable to me. Get to my favourite swim, a little deeper, but can still see the bottom all the way across. Regular feeding brings in two 'large' fish and three smaller ones in view in front of me. I soon get one of the little ones, an 8oz brownie, the set about the biggies.

It's a really interesting exercise in fish behaviour. They seem to be held by the regular feeding, but even though I line up the trot of the float to pass my hook before their noses, they seem totally disinterested as if they know my single maggot on a size 18 represents danger. Vary the depths, but it's only when I'm about 6 inches over depth, with the float dragging annoyingly, that one takes it. I thought it was going to be a brownie, but it's a beautiful grayling of exactly 1lb. Five minutes later, I snag the second, another grayling of exactly the same weight. 

A great end to the short session with a lesson learned (well, reinforced) and though I was wondering if I should have gone piking given the warm, dank and grey conditions, you can never wish you were elsewhere when you feel you've winkled two grayling out.

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Chris Plumb

Lovely lady - I don't usually fish the Lambourn until the first frosts - might have to wait awhile if this mild autumn continues.....!

 

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Bayleaf the Gardener

Lovely lady? Are you looking at me, Soldier?

That's a good plan with the icy weather tactic. I would have stuck to Hambridge, but the water being down was making trotting tricky in the shallows so after 2 hours I took my chances elsewhere. I must have made quite the sight walking along the A3 in my squelchy waders, 15ft rod and bait apron dripping maggots.

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Bayleaf the Gardener

Ah, I normally park at the top end side road by the green near the road bridge as I'm not allowed to cross the A4 without an adult. I make my way down towards the Swan end swim by swim from there.

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Chris Plumb

BTW how did you manage to keep the grayling so still as to take its photo - handling grayling is akin to trying to give a cat an enema!

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