Rivers Lambourn & Kennet, Newbury, Sunday 31st January 2010

Over the past couple of months I’ve been feeling a bit guilty. Since joining NAA I’ve mostly fished their waters whilst falling back on the Lambourn when Kennet conditions were tricky. Today was a similar story only this time I went to a TAA stretch of the Kennet to try a familiar trotting swim.

The snow melt would have been flushed through by now and I was hoping that the relatively light recent rainfall (apart from one night last week) would have allowed the river to get back to ‘normal’ levels. No such luck I’m afraid, where I would normally be able to wade across the width of the river the level was now a good nine inches higher with a corresponding faster flow. No choice but to move downstream to a quieter stretch and try the slacks. Half an hour later a Grayling was in the bag, I don’t often catch Grayling at this venue so this was particularly pleasing but the Lambourn, I thought, was going to be a better bet…and so it proved.

The Swan stretch is still closed off but the footpath has been re-instated so the works are nearing completion. It is possible to fish the opposite bank so a quick trot was in order just in case Chub have found the fish passes. They haven’t but a brownie of ½lb made it worth a try.

Further up at Walton Way was a much more accommodating stretch. Half a dozen Grayling were tempted, a couple of them breaching the pound barrier. More interesting though was a nice little Roach swim which produced two ½ pounders plus a few tiddlers, potential for bigger Roach I think.

That was about it for a morning’s fishing, I’m becoming more used to the Harrison rod and it’s proving to be a very impressive device. The weight which caused me concern initially hasn’t been a problem and the fly rings fitted certainly help prevent icing, ice still collects but it doesn’t block the rings.

Next weekend I’ll be back with liquidised bread and flake for the hook, I need to explore that Roach swim.