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River Frome - Wool 0800 - 1400 Dull, overcast and cool - AT around 6ºC all day with a breeze picking up. River VERY full, barely within its banks and that only recently given the state of the field. 1.30m at the East Stoke river gauge - much higher than I'd usually fish it - BUT after a dry week it was reasonably clear. 10 Grayling - only 4 needed the net - biggest 1lb 11oz but that was the only really 'decent' one. 1 Sea Trout (1¼lb and still with sea lice on it), 1 brownie - small. Bit of a gamble - but the river levels have been so high on the Frome since the start of the season (1st Nov) it looked like my DDAS ticket was going to go to waste - and with more rain forecast this week - it was a case of now or never! The venue is never prolific so it was nice to get a few, and would often get a fish first trot when I moved swims. Frustratingly I lost nearly as many as I landed including a large fish which I had on for sometime before the hook pulled (again!) - hope it was just a troot! Resting and returning to swims was the order of the day - all fish coming from just 3 spots (and one of those only produced one fish!) One of yesterday's 'hotspots'.

Kennet & Avon Canal - Woolhampton 0645 - 1230 Mild, overcast with light drizzle for the first couple of hours. 5 Perch; a couple of pounders but not by much - best 1lb 4oz. 1 Chub circa 12oz, 3 Roach - one of 12oz - on a whole lob and 2 smalluns, 4 Bleak. Had the day off to fish the Frome on the first day of the season (it's open for 4 months from 1st Nov) but rain in Dorset this week put paid to that idea - so it was back to my autumn stripey hunt - which was again thwarted by way more boat traffic than I expected for a weekday in November. Fishing had started promisingly as well with both my 'biggest' perch caught in the first half an hour - but a boat coming through a 0730 (!) stopped bites for over an hour - and after that the frequency of barges meant the swim never really settled down - sigh!

Kennet & Avon Canal - Woolhampton 0700 - 1430 Mild, overcast and becalmed - perfect perching weather - pity no one told the perch! 5 Chub to 2lb 2oz. 1 Perch - small, 8 Roach - with a couple needing the net - both just shy of 12oz. 4 Gudgeon & 2 Bleak. Another frustrating day on the canal - this time I had incessant boat traffic to contend with - had hoped to get at least a couple of hours peace but the first boat came through at 0710 when it was still nearly dark! and thereafter it was constant all morning - can't believe it's this busy in the height of summer! So no interest at all from the stripeys, in a swim that proved a bit of a banker last winter, with just the occasional chub (and roach!) snaffling my lobs.

Kennet & Avon Canal - Avington 0700 - 1400 Mild and VERY gusty with drizzle for the first couple of hours or so (lovely - not!) 1 doz+ perch - most around to 10-12oz mark but couldn't find anything bigger (which what I was after primarily). 2 doz+ roach nothing big), 1 Gudgeon (1st of the season), 1 Dace, 1 Chublet and a Skimmer. 'Orrible session! Wind was a nightmare for casting and presentation (and nearly knocked me off my feet twice). Fished half a dozen or so swims in search of a decent perch and pretty much had similar results from all of them - though at the last place I tried they were slightly bigger so might start here next time. I truth though it was a bit of a 'I'll be glad when I've had enough of this session' !! as the wind made for very difficult conditions - my wrist was sore from holding the rod against it - as it was straight downstream.

River Kennet & Carrier - Marsh Benham 0900 - 1430 Overcast and fairly warm (18ºC). River low and clear. 6 Chub: Biggest 3lb 15oz the rest all less than half that! 3 Doz Dace and Roach in roughly equal nos. A couple of really nice dace of 10 & 11oz and quite a few roach in the 6-8oz class with a couple bigger ones (best went 12oz). 3 Perch - best nearly 1lb, 1 Bleak. Lovely day's trotting. Did try a couple of hours ledgering - with no returns (not even a crayfish!)

Bucklebury Ponds 1500 - 1730 Bright, warm and sunny. A doz roach tp ¾lb. 5 Perch. 4 Skimmers. No fishing this weekend - upto Birmingham to watch the athletics - so a snatched couple of hours at my nearest venue to home - most of the roach were a 'nice' size.

River Kennet - Brimpton. 0500 - 0930 Lovely summer's morning - sun rising therough the valley mist - temps a warm15º - rising to a muggy 21ºC when I packed up. River a little on the low side as is usual at this time of year. 2 Chub; 5lb 4oz & 1½lb. 11 Dace - with half a dozen over 8oz (!!) best went 10oz. 4 Brownies - all over 1lb - biggest 2lb 10oz. Cracking morning's trotting - nice to find a pod of big dace - or rather 2 pods as the fish came from different swims.

River Kennet & Carrier - Marsh Benham 0745 - 1200 Bright and mild. River down an inch or two on last visit (10 January)- and quite clear. 3 Chub; All 1¾ - 2½lb. 1½doz Roach - all a 'nice' size but nothing over 8oz. 8 Dace - most small with one chunky one of 8oz. 8 Brownies 1-2½lb & 3 Rainbow's to 4½lb Another morning failing not to catch trout! Fished all the usual chub banker swims - but they were mainly full of trout. The rainbows as ever gave a very chubby like fight so was doubly disappointed to see that flash of pink as I got them to the surface.

Kennet & Avon Canal - Woolhampton 1515 - 1715 Clearing skies after 24 hours of continuous rain courtesy of Storm Dennis. Canal very full and coloured up. 2 Perch; a 'pounder' - but not by much and a tiddler. Snatched session to cure a weekend of cabin fever!

River Lambourn - Newbury 0830 - 1100 Mild and windy with some drizzle in the wind (Storm Dennis approaching!). River VERY full with just a hint of colour which is unusual for here. 8 Grayling; 4 'netters' biggest 2 went 1lb 7oz & 1lb 5oz. 2 Brownies - both around ½lb. This weekend had been pencilled in for months for an IAC fish-in. I'd booked Lower Itchen Fishery and filled all the places with folks coming from far and wide to attend. Unfortunately Storm Dennis had other ideas and the event was cancelled - pity as I was really looking forward to my annual late winter trip here. The day like all fish-ins' I organise these days was a charity event in memory of Paul and with no fishery to pay and most of my rods asking that their monies go straight to the charity - Storm Dennis will at least have benefitted Sue Ryder! So with the storm not quite arrived (the rain at least)and to ward off cabin fever - I sneaked a couple of hours on the Lambourn - so that I wouldn't be denied a grayling this weekend!

River Kennet - Hambridge 1200 - 1400 Bright and VERY breezy with one brief shower. 10ºC. River still quite high but down around 4 inches on my last visit here (30 December) and quite clear. 2 Chub: 2lb 2oz, 1lb 9oz. 7 Grayling to around 12oz. 3 Trout - a rainbow of over 3lb and a couple of brownies. So the second venue of the day pretty much produced the same as the first - chub wise at least. I think its the first time I've ever had a rainbow from here (and it had me convinced I was into a good chub - rainbows don't seem to come to the surface and splash around like brownies!)

River Kennet - Brimpton 0800 - 1100 Bright & breezy (becoming very breezy!) Mild 10ºC. River full with little colour - up around 12inches on my last visit (19 October) - but looked in fine fettle! 2 Chub 4lb 1oz & 2lb 13oz. 1 Brownie. Plan for today was to try and get a big winter chub - and visit a couple of favourite swims that have produced 5lbers earlier in the season. Despite the rivers settling down after a relatively quite period - rain wise, I was a little worried if there would be enough 'quiet' water at this venue. I needn't have worried (though I'm glad I had my waders!) - the 2lber pretty much first cast and the 4lber an hour or so later. Rested and fed well as per last time here - but they were my only bites. Dropped into another pool on the way back to the car (which produce my first 6lber from this venue last winter) but only had the splashy troot!

River Lambourn - Newbury 0800 - 1245 Cold (-1º -> 4ºC) bright and sunny. River very full but clear as always! 18 Grayling with around half a dozen in the 12oz class and a couple of bigger ones to 1lb 6oz. 1 Dace; 10oz & half a dozen brownies 1 fish of a 1lb plus the rest small or parrs. Another 2 inches of rain since last weekend has really stuffed up the Kennet and with the first frost of the year there was only really one choice if I wanted to get on the bank this weekend. Seems I wasn't the only one - I encountered 8 other anglers fishing here this morning! Usual tactics of catch a couple and move on - dace was a bit of a surprise - especially the size of it.

River Kennet Carrier - Marsh Benham 0815 - 1430 Bright and cool (5ºC when I started). River still very full but with little colour despite over ½inch of rain yesterday. 5 Chub; All bar one over 2lb though the biggest was not quite 3lbs. A doz Roach - all 'hand-sized' with a couple slightly bigger. 4 Dace - including a brace of 10oz fish. 10 Brownies & 5 Rainbows - all in the 2½-3½ class. Day off - to treat meself fo my birthday and it turned into a day of trying (and usually failing!) to avoid the trout! Biggest chub first cast and it had another angler's hook in its scissors (one of yours - Rusty?) - but thereafter I had to keep moving to try and find fish without an adipose! One of the rainbow's shed a load of eggs in the net - which somewhat surprised me as I thought that they were meant to be sterile Triploids!

Kennet & Avon Canal - Enborne 0800 - 1630 Cool and overcast morning, bright sunny afternoon. AT 4º - 8ºC but felt cooler in the breeze! 9 Perch; Most around 12+oz but nothing over 1¼lb, 1 Pike; 2lb. 1½doz Roach, 2 Dace & a Gudgeon. Another session after big stripeys and just like most of my catches further downstream fish of a remarkably similar stamp. Started off with Pike trouble - got bitten off first cast - and landed it (same one!) second - so I got my hook back. ALL perch dawn and dusk.

K&A Canal - Woolhampton 1330 - 1615 Bright & breezy - with one very lumpy shower. AT 10º ->6ºC 7 Perch; 5 over 1lb, best 3, 1lb 9oz, 1lb 11oz & 2lb 2oz. Similar conditions to Friday's session though slightly LESS windy. Fished a different swim and had all 3 bigger ones in the last half an hour - getting progressively bigger. All 3 had damaged flanks, seems they've all escaped the attentions of the local pike!

Lower Itchen Fishery 0800 - 1800 Rain, rain and more rain - yes pretty much non-stop all day - though thankfully not particularly heavy apart from a few brief 'pulses'! River carrying a tinge of colour but otherwise looked in fine fettle! 3 Doz Grayling with half of these 1lb+. Best, 1lb 15oz with another half dozen in the 1lb10oz - 1lb12oz class. 3 Chub; 3lb 11oz and a brace of 2lbers. 9 Brownies - all between 2½-3½lb. 3 Salmon; 2 parr and a grilse of 5lb - on trotted corn! A soggy day in Hampshire though thankfully there was little wind and regular trips to the hut meant there were opportunities to dry out (a bit!). Nice average size of grayling - the trout though got to be a bit of a pain and meant I stopped using red corn - my usual first choice bait here for the ladies - but the trout were shooting to the surface and snaffling the stuff whenever I threw in free offerings it was if it were trout pellets in a stew pond and to get a salmon on the stuff is - well!!!!!

River Kennet - Brimpton 0800 - 1115 Bright and sunny. river up a couple of inches and carrying a bit of colour - looked perfect! 5 Chub: 5lb 11oz, 4lb 14oz, 3lb 5oz, 2lb 13oz, 2lb 0oz. 3 brownies - 2 over 1lb... Cracking morning's trotting - all the chub from the same swim - took it nice and slow - fed well before my first cast then rested & fed between each fish - certainly paid off as I don't usually get more than a couple at any one time....

Northcroft Stream - Newbury 1030 - 1130 Overcast with a chilly breeze - AT 6ºC. 1 Chub 2lb 3oz. Quick, impromptu session as Jaq hit the sales (again!). In truth, I didn't expect to catch as the stream was somewhat turbulent so rather surprised to see my float disappear on my first put in. It proved to be my only bite!

River Kennet - Hambridge 0945 - 1330 Cold (2 - 5ºC) and quite sunny. River high (well over a foot up on my last visit here in Sep) but with very little colour. 3 Chub; 5lb 7oz, 4lb 10oz &1¾lb, 2 Grayling, 1 Dace & 3 Brownies to circa 1lb. Cracking brace of chub from one of my favourite flood water pools. Fish in splendid winter condition. Wished I'd brought a spinning rod with me - a pike kept attacking my float as I reeled in (but not any of the fish!)

River Kennet Carrier & Weirpool - Marsh Benham 0900 - 1400 Cool 6ºC, overcast and still - a lovely benign autumn's day! River 'full' with little colour more like late winter levels than late autumn - augurs well for the rest of the season! 6 Chub 5 over 2½lb - best 3lb 8oz. 20 Roach - all a 'nice size' best 13oz with many not far shy of that. 7 Dace. 3 Brownies all 2lb+ and 2 Rainbows - both around 3lb (could have been the same fish!) Very pleasant morning's trotting - great to see so much water in the river so early in the winter - the fish have by and large moved up into the carrier and the summer weeds has gone.

This was a special fishing holiday near Pontivy in Brittany to fish the River Blavet and the Nantes-Brest Canal which it flows in and out of. I had heard from blogs on-line, and also a reliable report on Anglers Net, that the roach (to 1lb 8 oz) and bream (to 6lbs) fishing here was prolific, with nets of around 50lbs regularly available in a session. Also the locals mainly fish for predators, to be taken away and eaten, so I assumed the roach and bream wouldn't be too 'hook shy.' Alas, that is not how it turned out! In the whole week I had 6 roach (best 8oz, and the others small) and one tench from the canal of a bit over a pound. What was the explanation? Doubtless it was partly my lack of local knowledge and angling skill, but if the river had been as prolific as I had expected I think I would have caught more than I did. The reports were from 5 or 6 years ago, and I wonder if the river hasn't declined. The owner of the gite where I stayed said they had huge numbers of cormorants, mainly in the winter months. Alternatively, there was a story in the local press, apparently, of a mass of silt being let through from a hydro-electric station a couple of miles upstream. I don't see why this should have been such a problem, except for a day or two, but apparently there were dead fish. A side issue is that, particularly in the canal, the fish were more cunning than I expected, with expertly smashed maggots while there was no bite registered on the float or ledger. But that was not the main issue. I would be interested in any theories, but I guess the moral for me is to be wary of old information!

River Kennet - Newbury 0930 - 1400 Overcast, breezy with some light drizzle at times. River up a couple of inches and quite coloured after yesterday's inch of rain. 4 Chub; all between 10oz - 1½lb. 2 Perch; 1lb 6oz and a tiddler. 7 Dace. 4 Roach. 1 Bream c1½lb. 2 Grayling & a brownie. Was meant to be up on the Trent today at an IAC fish-in - but Jaq and I abandoned our plans for the week (exploring the Lincolnshire Wolds) due to the inclement weather so had to make do with one of my banker swims on the Kennet!

7 - 8.30pm For the first time in the Thames I used bait-dropper. I cast out 10 bait-droppers full of 3mm pellets, and then fished feeder with 6mm halibut pellet about 5 rods out. At first it was bite-a-chuck, and very positive bites, too. Within 5 minutes I had a 12oz roach, which is actually my pb for the Thames. Then they got a bit cagey, and I missed a lot of bites. I wondered if the hair was too long and they were sucking the bait and not really having the hook in their mouth? Next time I must take sweetcorn as a second bait. Then the bites pretty well dried up, and I was getting cold so I pushed off home. But I wonder why the bites dried up? Perhaps it was a big shoal and they had eaten up all my goodies and moved on? Though some feed was going in, still, from the feeder. It could have been a pike, I suppose, but it didn't take any of the fish I had on. Next time I guess I should top up the feed with the dropper after an hour or so. Just 3 roach, but two of them over 10 oz, and I was pleased with the initial effect of the feeder.

River Kennet - Newbury 0900 - 1400 Bright and breezy - river up an inch or so after yesterday's heavy rain with its usual summer tinge of colour. 18 Chub: Most around 6-8oz, with 5 over a lb, biggest went 4lb 7oz with the others between 1¼ - 2¼lb., 2 doz+ Dace, 1 doz Roach, 2 Grayling, 2 Bleak and 3 Brownies. Lovely morning's trotting - great to see so many silvers in the river - especially the young chub.

Harris Lake - Milford 1430 - 0430 Warm and muggy with a gentle breeze - clearing ovenight with temps down to 12ºC at dawn. 18 Crucians; 10 over 2lb - biggest 2lb 11oz. 11 Tench; 5 over 5lb - biggest 5lb 12oz. 6 Perch, 6 Roach, 1 Rudd. Very busy session with over half the fish caught in daylight (for a change). Everyting caught under my rod tips - float fishing with prawn and maggot weighing in equally with fish. Fed much more sparingly than usual which seemed to stop the tench arriving en masse!

Johnsons Lake - Milford 1530 - 2315 Warm and sunny with quite a stiff breeze until dusk. 2 Crucians; 3lb 3oz, 2lb 15oz. 6 Tench - all over 3½lb - best 2; 5-12 & 5-02. 2 Carp (very small - one may have scrapped a pound the other less than half that!). 3 Rudd - all small. Very pleasant evening's float fishing the margins - as usual not a lot until dusk (just the rudd) - first fish (the 2-15 cru) at around 1930 - thereafter steady sport until 2300. All fish on prawn (apart from the rudd - on maggot).