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Catch on first cast and you might as well go home lol.

Hi kenj - I recall Paul talking about you - and you're right about the Embrook - I was always very envious that it ran through his garden - not many anglers can rightfully boast of catching had 1lb+ roach from their own gardens! Paul and I last fished together back in Sep though I know his last trip was about a month after this toward the end of October - he died 6 weeks later.....

Rusty's pointed out to me that it must be my biggest chub from this bit of river in a while - and he's not wrong! First 5lber since Jan 2012: http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/blog/82/entry-822-7-january/ And biggest chub since this awesome session in 2010. http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/blog/82/entry-452-7-march/ (A reminder on how the Kennet used to fish (at times!))

Another great entry Paul! Couldn’t agree more about the fresh brewed tea, first thing in the morning it really sets the tone for a great days fishing no matter how it actually turns out. I’ll have all I need for an overnight session pretty soon so will be in touch. To be honest I wouldn’t mind at all just catching tench, never had much success with the lift method and it looks like a good venue to practice. Good that the medication is working and even better that you’re not letting the treatment dictate your lifestyle. Pushing along a baggin’ up barrow is a small price to pay.

Yes, a brilliant blog! We may even take a trip to Alworth - bluebells and pub. Best wishes, prayers etc for you to be in the right 50%!

A brilliant blog entry Paul! I'd like to read a lot more of these so please keep them coming.

A very comprehensive blog Paul. Those chub look more like roach, their quality beating the quantity of my slimline chub from the Cut. Access is the main problem with the Emm Brook, but I found one bit with a layby, trouble was, I was out searching on my motorbike at the time, without a rod. Next winter?

Great angling Paul and the usual captivating report, love the pics too.

That swim always used to be a very good chub swim - in facta previous PB was from there a 6lb 5oz fish caught on a day (25/9/04) when I had another 6lber and 2 big 4's as back up fish! (Plus 3 bream over 4lb and a 2lb perch!)

Hi Paul, It's tipping down with rain at the moment and was reading through your blog. Your picture of the lake captured the fantastic September weather we had. I was in Brittany for some of it, where the weather was ideal for cruising in a convoy of MGB's (another hobby). Some nice pics of your fish, especially the little tench, they can be fun on the right tackle, but a pain, when after better fish. I was promised a guest ticket with a friend after big roach on bread last week, but it fell through at the last minute. That rudd got my juices flowing again. I did a blog about my local river recently: http://www.urbanfieldsportsman.com/index.php/stick-float-nets-mixed-bag-from-the-weir/ .Sorry about the keepnet, but it's the match fisherman in me.

Ooh I like a challenge! Last winter (7/12 - 13/3) I had 12 chub from that swim. Sizes as follows...5.14, 5.12, 5.0, 4.13, 4.0, 3.14, 3.6, 3.6, 3.5, 2.10, 2.09, 2.07 and this summer 4 @ 4.14, 3.12, 2.15 & 2.06. Given that quite a few of those fish are within an ounce of each other - there may not be more than half a dozen chub in that swim - which probably explains why I've never caught more than 3 in a single visit!

Thanks for the offer - though you mentioning B means I'm pretty sure where you've been hauling them out - a swim I usually visit come the Autumn when they start to put on a bit of weight!

Pretty disgraceful in my view - getting dangerously close to ledgering!!!

Well done Chris, congratulations on the new PB. My first four from last season was 4.02 as well. Now you need to catch a 4.06 on the last day of the season! :-)

"I thought lure fishing would cost me a lot less money than carping, but so far it's cost me a fortune" - Haha! Many have fallen into that trap

Amazing stuff, Rusty. Interesting to see the bright scarlet fins showing up so strongly in your photos. I think it was you or Steve noticed they were different from the more orangey ones in the Thames, and I'm fairly sure the local gravel pit ones are more orange as well. There has to be a reason .....

Ahh - Paul and I have been baiting it up for you then! ;-)

Wow....a comment from the boss.....where's my "notworthy" smiley gone....ah, just found it....

Note the interestingly shaped crucian - a quite extreme case of 'phenotypic plasticity'. High backed in response to the presence of predators. I've had a comment querying whether it is even a crucian (you know who you are Paul!) so back to Crock of Gold for a thorough check. And the verdict is it looks OK. Lateral line count is 33 - which is spot on, Dorsal fin is convex - goldfish are concave. And the tail is the right shape, goldfish have a more pronunced V shaped tail. No hint of any barbules so no common carp in the parentage (which is highly likely to increase the lateral line count as well!). Also the book gives a couple of examples of crucians with that colouring - so I'm satisfied its a bone fide crucian!

I'm sure there are many possible explanations. However I have fished this stretch since 1982 and it has been pretty consistent through ALL that time. It is a place that is usually blessed with excellent recruitment - one stretch where I have regularly caught small barbel from - I'm talking gudgeon sized upto 1lb - my only barbel this season falls into this bracket! Equally chub of all year classes are usually caught. Other species; dace, grayling, roach(small), gudgeon even brownies are still showing in good numbers this year it is just the 'capital fish' which appear to be missing - haven't even seen any evidence of pike this summer - which again is most unusual! Pure coincidence that this has corresponded with regular otter sighting here over the last 18 months??????

Thanks Chris - got my head right for this venue ay last! Used to go wanting to get crucians everytime I went - and usually being disappointed - didn't catch one of the finicky little blighters all last season! This year I've been telling myself that I'm going tench fishing - so of course I've had a few crucians turn up amongst the tincas! 6 tench over 6lb with a couple of 7s - all float caught has made for a very satisfactory summer!