JV44

I Stumbledon this tread as this week I have been painting the inside of a mates Dutch barge and an angler just across from us at the lock tail island had just had a chub ,I shouted across did he want a pic but he said no it’s only small Anyway in that angler way I went over to have a look and seeing it in the net it was obvs it was a decent fish and the guy was a carp angler so had no idea it was a good one ,convinced him to have a pic and it took me back to the time Rusty nearly put his PB Chub back without weighing it coz he thought it wasn’t big in the folds of the net ,,,hence me turning up on this thread through nostalgia Anderoo I seldom come on here any more but from memory Kappa or Steve W told me your sad news ,belated but you have my deepest sympathy and hope as well as anyone has you have come to terms with the tragic situations life puts us in if we ever truly manage it I’m on a Kennet syndicate near the fabled Wilderness section off passion for Angling winter madness if you ever fancy a go with the trotting gear as my guest, find me n Facebook if you do I sill miss the banter I had with rusty and if fishing on my own the swim where we put his ashes in I have been known to have conversations with him Steve

Well done Chris great angling Rusty will be watching on approvingly

My mates Neal and Jay were Itchen virgins but loved it I had one proper Chub a couple of Grayling and loads of Salmon Parr Thanks for organising it Chris much enjoyed by all

Mike only just seen this as don’t come on very often ,let me know when you are free and we can sort something

They are going to be Mike on the syndicate bit we fish ,I fish with others but it’s just not the same

He often spoke of that trip Ian and I know he had a lot of time for you still feels weird without him when I go fishing ,although I kinda feel he is always there

Deepest condolences for tge loss of your Dad

I have been out Pike fishing a few times 9 fish first visit 4 second time 2 third trip 3 today Most have been doubles to a top weight of 19 ,still awaiting to reacquaint myself with the big girl I lost last year Going to have a couple more goes then start my Chub hunt

It was his funeral last Tuesday and he had a good send off i gave a tribute on behalf of his fishing mates and it was a great all be it sad day meeting all his mates and work colleagues Fishing just won’t seem the same without him there

You not doing so much from the Kayak then Chris ?

Chavender sadly

Yes be good to catch up Don’t know if you saw the dead Heron that had been eaten ,Otter kill maybe hopefully get a bit of time in there before the end of the season

Had a few Chub jyst above the railway bridge Chris ,biggest was exactly 4lb had 5 different upper double Puke now between 15/04 and 18/04 plus a load in the 9 to 13 lb range I had the the big girl on that snatched your trout but had just returned the 18:04 and the net head was unattached due to weighing ,in trying to sort she made the tree across the river snagging the paternoster link and I looked on as she shook herself off the hook anyway I’ve had therapy for it and better now lol the following visit she snatched a 2 lb trout off me on the retrieve livebait doing all the damage Having a good season with a Thames 16/08 Barbel as well as the big Chub from our island The big Pike from LS would just put the cherry on the cake Good to see you the other day and may bump into you soon ps live the blog and glad I’ve rediscovered it

A village near mine has a horse racing stables ,back in the early 80s a jockey lad from their that I played football with won 50k when that was a lot of money on 2 horses using his inside info and all his money That would of bought a couple of houses then even down here at that time ,it was gone in 18 months as he started chasing more quickly instead of waiting for the one he had info on knowing when to stick I guess

I’ve caught them on livebait ain’t dead for Perch ,big lives to as the majority of the first 50 or so 3lb plus Perch were accidental captures live baiting for Pike with 4 to 6 oz baits Perch and Chub have big gobs I spend a lot of time winter fishing for Pike over 30 years so your gonna get lots of freak captures ,big Chub for their day from a lake next to the Kennet that had a liking for Sardine lamprey sections they love if you spend a bit of time introducing them Steve Walker had a reasonable one trolling lures from my old Portabote years ago These fish hang round the back of our island mooring where no one else can fish for them and feel safe ,introduce a couple of balls of mashed bread under the boats where they live and cast in and drag feeder under the boats bow sit and wait ,,,normally only a minute and it’s a 3 foot twitch I’m only as good as the water in front of me ,same as anyone else I have a bit of the Thames in mind for next winter where no one goes,it’s below a favourite bit of mine that has become a bit of a circus after a 8/10 and 9/01 Chub in recent years and I’m thinking the fishing pressure has pushed them downstream away from it and where they feel safe Hope you all stay safe and this year slowly turns out better than last

I will see if Matthew will post up pics simplicity of Facebook I guess

Kennet I have a great Video but it’s to big to load here and another pic of a Chub on a mat don’t do it justice Matthew Simmons of old off here had 3 chub over 6 in one evening off the Thames recently

Caught plenty from the Thames using small sections of Sardine ,Mackeral but esp Lamprey sections Helps if you prevail with fish chunks for a while first i had a monster on bread today jyst over 8 plus a 6/05 yesterday will see if I can get a video to load on the few hours out today

Ian pointless because you can’t load pics ? I just click on add files and it lets me pic photos off the phone

Please no more paddle boards on the Thames If 1% are licences I’d be amazed ,they follow zero rules of navigation and frankly I’m amazed again that one or more haven’t been squished by a gin palace

Went Pike fishing with Rusty the weekend before last and managed 4 but missed 3 runs ,trialing circle hooks but unsure if I will stick with them at that strike rate first one hit the bait within a couple of minutes of casting out ,second fish actually took the Roach on the drop same swim mint fish no marks or hook damage and no fin damage which is good from the Kennet

Flying Tench if you’re thinking of the bit where you had your big Pike a few years ago then Andy the lick keeper is chucking peeps off as it’s no lock and weir permits in this COVID time Just a heads up Steve

Ian yep not going to beat that in a hurry ,been out hunting Pike with Rusty and had this one and a few more a couple of weeks ago Hope your well and staying safe

Martin I prob should of put it in catch reports but thought Ian would like a pic of a southern Shandy drinking Barbel ?