viney

On barbel until the end of August or until we have had a decent amount of rain! Another fruitless evening after barbel on the Kennet, fished from half 7 until 11pm and the only time my tip moved was when bats flew into it. Starting to get a bit frustrated with it now so I will see out the rest of summer after carp and tench. I have never caught a tench float fishing so that will be my aim fishing close in with a 'pin, may also have a crack at the crucians and of course surface fishing in the evenings.

This seems legitimate... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BspOikfygr4 As for hooks, what size, pattern etc. are you using at the moment? what baits do you plan on using? Line, you can't go wrong with Daiwa sensor, recently got the new Nash line but its awful and comes off in curls already after 3 weeks!

The ring isn't as distinct this morning just left with a big red itchy burning lump around 1 1/2" in diameter that nothing will sooth, driving me mad! Phone, can't say I've ever had that issue so don't have any laying around It does sound like a horse fly bite from what you've said Steve, never had one go this bad though!

2lb+ perch is a great result given the conditions, well done John!

I got bitten over the weekend, didn't see what by but its developed into a nasty swollen hot lump with a distinct ring around the main bite, would you go to the docs or leave for a few days and see if it clears?

Cheers John, I got the idea after I threw my last couple of slices in at smithys before going home a while ago, the surface was going ballistic with carp attacking whole slices. Tescos own medium white bread is the best I've found as it molds round the hook shank really well so there is always something on the hook (hovis hasn't got the same stickiness and often breaks up too quickly leaving you with a bare hook) I personally wouldn't bother with Bellwood, there are two lakes that are far better for surface fishing, one you will rarely see another angler on......

Have you got polarised glasses? They may not be right on the top, if the water is not completely clear you may not see them without, have you tried fishing in the margins? or tight to any islands. There are so many things I've tried on days like this as I get very impatient and struggle to sit still, here's a couple of the things that have caught me the odd bonus fish: A bait float fished about a foot under the surface, works well down the margins but will catch wherever the fish are cruising (boilie sized ball of compacted bread, snails if you can find one or two, slugs etc) Half a pop up and half a boilie hair rigged to create a bait that sinks very slowly, cast out and feel the line for bites as it falls through the water (bites are unmissable as the carp grabs it on the drop) Hope you catch something mate, I know how frustrating it can be!

In this heat the carp (I'm assuming this is what you are trying to catch) will generally just cruise around on the surface or just below in groups. So either a zig rig or a surface bait would be the way to go but don't expect any instant action, middle of the day surface fishing I find I'm waiting for the fish to bump into the bait and have a go at it rather than them actively feeding. You cant beat a massive bit of bread flake for that!

Had a couple of short sessions surface fishing for carp over the weekend, the fishing was slow with many fish just cruising around, not interested in feeding and generally avoiding areas with lots of freebies. After watching their behavior I changed tactics to a BIG lump of bread flake(around half a slice) as a single bait and cast out allowing the wind to push it around, as the fish were patrolling in small groups the big bait worked well, one would take a chunk off it causing the rest to hammer it, one would get the hook. Incidently all 3 fish taken were among the largest of their groups (all over 15lb one just scraping 20lb). The biggest bite though is the one on my leg, possibly a horse fly, the swelling is around 3" across and very hot and itchy! Oh and the sunburn............lets not talk about that!

I had to look again, didn't see him in the pic 1st time round

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-23177777 Doesn't sound too promising!

This 'woman' seems to think so: I for one wouldn't want my children around her family with her closed minded values!

Kennet near Newbury 17:30-21:30 Spent a few hours trotting what is one of my favorite stretches of the Kennet but rather than moving around a lot I concentrated on one swim and tried to get my feeding regular and accurate as I am hopeless at it! The bites came steadily, I rested the swim for a minute or 2 after each fish (bar the 3 trout I left it 10 minutes while still feeding) a pretty even mix of dace, gudgeon, chublets and roach all mainly small with the odd bigger fish and a surprise grayling of around 1/2lb. Then as the light started to fade the float went under and I was convinced I'd snagged the bottom, then the bottom began to move off slowly but purposefully downstream, I managed to turn the fish and and gain some line. Just as it neared the edge of the main flow my float flew out of the water trailing behind it a straightened hook. The surface of the water boiled as the fish turned and powered off. So off home for dinner and a quick sleep before a 2am start at work all the while wondering what I could have done differently.

I have used these when fishing a maggot feeder http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Drennan-Leger-Stops-/171057332304?pt=UK_SportingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&var=&hash=item27d3cfc050 makes it quick and easy to lengthen the distance between feeder and hook without changing hooklength or disasembling your rig

I go whenever I can.... still to catch a barbel yet this season despite 10 sessions after them mainly fishing 'banker swims' even sat up and fished all night on Saturday, felt fairly confident on the conditions and my bait placement (even saw a very large barbel crash out not too far from my far bank rod) but not a single twitch other than weed hitting the line. Seems the going is really tough at the moment....or I am missing something...

Budgie (Dick Darstardly) would be the man to speak to I think

Cheers guys Rusty decent food is as important as (if not more important than) the fishing!

Looking to go away for a few days with the Mrs later this month, can anyone suggest a decent fishery with lakeside lodges within 3 hours drive of Newbury? Personal experience preferable on recommendations, lodges need good facilities and stuff to do in the local area to keep her happy

I wrapped one of my quivertips with PTFE (plumbers) tape then used a sharpy to put black rings round it, been going strong for a few years and still very visable

Seen this before, very eye opening. When you do a bit of digging around and reading about debt collection companies/bailiffs etc. it's shocking how much their tactics are to scare you into doing what they want you to do without checking your rights

There's a pub near here that do a wild boar and chorizo burger, definitely the best burger I've ever had!

That looks exactly like one I sold on Ebay last year.... it went for £37 Edit: Maybe not exactly, mine had a brass 'male bit'

I completely agree! Especially on the part of 'Native or immigrant'

In cases like that Anderoo who then has the fishing rights? Does it stay in limbo until another club/organisation lease the rights? If so would the land owner control the rights until that point, maybe a beer or two could see you fishing the stretch again if that is the case?

Visited the same venue my 3lb chub came from last week, we had a look at the main river first of all but only a few swims are reachable due to thick stinging nettle and brambles so we opted to fish the backstream again. I knew before I arrived which swim I was going to fish, for some reason it had been in my head since my last visit, it just had to produce a fish or two! Now, I am no good at the whole 'put some bait in and sit there for an hour then cast in' so I took a risk and baited it then went further upstream to fish for an hour hoping Steve wouldn't venture up and drop into my swim! After an hour I dropped a few more pellets and small blobs of paste in and left for another half hour. It was just getting dark as I lowered my hookbait into place (paste wrapped pellet with a small pva bag of broken pellet) and as my isotope hasn't arrived yet the baitrunner was turned on just incase. Was that a jab on the tip or did I just imagine it?.....No must of imagined it. Just as I relaxed the tip whacked round and line started screaming from the reel, as the stream is only small I had to put a lot of pressure on the fish which the rod handled superbly (only the second fish I have had on it) but, what was I attached to? Barbel? Carp? Chub? Then she surfaced a rod length out, the biggest chub I have seen, I was calm until that point then I started to worry about losing it. After another tense couple of minutes she was in the net, looking every bit of 5lb. A quick call to Steve to get him to come down, luckily he was already heading my way, and the net was then lifted from the water. A definite 5lb I thought. The scales told a different story, my estimation was pretty bang on though, they settled at 4lb14 a new PB A quick snap: And she was back in the water, after a few seconds being supported in the flow a big splash and of she went into the dark.