Matthew Simmons

Love the Kennet - fished it as a fluff chucker before I came back to coarse fishing and its a river that offers such a wide diversity of fishing in a beautiful valley. Like Rusty, I rue the fact that I missed out on its heyday - but its still fantastic. I also have a real soft spot for the Hampshire Avon again as a fly-fisher on the Salisbury beats but also the Piscatorial's, and as a coarse fisherman for the same reason - its variety is staggering and its not totally spoilt like the Test. The Thames is a river I'm starting to grow to love, but is a real challenge for me to be consistent. The Wye is also truly beautiful, but I don't get to fish it often enough. Actually when you think about, it we are truly blessed in this country because we do have some wonderful stretches of moving water Too many rivers too little time! M

That is a great comfort Chris!

A great day guys - well done - I couldn't buy a bite on saturday at Thatcham!

I have trialled both and to be honest each has its benefits. Like others here, Rusty and CP, for braid I use Fireline in 8lb and its a brilliant line for trotting off a pin - when you don't need to cast. My experience is that if you need to cast by getting the pin spinning is that braid is too 'floppy' and won't peel off the reel nicely. But braid offers fantastic control being so direct. Knots to nylon need to be perfect - double grinner. On the other hand my other trotting line of choice - Drennan Float Fish is slightly stiffer and is also less prone to bedding in and casts much better off the reel. Also lines like Drennan Floatfish being low-diameter are pre-stretched and have a much lower stretch than normal diameter lines, so while they will stretch more than braid, they still are pretty direct. Drennan Float will seem very familiar to a flyfisherman - its almost identical (to my eyes) to their double strength tipppet material. I'd go with Drennan Floatfish. Hope that helps. M

Does that mean the fishing is no good in that stretch? Or is the effect of the scarers (the mechanical ones not Rusty obviously) localised - it seems quite a long stretch. I wonder also if they are pumping all the time, in which case perhaps the machinery is switched off some time? M

Great pics Steve - makes me think I should have gone out yesterday. River looks perfect. By the way - does anyone know anything about the Anglers Trust Stretch of the Thames behind Farmoor - I joined and noticed its free to members? M

Motivation is very tough today - have to say!

Pretty much the same for me although I was on the Kennet after roach. :-( My chub tactics are bait, fish for 30 mins, , re-bait, move, repeat. I think that they'll have it within minutes if they are there. Good luck today! M

Steve, You may well be correct. Although we may bump into each other on the grounds that I have always fancied the nearer stretch and rumour has it that the roach migrate to the top end when its cold. In this weather I probably prefer to have the chance of more than one bite - assuming I get out of the drive! M

Perfect spot - I've got an eye on somewhere similar on the Thames, but so far it only throws up roach. If I can get out of my drive this weekend, then we'll see what it has to offer. Had a nice chub on Loddon last weekend - nothing massive a tad over 4 but whetted my chub appetite again - well after dark though - not a touch till then. M

Anderoo - trust me no-one is immune from pin-fever - I thought I was once. Its only a matter of time. ;-) M

Thanks Chavender! Really helpful. M

Chavender, Thanks for the link - I am really interested now! I wonder if I could prevail on your obvious knowledge in these matters - would one of these be suitable as my main trotting reel on the rivers (Kennet/Thames/Loddon) for 6x4 stick floats as well as larger avon/chubbers? Targeting chub, roach, dace, grayling and the odd barbel? And how heavy are they - it doesn't say on the website? Thanks M

That is truly a thing of beauty - if rather red :-) M

Chavender, Agree with your list so far but, you missed a crucial one - the centre pin that is used for float fishing stillwaters in the margins for tench. M

My name's Matt ... and I'm a spinner too

I am beginning to wonder too! M

Nice dace - stunning male grayling!

I know you are tail hooking the the bait, but have you tried a really small stinger treble down the flank - I am thinking the sort of treble I would use for sea trout on a long fly. Something like a size 14. And then hit the bite immediately. M

Great bag of Perch - it was also the perfect conditions we have all been waiting for - overcast and not either p**sing down for freezing overnight. Good angling to go back at dawn the next day and it really paid off! Matt

Thats what I think too! But the EA site is showing a downwards trend - so go figure M

Fished to canal day before yesterday Viney - it was OK. Matt

According to the data Newt its dropping, but its difficult to rationalise that looking at it! M

The JW Avon is a brilliant rod for the money - I've got 2. Its just not very good as a float rod at 13 ft unless you put in in a rest - unbalanced and heavy to hold. It works great as a quivertip for bream, or straight leger for tench on stillwaters and will certainly land you carp to 15/17lb and on the rivers its a great leger rod and will land most fish you'll encounter including barbel (as long as you are not fishing in strong currents or near snags). Get a reel with 2 spools and put 6lb on one and 10lb on the the other. Job done. M

Looks just like Steve! M