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Chris Plumb

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Blog Entries posted by Chris Plumb

  1. Chris Plumb

    6 March

    By Chris Plumb,


    Coarse Fishing
    River Kennet - Marsh Benham
    0830 - 1330
    Cool, calm and mainly overcast with milky sunshine at times. AT 1º - 6ºC. River still quite full but down a few inches on my last visit 4 weeks ago.
    4 Chub; 5lb 2oz, 4lb 7oz, 3lb 13oz and a pounder. A doz Roach - mainly quite small with a couple of 'netters' of around 10oz. 1 Brownie; 1½lb.
    Surprisingly scratchy start to the morning - fished the carrier down and only had fish from 2 swims (the smaller chub & trout and the roach). Thankfully the main river had dropped enough to A: be accesible and B: be fishable - if still a little pacey. Had all 3 good chub from the bottom swim - the biggest hooked right at the end of a verrrrrrry long trot - took an absolute age to coax it upstream in the current!
    First 5lb chub of the season an absolute barrel of a fish!
     

  2. Chris Plumb
    Harris Lake - Marsh Farm, Milford.
    0645 - 2345.
    RAIN, Rain, continuous, unrelenting, nonstop RAIN! Heavy at times, slight, moderate, torrential, tropical, cloud bursts at other times. Over a month's worth in a day! Drove over in the rain, set up in the rain, fished all day in the rain. Rain eventually stopped as it got dark - so escaped packing up in the rain - though everything was pretty sodden. Thankfully my day shelter was up to the task - alas the banks weren't, so during the heaviest of downpours run off just flooded the pitch and I was left sitting in an inch deep puddle at times - fun - NOT! Oh and temps were around 14ºC down on the day before!
    1 Tench; 3lb 7oz. 1 micro Roach.
    As Brian eloquently said on his FB page - it's going to be a bit of a grueller. And it certainly was - 15 hardy souls turned up in the pouring rain to sit under an umbrella to watch a stationary float and have their wallets emptied for Sue Ryder. A few very sensibly bailed on the fishing (I might have joined them if I wasn't the organiser!) For the first time the Paul Goulbourn Trophy - awarded to the captor of the biggest Crucian - went un-won as, err, no-one caught A crucian. In fact only Alex caught anything during the day - weighing in with 3 tench. I had a tiny roach literally first cast - really just checking the shotting on my float when it sailed off. I would have to wait 16 hours for my next fish - by which time everyone had long since left! Still it was nice to see everyone again - and amusing that everytime the rain eased a bit everyone emerged from their shelters for a quick natter before the next downpour set in. Certainly a day to remember - but not for the fishing!
     
    EDIT - Final monies raised for Duchess of Kent Hospice in Reading came to £510 - best ever amount for ones of these events.
  3. Chris Plumb

    8 August

    By Chris Plumb,


    Coarse Fishing
    River Kennet - Marsh Benham
    0630 - 1230
    Torrential rain for first 90 mins or so followed by showers (some quite lumpy!). Cool for August (13ºC) and quite breezy - sun eventually appeared for the last hour or so.
    2 Chub: 3lb 13oz & a smallun. 1 Bream; 3lb 14oz. 4 Doz Roach & Dace (mainly roach - nothing of any size). 3 Bleak. 1 Rainbow Trout - 3½lb.
    I read 3 weather forecasts on Friday evening and whilst all predicted a showery weekend they all also said that Sunday would be the drier day. PAH! Didn't get a drop of rain yesterday morning - first shower appeared at lunchtime - and yet this morning it was like sitting through a monsoon. Thankfully I'd just about got set up before the heavens opened and quickly abandoned my trotting for a couple of hours sitting under a brolly, ledgering meat - and almost thankful that I didn't get a bite! Eventually the rains abated enough to resume running a float through various swims. Was hoping for a few more chub - though the bream was a nice bonus and didn't half put up a scrap in the fast current! Also harvested my first blackberries of the summer!

  4. Chris Plumb

    29 December (Part 1)

    By Chris Plumb,


    Coarse Fishing
    River Kennet - Newbury (Whitehouse)
    0900 - 1300
    Bright and breezy with heavy showers. AT 8ºC. River very pacey with a tinge of colour.
    1 Chub: 5lb 14oz. 9 Roach - all a 'nice' size - the one I deemed worthy of the scales went 14oz - with all the others around half that! 2 Dace - small.
    A quick return to my pre-Christmas venue. When I walked back to my car last week I spied a slack which simply screamed 'here be chub' and I wasn't wrong! First trot through the float buried at the end of the run and I was into a very stubborn battle. A lumbering fight more befitting of a big bream - but very pleased with a season's best chub. Couldn't winkle out another  so went exploring and had decent-ish roach from the two other swims I dropped into....
    Nearly a 6.
     

  5. Chris Plumb

    3 July

    By Chris Plumb,

    NAA Stillwater - Widmead
     
    0415 - 1015
     
    High cloud - warm. 15º -> 20ºC
     
    4 Carp; 10lb 1oz, 9lb 6oz, 9lb 0oz, 7lb 11oz. 1 Crucian; 3lb 2oz. 2 roach, 1 rudd (all 3 of which needed the net to land.)
     
    Despite the splendid crucian and the hard fighting commons - a quiet morning bite-wise. Crucian on float fished meat - in the margins - pretty much only bite of the morning - apart from the roach and rudd - wasn't even 'carped' as is the norm. Biggest common on the feeder - other 3 all caught on bread in the last ¾hr when they started to feed on the top. My biggest crucian from an NAA water for 14 years - and first crucian from this lake since '06 - well chuffed.
     

  6. Chris Plumb

    13 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Nr Thatcham
     
    1830 - 2315
     
    Mild (min of 16ºC), overcast and very, very breezy! Levels on the low side and quite clear.
     
    Blanked! (Well nothing with fins - was totally crayfished out!)
     
    Tried another new swim but was into the Signals almost as soon as the bait hit the water. Activity stopped for an hour at around 10pm so was hopeful that fish had moved in - but nothing doing!
     
  7. Chris Plumb

    1 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - nr. Thatcham
     
    1830 - 2330
     
    Mainly overcast and quite breezey. AT54ºF, WT52ºF and both rising. Positively balmy compared to last Monday evening, despite the wind!
     
    4 Barbel: 10lb 7oz, 9lb 5oz, 7lb 4oz, 5lb 15oz
     
    Cracking evening in a swim not a million miles from where John, Chris & Steve have been in the last 72 hours! 9lber first cast - all be it ¾hr after casting out and the double right at the end of the session. Biggest barbel for 3 years. All on hair-rigged halibuts.
     
    9lb 5oz

    10lb 7oz

     
    Just realised I haven't reset the clock on my camera!
  8. Chris Plumb

    1/2 July

    By Chris Plumb,

    Summer Pit - Cemex Yateley
     
    2030 - 0600
     
    Still, balmy night with high cloud - temps 20ºC->13ºC but felt a lot milder under the trees!
     
    3 Bream; 12lb 2oz - another PB , 8lb 7oz, 4lb 15oz. 2 Tench; 4lb 1oz, 3lb 3oz. 3 Perch & 2 Rudd.
     
    I'm utterly gobsmacked - 2 PBs and 1 = PB in a week! I said last weeks crucian would take some beating - this might just be the fish for me, that does! My first ever double figure bream - previous PB was 9lb7oz - so this has annihilated it!!! What's even sweeter I was tring to catch bream too!!! On our visit here on the opening day Paul and I suffered quite a few liners - I had a hunch that these were caused by bream - not tench as we might have supposed. So last night I just wanted to fish the dark hours and fish maggot on my lift method float rigs. During the day this is suicide as the bait gets massacred by the micro rudd and perch - but I guess these are feeding by sight as I didn't get bothered by them at all during the night (but did as soon as it got light again).
     
    First fish (the small tinca) just on 1100 - and thereafter bites were slow but steady - also bumped a couple - probably striking at liners. Big Bream caught at 0100 - the 8lber a couple of hours later as the first traces of dawn streaked the eastern sky in front of me.
     
    Pic shows a rather scarred and beat up looking slab - I wonder if this is spawning damage - no sign in the mouth that this has ever been caught!
     
    I cannot believe the amount of slime on my landing net when I packed up!
     

  9. Chris Plumb

    15/16 July

    By Chris Plumb,

    NAA Stillwater - Widmead
     
    1500 - 0700
     
    Overcast and breezy with light drizzle most of the night after a warm sunny afternoon. Min 15ºC - mild despite the breeze!
     
    6 Carp - all commons - biggest 9lb 13oz, smallest 6lb 8oz. 1 Bream 4lb 8oz. 1 Tench 2lb 8oz. 2 Doz+ Roach and Rudd.
     
    It comes to something when the highlight of your fishing trip is breakfast!!! However the pork and bramley apple sausages, fried egg sandwiches and mugs of steaming fresh tea were much anticipated! The fishing again was slow - Paul and I were after tench and bream - but again were thankful for the occasional carp showing up to put a bend in the rod. And at least these were a little more respectable than last time. Shame, as it started so promisingly - Paul had a bream first cast (he wouldn't get another!) and I spent nearly 20 minutes in mid afternoon battling what we were convinced must be a 20 on my float rod - only for it to turn out to be a 7lb+ common hooked in the derriere - which as Paul was quick to point out doesn't count!!! Still at least the overnight rain wasn't as heavy as forecast - and I was prudently home and dry before the heavens opened. Paul who fished on to try and add to his tally of 5 carp and the bream wasn't quite so lucky but thanks to keeping an eye on the rain radar on his Blackberry missed the worst of it!
     
    Pic (ala Rusty ) of the sausages!
     

  10. Chris Plumb

    20 October

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Nr Thatcham
     
    1000 - 1300
     
    Bright and sunny after a frosty dawn. 4ºC -> 11ºC. River at its perennial autumn minimum - very low!
     
    1 Chub; 3lb 10z, 3 Grayling; all around 12oz. 2 dace (small). 1 Brown Trout; 2lb 10oz.
     
    On the hunt for a big chub so started out with corn and lobs - but ended up catching everything on double red maggot! All grayling a nice size - hope they grow on to be 'pounders' next year. Bit disappointed with the spottie - was convinced I was bringing a barbel to the net - nice looking fish though!
     
    Just realised this is my 300th blog entry.
  11. Chris Plumb

    16 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    Middle Kennet Estate - Kintbury
     
    0700 - 1630
     
    Misty and murky all day, heavy showers for last 2 hours - 7-9ºC.
     
    7 Chub; 5 over 2lbs biggest 3lb6oz. 7 Grayling (!) 4 over1lb (&3 over 1½), biggest 1lb 11oz. 9 Dace; 3 of which were 6oz+. 1 Roach. 7 Brownies to 3lb.
     
    Eagerly anticipated trip - nice to see the river full after 4+ years of low water. Of course it meant having to almost completely re-learn the venue! We half expected the fish holding areas in low water conditions might not be the same when the river was full - and so it proved. Our nailed on banker dace swim which has produced really good dace in each of the previous 3 seasons produced not a bite to me today!
    Paul and I had differing objectives for the trip - Paul wanted to get among the dace - something he achieved with 4 fish over 10oz a couple of which went 12oz. I wanted to get among the chub - preferably big ones - which didn't really show up - though lots of schooly ones for future years is a good omen (Paul had 10 but nothing over 3). The grayling were a very pleasant surprise especially their size. The perch on the other hand appeared to have done a disappearing act. (Maybe they've all moved to Gunters!)
    As we departed the car park at dawn - in opposite directions - I wished Paul good luck with a cheery 'break a rod' something he'd achieved by the time we met up for morning coffee!!
     
     
     
    Some Pics...(proabably!)

     
    Well that worked with postimage.org - though its now stubbornly refusing to upload any more!
     
    At last! Thanks to imageshack!
     
    1lb 4oz dace was once caught here! (alas not by me!)

     
     
    Not a 1¼lb dace - one 8oz lighter!

     
     
    Snaggy dace swim - I had some gooduns from here...

     
     
    I actually don't know where this is - Paul???

     
    Chub & Speedia

     
    Where have all the perch gone? Last knockings and not a stripey in sight...

  12. Chris Plumb

    13 January

    By Chris Plumb,

    Middle Kennet Estate - Kintbury
     
    0900 - 1630
     
    Cold (-1ºC ->3ºC), bright and breezy. Clouding over somewhat in the afternoon. WT 7ºC (won't stay like that for long). River still very high but quite clear.
     
    2 Chub; 4lb 3oz & 1¾lb, 5 Grayling; 3 over a pound best, 1lb 13oz. 10 Dace - only two of which were below 8oz! . Best 13oz which I achieved twice. 5 Brownies to 4lb and 2 Rainbows to 1¾lb.
     
    Club day so the plan was to target dace all day and not really move too far from the likely holding areas. As it happened I had the place to myself as only one other angler turned up! Meant I could give the swim a good rest during the worst of the bright sunshine knowing I would be able to get on them again as it got dark - just as well as 8 of them were caught in the last hour of light.
     
    One of the 13oz dace - (note a rare outing for the Witcher Avon Elite )

     
    Fat Chub

     
    Wilderness Lady

  13. Chris Plumb
    Kennet & Avon Canal - Thatcham
     
    0600 - 1030
     
    Mild, overcast with continuous drizzle. AT has averaged over 9ºC for the last 48 hours and the WT is catching up (48ºF) which is 9ºC in new money!
     
    2 Perch; 3lb 15oz (and a bit - if it had swallowed the lob and not spat it out it might have tipped 4!), 2lb 2oz. 1 Pike 2¼lb.
     
    1st part of a 'Reverse Rusty' session (Dawn on the canal - midday on the river). And conditions absolutely screamed perch so it was back to the scene of my triumph last month (see 16 Feb part 2). Could lighntening strike twice - well it ruddy well nearly did! I arrived in almost total darkness - such was my keen-ness and huddled under the brolly waiting for it to be light enough to see a float - there was suddenly some commotion at my feet - fry scattering and a large swirl. So I quickly lowered in a lob and it was snaffled immediately - a 2lber before it was even light enough to cast out to me chosen spot - a good omen.
     

     
    Pic - with obligatory welly.
     
    Next bob of the float produced a pike - landed somewhat flukely - it bite through the line in the net. However I then had to wait nearly an hour for my next bite - but it was worth the wait. Just like my 4 from 3 weeks ago I didn't appreciate its weight until I had it on the bank - this one was stuffed with spawn and as fat as a football - and no matter how long I looked at the dial on my scales it just wouldn't get to 4lb. Touching the mark but just the wrong side of it - !
     

     
    And that was it - All the action in the first hour and a half. I moved swims a couple of times but by mid-morning everything was quiet - so it was off to the river to see if the rising temps might have got the barbel on the feed....
    (See 7 March part 2!)
     
  14. Chris Plumb
    Another book review - and a bit of a minority interest methinks!

    Fish & Fishermen in English Medieval Church Wall Paintings
    By Frederick Buller
     
    A curious and rather unusual book that will fascinate anyone interested in Angling history – of which I thinks there’s a few on Anglersnet (well maybe just me and Vagabond!). The scope of this research is, however, rather narrow and I was amused by a line in the frontispiece which described the book as ‘a definitive text for anyone with an interest in the history of fishing and medieval paintings’. Now that’s got to be a small demographic!!
     
    Fred’s starting point was in hunting down the earliest depictions of angling in England. Many regard the woodcut from the Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle (1496) (my avatar on Anglersnet) as one of the earliest images. And whilst it IS the earliest image in print Fred’s research finds pictures of anglers up to a couple of centuries earlier.
     
    The beginning for Buller’s quest was being shown a photograph by one Frank Plum (no relation – but a curious coincidence) of a church wall painting depicting an angler. Fred realised that the age of the church (circa 1100) – might mean this picture would be one of the earliest in England of someone fishing. So starts a series of enquiries which are repeated throughout the book as Fred goes from church to church, tracking down and photographing images. Experts in medieval dress are consulted for their opinions as to the date various items of clothing were in vogue (so as to give a rough date for the figure painted) and the late Alwyne Wheeler asked his opinions to identify the fish being portrayed.
     
    Allegorical paintings were common during the Middle Ages – it was a way to convey the church’s message to a mainly illiterate population. Many themes are repeated in almost every church and one very common one was the story of St Christopher. This was always prominent – opposite the main entrance as it was meant to be the first image parishioners’ saw on entering the church. Surrounding the image of the saint would often be found pictures of men angling and, by his feet, fish of various species – and it is these images that the book focuses on.
     
    One surprise is how often the fish are easily identifiable – and another is how often the identification is of a sturgeon – a fish now absent from England’s rivers (apart from the VERY rare visitor). The location of the church often influence’s the images too – so, for example, sea fish are often depicted in coastal churches.
     
    The custom of church painting ended with Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries which also ordered the destruction of popish images. In effect what usually happened, however, was that the paintings were simply white washed over with lime. This process acted as a preservative to enable many to survive intact, though many more would be around to this day had it not been for the Victorian fashion of removing all plaster in country churches to reveal the stonework. Thankfully enough have survived and this book is a worthy record of one small part of these paintings
     
    Medlar Press (who else) 8 Oct 2009.
     
    ISBN 978-1-899600-98-4
  15. Chris Plumb

    23 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Near Thatcham
     
    1900 - 2230
     
    Clear evening becoming very foggy. Lovely evening to be out!
     
    1 Barbel - 11lb 2oz
     
    I've had a pretty patchy summer on the barbel front - a few schooly sized fish on the float have been fun but I was going into the last week of September not having had a barbel over 8lb for the first time since 98/99 season. So at the weekend I vowed to have a concerted effort between now and when the clocks go back to try and get a decent one. Plan was to target some 'reliable' swims of old (though spots which aint produced much recently), go back to using 2 rods and be prepared for a few blanks in my quest.
     
    First outing and in fact first cast and its mission accomplished - I feel almost cheated!
     
    My biggest barbel for nearly 6 years - since this eventful evening in 2007. Had planned to fish for a lot longer but the arrival of crayfish shortly after 10pm plus the dense fog which was starting to chill the bones made a warm bed and a warm wife a mucher better prospect!
     

     
     
     
  16. Chris Plumb

    16 February

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Thatcham
     
    1030 - 1430
     
    Bright and sunny. 8ºC. River VERY high - but surprisingly clear.
     
    2 Chub; 4lb 13oz, 2lb 7oz.
     
    New winter chub banker swim turns up trumps again! Wasn't sure what I'd find - or even if I'd be able to get to the swim - but after paddling through the field - found a surprising slack piece of water. Smaller chub first cast on a lob worm, 4lber 90mins later on trotted maggot. Lovely afternoon to be by the river.
     
    Fat chub in its winter prime...

     
  17. Chris Plumb

    5 October

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Thatcham
     
    0745 - 1000 (a)
    1030 - 1230 (b )
     
    Bright and sunny after a chilly start (ice on the car for the first time this autumn). River low and carrying a tinge of colour.
     
    (a) 1 Chub (circa 1lb), 16 Roach, 5 Dace, 4 Grayling, a bleak and 2 brownies - biggest circa 1½lb.
    (b ) 3 Chub; 5lb 6oz, 4lb 13oz 4lb 9oz. 6 Dace biggest 10oz (the other 5 weren't much smaller!)
     
    A couple of hours trotting in a couple of swims half a mile apart. Good to see so many silver fish in the river - and very pleasing to find the chub in residence at my second swim - also had time to lose something VERY substantial (possibly a carp). All fish on trotted mag.
     
    Pic of the 5.

     
  18. Chris Plumb

    22 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Frome - Wool
     
    0800 - 1630
     
    Very mild (14ºC), overcast and quite breezy with the very occasional drizzly flurry. NOT at all what was forecast - which was pretty much rain all day! River quite pacey (0.97m at East Stoke river gauge) and carrying a bit more colour than I'd have liked.
     
    14 Grayling; 8 over 1lb (6over 1½lb). Best 3; 1lb14oz, 2lb0oz, 2lb1oz. 2 Dace; best 10oz. 1 Roach; 9oz. 9 Brownies to 2¼lb. 3 Salmon parr.
     
    A trip that we nearly aborted at the last minute due to an increasingly dismal forecast but because little rain had fallen in the run up to the trip we decided to chance it. As it turned out the river was in a slightly worse state than we expected while the weather was way better - in fact we got the weather that had been forecast on the Wednesday when I bought Paul's guest ticket!
     
    As ever though the Frome makes you work hard for your fish - and Paul and I caught slowly and steadily throughout the day. I had way too many trout - many of them doing a good impression of a big grayling in the fast current - so I was repeatedly disappointed to see a spotty flank when I got a fish on the surface. I'd heard of some nice dace showing - and they were very much a secondary target after the grayling.
     
    A first for me was one of my grayling (a fish of 1-10) sicking up a half digested bullhead in the net! First time I've ever seen evidence that they predate on smaller fish (and this bullhead wasn't a whole lot smaller than its mouth)!
     
    Apart from the brownies I think Paul had a near identical return - a dozen grayling to 2lb 1oz (not the same fish as mine!) and a brace of 10oz dace.
     
    As ever grayling will simply refuse to pose for a photo - my 2-01 in mid flick!

    My other 2 behaved itself just long enough for Paul to get a shot off!

    Cut off Oxbow. Last year this was bank - from the grasses in the bottom left corner - out to the island - last winter's floods have created a short cut!

    Compare with this picture taken last December - where I'm standing is now the middle of the river!
     

  19. Chris Plumb

    Updated PB List

    By Chris Plumb,

    My PB List.
    Haven’t done one of these for a while (though it hasn't changed much in the last 5 years!) and as I had a query about my PBs I thought I'd put an updated list on here...
     
    Best Carp – 27lb 6oz. 15 August 2008. Blue Pool – Burghfield. Method feeder – hair-rigged hemp bogey.

     
    Blog Entry: http://www.anglersne...63-1415-august/
     
    Best Pike – 18lb 10oz. 10 February 2001. River Lambourn – Newbury. Free-lined Lamprey section.

     
     
    Best Barbel – 12lb 4oz. 27 July 2004. River Kennet, Arrowhead – Thatcham. Ledgered Halibut pellet.

     
    Best Bream – 12lb 2oz. 2 July 2011. Summer Pit – Yateley. Float fished (lift method) maggot.

     
    Blog entry; http://www.anglersne...ry-704-12-july/
     
    Best Brown Trout – 8lb 12oz. 14 March 2008. Middle Kennet Estate – Newbury. Trotted Maggot. (No photo)
    Blog Entry; http://www.anglersne...y-222-14-march/
     
    Best Tench – 7lb 10oz. 18 June 2003. Wylies Lake – Thatcham. Float fished (lift method) black pudding.

     
     
    Best Chub – 6lb 7oz. 19 February 2012. Middle Kennet Estate – Nr Kintbury. Trotted Red Sweetcorn.

     
    Blog Entry; http://www.anglersne...48-19-february/
     
    Best Salmon – 5lb 10oz. 13 October 2008. Lower Itchen Fishery. Trotted Maggot. (No Photo)
     
    Blog Entry; http://www.anglersne...281-13-october/
     
    Best Rainbow Trout – 4lb 10oz. 5 March 2004. Barton Court – Kintbury. Trotted Maggot. (No Photo)
     
    Best Perch – 4lb 5oz. 28 October 2013. Kennet & Avon Canal – Thatcham. Float fished lobworm.

    Blog Entry; http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/blog/82/entry-1140-28-october/
     
     
    Best Crucian – 3lb 13oz. 26 June 2011. Newbury AA Lake – Widmead. Float fished (lift method) bacon grill.

    Blog Entry; http://www.anglersne...ry-699-26-june/
     
    Best Grayling – 2lb 15oz. 6 January 2002. Lower Itchen Fishery. Trotted maggot.

     
     
    Best Roach – 2lb 11oz. 7 February 2003. Middle Kennet Carrier – Nr Hungerford. Trotted maggot.

     
     
     
    Eel - 2lb 1oz: 12/06/15, Ledgered prawn. Mill Farm, Pulborough

    Blog entry; http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/blog/82/entry-1299-12-june/
    Brown Goldfish - 1lb 14oz: 21/06/05, Float fished Bread, Pumphouse Lake, Yateley.
    Sea Trout - 1lb 12oz: 06/01/02, Trotted Maggot, Lower Itchen Fishery.
     
    Rudd - 1lb 11oz 18/06/18. Float fished prawn sections, Johnsons Lake - Milford. [/url]
    Blog Entry; http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/blog/82/entry-1532-1819-june/
    Best Dace – 1lb 2oz. 7 February 2003. Middle Kennet Carrier – Nr Hungerford. Trotted maggot.

     
  20. Chris Plumb

    24 October

    By Chris Plumb,


    Coarse Fishing
    Kennet & Avon Canal - Widmead
    0715 - 1030
    Mild, overcast with some light drizzle and an ever increasing breeze. Canal quite full.
    4 Perch: 2 'pounders', biggest 1lb 6oz. 3 Chub: again a brace of pounders - to 1lb 9oz.
    Dawn perch raid to a favoured swim of old - been 3 years since I last fished here but for a decade from 05-15 this was a nailed on banker venue for big perch - had dozens and dozens of 3lbers in that time plus a couple of 4s. My last 3 from here was Dec 15 and they did a rapid disappearing act over the following couple of winters - and yes I'm blaming the otter, as I saw frequent sightings of it on the canal at this time.... Was hoping the perch would have thrived on neglect and I had to wade into the margins to clear one of my favourite swims of common reed on arrival. Despite this commotion  I had a perch first cast and there followed a busy hour or so when I caught everything else. Alas the first barge came through at 0830 and whilst I did get the odd bite after this further shipping meant the swim never really had time to settle down - still I saw enough to want to come back!
  21. Chris Plumb

    20 February

    By Chris Plumb,


    Coarse Fishing
    Kennet & Avon Canal - Enborne
    0700 - 0915*
    1000 - 1715˜
    Mild, mainly overcast, quite breezy (some milky sunshine at times) - light showers on and off all day with rain for last hour and a half. AT around 12/13ºC all day.
    *27Perch - with 13 (!) over 1lb - and 3 over 2 - best 2lb 7oz.
    ˜(½mile upstream!) 7 Perch - all over 1lb (3 over 2) best 2; 3lb 10oz? & 2lb 11oz. A doz roach and a dace - all small.
     
    What a Red Letter day!
    Make hay while the sun shine's! Nailed on conditions for a day's winter perching, mild and overcast after a 2 week cold snap - just knew that stripeys would be on the munch - but didn't dream of such a return! The morning was just ridiculous - fishing was almost 'Mr Castwell' at times - cast out, let the float cock, float dips - 1lb perch - repeat! Thankfully the bites were drying up when the local yoofs turned up and with no sense of etiquette made base camp not 10 yards from where I was fishing. Suspect they weren't even members but as I was out numbered 5-1 discretion proved the better part of valour - and I moved upstream earlier than planned - but also thankful to escape the dogs - one having knocked over my bait box and another had tried to steal my lunch!
    The rest of the day started serenely - fishing yet another swim I've not fished before I was straight out with a lob again and settled into my seat to watch a stationary float. After an hour I'd switched to maggot and soon started catching small roach - and hoping these would draw some perch into the swim - but really just killing time until the light started to fade. By 1530 I was out with a lob again - and met with instant success in the shape of the 2-11. Slow and steady sport then ensued - interupted by an unexpected barge - which put an end to action for nearly an hour - however there was still time for one really special fish -the only bite 'post barge' - but what a fish - my  biggest perch (and first 3lber) for 5 years. And my biggest from this stretch of canal by a country mile - fat as a football - it had clearly been on the munch!

  22. Chris Plumb

    27 February

    By Chris Plumb,


    Coarse Fishing
    River Kennet - Thatcham
    0900 - 1245
    Bright and sunny after a frosty start. AT was 11ºC when I packed up. River very full - but quite clear.
    2 Chub: 3lb 13oz & 2lb 5oz. A dace and a brownie - both around 6oz.
    Bit of a gamble which nearly backfired - very few floodwater swims at this venue - though there is a nice near bank eddy which usually produces a nice chub. Alas if it was in residence it wasn't hungry as all I extracted from the swim were minnows (yes, Martin - there are some still in the Kennet!). I didn't really have a plan B after this inauspicious start however I found some chub by running my float under some far bank willows - not a spot I've ever had one from before - though I can't think why as it looks VERY chubby!
     
  23. Chris Plumb

    8 September

    By Chris Plumb,


    Coarse Fishing
    River Kennet - Thatcham
    1800 - 1930
    Hot and humid - with the crash, bang, wallop of an electric storm to finish! River quite low.
    6 Chub: biggest 2lb with another couple of around a lb and 3 tiddlers. 1 Pike; 4lb 3oz (on trotted maggot!). 2 Perch; both around the 1lb mark (nice!). 2 Roach; a 'netter' and a tiddler. 2 Brownies - small.
    Quick return to the venue I had a barbel from recently with the intention of ledgering into the dark to see if I could get another. As usual I started in the weirpool (aka the aquarium) for some blank saving action on the float. And it was fish a chuck for the first 15mins before the swim went suddenly quiet - the reason for this soon became clear when a pike snaffled my double red maggot. Bit jammy to land it as it bit through the line just as I got it to the net - but was able to scoop it up before it realised it was free! By 1915 I was settling over my ledger rod - but within 10 or so minutes was undertaking a very hurried pack up as a thunderstorm approached - just making it back to the car before the heavens opened and the lightening seemed right on top of me - very little time delay between flash and bang!!!
  24. Chris Plumb

    12 February

    By Chris Plumb,


    Coarse Fishing
    River Kennet - Marsh Benham
    0900 - 1430
    Overcast morning, brightening up after lunch (to the detriment of the fishing!)  and quite breezy. AT 5º -> 9ºC. River low and clear (at normal summer levels!).
    3 Chub; 4lb 0oz, 3lb 4oz, 2lb 2oz. 1 Bream; 3lb 10oz. 17 Roach; most around 6-8oz with a couple of biggers ones. 1 Bleak.
    Whole session on the main river of my syndicate stretch. Had a first cast trout - which got eventually off but only after totally trashing my first swim! Nearly all the fish from a 'new' swim - or at least one that has been opened up by the removal of some branches by last week's little working party - (thanks chaps!). Meant I can now get a cast across the river to run a float under the far bank trees....😉
  25. Chris Plumb
    Lower Itchen Fishery
    0830 - 1730
    Bright and sunny all day - quite breezy at times. AT -2º -> 10ºC. River looked in good nick.
    16 Grayling: most around 8-10oz with 4 bigger. Best went 1lb 5oz. 1 Chub 3lb 10oz. 6 Brownies; 1½ - 2½lb. 2doz+ Salmon Parr!
    Since Paul's passing in 2015 I've organised (or tried to) a couple of fish-ins a year to a couple of our favourite venues - and places where Paul himself used to organise get togethers of the Internet Angling Club. This was the first Itchen trip for 3 years however. 2020 succumbing to Storm Dennis & 2021 to Covid so it was nice to catch up with friends old and new and raise a few pounds for Duchess of Kent Hospice.
    Some of my party had never seen or caught a salmon parr before, and after today I don't think there'll ever want to see one again! Blighters were every where - in the same way that minnows can be! At least it meant no-one blanked - even Glenn caught one! Grayling however were a little thin on the ground - half of mine came from the very last swim I dropped into (along with the chub). Best of the day that I heard of was a 1lb 9oz fish to Phil - with one of Steve's mates getting one of a similar size. I think the bright conditions made the fish a little spooky, shame it didn't have the same effect on the Salmon parr.
    A BIG thank you to everyone who came - and to those that didn't but still gave me a donation for Sue Ryder - MUCH appreciated. Will post final total in the next day or so but it is already over £350 after paying the fishery. Final contribution to Sue Ryder came in at £365.
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