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Chris Plumb

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Blog Entries posted by Chris Plumb

  1. Chris Plumb

    2/3 July

    By Chris Plumb,

    3rd Paul Goulbourn Memorial Trophy - Harris Lake - Marsh Farm.
     
    0800 - 0800
     
    Hot, bright and breezy. Breeze never really died down even at night.
     
    19 Tench - biggest 5lb 4oz with nearly all the rest in the 3½-4½lb class. 13 Crucians; 3 over 2lb (just!) - biggest 2lb 3oz. Around half the rest were 'Big 1's' (had 3 @ 1lb 15oz!). 3 Roach, 3 Rudd & 4 Perch.
     
    IAC came out in force to do Pauls' memory proud! Record attendance at this meant £400 being raised for Sue Ryder. Despite challenging conditions quite a few fish caught with the lead (prize goes to biggest crucian caught) changing hands a number of times before Ed snaffled the winning fish (2lb 5oz) close to the 5 o'clock cut off. I struggled for bites for most of the day (except when using maggot) and didn't get my first decent fish until my swim was in shade at around 1800. Once it got dark however the action was frenetic - at least two-thirds of my catch coming between 2200 & 0400 and all caught in 15inches of water right under my rod tip a couple of feet or so from the bank on float fished prawn.
     
    A great day for a great guy - still fondly remembered.
  2. Chris Plumb

    17 June

    By Chris Plumb,

    Warwicks Water
     
    1000 - 1400
     
    Overcast and breezy.
     
    A dozen or so perch.
     
    A quick recce to see how the clubs crucian project is coming along (and I'd heard of crucians and tench being caught!). Alas if the micro-perch didn't nail the bait the crayfish did - the lake bed is covered in the critters - I dropped a piece of meat at my feet to see the mayhem that ensued!!! Can't see how the fish get a look-in!
  3. Chris Plumb

    16 June 2018

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet
     
    0400 - 0830 Thatcham
    0915 - 1300 Newbury
     
    Overcast start with some light drizzle - river very full for the time of year and quite coloured (boat traffic)
     
    Thatcham - 1 chub 2¼lb, 6 dace, 1 roach, 1 Grayling and 4 Brownies to 2lb+
    Newbury - 15+ dace, 2 grayling - both over 1lb!! & a couple more troot.
     
    Wasn't going to continue this blog until somone unexpectedly asked if I was continuing and as I said yes I better put something up!!! Very pleasant start to the season roving a couple of favourite venues - hoping to pick up a few more chub - though the big grayling were a bonus!
     
     
     
  4. Chris Plumb

    14 March

    By Chris Plumb,

    Middle Kennet Estate Water - Kintbury.
     
    0700 - 1800 (!)
     
    Mainly overcast though mild with a strong southerly breeze. River 'full' with a little colour - in great winter nick.
     
    25 Chub(!): Apart from 4 X1lb class fish which turned up in my various 'dace' swims at first and last knockings, all 3lb class fish. 3 over 4lb @ 4lb 14oz, 4lb 6oz & 4lb 1oz. 6 Dace - one decent fish of 10oz. 4 Roach - including one @ 12oz. 1 Gudgeon (possibly my first ever from here!). A dozen brownies to 3lb.
     
    End of season chub fest - part 2! A very blowy day in West Berkshire! All bigger chub on trotted red corn - got through 3 tins of the stuff - and ran out by mid-afternoon! - All lovely brassy fish - though at times the fishing was of Mr Castwell proportions (yet another 3lb chub!). Was hoping to find some big dace and having a pound chub show up got the heart racing at first until I saw it. What dace I did catch had clearly just spawned. Tried half -heartedly for perch - but visited that particular swim to pay my respects to Paul - who's ashes were buried nearby.....
  5. Chris Plumb

    13 March

    By Chris Plumb,

    Kennet Carrier (& main river!) Marsh Benham
     
    0700 - 1600
     
    Mild and becalmed. River quite high up nearly a foot on my last visit in Jan.
     
    14 Chub; 11 over 1lb - best 3lb 12oz, 30+Roach, 6 Dace, a dozen + Brownies to 3lb.
     
    End of season bash part 1!! Again invited Rusty to join me on my syndicate bit of river - and he actually caught some chub this time! Also got to meet some other members - first time I've met another angler here!
  6. Chris Plumb

    11 March

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Brimpton
     
    0730 - 1000
     
    Bright and sunny after a foggy start - mild. River quite full with a bit of colour - in lovely winter 'nick'.
     
    3 Chub; 4lb 2oz, 3lb 14oz, 3lb 5oz. 1 Brownie.
     
    Breakfast on the river for some fine winter's chub then home to cook the Sunday roast for Mother's Day.
  7. Chris Plumb

    4 March

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Lambourn - Newbury
     
    0700 - 1100
     
    Mild and Overcast. 8ºC. River quite 'full' and up a good couple of inches.
     
    25 Grayling; Biggest 1lb 12oz with a lot of fish an ounce or two ±1lb. 2X 2lb+ Brownies !
     
    Default cure for cabin fever after all the snow and ice. Big grayling first fish of the day and biggest lady from the Lambourn in over 5 years (since Dec 2012) - a dark fish that was almost completely jet black - as the big old ladies often are!
     
  8. Chris Plumb

    24 February

    By Chris Plumb,

    Northcroft Stream & River Lambourn, Shaw.
     
    0700 - 0815
    &
    0830 - 1130
     
    Cold, and sunny. -3ºC -> +3ºC
     
    2 Dace & a 2½lb brownie from Northcroft.
     
    20 Grayling (biggest 20oz) and 3 small brownies from Shaw.
     
    A chilly morning's trotting. Started by trying to coax a chub or 2 from Northcroft - but quickly realised they weren't to be tempted. So it was off to Shaw for some easy grayling. Venue was rather busy with 7 other anglesr!!!
  9. Chris Plumb

    17 February

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Speen Moors
     
    0700 - 1300
     
    Cool, bright and sunny after a frosty start. River full and clear.
     
    2 Trout - both over 2lb.
     
    A real struggle of a day despite the river looking in good nick. Walked miles to fish all my usual 'banker' swims and hardly had a bite - and when the float did go under it was a pesky trout responsible!
  10. Chris Plumb

    4 February

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Brimpton
     
    0800 - 1100
     
    Cold and bright after a cloudy start. AT around 1ºC but felt MUCH colder in a biting NE wind - should think the wind chill was sub zero! . River 'full' and quite clear.
     
    2 Chub 3lb 7oz & 2lb 8oz. I Brownie of 2lb.
     
    Chilly morning after the chub - and bites were at a premium - so very happy to winkle a couple out! Fished 3 swims and had both chub from the last one visited.
  11. Chris Plumb

    19 January

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Thatcham
     
    1500 - 1700
     
    Cool and sunny AT around 4ºC. River quite full with most colour dropped out.
     
    2 Doz dace - with over half in the 8-10oz range !! 2 Brownies to circa 1lb.
     
    With a really crappy weather forecast for Saturday AND Sunday - bunking off work early and snatching a couple of hours on the river was the order of the day - though I didn't expect to still be able to see a float at 5pm - spring is just around the corner (maybe!). Was hoping for a chub or 2 but there was a tree down in one of my banker swims and the other one produced nothing. A clutch of really chunky dace was more than adequate compensation however!
  12. Chris Plumb

    6 January

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Lambourn - Newbury
     
    0800 - 1400.
     
    Cold and mainly cloudy. -1º -> 4ºC. River clear ( as always) and much lower than expected given we've had over 60mm of rain in the past fortnight.
     
    50+ Grayling with around half over 12oz and a good few 'pounders'. Biggest 1lb 10oz. 1 Dace, 2 Brownies - a 2lber and a tiddler.
     
    Cracking session - had planned a 2 venue day - a couple of hours here then a switch to the Kennet - but it took me 6 hours to work my way down the stretch such was the sport! Biggest grayling was first cast - and my best from here for a few years (since Nov 14 - now that I've checked!).
  13. Chris Plumb

    2 January 2018

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Brimpton
     
    1200 - 1545
     
    Mild (10ºC) and overcast with drizzly rain for first hour or so. River up a touch and carrying a bit of colour.
     
    5 Chub; 4lb 12oz. 4lb 10oz, 4lb 6oz, 3lb 14oz, 3lb 3oz.
     
    Cracking afternoon's chubbing and a very satisfactory start to 2018. All fish in lovely winter condition and a superb average size ( 5 fish for over 20lb) though in truth I was hoping to re-acquainted myself with one (or both!) of the 5lbers I had from here back in the summer! Fished 3 swims in rotation - had fish from all of them - with 2 coming after swim's being rested.
  14. Chris Plumb

    28 December

    By Chris Plumb,

    Kennet Carrier (& main river!) Marsh Benham
     
    0900 - 1600
     
    Cold and sunny with snow on the ground from yesterday max temp 4ºC (briefly!). River up a couple of inches on last visit here (Nov) and carrying a little colour.
     
    7 Chub: 4lb 5oz, 3lb 6ox, 2lb 11oz, 2lb 8oz, 2lb 0oz and 2 sub 1lbers. A dozen+ dace to 10oz, 4 dozen+ roach - most hand sized or bigger! 4 Brownies and a rainbow - all 2-3lb.
     
    Chubbing in the snow - loverly! This venue really comes into its own in the winter months and it didn't disappoint! Most chub in the first hour - then spent most of the day trying to find some bigger (ie 1lb+) roach and whilst they came thick and fast with a LOT of fish in the 6-8 oz class I only caught one which warranted the scales but that was still 3oz shy of a pound. Cracking sport none the less.
  15. Chris Plumb

    26 December

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Newbury
     
    0930 - 1245
     
    Cool (3ºC) and bright. River still quite low despite yesterday's rain.
     
    1 Chub c 1½lb, 14 Dace, 3 Roach, 3 Grayling & 5 Brownies - 3 of which ere over 1lb.
     
    Quick sesh while Jaq hit the sales! Hoping for a few more ( and bigger) chub but their usual haunts seemed to have been taken over by trout!
  16. Chris Plumb

    22 December

    By Chris Plumb,

    Kennet & Avon Canal - Woolhampton
     
    1000 - 1600
     
    Mild, overcast and calm - a benign winter's day. AT around 10ºC all day. Canal VERY low - around 18 inches below what it should be - over-wintering barges had slipped their anchorages - clearly someone's left a sluice open somewhere!
     
    A dozen perch to 1¼lb (though most nowhere near that size!). 2 Chub; 2lb 9oz & a chublet.
     
    Slow day - not helped by the low water and the only barge of the day coming through at 1515 just as bites were starting to get prolific!! (By the time the swim had settled down there was only 10 mins of day light left - still time enough for my biggest stripey of the day!)
  17. Chris Plumb

    16 December

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Lambourn - Shaw
     
    0900 - 1300
     
    Frosty, bright start - clouding over. River low - 13cm on the EA Shaw gauge.
     
    18 Grayling to just over 1lb - half were in the 10oz+ bracket the rest considerably smaller! 6 Brownies to 1½lb.
     
    A morning's trotting - usual catch a couple and move tactics.
  18. Chris Plumb

    19 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Frome - Wool
     
    0745 - 1345
     
    Cool and quite bright for most of the day. River at normal levels - 0.72cm at E Stoke.
     
    9 Grayling; 7 over 1lb to 1lb 10oz. 2 Brownies to circa 1lb. 1 Salmon Parr.
     
    Started with a bit of a grueller - no fish of note at all for the first 3 hours. Moved to some swims I'd never fished before at the venue and thankfully found a few ladies - nothing approaching 2lb alas - but quite a few in the 20oz class.
  19. Chris Plumb

    12 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Brimpton
     
    0730 - 1230
     
    Cool, bright and breezy after a showery start. River low despite recent rains.
     
    2 Chub: 5lb 1oz, 4lb 0oz. A dozen brownies to 2½lb. 1 bleak!
     
    Lovely brace of chub caught from the same swim (the 2nd and bigger fish after resting it for 90 mins). Trout were a bit of a pain!
  20. Chris Plumb

    29 October

    By Chris Plumb,

    Kennet Carrier - Marsh Benham
     
    1000 - 1400
     
    Bright and sunny. River very low.
     
    6 Chub; 2½lb, 1¼lb and 4 chublets. 4 Dozen roach - all hand sized or better! 8 Dace, 4 Bleak and a couple of 2lb brownies.
     
    Started by stalking chub - freelining lumps of meat into various holes - usually had just one go at each before spooking the fish - and of course it was usually the smallest of the shoal that snaffled the meat first (or a trout)- still twas good fun! Then it was bite a chuck on maggot - saw some really decent roach - but none visited the net!
  21. Chris Plumb

    12 October

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Newbury
     
    1730 - 2200
     
    Mild/warm evening 14ºC. River very low.
     
    2 Chub; 2lb 13oz & 1lb 10oz, 9 Dace and a Brownie of around 1lb.
     
    Still no barbel - but I did at least get a couple of chub this time. Yet again had an otter visit my swim!
  22. Chris Plumb

    30 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Speen Moors
     
    0700 - 1300. Overcast but quite mild. River low.
     
    4 Chub - all between ¾ - 1¼lb. 5 Roach - all small apart from one cracking looking fish of 12oz, 6 Gudgeon & a 1½lb brownie.
     
    A morning spent doing nearly as much walking as fishing (covered 5.5km according to my pedometer!) Started out after perch in some favoured swims of old - but not so much as a bite (not even from a crayfish) - so it was then a hunt for some chub - eventually achieved in the last hour or so. And whilst I was hoping for something a little bigger is is always nice to see some smaller fish in the river to come through in the next few seasons...
     
     
  23. Chris Plumb

    28 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Nr Thatcham
     
    1800 - 2200
     
    Cool and overcast - river up a tiny bit after recent rain and full of leaf litter.
     
    4 Dace, 1 Roach & 2 Brownies
     
    Another barbel blank (preceded by the usual 30 mins or so trotting!), didn't even have any crayfish worrying the baits. Had planned to stay longer - but 3 sightings of an otter in my swim - didn't exactly fill me with confidence!
     
  24. Chris Plumb

    23 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    K&A Canal - Thatcham
     
    0700 - 1000
     
    Warm, overcast and still - perfect perching conditions - shame no one told the fish!
     
    2 perch; both 12oz(ish)
     
    Slow morning in a favourite swim of old. Next perching trips will be exploring waters new!
  25. Chris Plumb

    21 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    Alders
     
    1800 - 2200
     
    Cool clear evening - temps down to 9ºC but felt much cooler with a very heavy dew.
     
    1 Bream - 1½lb.
     
    Last evening of the summer - and it was a slow one with the only bite resulting in a blank saving skimmer just as it got properly dark.
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