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Chris Plumb

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Blog Entries posted by Chris Plumb

  1. Chris Plumb

    19 July

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Newbury
     
    1800 - 2330
     
    Warm. muggy and overcast, 1 heavy-ish shower. 17ºC when I packed up.
     
    2 Barbel; 6lb 10oz, 3lb 14oz.
     
    Very pleasant evening by the river - though not a lot of bites or activity. Some crayfish activity for first hour or so which then stopped - usually a good sign! 6lber at around 2100 and the smaller fish quite literally at the end - was leaning forward to grab the rod to wind in to end the session when it was wrenched from my hands! Both fish on ledgered halibuts.
  2. Chris Plumb

    16/17 July

    By Chris Plumb,

    NAA Stillwater, Widmead
     
    1830 - 0800
     
    Heavy evening showers giving way to clearing skies - feeling quite cool by dawn (12ºC)
     
    3 Tench; 6lb 14oz, 3lb 6oz, 2lb. 3 Bream; 5lb 3oz, 4lb 5oz, 4lb 1oz. 4 Carp biggest 5lb 14oz. 4 roach & 4 perch.
     
    Slow but steady night - quite a lot of activity which didn't translate to bites! Paul had a much quieter session ( he did sleep through most of it!) with just a blank saving bream to show before he packed up at first light! * All carp (and biggest bream) on the feeder, others caught float fishing the margins. Biggest ever tench from this venue.
     
    *Paul has asked me to point out that his half hearted attempts at trying to catch something were due to his ignoring his wife's advice (she's a nurse by the way!) not to go fishing when he wasn't feeling very well. A night on a chilly, damp lake bank is probably not the best cure for a streaming summer cold!
  3. Chris Plumb

    29 June

    By Chris Plumb,

    Summer Pit - CEMEX Yateley
     
    1800 - 2330
     
    Warm and overcast evening - still 18ºC when I packed up. Lovely shirtsleeves evening - though the mossies were a pain!
     
    5 Tench; 4lb 11oz, 4lb 6oz, 3lb 13oz, 3lb 12oz, 3lb 3oz. 1 Crucian 1lb 15oz (and a bit!)
     
    Very pleasant evening's float fishing. Quite a bit of activity and loads of bubbling. 3 Tench and the Crucian caught tight (ie less than 1 metre) to the margins. All fish on meat over pellet. 1st Crucian from here for a couple of years!
  4. Chris Plumb

    23 June (Part1)

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Thatcham
     
    0745 - 1145
     
    Warm & sultry, 22ºC. River at normal summer levels - carrying a tinge of colour.
     
    4 barbel, 5lb 12oz, 4lb 3oz, 3lb 13oz, 1lb 14oz. 3 Chub, 4lb 4oz, 2lb 10oz, 1¼lb, 3 Brownies all small(ish).
     
    Pleasant morning's trotting. All fish from fast shallow water.
  5. Chris Plumb

    19 June

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Newbury
     
    0415 - 0800
     
    Clear and cool - only 7ºC when I arrived.
     
    3 Chub - 2lb9oz, 2lb3oz ,1½lb. 1 Barbel, 3lb 2oz. 4 Perch (1 'pounder' of 1lb 6oz), 16 Dace, 14 Roach, 4 Gudgeon, 2 Brownies & 1 Grayling.
     
    After the frustrations of the opening day, a pre-breakfast visit to an old friend. A nice mixed bag all on trotted maggot - was hoping for some bigger chub but nice to see some 'silvers' showing. Barbel caught on the very last cast of the morning!
  6. Chris Plumb

    14 March

    By Chris Plumb,

    Middle Kennet
     
    0700 - 1630
     
    Bright and sunny - too bright for good sport but a fine spring day so not complaining. AT upto 12.5ºC - warmest day of the year!
     
    3 Chub - 3lb 6oz, 3lb 2oz, 2lb 9oz. 11 Perch - 3 over 1lb, best 1lb 11oz. 28 Dace - only 1 really good-un of 10oz. 1 Roach. 4 Rainbows to 4lb 6oz. 1 Salmon Parr.
     
    Another lovely day spent roaming around. Fish were quite spooky and we never got the chub feeding with abandon. Fished hard in a swim known to contain a HUGE chub - but alas its younger and smaller brethen or trout always got to the bait first. All perch on lobs most others on trotted maggot - though did have a chub on lobs too. Paul had a similar return - more chub than me (6) but fewer dace.
  7. Chris Plumb

    6 February

    By Chris Plumb,

    Kennet & Avon Canal - Thatcham
     
    0700 - 0930
     
    Cool, calm and overcast - with 'milky' sunshine breaking through for last hour. 4ºC. WT a more promising 46ºF, little colour and quite a bit of flow.
     
    2 Perch; 2lb 5oz & a tiddler.
     
    A struggle for bites in seemingly perfect conditions for stripeys - though in retrospect a dusk session may have been better. Both fish fell after 0830 when it was brighter with sun on the water.
  8. Chris Plumb

    30 January

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Lambourn - Newbury
     
    0830 - 1130
     
    Cold, bright & sunny. -2.0º -> 2.0ºC
     
    13 Grayling; 8 over 1lb (!) best 3, 1lb 12oz, 1lb 11oz, 1lb 8oz.
     
    Cracking little session after a slow start. Had planned to go perching on the canal but bottled it when I saw how 'sub-optimal' conditions were. Blanked in first 3 swims I fished - and didn't get more than 2 from any swim. Works look nearly finished - looking good! Biggest grayling from the Lambourn this season.
  9. Chris Plumb

    17 January (Pt 2)

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet, Newbury
     
    1115 - 1245
     
    Still bright and sunny. River pushing through and quite coloured. WT 43ºC
     
    1 Gudgeon!
     
    Tried worming for an hour or so - without a bite - switched to maggots for the last ¼hr to save a blank!!!
  10. Chris Plumb
    River Lambourn - Newbury
     
    1245-1345 & 1400 - 1545
     
    Still Cold!
     
    7 Grayling; (best 3 - 1lb 6oz, 1lb 2oz, 15oz), 3 Roach.
     
    7 (!!) other anglers on Shaw when we arrived so after a grayling or two each, Paul and I moved to somewhere less crowded - with worthwhile results - especially for Paul who ended up with 11 grayling - 5 of which were better than 1lb - bested by a fish of 1lb 8oz. He also had time to winkle out a 12oz roach.
  11. Chris Plumb

    28 December (Part 1)

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Speen Moors
     
    0800 - 1200
     
    Chuffing cold and clear. AT -4ºC when we arrived - and the line was still freezing in the rod rings at 12noon when we packed up. WT a slightly more encouraging 41ºF.
     
    1 Chub; 1¾lb, 1 gudgeon, 1 trout parr.
     
    A day on the river(s) with Paul - had to keep moving to stay warm!!! Paul also managed 3 fish - a chub (smaller than mine) a roach and a dace. Packed up at lunchtime as we decided we'd taget a species that's not fussed by a bit of frost!
  12. Chris Plumb

    19 December

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Lambourn - Shaw
     
    1130 - 1400
     
    Cold, and sunny. -2ºC -> 1ºC. River at normal levels - crystal clear as ever!
     
    13 Grayling: best 2, 1lb 7oz & 1lb 1oz. 1 brown trout parr.
     
    Lovely afternoon in the cold! Fish were quite spooky - never caught more than 2 from any one spot. Experiment with pomergranate seeds a failure - skins are too thin for a good hook hold!
  13. Chris Plumb

    13 December

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Speen Moors
     
    0830 - 1330
     
    Cool and mainly overcast - some 'milky' sunshine at times. AT 3º -> 6ºC. WT 45ºF (7ºC). River just about up to 'normal' levels - carrying a tinge of colour.
     
    9 Perch (in order of capture): 2lb 11oz, tiddler, 2lb 8oz, 2lb 4oz, 2lb 3oz, 2lb 9oz, 2lb 15oz, 1lb 10oz, 2lb 9oz. 1 Pike 5lb 5oz, 1 Brown Trout, 2lb, 5 gudgeon.
     
    Cracking session (nearly 20lb of perch!) after an early morning change of plan due to not reading the match bookings! Had planned to target solely chub - but thankfully put in my lobs at the last minute! Pike and the 2-11 in the first 10 minutes then nothing so I went chub hunting (they've been conspicuous by their absence on this venue so far this season). Returned to the swim at 1130 and the perch had really switched on - had 8 more in little over an hour. All fish to trotted lobs (except the trout and gudgeon - caught on maggot).
  14. Chris Plumb

    6 December

    By Chris Plumb,

    Middle Kennet Estate Water
     
    0830 - 1630
     
    Bright and breezey after heavy morning rain (we sat in the car waiting for it to stop). River coloured up in the morning but was fining down again by the time we packed up. Levels still quite low.
     
     
    9 Chub - all quite small - biggest 2lb 7oz, 1 Perch 1lb 7oz, 13 Roach - best 2, 1lb 6oz & 1lb (just!) - most others around 6-8oz, 3 dozen Dace, ½ doz gudgeon, 2 Brownies - best 3½lb, 2 Rainbows - best 2¾lb.
     
    Pleasant day's trotting (once the rain stopped) spent with Paul. We were both looking for the big chub - and didn't really find them though Paul faired slightly better than me with 3 over 2lb to 3lb, but the fish seemed to be well scattered around the fishery not shoaled up. Got both of my 2 decent roach in the last hour - a very nice way to finish the day!
  15. Chris Plumb

    28 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Lambourn - Shaw
     
    0830 - 1230
     
    Bright and breezey. 2º -> 8ºc. River still low - this wet November's rains haven't percolated through the chalk yet!
     
    22 Grayling - 4 over 1lb, best 1lb 6oz. A dozen brownies - all small.
     
    Pleasant morning's trotting.
  16. Chris Plumb

    15 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    Middle Kennet - Nr Newbury.
     
    0715 - 1630
     
    Bright and sunny. 6º -> 13ºC. River still quite low and carrying a little colour after 3 days of rain.
     
    6 Chub: Biggest 4lb 1oz, 1 Perch 1lb 5oz, 1 doz Rainbows to 4¼lb, 3 Brownies to 2½lb, 3doz dace, 2 doz roach, ½ doz gudgeon and a skimmer bream.
     
    A day spent chub hunting - and trying (unsuccesfully) to avoid the trout. Most fish on trotted maggot - spent the last hour quiver tipping bread flake hoping for a decent roach but all I accounted for was the biggest rainbow of the day - doh!
  17. Chris Plumb

    12 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet Estate Water - Nr Hungerford
     
    0645 - 1615
     
    Bright sunny start, showers then HEAVY rain after 1500. AT 5º -> 11ºC. Water VERY low.
     
    44 Grayling, 18 over 1lb, best 2 - 2lb 0oz, 1lb 14oz, 21 Dace, best 2 - 13oz & 12oz - also weighed another at 10 oz and had quite a few of similar size - unweighed, 5 Rainbow Trout - to 2½lb, 3 Brown Trout - to 2¾lb.
     
    Surprisingly good day given the very low water conditions. Best return of 1lb+ grayling from this venue in a day (by a long chalk). 2nd ever 2lber from the Kennet (1st was back in Feb from the same venue,). All fish on trotted maggot ( white seemed to significantly out-fish reds!)
  18. Chris Plumb

    7 November

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Nr Thatcham
     
    0830 - 1115
     
    Bright and sunny. AT 3º -> 9ºC. River still low & clear though up an inch or so. WT 49ºF.
     
    7 Dace, 4 Brownies to 1½lb.
     
    A morning's trotting - playing hunt the chub - and failing to find any. All dace were a nice size though (6-8oz).
  19. Chris Plumb

    31 October

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet, Nr Newbury.
     
    0700 - 1100
     
    Torrential rain at dawn (I waited for it to clear! ), brigthening up. 15ºC. River low with LOTS of leaf litter - coloured up AND fined down in the time I was there!
     
    7 Chub: 5lb 5oz, 4lb 7oz, 3lb 11oz, 3lb 0oz, 2lb 10oz, 2lb 7oz & a chublet. 1 Barbel 4lb 1oz, 1 Perch c¾lb, 4 doz roach dace & gudgeon in roughly equal nos.
     
    A pleasant morning's trotting (once the rain had stopped). All the big chub & the barbel caught in the last ¾hr.
     
  20. Chris Plumb

    29 October

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Nr Thatcham
     
    1830 - 0100
     
    Calm and mild with high cloud. AT 52ºF, WT 54ºF.
     
    2 Barbel 4lb 15oz, 4lb 3oz.
     
    A very pleasnt evening by the river. Fished with Paul who packed up at 2230 having had 1 fish just under 6lb. My first fish came at 2350 and the 2nd 20 minutes later!
  21. Chris Plumb

    12 October

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Itchen
     
    0830 - 1815
     
    Bright and sunny all day. River VERY low and gin clear!
     
    51 Grayling: 27 over 1lb of which 8 were over 2lb - biggest 2lb 6oz., 4 Chub: 4lb 11oz, 3lb13oz, 3lb5oz, 2lb 6oz, 20+ Brownies to 2½lb.
     
    Lovely day spent trotting the river with Paul - who had a similar return - though he managed to all but avoid the trout. Most fish on maggot - a few to corn - though the brownies seemed to get to the corn first.
  22. Chris Plumb

    26 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    NAA Still Water - Thatcham
     
    0730 - 1030
     
    Clear with a chilly start (5ºC -> 15ºC) Water levels VERY low.
     
    1 Carp; 3lb 2oz
     
    Float fishing maggot on a size 18 to 1½lb bottom - resulting in a solitary bite. Scared 3 cormorants off the water on arrival - so don't suppose that helped!!
  23. Chris Plumb

    20 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    Bucklebury Ponds
     
    1000 - 1200
     
    Overcast - becoming sunny.
     
    8 Perch - all small save one which weighed 1¼lb (!!!) 1 roach.
     
    Short trip to use up some maggot. Surprisingly large perch for this place (Maybe they DO go bigger - Rusty!! )
  24. Chris Plumb

    19 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    River Kennet - Thatcham
     
    0800 - 1130
     
    Bright and sunny. River VERY low, clear and almost bare of rununculus.
     
    2 Barbel: 4lb 14oz, 2lb 6oz, 3 Chub 3lb 11oz, 2lb 14oz & a chublet, 2 trout.
     
    A morning trotting double red maggot.
  25. Chris Plumb

    11/12 September

    By Chris Plumb,

    Pumphouse Lake - CEMEX Yateley
     
    1930 - 0530
     
    Clear and chilly night - temp down to 7ºC at dawn - the thermal one-piece made a rare appearance!!
     
    2 Tench, 3¼lb & 4¼lb
     
    Slow night, no bites until well after midnight - then a mini flurry when I had the 2 tincas - both on ledgered pellet.
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