A View from the Water's Edge

[Chris Plumb]

A Change of Plan

 

21/2/04 0645 - 1215

 

I had planned to go barbelling today. I'd been in the tackle shop on Tuesday and reports were good. However the end of the week saw temperatures plummet so I was off to check out another rumour!

Over breakfast on Monday, Mervyn mentioned that one of our local waters was producing some good grayling including, if reports were to be believed, a fish of 3lb+! My ears pricked up - 3LB! (My PB has been 'stuck at 2lb 15oz for the last 3 seasons!) I have to say, though, I didn't believe it! I've fished the beat regularly and fish half that size is a good grayling from here. I've never caught a 2lber from the venue let alone 3.

Still there's nothing better on a cold still winter's morning than going grayling fishing. If your warmly clad ( a good hat is essential) it's an invigorating feeling to be out in the cold, crisp air. And as I stood by the bank wreathed in the mist of my own breath I could see fish dimpling the surface though what they were rising to was a complete mystery.

I made an inauspicious start. I bumped fish on my first 4 trots and the swim went quiet. I was also struggling with frozen rod rings. I changed to a size bigger hook and made no mistake in the next swim I tried.I was soon slipping the net under a plump fish of a pound. The rest of the morning was simply outstanding - I managed some 40 grayling of which 28 were between 10 - 14inches long (I'm still taking part in the 5 year national grayling survey!). No sign of a 3lber but my best return from this water my a country mile! With fish of this stamp around this year it bodes well for the next couple of winters when hopefully they'll grow on - may be it will throw up a 3lber after all!

 

 

Chris

[Chris Plumb]

Wot No Grayling!!!

3rd Anglers Net Members Club Fish-in Barton Court

5/3/04 0700 - 1800

 

Umm this was a little embarrassing! This was the third fish-in I've organised for ANMC members - the first two, on the Kennet and Test were really 'badged' as Grayling Fish-ins and everyone who came to them managed to bag at least one grayling. For my third fish-in I wanted to pick a fishery with a more mixed stock of fish but one which also held grayling. Barton Court seemed to fit the bill perfectly - it holds some monster roach (more about them in a minute!), some good perch and bream, and Paul and I both had 8 or 9 grayling each when we last fished it in October!

 

So the place was booked and members quickly signed up - even Elton said he would come! For two or three the promise of a first grayling got them out of their beds at an early hour for the drive to the Kennet. Paul and I arrived at first light and as we pulled into the Estate stopped the car to witness an incerdibly sight. Hares, at least a dozen of them lolloping and chasing each other. (Well it IS March!) I've never seen so many in such a confined space and they seemed pretty unconcerned by our presence.

 

We quickly tackled up and Paul made off to his first swim. I stayed at the car park fishing a little plunge pool in order to play 'the genial host' as anglers arrived. While waiting I quickly bumped a fish at the tail of the weir - almost certainly a trout and then a few minutes later I landed a fish - a grayling too, of about 10inches. It seemed a good omen at the time but wouldn't be so!

 

Folks started to arrive and I moved up to the pool proper. I'd been told of big perch and I dropped my worm baited float right by the sill. Elton arrived and went for a stroll round the fishery - so missing my first bite in the weir - a perch of 1lb 12oz. On returning for a chat however he was witness to me capturing a crayfish! and another decent perch. An eneregtic and particularly stupid rainbow of around 5-6lb was next up - it snaffled my bait twice in two casts but got off both times!

 

With everyone arrived I went for a wander. Early reports on the grayling front weren't encouraging - in fact apart from a few trout - little else was coming from the 'grayling' swims I'd pointed out! To cut a long story short I think only 3 ladies were caught all day - and I had two of them! I managed a splendid specimen of 1½lb from the very bottom of the fishery in the afternoon. Paul had the other one I know about.

 

So no grayling - sorry chaps! Perch however were in evidence with a fair few caught in the 1½-2lb bracket. Elton had one of 1¾lb whilst Paul trumped the lot of us with a fish of 2lb 10oz a new PB and one that I was privileged to net for him. The fish was real pot bellied specimen - more the shape of a mirror carp than a perch!

 

Paul then spent the afternoon chasing preds and ended the day with 5 pike - the best a 12lber.

 

I said early that Barton Court was famous for its roach, something none of us who fished there yesterday are now in any doubt about!!! - We all saw them, HUGE roach, many of them 'taking station' under the old stone bridge in the middle of the fishery. You could see them sipping in maggots too. But would they sip one in with a hook - what do you think! I think we all tried for these roach at some stage of the day. Some of us caught a few of the shoal's junior member's (my best was an ounce or two shy of a pound) but the old grandfather roach have obviously seen it all before and stayed decidely 'uncaught'!

 

I decided to have one last go for them at dusk. By 1730 most anglers had left and I had half an hour of daylight left. With the light fading fast and me squinting to see my float I connected with a lump. A solid thumping fight had be fraught with anticipation - I'd hooked one of the biggies. I musn't lose it. I was also fearful as I got it near the bank of one of the pike making a strike for it. Neither of these things happened. What did happen though is that my wonderful roach turned out to be a bream! A bream which fought like no bream I've ever caught before!!!

 

So as usual Paul and I we last to leave. The weather had been kind and I 'think' all had an enjoyable day despite the fickleness of the Ladies of the Stream!

 

 

Chris

[Leon Roskilly]

Chris Plumb:

Paul and I arrived at first light and as we pulled into the Estate stopped the car to witness an incerdibly sight. Hares, at least a dozen of them lolloping and chasing each other. (Well it IS March!) I've never seen so many in such a confined space and they seemed pretty unconcerned by our presence.

In the grounds of the 'house' there is a herd of lifesize reddish plastic (looks like plastic!) deer.

 

As I left in the already fading light, and drove along the track running past the garden, I caught the outline of a deer in amongst the trees.

 

Uh! Plastic deer in the spinney?

 

I stopped for a better look, and the dew-eyed animal, just a few feet from it's artificial companions stared back. It was real!

 

(I wonder if it had been fooled by the plastic ones, and joined the herd?)

 

Just a couple of feet in front of it stood a large female pheasant.

 

A great shot for the digital, but the fence spoiled it and as I tried to position the car for a shot, it decided to disappear back into the woods, bobbing it's tail in farewell.

 

Still, I have that picture in my mind, just a shame I can't share it

 

Tight Lines - leon

[markward]

Chris if you want a bit more action on the grayling front l thought you would be 'itching' to get down to the bit of river we ahve discussed before??

 

I know the surroundings are not as pleasant as Barton Court but for a tenner cheaper, and a greater chance of a decent grayling, l certainly can live with it.

[Chris Plumb]

Mark - that 'itch' has been scratched a couple of times this winter.

 

 

Chris

[The Flying Tench]

Chris, I tried for the big roach under the bridge at Barton Court in January, and had a similar experience. I'm glad it wasn't just me! I met a guy who'd fished the swim many times who said it was much easier a couple of years ago - how many times I've been told that!

[markward]

The bad thing is that l even used a pound 'lady' as a livebait this winter. Later in the day winkled out five roach and the usual trout. Who said pike fishing was easy??

[Chris Plumb]

Mid-winter Madness

 

The Wilderness - Kintbury

12/3/04 0900 - 1800

 

It may have been mid-March but the weather belonged to much earlier in the year. I know one shouldn’t expect perfect weather in early spring - but 3in of snow certainly wasn’t what the angler ordered!

For the last 3 seasons I’ve had an invite to fish The Wilderness - a fabled Kennet estate water - famous for featuring in A Passion for Angling. This was the first year that I’d been able to make the date (partly because it was the one we’d suggested to Mervyn!) However, when Paul called to collect me at first light our sanity was seriously been called into question. Heavy overnight snow had turned the roads to slush and made prospects grim for fishing.

To add to the dash of madness we were actually setting off a couple of hours earlier than we needed too! We were due to meet up with the bailiff at 0830 but in order to avoid the rush hour had agreed a dawn rendezvous. Now of course - given the treacherous roads and freezing conditions the sensible thing to do would have been to ensconce our-self’s in the nearest café for some brekkie. Common sense, however, is not held in great abundance when it comes to Paul and me’s angling and we thought we’d squeeze an hour at Speen before meeting up for the main event.

In retrospect it was a smart move - Paul had a dozen small fish whilst I had a brace of nice chub. Despite the snow-melt fish could still be caught. The early start may have chilled our fingers but it raised out confidence for the day ahead.

The Wilderness is a huge estate. We’d agreed that we would restrict ourselves to half of it in order that we wouldn’t spend more time walking than angling. Even so the amount of water to choose from was paralysing! Paul and I set off in opposite directions and we both started the day with a grayling. However when we met up some 3 hours later I’d added just 3 dace to this whilst Paul’s haul was well into double figures. The fishing was proving to be a struggle for most. Paul however had found a shoal of dace where two carriers joined - and he kindly invited me to poach his swim!

After lunch we both set off downstream on the main river. I could only catch trout - but the highlight of the afternoon was witnessing a 7lb chub which a fellow angler had caught - AWESOME.

Still the angling had been fairly mediocre - the snow melt had put the fish off. For the last hour we headed for a famous ‘Perch Hole’. The spot has produced Perch to 3½lbs (so we were told) but I number of anglers (including me) had fished it during the day without success. Paul trotted his maggot through it and caught a 2lb 13oz fish first cast!!! A new PB for him (beating his perch from Barton Court the previous Friday!) I won’t repeat what I said to him! Still it wasn’t long for my turn. Using slightly more conventional baits (I was stret-pegging a lob worm) I bumped a fish and then had one of 2lb 11oz - my best of the season. It was then Paul’s turn to lose one before he winkled out his second, another 2lb fish - lighter than his first by 12oz. This last hour was definitely the icing on the cake and whetted our appetites for a return trip next season.

 

 

So that’s it till June for me - I’m a firm believer in the Close Season and won’t be wetting a line until June (unless I actually make Paul’s sea trip this year!). Thanks to those who have sent me kind words of encouragement for this thread. I’ve enjoyed sharing my season with you. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about it.

 

Oh - and Sam scored twice in a 3-1 win!!!!

 

 

Chris

 

[ 15. March 2004, 06:45 PM: Message edited by: Chris Plumb ]

[Chris Plumb]

Umm - don't know why the piccies haven't come out, any way they can be seen here and here .

 

 

Chris

[The Flying Tench]

Chris, are you going to give us some excerpts for this season? I was certainly looking forward to them, though admittedly I'm biassed being local. Will understand if it's too time consuming, but if you were waiting to check demand, I'm a 'yes' - even if you can't manage it every week. Hope the fishing's going well.