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Autumn River Campaign


Chris Plumb

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For years the 1st Oct has been a significant date in my angling calendar - almost as important as 16th June. I usually look forward to the autumn with some anticpation - especially after the indifferent summer on still waters that I've just had. This year that enthusiasm has been tempered by the lack of rainfall we have had since July - leaving my local Kennet looking almost skeletal in places.

 

So it was more in hope than expectation that Paul and I arrived at 2 of our usual perch hotspots an hour before sunrise yesterday morning. It's not an exaggeration to say that levels were a foot down on normal summer levels. Our chosen swims still looked 'perchy' in the gloom however and I said to Paul we'd find out in the first 20 minutes of fishing if they held any fish. Prophetic words. Almost 1st cast Paul was bitten off by a goodish pike and shortly after I had my 1st bite. My float not so much went under as stopped in the gentle current - crayfish I thought. However as I went to retrieve my worm the float shot off and I was into a good perch....see below.

 

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A bit of a manky specimen but at 2lb 13oz a good start!!

 

My next bite was a dreaded Signal and with light levels rising my float shot under again - this was no perch though. Pike love lobs - and this was a jack a few ounces under 6lb which I was VERY fortunate to land - given where the hook hold was.

 

Paul had landed a few small perch from his swim but after an hour and a half it was time to move on.

 

Just upstream of these perch swims is a favoured chub swim. I've caught 2, 6lbers from the peg in the past and I thought I'd ask a few question of it with my float fishrd lobs. I didn't have to wait long for an answer. Second or third trot through the float buried and a fish shot off under the trailing willow branches. Steering it out into the main current I fully expected to see a nice chub pop to the surface. I was in for a very pleasant surprise...

 

 

post-459-1254644385_thumb.jpg

 

My nice chub had turned into a VERY nice perch of 3lb 6oz.

 

Paul continued to get bothered by pike where-ever he fished - though he did manage to bank a couple; a fish of 8¼ and another considerably smaller.

 

By now I'd switched to maggot and continued to catch perch from my 'chub' swim - nothing as spectacular as my opening fish but a fair few in the ¾-1¼lb bracket. I also had a smattering of other species and quite a few gudgeon - about the only species I didn't catch was a chub!

Paul went off prospecting - and making the most of the low water found a swim with a long smooth glide which threw up some nice dace to 8oz.

 

All in all a great start to the autumn. :D

"Study to be quiet." ><((º> My Blog

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Excellent Chris, what a great start! Congratulations on the perch, a 3lb+ fish first time out sets quite a benchmark :)

 

(I was hoping to start a topic like this yesterday evening, but my latest Thames session, although great fun, again failed to find the giants...)

 

Maybe I should get up as early as you!

Edited by Anderoo

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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Excellent Chris, what a great start! Congratulations on the perch, a 3lb+ fish first time out sets quite a benchmark :)

 

I know - it's set the bar rather high - and is only 3oz shy of my PB - will probably turn out to be my biggest of the season! :rolleyes:

 

 

C.

"Study to be quiet." ><((º> My Blog

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I know - it's set the bar rather high - and is only 3oz shy of my PB - will probably turn out to be my biggest of the season! :rolleyes:

 

 

C.

 

:D The same thing happened to me in August, against all the odds - 2oz off my PB and almost certainly the biggest one I'll get this season, and maybe the next few...!

 

A photo of a lovely big autumn perch has brightened up my morning though :) It did feel really perchy yesterday. For the first time this season I found myself wishing I had a flask of hot tea.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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Well done on a good start!

 

:offtopic: We were cruising on a narrowboat on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal yesterday, when I saw someone land a perch which must surely have been going on for 2 lbs - certainly it was by far the largest I've seen for a while.

 

However, he seemed to be having some problems. as he was making no attempt to unhook it? He was just sort of dangling it in the water. I assumed that he was waiting for us to go past....then I spotted the huge float lying at his side and realised that he was actually using it as livebait!

 

Janet

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Well done Chris, a fantastic start to your season. If you get arm ache through landing too many of those monsters just let me know, I've got some great tips for catching much smaller fish.

It's never a 'six', let's put it back

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Looks like plenty of rain mid-week (finally!) and then a dry weekend...I know what I'll be doing on Sat and Sun :)

 

Well I hope we get a bit more than the 2mm that fell today!

 

 

C.

"Study to be quiet." ><((º> My Blog

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