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I joined the NAA last October (many thanks for the help Chris P) & probably had about a dozen sessions at Brimpton, the Arrowhead & Colthrop. Apart from a couple of small chub from the Aldershot stream (which at the time I had mistaken for the Kennet!!), all I caught from the Kennet was a jack pike & a 5lb 3oz chub. I am hoping things will improve this season, at least during the warmer months.

 

As there seem to be a fair few posters on this site with local knowledge, can anybody tell me who controls the small stretch of Kennet on the right bank (facing upstream) from where the Kennet flows into the NAA stretch of the K&A canal above Widmead lock, to the gate with the CSAS sign on it?

 

I am going to join the TAA this year, so can anyone confirm if you can now park at Lodge(?) farm when fishing the TAA water at Padworth. The TAA website indicates that this is the case & it would be good if this were true, as I have heard a few stories of car tyres being slashed in Padworth lane.

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Yes, that's Calpac, but I think you must mean the LEFT bank facing upstream. The right bank facing upstream is CSAS all the way from Bulls lock up to Ham Bridge.

 

I looked into it a few years ago, and thought of joining Calpac or CSAS, as it looked so good and NAA didn't have so many stretches of Kennet then. Then NAA arranged an exchange permit scheme with CSAS which still applies, so there was no need.

 

Like you, I fished the Arrowhead a few times last year trying for roach, as I heard it rumoured there were some good ones there. It was a fatal mistake, as I'm never any good at catching roach.

 

I lost a couple of carp, and was also smashed by 2 big chub which jumped out of the water onto the line. They'd obviously read Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing! That's never happened to me in my life before, and I found it amazing that it should happen twice on different parts of that water within about a week.

john clarke

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Thanks for the replies. I was talking about the right bank facing upstream, so it appears that this is CSAS water (despite there being no signs to this effect). It looks like an interesting little stretch & I will certainly make use of the NAA card swapping scheme this year. From what I can tell from the CSAS website, they have about 3.5 miles of Kennet upstream from the stretch I have been looking at. I would imagine that most of this water is pretty urbanised (at least for me, being used to fishing the Teme). Are there any “country” stretches worth a try for barbel?

 

John

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I wonder if we're talking at cross purposes? As I understand it the CSAS 3.5 mile stretch is as follows:

 

a) Starting from Ham Bridge, going downstream, both banks till it joins the canal just below Bulls Lock, apart from a short stretch of the right bank just above Bulls Lock which belongs to CALPAC. This is a lovely stretch. It's near the town, but you wouldn't know it. I don't know how well it's been fishing, though. Most of the barbel anglers seem willing to wait a long time! Having said that, someone once told me it was easy to catch lots of small barbel in the faster shallow water near Ham Bridge early in the season - though I've never tried this. I've mainly fished for small stuff.

 

B) The right bank only of the canalised stretch from just below Bulls lock to just above Widmead Lock. The left bank belongs to NAA.

 

c) A further stretch which pulls away to the right of the canal below Widmead Lock. I'm not sure if this is just the right bank. This is not available on the NAA exchange permit.

john clarke

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John,

 

Thanks for the response, we are not at cross purposes & you have cleared up who controls the small stretch I initially asked about. Until you said in you last post, I had not realised that the CSAS controlled the non tow path bank of the canalised section of the Kennet between Bulls & Widmead. I had been thinking of fishing the NAA side this winter, but was not keen on contending with dog walkers, cyclists etc. If I can fish the other bank via the card swap, this would be great. Do you know if the card swap allows NAA members to use the CSA car park?

 

Is the stretch below Widmead not available on the card swap because it is not CSAS water, or can NAA members only fish certain CSAS stretches? I take it that the CSAS waters stretch for 3.5miles upstream of Widmead, or have I got this wrong?

 

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I am new to the area & there is a lack of information about the card swap in the NAA literature & the CSAS website is a bit vague about their boundaries.

 

Regards,

 

John

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I assume the 3.5 miles applies to the whole CSAS stretch. The bit of river below Widmead does belong to CSAS. I don't know why we can't fish it on the exchange scheme (assuming nothing's changed in the last year). I guess it's just that CSAS didn't want too many anglers fishing there.

 

Don't hesitate to ask any queries from me or others. I don't claim to be an expert, but I've been here 10 years now, and others know more than me.

john clarke

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Now I'm confused?? I always thought that below Widmead AKA Chamberhouse Farm was now controlled by Red Spinners - or are we talking about a bit of water between these two???

 

 

Chris

"Study to be quiet." ><((º> My Blog

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I don't think there's a contradiction. By 'below Widmead' I mean the piece of river immediately below the point where the river pulls away from the canal just above Widmead Lock. But I can't remember how far this stretch belonging to CSAS is. At a guess it's half a mile, and presumably the Chamberhouse stretch is the next stretch downstream.

 

I rang up someone from CSAS a few years ago to see if there was any chance of joining, and I do remember he said there were some big grayling and chub in this stretch, Chris. He said it was quite clear, and you could see the fish, sometimes - though I'm ashamed to say I've never bothered to have a look. Shame it's not available on the exchange ticket.

 

The only slight puzzle to me is the CSAS claim to 3.5 miles on the Hambridge fishery. I can only think they add up the 2 banks.

john clarke

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