Kennet and Thames Flooding

[Anderoo]

Another good piece by George Monbiot: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/17/farmers-uk-flood-maize-soil-protection

[wotnobivvy]

Another good piece by George Monbiot: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/17/farmers-uk-flood-maize-soil-protection

 

But will those who make the decisions and pay the money take any heed of it

[Matthew Simmons]

interesting article!

[arbocop]

 

But will those who make the decisions and pay the money take any heed of it

Politicians take heed of nothing but the wishes of their voters. If they didn't, they wouldn't get elected. They manage their media response to make it look like it is the fault of someone or something else, that's the skill of a politician.

 

There are any number of people advising them, there is no shortage of it, but they will swing the way they think the voters want them to go. The current government wants to promote a free market. Therefore it takes risks and hides it.

 

Mike

[Steve Walker]

I nipped over to the Thames near Lechlade today to have a go with my dropshotting rod. River is high but within its banks and running with just a bit of colour. I'm fairly confident I would have caught chub if I had taken my chubbing gear.

 

I hooked and lost one decent feeling fish, which I am going to say was a small pike. Or a chub. Definitely, absolutely not a perch, because if it had been a perch it would be the kind of perch I would be quite upset about losing. I still don't have the right reactions for drop shotting. Sometimes the takes can be so gentle, just a feeling of weight, and I tend to tighten up (like I would spinning) instead of striking hard and setting the hook properly.

 

I had a look at the tackle shop at Lechlade. Last time I looked in here was a couple of weeks back, and he had water in the shop and only a few inches under the windows. Looking better today!

 

 

[Mark Wintle]

I still have this 'itch' to fish the Thames one or two times more before the end of the season. I watch the river levels like a hawk; the ISIS level (OU rowing clubs at Folly Bridge Oxford) is an indication of what is happening; was 16" up but back up to 22". At the end of last week it was dropping day by day but on the up again. I'm hoping that once the rain from yesterday and today has passed through it will drop again and I can get my final fling. Back-end last year I had two blanks - lost one roach - and the year before endured one blank but last day of the season a special day amongst the roach. At present a possibility of fishing it next Sunday but we'll see; I can't see much improvement during this week.

 

My local upper Stour is up and down like a fiddler's elbow; perfect yesterday when I couldn't get out and 6ft up today but that will drop by Thursday. Spot on a week ago and I actually caught roach and chub floatfishing, a first this year on the Stour.

[Anderoo]

It was starting to look slightly promising Mark, just back in its banks and still dropping, but recent rain has pushed it back up and it's still rising again and is back in the fields. There might be a chance before the last day, but it's 50/50 - and even if it's fishable, I don't know how well it would fish. But, you never know.

[arbocop]

I went through Sonning today and couldn't believe how high it was. It's been months now.

 

Mike

[arbocop]

I went through Sonning today and couldn't believe how high it was. It's been months now.

 

I'm getting out this weekend. First time in months. Going to go for the tributaries I think.

 

Mike