Another Great Barbel Fishing Session on the Kennet Jan 07

These past autumn and winter months have certainly been great for our rivers and still waters, the rain has lifted the water table in the south of England, and aquifers are being topped up. Sadly Thames Water will no doubt lose billions of gallons of water through leakage, still what can we expect of a foreign owned water company. I haven’t seen the rivers looking so good for the past ten years. Let’s hope the mild and wet weather conditions continue. If as the weather forecasters predict comes true, we will need all this extra rain fall. My recent trip too Berkshires River Kennet on the Wasing Fisheries syndicate water with Howard Morton a Sainsbury’s store manager of Leyland Lancashire was one of my best ever session. Not only did I catch a load of barbel, but most importantly I was able to help Howard get two personal best’s a chub of 5-12-0 (see pictures) and a barbel of 9-6-0 I also helped Dave Gomm production manager of Volvo truck and bus Basingstoke centre catch a few fish. It was painful for Dave to walk more than a few yards, so I found a spot which I though he could catch from. He did with a chub of 5-6-0. With Dave going into hospital in the next few days to have an operation I reckon that chub will keep his spirits up.

Kennet was bank high, in fact many of the swims I wanted to fish were under water, with a water temperature of 48 degrees F rising to 50 degrees F and coloured conditions could really be better. Not being able to fish some of my favourite swims, I ventured further downstream where I found some good looking spots in the area of the salmon hut, one swim just upstream of the hut certainly looked good. Pushing my way through willows and brambles I found I could reach the spot I wanted to fish with a simple under hand cast. O caught a few fish from it including two doubles. During my latest trip on the Wasing Fishery I fished a total of eight swims in the two and a half day session catching 37 barbel.

One incident springs to mind, on my last day I was talking with Gary Newman of Anglers Mail when the rod tip moved. Striking, I didn’t feel a thing and continued chatting with Gary. Then I noticed the line move, lifting the rod I found myself attached to a good fish. I said to Gary “Got to go I have a good fish” It turned out to be a double of 11-2-0 on a chunk of bread flake fished on a long tail. Despite the gale force winds, heavy lashing rain at times; this 70 year old, stuck it out. This despite some big trees crashing down in the woods, in fact just before me and Howard arrived on the river, a big tree crashed across the river and footpath, As Will Carter said to me “Thankfully I wasn’t fishing that swim you put me in last week”. My best barbel weighed 12-7-0 (see pictures) in my 37 barbel catch I had 4 doubles bringing my total of doubles to 48.

I used an Avon action 12 foot rod, Richard Carter or a JW Youngs centre pin reel, 10lb BS Gamma line with a size 4 hook, Baits were numerous bread flake 11-2-0 barbel Pallatrax Jungle paste 12-7-0 barbel, sausage meat paste 10-6-0 and 10-3-0 barbel. Other baits used were crust and luncheon meat. Depending on the flow I used between two and six LG shot. On day one where I had just a few hours as I devoted most of my time to helping Howard I had nine barbel, day two I had fifteen barbel and two chub, while day three I caught thirteen barbel. In between fishing I made sure Howard Mortimer, Dave Gomm and Will Carter all had a good day.