A Great Few Days on the Kennet Feb 07

These days I travel the M6 M5 AND M4 so often to fish the Wasing fishery on the Kennet, I have got to know all the black spots, the places for good coffee and the road works. It’s a 500 mile round trip but worth every minute of the journey, even when it’s a ten hour horror ride. Being 70 and a pensioner, I can choose to go fishing at a moments notice, providing my health is OK.

Since my last trip the weather had been cold and frosty for several days, I concentrated all my efforts on the garden, doing habitat work and mink trapping, with an occasional session on the Ribble or Aire. After watching Sunday’s weekly weather forecast where a mild spell of weather was promised. It was time to get back to Wasing fishery and chase those Kennet chub and barbel. I was lucky in having young Will Carter who lives close to the river who called me each day with the latest flow rate and water temperature. With a water temperature hovering around 45 degrees conditions looked promising. Come Thursday it was time to head south.

I suppose it was around 5 o'clock in the afternoon when I pulled into an empty Wasing fishery car park for a short session. Having put the kettle on I tackled up two rods both with centre pin reels, one with 6lb line the other with 10lb line. Hook sizes were 4’s, my rods were 12 foot Avon with the 10lb line. The other rod was my favourite Chevin with 6lb line. Weight was either two or three LG shot, though sometimes it would be five or six. Checking the water temperature I got a reading of 47 degrees F. I was more than happy. Finishing my tea I headed off up river to the Big Alder swim which I had fished with success in the past. My baits were sausage meat paste on one rod, crust on the other rod. In the three hour session I caught seven barbel best at 11-14-0.

Chub Fishing At Its Best

The next day dawned mild and cloudy, I suppose it was after eleven when I arrived on the Wasing fishery, having spent several hours visiting the various beats on the Kennet and Enborne to check permits and conditions.
The river looked perfect for chub; it was going to be a roving day on the Warren and Dalston beats, moving quickly from one spot to another. Most times if a chub is at home the fish will usually grab the bait in minutes. I was going to be a hunter, not a trapper, where one sits in a swim hoping the chub will move in and feed. My plan was to chuck baits into every likely looking spot. Centre pin reel, 6lb Gamma line with a size 4 hook and an 11 foot Avon action rod was the tackle set up. My shoulder bag contained bread, cheese paste, Pallatrax Jungle, sausage meat, Cotswolds monster crab and luncheon meat paste. As usual I chose to use LG shot lightly pinched on the line, when fishing crust it would be a 4 inch link, with paste baits I would use a fifteen inch tail.

In some fishing spots, it would be one or two LG’s other places I might need four or five LG. It was one of those great fishing days we dream of I had 14 chub and 1 barbel seven chub over 5lbs and 2 over 6lbs 6-2-0 and 6-7-0 I couldn't quite beat my best Kennet chub but I wasn't going to complain. Having probably walked some four or five miles during the day, I didn't fish into the dark hours I was shattered. It was time for an early night.

On Saturday I had a young lad Sam Probert and his Dad on the river for a few hours where young Sam had a PB chub of 4-12-0, he certainly missed 2 barbel bites. I always enjoy helping another angler young or old to catch a personal best fish. During the day I was able to explain why some swims were better than others, I also made sure he had enough knowledge to visit a river in future with a chance of catching. It’s not the latest gear or bait, but knowledge of water craft that makes the difference. Young Sam had the latest rod which in my opinion was far too stiff. Thankfully Craig his dad had his own thirty year old glass rod with a nice soft top. It was perfect for the job. I reckon young Sam will turn out to be a very proficient angler as he progresses in one of his chosen sport, his other one is rugby.

Most of Sunday was spent walking the banks of the Enborne Kennet and the lakes checking permits, and where possible helping the newcomers. On the Enborne I met an angler who had just caught a 13 lb barbel; looking at the picture I could see it wasn't a fairy story. It was probably a record fish for this tiny tributary of the Kennet. About 3pm I joined Will Carter and his attractive partner Sonia with their children for a late lunch of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Far better than the tuna and pasta which I planned to cook on the river bank. At 5 o'clock I am back on the river for an evening session. Fishing one rod baited with sausage meat paste, Cotswolds Monster crab paste or luncheon meat I had a great session catching 9 barbel which included three doubles 11-4-0 10-6-0 and 10-14-0. It was a happy but weary angler who crawled into his sleeping bag about ten o’clock.

Monday morning I’m back on the Kennet with Chris Leibbrandt marketing director of Cotswold bait creations who wanted to catch a barbel bigger than his previous 12 ounce best. Just as he arrived I was netting a good barbel, it weighed 11-4-0 my 53rd double figure barbel. (See under pictures) After Chris had taken a couple of pictures for me, we set about getting him hooked up to a few barbel. Water temperature was now 49 degreees F. Chris with his first cast got a bite on crust dipped in Cotswolds T2 dip. He missed. On his second cast he had a barbel of 6-7-0, we then moved into another swim where he had a barbel of 7-8-0 on crust followed by a chub about 4lbs. Moving on down river he caught a barbel of 8-8-0 again crust was the bait. Fishing another swim he caught a chub of 5-15-0 again it was crust on a short link. As I have mentioned before its great fun to help another angler catch a few fish. Why not give up a day of your fishing and help a beginner.

Tuesday Chris and me decided to have a pike fishing session, apart from a couple of dropped runs, we didn't get any other action from the toothy critters, Chris fished two pike fishing outfits, while I chose to fish one for pike the other for chub. I caught 4 chub including fish of 5-3-0 and 5-6-0 and just as we were packing up I had a barbel about 8lbs. As I netted the fish Chris said "What a good way to end the day"