It’s the end of a great season

Without doubt for me the 2006/07 season has been great for its coarse fishing, over the past nine months I’ve caught some good carp, tench, perch, bream, chub, grayling and barbel. I suppose the one great thing about the past season has been the number of anglers who I have been able to help catch their personal best fish through my guidance. In total I helped 30 anglers catch a dream fish. I also put many other anglers into swims where they ended the day on a high note and not having to go home fishless. I get great pleasure in helping a fellow angler. On June 16th my season started off at Pallington Lakes in Dorset at an invitation from Simon and Tinni. It’s the home of the Stones and some excellent paste baits from Pallatrax. It ended on March 14th on the river Kennet fishing the Wasing estate water. I couldn’t have chosen better water for the last few days of the season.

I left home at three in the morning for the 250 mile journey south, driving was terrible in a howling gale force wind and driving rain, conditions were rather horrid to say the least. The usual four to five hour journey lasted nearly nine. Arriving on the banks of the Kennet I found the river well over the bank in places, probably the highest I have seen the river for many years. Conditions looked great; when I checked the water temperature getting a reading of 48 degrees F I really thought I had hit the jack pot. No way could I fail to catch under these conditions. I had several swims in mind where I would certainly catch barbel. Many anglers on seeing a flooded river immediately look for a stillwater. My advice is take a good look at your local river in the summer; note the areas where the fish are likely to be when the river is over the banks. I love it when my rivers are bank high as I have an excellent chance of catching.

Having put the kettle on for a brew I tackled up a Harrison’s Triptych, I purchased two of these rods from Brian Whitlock of Lostock Tackle Box near Preston back in October, today would be the first time I used one of these rods. It’s a 12 foot three piece with a test curve of one and a half pound; I matched it with a J W Youngs centre pin reel and 10lb Gamma line. Hook size was a 2 barbless; I chose a size 2 hook rather than my usual size 4 as I was going to be using very large paste baits in the highly coloured water. Having put my gear together, I enjoyed a bowl of porridge followed by two mugs of tea. It was then off down river where I chose to fish a swim that under normal conditions it wouldn’t have been given a second glance with its two feet of water. The quiet backwater was created by some reeds and a sunken bush that had been there for some time. In the water to my left there was a large floating hawthorn bush giving overhead cover to any fish. Today the swim had four feet of quietly flowing water over very fine gravel. Remember barbel are not always out in the faster water. In fact most of my fish are caught in the quiet areas of the river. And with all the extra water I reckon the barbel would certainly be in this swim and feeding.

I lightly pinched 3 LG shot on the line some eighteen inches from the hook, then baited with a pheasant egg size lump of sausage meat paste. Dropping the bait upstream I worked it down stream coming to rest on the edge of the floating hawthorn bush. Two minutes, no probably a minute. The tip pulled round, fish number one was hooked. After a good fight, this makes barbel fishing so interesting as they all pull the string and bend the stick. This fish certainly done that in good style but eventually the balanced tackle tired the fish and I was soon able to net a nice plump barbel. Could this be my first double of the trip I thought? The scales said no, it weighed 9-10-0, and in the next five casts I had five more fish with an average weight of about 8lbs. After a wait of about fifteen minutes, I hooked a really heavy fish which fought like a real demon often forcing me to give line. For several minutes it was give and take. Suddenly the line went slack; the fish had broken me off. I was gutted. An hour later I am moving to swim number two, where I quickly had three more barbel and a good chub which weighed in at 5-3-0. The swim then died, I fished on for about half an hour then moved off downstream.

I was certainly thankful I had decided to wear chest high waders, as some of the swims wouldn’t have been fishable, even in the surrounding woods, there was flooding to a depth of two or three feet. Occasionally I heard a tree crash to earth. Having waded thigh deep up the river bank for several hundred yards I arrived at the Oak Tree swim, it looked great. Where normally it was shallow and clear, today, with the river high and coloured the swim had a depth of about five feet. It was a big slack about fifteen twenty feet wide and some fifty feet in length. In fact when I first looked at the swim I thought about changing over to trotting gear. I chose to place my landing net at the bottom of the slack, and then any fish hooked at the top end I would allow to move downstream then play them out at the bottom of the swim. By doing this I wouldn’t bring the fish upstream and disturb other feeding fish.

Having decided to fish a chunk of Pallatrax Jungle paste I tied on a hair, then fixed a small piece of cork to the hair before moulding a pigeon egg size bait round the cork. Jungle paste is quite solid, and I feel more confident of hooking a fish with the bait on a hair. Within minutes I had my first barbel about five pounds. In the next hour I had six more barbel and three chub, the barbel probably averaged 4lbs the chub about 3lbs, As I had a long walk back to the car I decided to call it a day. It would be rather dangerous walking the flooded river bank in the darkness. It had certainly been a good day. Now it was time to head off for some dinner and an early night after my very long day.

More barbel from a flooded river

The next day I met up with my mate Will Carter who certainly catches his share of barbel, after a mug of tea and chat Will went off up river while I wend downstream to the backwater swim I fished the day before, again I rolled a bit of sausage meat paste under the floating Hawthorne bush. Immediately I had a good pull the answering strike connected with a barbel. It weighed just less than nine pounds. In three casts I had three more good fish estimated at an average of 8lbs. Fifteen minutes without any interest it was time to move on, choosing to fish the bridge swim. I was in luck, it was free, on the second cast I had a barbel about 6lbs, I got five more in the next hour or so with an average weight about 4lbs, Sausage meat paste was doing the trick. I then had a blank spell and decided to move across the river to the Watering Can swim. I caught three more barbel with a bigger average size than the bridge swim, probably about six pounds. It was then time for lunch, back at the car I enjoyed a welcome mug of tea, some beef sandwiches and a chat with Will who loaned me a mobile phone, my phone had packed in, it wouldn’t take a charge.

Lunch over, Will went off to work while I walked along the flooded track to the Salmon Hut, an area where I and other member have taken quite a few barbel, it was hard going through all the flood water but the effort was worth it. I caught two excellent barbel of 9-10-0 and 9-14-0 on three chunks of garlic flavoured luncheon meat. I didn’t get another take for the rest of the session, but I was a happy angler. Not only had I caught some nice fish, I had also seen a pair of Kingfishers about ten feet from where I was sitting. Dinner was cottage pie and mixed vegetables followed by a mug of tea. I then sat in front of the fire listening to the radio and reading my Telegraph before turning in for the night around nine o’clock.

The First of the Big Chub

I suppose it was about ten in the morning when I crawled from my sleeping bag, after breakfast I prepared dinner for the evening, and then went off to the local shop for a daily paper and some milk, dropping off my rubbish in the local litter bin on the way. I suppose it was just after noon when I got back on the river. Checking the water temperature I got a reading of 50 degrees F though the water had dropped slightly and some of the colour had gone I still rated conditions as being great. I also reckoned it could be a crusting day so I threw two loaves of bread, one stale and one fresh in the tackle bag, chub would be my target fish

The first swim I chose was on the bend opposite the Cottage, where I bounced a big bit of crust down a lovely looking crease quickly connecting with a nice chub, not a five but only ounces short. In an hour I had seven chub which included a fish of 5-3-0. On every other cast I fed in a golf ball size of mashed bread. With no more bites for fifteen minutes it was time to move on. Before I did so, I fed two cricket size balls of mashed bread into the swim. I would fish it on my way back. My next swim was just below the bridge where I had to stand knee deep in the water. It was hard work, but the chub were feeding, though they didn’t want static bait. It had to be moving down the crease. I caught nine chub in the next three hours including three fives the best at 5-9-0.

With an hour of day daylight left I felt the line tighten. The strike connected with a powerful fish. Barbel I thought, for several minutes the fish hugged the bottom. I increased the pressure slowly getting line back on the reel. I feel the combination of a soft rod and centre pin reel certainly helps when playing a big fish on a light line in this case I was using 6lb Gamma. Through careful handling I got more line back on the reel. Then I spotted the fish just under the surface, it looked a good one. With the net well out in the water I lifted the fish towards the surface then slowly pulled it over the net. It was mine. On the scales it went 9-8-0. Fifteen minutes later without any more bites, I moved back to the cottage swim.

I quickly picked up two more chub then nothing. Half an hour into the darkness I had good pull the answering strike connected with a powerful fish, at first I thought barbel then quickly changed m y mind. After a few tense minutes I was able to net a super chub which took the scale needle round to 6-1-0. I was more than happy. I fished on for another half an hour, with no more bites I called it a day. Back in the cabin I heated up my corn beef hash, while that was going on, I sliced up a 4lb can of luncheon meat which was put into a large plastic bag which had been sprayed with garlic oil which was then deposited in the freezer. When it thaws out, the meat will draw in the garlic flavour.

Young Sam gets a Barbel

After good nights sleep it was around eight in the morning when I crawled from my sleeping bag, after breakfast I collected all the gear for my day on the river then made some sandwiches. Today I had father and son Craig and Sam Probert on the river where I hoped young Sam would perhaps catch a good barbel. On Sam’s previous trips with me he had caught his personal best barbel and chub. My old mate John Bodsworth from Sussex would be joining me around noon for a couple of days. It would be 75 year old John’s first fishing session on the Wasing this year. In fact he hasn’t fished this past season.

Pulling into the car park I counted six cars, with the limited number of swims there wouldn’t be a lot of choice today. Though I was quite confident I could get Sam hooked up to a barbel. After putting some new line on Sam’s reel and putting the tackle together we moved off downstream. Despite the bright sunshine and the clear water I still felt Sam would catch. I also had the confidence factor of knowing the water temperature was fifty degrees F. After fishing a couple of swims I moved Sam into a small area of water tight against a bush that was swaying to and fro in the water where a big raft of rubbish had built up. I suggested he bait up with three big lobworms then lower the bait down close to the floating raft. It worked within minutes Sam’s rod pulled over. Sam hooked a very powerful fish which immediately moved out into the fast swirling water. This 16 year old was handling the fish in a confident manner. It looked as if all my tuition during the previous two trips was working. I got ready with the landing net where after a couple of heart stopping minutes I netted a barbel for Sam. It looked as if it had just been minted. It was the most beautiful barbel I had ever seen.

We then retired to the car park where I heated up some tuna and pasta for our lunch followed by fresh fruit and some tea. John arrived just as we were finishing lunch, having told him the plans for the afternoon session I moved off downstream with Craig and Sam. We fished until darkness with no more fish. Back in the car park I put the kettle on while Sam moved into the car park swim where he fished hard with no result. Craig, me and John sat chatting while we enjoyed a fresh brew. Sam fished for an hour without a bite. Craig and Sam then called it a day as they had to drive back to Twickenham. I had enjoyed their company, Sam is one of those nice pleasant lads with good manners who you would be happy to have as a son. He was also a very level headed boy who not only fished but played rugby, with his good looks he will probably break a few girls’ hearts. This was his last fishing session for some time as he is studying hard for his exams. I am certain he will do well. It was nice to see the bonding between Dad and son. John and I fished for an hour then we called it a day.

John Gets a Personal Best

When John and me arrived in the carp park we were lucky to find some parking space, it seemed everyone wanted to spend some time at the waterside in the very warm spring sunshine. Young Will Carter had already caught which didn’t surprise me. Having tackled up we took the long walk downstream to the Salmon Hut wading through a lot of floodwater. We were in luck; we had the area to ourselves and the choice of several swims. John chose to fish luncheon meat and I decided on crust. Within fifteen minutes I had a powerful pull on the rod top but missed the perfect bite. We fished on with no sign of a fish in conditions that I rated as near perfect. I suppose the highlight of the day was seeing a Brimstone butterfly Gonepteryx rhamni. Two hours later we are wading through flood water as we made our way upstream to the Pipe Swim. Apart from spooking a fish in the flood water of the surrounding wood, that was as near as we got to a fish. We moved on further upstream to another of my floodwater swims, having put John in the hot spot I fished another area. In the next hour I had two bites both missed, while John had three catching a barbel about 4lbs. I suppose it was an hour later that we decided to move back to the car park for a late lunch.

John served up fried potatoes, bacon and eggs, with some fresh wholemeal bread. All washed down with a mug of tea. I certainly felt a lot better after a late lunch and a rest. We moved off downstream fishing other swims without any success. It was tough going for everyone. With the clear water and bright sunshine it was a case of trying to find a swim where the fish had some overhead cover. At dusk we made our way back to the car park for a sandwich and fresh brew. With only Will Carter, John and me left we had a choice of swims, Will chose to fish upstream, while John and me fished the car park swim where I had a succession of bites over a two hour period. I must have had eight or nine good takes all missed. Then I hooked a good fish which felt heavy, a real powerful one which often hugged the bottom, several times I was forced to give line. It was certainly putting up a good fight then just as I thought I was winning the hook pulled free. I was gutted I reckon that was a big fish.

An hour later John hooked a good fish after about three or four minutes I heard the breaking and splintering of carbon as Johns rod shattered just above the handle. I quickly grabbed the line playing the fish by hand as I pulled in the line John moved forward grabbing the broken rod then walking backwards taking in all the slack line as I retrieved it. With one hand holding the line I grabbed the net pushing it out over the water, I then hauled on the line to bring the fish over the net. Grabbing the net with both hands I heaved it ashore. It was a good fish, certainly a double and one that would beat John’s previous best. On the scales it went 11-4-0 after couple of pictures; we released the fish in a quiet stretch of water where we watched it swim off strongly. (See under pictures) We fished on for an hour, I had three more bites all missed. We then decided it was time head off home.

Feeding Time for Chub and Barbel

On our last day the car park was again full, with most of the swims occupied. After sorting out tackle and bait we went off downstream, I put John in the Watering Can swim showing him the exact spot to drop the bait, I suggested he start with meat then changed to crust. At the same time he should feed a golf ball size lump of mashed bread. I moved downstream to a swim where I had to stand in the flood water. After spending an hour feeding in small lumps of mashed bread, I rested the swim for half an hour. Minutes after starting to fish I had a good chub, quickly followed by several more including fish of 5-4-0 and 5-12-0 after about two hours of fishing John told me he had caught a good barbel on crust. Winding in I went off with scales and weigh bag to check the weight. It missed being a double by one ounce taking the needle to 9-15-0 certainly a good fish. We then went off for some food and drink.

Over a late lunch we decided to fish the same swims, it proved correct as I had a succession of good chub including a 6-1-0 and 6-3-0. At dusk I decided to move into another swim, John stayed put at my suggestion catching two barbel of 9-14-0 and 8-12-0 on crust. I moved too a swim upstream where over the past few seasons it had proved a top area. It was the right decision, fishing with two or three chunks of garlic flavoured luncheon meat I had seven barbel including three doubles 11-14-0 10-12-0 and 10-4-0, losing two other fish, one in a snag, the other fish pulled free. At ten o’clock with the temperature dropping mist forming over the water we decided it was time to call it a day. My journey home lasted just 4 hours far better than the outward trip. No coarse fishing for three months but I would be fly fishing in freshwater and the ocean with a trip next month to Belize followed by the start of an epic TV series of flyfishing in saltwater.