Another Good Weeks Angling

On Monday 20th August I travelled down to fish the Wasing syndicate water on the River Kennet and Aquatek's gravel pit complex at Midgam Berkshire, on this trip I chose to use the M6 toll road with no hold ups my trip which went without a hitch. Mid afternoon I arrived in Thatcham. Having sorted out my accommodation for the next few days I went off to the Aquatek’ gravel pit complex to rake and bait a couple of swims. For dinner I had a wholemeal vegetable pastie, mashed potatoes and beans, followed by fresh fruit salad. I then went off to the Dalston beat of the Wasing syndicate, after checking two members’ permits; I went off up river to a swim which had proved successful on previous visits.

The River Kennet flowed from left to right, on the opposite bank was an ivy clad oak tree some of its roots plunging deep into the water. Having fished the swim on several occasions it was a swim where I could expect chub and barbel also the occasional good perch. After putting half a dozen lumps of sausage meat paste in the far bank swim, I dropped a cricket size ball of mashed bread just upstream of large hawthorn bush on my bank. I used two Grauvelle 12 foot rods, centre pin reels with 12lb Gamma line and size 4 barbless hooks. Having sorted out the tackle I sat back and put the kettle on. I reckon if you leave the baited swim for half an hour or more, you will have a better chance of catching. Far too many anglers bait their swim and start fishing right away. My advice is let the fish have some time to sample the free offerings.

As I sat drinking tea in the late evening sunshine I thought how lucky I was to be an angler, wildfowler and naturalist and I didn’t take up some other pastime or sport. I did play rugby, done some boxing, a lot of cross country running and some sailing. In a blur of blue, a kingfisher landed on a branch of a willow tree just a few feet upstream of where I sat, within seconds it dived then returned to its perch with a small fish. Slapping it on the branch, the fish was turned head first then swallowed it in one gulp. I had to smile when the bird ruffled up its feathers as if to say “That tasted good” A moorhen called from some riverside rushes then bobbed its way across the river, finishing my tea and biscuits it was time to start fishing.

Baiting with a large chunk of sausage meat, I cast to the far bank swim the bait coming to rest on some clean gravel in front of some swaying water crowfoot then put the rod in the rest. The crust baited hook was cast downstream close to the hawthorn bush thirty feet downstream. As I set the rod in the rest, I noticed the other rod being pulled over quite savagely as the ratchet on the reel sounded its harsh note. Picking up the rod I felt the power of a good fish as it fought for its freedom. Eventually I was able to pull a barbel over the net, thinking “Is this another double” It wasn’t. It weighed 9-12-0 still an excellent fish.

Another bit of paste was cast to the clear gravel in front of the water crowfoot, the rod put in its rest. Within seconds, another take; soon a barbel of five pounds was netted. Re-casting I settled back in my chair watching two rod tips. Fifteen, perhaps twenty minutes later I’m hooked up to another barbel on the sausage meat baited rod. Soon another hard fighting fish estimated about six pounds was netted. Unlike many anglers I only weight a barbel if I reckon it might be a double. Putting the other rod away, I concentrated on the far bank swim where I soon hooked up to a powerful fish. Minutes later it got rid of the hook. A chicken egg size chunk of sausage meat paste was cast so it comes to rest between the far bank and the water crowfoot. Half an hour later the rod tip pulled over about an inch, I picked up the rod then felt a light pluck, pushing the rod forward I gave some slack line, as I did so I felt a savage take. Striking I hooked into a good fish which moved upstream hugging the bottom. When ever I hook a fish which hugs the bottom and swims upstream its usually a good fish, cramping on as much pressure as I dare I stopped the fish in its movement upstream. After some head shaking it tried to seek refuge in some riverside willows that grew in the water.

With lots of side strain I pulled it off course, it then tried to dash off downstream. Again I stopped it in its tracks; I wasn’t going to let this fish go anywhere. As it twisted and shook its head I dragged it towards me. This wasn’t time for finesse, but brute strength. It’s surprising what you can do with 12lb Gamma line on a centre pin reel and a twelve foot carbon stick. I dragged a thrashing twisting head shaking barbel over the net. “This is a double” I said to myself. Dropping the rod I lifted the net by its frame with both hands and laid it on the mat. Slipping out the barbless hook I put the fish in the weigh bag which was hooked on the scales the needle gave a reading of 11-1-0 Putting the fish back in the landing net I lowered it in the water then watched the fish swim off. No doubt to sulk on the bottom for a while.

Some anglers tell me I am hard on my fish. Not correct, the whole idea is to get the fish in the net, unhook them and release them back in the water as quickly as possible. They are not a play thing, but a wild animal. Some people even kiss the fish and give them a name, how horrid. Barbel is just another fish with little intelligence.
Some people even tell me I shouldn’t use a plastic bag to weigh my fish. I cannot think of anything better than the plastic bags given away in wallpaper shops, unlike some of the weigh nets I see used, my weigh bag allows the fish to lay straight and they are certainly fish friendly.

Once again sausage meat was proving to be a top bait, in fact this season I have been fishing one rod with meat the other with pellet, as I write this I haven’t had a barbel on pellet, but plenty on lobworms, bread crust and meat. I have no reason to go down the pellet route at the present time. Don’t try using sausage meat from your local supermarket or butcher, it doesn’t work so good, often it want stay on the hook. I get my sausage meat from Roy Dewhurst in Chatburn Tel 01200-441392. Sausage meat isn’t new; it’s been used since the early 1960’s for tench, chub and carp.

Back to the fishing I quickly had two more fish around the five pound mark. As the light started to fade I felt a light pluck on the line then it tightened even more suddenly the rod was wrenched round to right angles. A good fish was making its way down stream I put on the brake with the palm of my hand, so much better than a set of gears. Pulling the rod over to my left I pumped the fish back upstream, soon a rather angry barbel was swirling on the surface where it was quickly netted. Sliding out the barbless size 4 hook I pushed the fish into the plastic bag then hooked it on the scales the pointer stopped at 10-6-0. After a long journey I was ready for a mug of tea some toast and then to bed. Seven barbel including two doubles now that’s what I call a very good session.

Aquatek's Gravel Pit Complex at Midgam Berkshire In Search of Perch

I reckon it was around nine in the morning when I crawled from my sleeping bag, then put the kettle on. After a shower I had breakfast of porridge, toast and tea. Then went off to Aquatek's gravel pit complex at Midgam Berkshire in search of perch and tench my guest for the day was Will Carter of Burghfield Common an avid Southampton football fan, another Southampton fan is legendary carp angler Chris Yates. Will is more at home on the River Kennet than still waters. As it was Will’s 39th birthday, his girlfriend and his boss both agreed he could spend the day fishing. His ambition is to catch a three pound perch, and I reckon he had an excellent chance. We both tackled up with sliding float tackle rigs, lobworms our first choice bait, followed by red gentles or red worms. Within minutes Will was catching small perch, an hour later he hooked a better fish a perch of 2-5-0. After a mug of tea Will hooked into a powerful fish which turned out to be a beautiful coloured tench with olive green flanks with a bright yellow belly. It weighed 5-15-0 and a personal best fish for our birthday boy. After a couple of pictures we watched it swim off strongly. (See Pictures) During the day we caught lots of small perch, I had a fish of 2-15-0. But no three pounders, Will had another tench estimated about three pounds a male fish and another two pound plus perch at 2-6-0. All too soon the session was over. Will went off home, while I went and cooked myself some dinner. We met up on the River Kennet a couple of hours later. I suggested Will share my swim and use sausage meat paste on one rod, within minutes he had a barbel about six pounds followed by a trout on the same bait. I didn’t get a bite.

Wednesday morning I’m back on Aquatek's gravel pit complex at Midgam, after raking my swim and putting in several balls of method mix containing lots of chopped worms, sweet corn and broken boilies, I set about putting my gear together choosing a thirteen foot rod, fixed spool reel and 4lb line, I then threaded the line through a 3 swan shot waggler float before tying on a size 10 barbless hook. Having fished the swim on several occasions I set the stop knot at 12 feet from the hook. This would allow the worm baited hook to be a few inches off the bottom. Two swan shot were pinched lightly on the line six feet from the hook with an AA shot pinched on the line one foot and two feet from the hook.

Having got everything ready for long session, I put the kettle on then sat back reading my Daily Telegraph, half an hour later I was ready to start fishing. Baiting with a lobworm and a plastic caster to keep the wriggling worm on the barbless hook I cast out, within seconds the float bobbed a couple of time then disappeared. Striking I didn’t feel anything, this happened several times. I decided to bait with half a lobworm, this time I had a small perch which was followed by several more. I moved the stop knot up the line a couple of feet so the bait was well on the bottom, I hoped for a tench.

Fifteen minutes later the float moved across the surface then disappeared, striking I connected with a good perch pulling it over the net I thought “That’s three pounds” The scales said 3-3-0 I had a couple of two pound plus fish then another of 3-3-0 Just after lunchtime the float settled very low in the water, striking I connected with a powerful fish which ripped line off the reel, the fish trying to get as much distance between me and itself. With 4lb line I had to take things a bit easy, but after a couple of minutes the fish seemed to run out of steam. Backing up the bank I pulled the fish slowly in my direction. Having got it so far I walked forward taking in line, and then repeated the procedure. Eventually I had the fish over the net and it was mine. A beautiful common carp weighing 14-6-0, it was probably the nicest carp since my Redmire days. Later in the day I had a nice tench of 5-4-0 and a couple of perch 2-5-0 2-3-0 all caught on lobworms. After a session on the gravel pit I usually I fish the River Kennet in the evenings but today I decided on an early night.

About seven o’clock Thursday morning I’m back on the river Kennet doing some work on the various beats, lopping off over hanging branches along the footpaths and removing rubbish from the river bank. Which I hasten to add is not left by anglers; it was rubbish dumped by the general public which had come down in the recent floods. I also spent some time clearing away rubbish dumped outside the entrance gates where lazy motorists have dumped their sandwich wrappers, plastic water bottles and other general rubbish. After breakfast I went off to Aquateks gravel pit, apart from a few small perch I didn’t managed to catch any good perch or tench. On the River Kennet that evening, all I got was a small chub. At ten o’clock on one of the darkest nights of the year I called it a day, Will Carter fishing further downstream had a barbel about six pounds on sausage meat.

Friday I fished the Aquatek’s water for a few hours, and then visited all the beats and lakes on the Wasing estate syndicate then spent a couple of hours listening to the cricket before heading off for home about seven in the evening. I had a good journey which surprised me and no hold ups. About 5 o’clock on Saturday morning I am in the studio working on another edition of At the Waters Edge programme.