Fishing for Perch Tench Carp and Barbel

For the past couple of weeks I’ve wanted to get away for a few days fishing down south on the River Kennet and Aquatek's lake in West Berkshire, having finished the training of two new bailiffs and getting a backlog of work done I was free for a few days. Tony Sutton and me left my home around seven in the morning heading along the A59 then down the M6 the M6 toll road then onto the M40 and A34 arriving in Thatcham after a four hour hassle free journey.

After sorting out accommodation for the next few days we went off to the River Kennet, where the river looked good despite the shortage of rain, as we walked the Aldermaston beat on the Wasing fishery Tony commented how good it looked for pike fishing, I had to agree. Back in the car park we met Will Carter who was going to join us for a few hours’ fish. As we walked up river we met Martin Oliver and Eric Levey two very keen and good anglers who were fishing for barbel. Will put Tony in a swim opposite a cow drink and me in a swim downstream where in the past I had taken some good chub catches. Behind us were a row of poplar trees, on the opposite bank I had a blackberry bush with many of branches trailing in the water. Downstream some willows their branches reaching out over the water were creating a dark secretive spot, it looked ideal for chub and roach. In this slower water I fished a lump of sausage meat.

On the advice of Will my other rod was baited with an ellipse pellet used in conjunction with a swim feeder which I placed on some clean gravel in the faster water between the swaying ranunculus. In the dusk a barn owl quartered the far bank field looking for a rat, mouse or vole. Tony and I both agreed seeing the owl looking for food had made our day. Around 10 o’clock with no bites not even a crayfish, with the temperature dropping and a thick mist over the riverside fields; we called an end to our session. Martin, Eric and Will all had barbel, so we had no excuse. Leaving the farm track we had to drive over a concrete hump, that’s when disaster struck as the exhaust pipe become uncoupled. For an hour we waited for the Green Flag rescue service, and then Tony set about trying to fix the problem. He certainly saved the day within half an hour we were back on the road. So much for the rescue service which had told Tony would be there in an hour.

Still water fishing

Next day it was off to Tadley Angling for bait and a few items of tackle, after a mug of tea it was off to Aquatek's gravel pit complex. The weather wasn’t what we wanted with a blue sky and hot sunshine, when we hoped for cloudy windy conditions. Choosing a swim which had given me some good results in the past I said to Tony, we can expect to catch tench and perch in these swims. The water shelved off to a depth of thirteen feet over fine gravel, a dense bed of Canadian pond weed stretched out from the bank for several feet. We chose to use a sliding float rig with lobworms as our first choice bait. Tony in between catching a succession of small perch caught one which weighed 2-4-0 certainly a fine fish. I had a few small perch, and then the float bobbed and moved across the surface, the strike connected with a powerful fish which turned out to be a tench of 5-14-0.

Later in the day I hooked a powerful fish which I reckon was a carp which buried itself in the weed then got rid of the hook. It was about 4 o’clock in the afternoon when we called it a day. After dinner it was off to the River Kennet where we met up with Will Carter in the car park, we quickly realised the top swim on the beat was vacant, as one voice Will and me said “Tony get in that swim”. Will suggested a hair rigged pellet. Fifteen minutes later Tony was hooked up to a good fish which eventually got free Score 1 to the barbel nil to Tony. Will and me went off up river but I didn’t really want to fish so I went back to watch Tony to offer any help or advice I could, I was soon joined by Will, as we sat talking Tony’s rod tip was savagely pulled round, I thought “He want miss that one” How wrong can one be, it was missed. Several more bites later and no fish we called it a day.

Barbel from the River Kennet

Back on Aquatek’s the next day we soon started to catch small perch, after an hour Tony caught a good perch weighing 2-3-0 which was quickly followed by a male tench about 31/2lbs then another good perch of 1-15-0. At various times we would see good tench and carp roll on the flat smooth surface of the water, but apart from suicidal small perch nothing else was caught or seen in our swims. Late afternoon we left the lake and headed off to the River Kennet choosing to fish just upstream from the bottom of the Dalston beat. I put Tony in a well known swim saying “Try putting a bait under that pussy willow bush, also downstream on your bank where that Alder tree trunk hangs in the water” I went upstream steering clear of the power lines. After dropping in half a dozen bait size pieces of sausage meat I put on the kettle for a brew, I usually put in some free bait offerings where I plan to fish then leave the area alone for a quiet period before fishing. I reckon it gives the fish more confidence, half an hour later I baited a size 4 hook with a chicken egg size chunk of sausage meat which I dropped into a nice crease a few feet out from the bank where an Elder bush full of ripe black berries hung over the water. Within twenty minutes there was a slight pull on the rod tip the answering strike connected with a good fish. A few minutes later I pulled a nice barbel over the net. It weighed 9-8-0 I was more than happy.

I fished on for another half an hour before moving off to another swim downstream, again I dropped in some free offering of bait then went off to see how Tony was doing. He reported a barbel about five pounds, also a missed bite. I suggested it was time for another brew so on went the kettle. Fifteen minutes later I left Tony and went back to my swim. My tackle was a 12 foot Grauvell rod with a test curve of 1.5 lbs, centre pin reel 10lb Gamma line and a size 4 barbless hook. On line I had pinched one LG shot about three feet from the hook. It seemed the crayfish had come to dine, as I had a continuous series of small taps on the rod tip. I probably rebaited four or five times in a thirty minute period. Then a quiet period for twenty minutes or more, then the rod tip pulled slowly over “That’s a confident take I thought” as I set the hook. I was forced to give some line. After an exciting scrap I netted another good barbel of 9-1-0 Ten minutes later I had a small fish about five pounds. I walked down stream to Tony to see if he had caught any more to see him with a bent rod as he played another fish. Picking up the landing net I took up position to net the fish when given the chance. A few minutes later I netted a third fish for Tony. With the temperature dropping thick cold mist descending over the river we called it a day. The sausage meat paste I use is made to a recipe that took several mixes to get it right, and it can now be ordered from butcher Roy Porter Telephone 01200-441392


Slow day on the gravel pit

Next day we were back on the gravel pit where we decided to fish into the darkness in the hope the tench would get there heads down in our pre-baited swims and with luck we might catch one or two big perch, fish over three pounds. It was another day of no wind flat calf lake hot sunshine and blue skies, the highlight of the day for me was seeing a flight of Spitfires and Hurricanes fly over just after midday. The fishing was quite poor even the small perch didn’t seem very keen to want our lobworms, but sadly Tony lost a nice tench a few feet from the landing net. As my float moved out of the torch beam I struck hooking a hard fighting fish. Tony thought was a big perch then he said
“It’s a big perch” I then thought, did I have any weak spots in the tackle. After quite an exciting struggle Tony netted a common carp. We fished on for an hour but with a thick mist descending over the water we decided to call it a day.

Back to the 1950’s Carp Fishing

Carp, carp and even more carp that’s the best way to described my day on Aquatek’s water with Tony, arriving at our pre-baited swim we discovered another angler in the spot, I suggested we fish on the opposite bank, Tony agreed. After raking a swim I baited with a mixture of brown crumb red gentles corn and chopped worms. I left the swim for an hour to give the fish a chance of feeding without being disturbed. While I waited for the disturbed swim to settle down I decided to take a walk around the two lakes in search of carp, Picking up a loaf of bread, ball of sausage meat paste and my Grauvell 12 foot rod; with a fixed spool reel filled with 10lb Gamma line and a size 4 hook, I was equipped for any fish I might see. At the top end of the smaller lake a common carp was rooting in the bottom, baiting with an acorn size piece of sausage meat paste I dropped it quietly in front of the carp. A minute later the fish hoovered up the paste, the fish on feeling the hook powered off towards the centre of the lake creating a big bow wave. A few minutes later I netted a common of 15-6-0.

Moving around the small lake I spotted a fish well out in the lake. Baiting with a chunk of crust I dunked it in the water then made a long cast. Fifteen minutes later the carp sucked down the crust as the line moved cross the water I set the hook. My second fish a mirror about 12lbs. Within minutes I had another fish on floating crust weighing no more than six pounds. Creeping along the opposite bank I spotted a good fish close to some water lilies, pinching a small piece of sausage meat paste on the hook I lowered it into the water six inches from the fish. Sitting quiet as a mouse hardly daring to breath I watched the fish, ten minutes later it turned slowly then moved towards the baited hook. Suddenly it swirled then engulfed the paste, as the bow in the line tightened I set the hook. After another good struggle I netted a nice common carp. It weighed 16lbs.

After a brew I made my way to the big weedy bay on the larger of the two gravel pits, where several carp were cruising or rooting in the bottom. Baiting with a large piece of crust I made long cast dropping the bait close to the far bank where it was immediately seized by a good fish which created a big bow wave in the shallow water as it tried to reach the sanctuary of a weed bed in the deeper water. My well balanced tackle handled the situation and soon I was pumping a good fish towards the net. Soon it was mine a lovely looking mirror carp about 14lbs. This was great fishing more reminiscent of the late 1950’s carp fishing scene, though today’s fish were bigger than those we usually caught in those far off days. I really enjoy this type of carping, so much more entertaining than sitting behind a pair of rods. In three more casts I had three carp two mirrors about six pounds the other a common which I weighed in at 10-1-0 because I might get the chance of it becoming a front cover picture for Anglers Mail. It was a magnificent looking fish looking like a miniature of Walker’s 44pounder.

Back at Tony’s swim I suggested we go off for an early dinner then come back and fish into the dark, he agreed. After enjoying a hot pot dinner and a couple of mugs of tea we were ready for another session. Back at the water I decided not to fish my baited swim but go chasing the carp. It was a wise choice. Within half an hour I had three more fish all on bits of crust, I suppose the average weight was around 8lbs. Small they might have been but it was good fun. Back on the small lake I had a very fast and furious session taking six carp in seven casts all on floating crust fished alongside a dense bed of Norfolk reeds. Back in my baited swim I put on the kettle for a brew; before the kettle had boiled I had two more carp. Both low doubles on bread flake.

I then went off to the weedy bay on the big lake where I found a dozen or more carp cruising around, within seconds of casting a bit of crust I had a hook up. A short fat mirror weighing about nine pounds. This was followed by three more fish averaging about 12lbs. Suddenly all the carp had gone. I went back to the opposite bank on the big lake where I spotted a very good fish. It was slowly cruising close to some water lilies I crept along the bank and lowered a piece of crust about three feet in front of the carp. For what seemed hours but was probably only minutes suddenly the fish was close enough to the bait all it needed to do was suck in the bait. It edged forward an inch then backed off. It was suspicious.

I had no line on the water just a bit of crust and a hook, for some ten fifteen minutes the fish watched the bait from just a couple of inches, I reckon I could hear my heart beating, I tried working some saliva into my parched mouth and dry lips as I wiped perspiration from my brow Still the carp wasn’t taking the bait. Suddenly it moved forward sucked in the crust, on feeling the hook it dived then moved off very fast towards the centre of the lake. After several minutes I got some line back on the reel, and then the fish took it back. Slowly I started to win the fight and soon a tired fish was pulled over the net. A lovely looking mirror carp weighing 17lbs.

Back in my baited swim I put the kettle on for a brew to celebrate. As I sat waiting for the kettle, I thought about the exciting day it had been with over twenty carp. The next day I couldn’t get a bite, the few carp I could see refused to look at any free offerings. I reckon I done six or seven circuits of the lakes looking for some signs of feeding fish. Nothing. I suppose it was about 2 o’clock when I said to Tony “Shall we call it a day” he agreed after packing away all our gear we headed off home arriving about 7o’clock after another hassle free journey.

Some bad news about a friend

The next day I got a call from Paula the daughter of my great friend John Bodsworth to say he was in hospital with cancer of the spine. I was gutted, it always happens to the good ones. I decided I would have to travel down to Hayward’s Heath in Sussex, if only to try and cheer John up. I called Will to give him the bad news, like me Will looked upon John as a friend. After chatting for a while I put the phone down and set about planning my trip south. An hour later Will called to say he was driving north to pick me up. I said “No it’s OK I’m coming down”. Will said “ No way I am on my way up to you, so there is no argument” Will arrived after midnight after a coffee we left my home at quarter past one in the morning for Will’s home arriving just after 4 o’clock. After a few hours sleep it was off down to Sussex on the M25 I counted dozens of drivers using their mobile phone either talking or texing. One woman driving a Ford Mondao Reg YHO3 JYN between junction 14 and 11 around 11-30am was even taking notes as she drove. Her behaviour was dangerous and downright crazy. We arrived around noon spending a couple of hours with John, then after visiting his family it was back on the road for the long trip back to Lancashire, then Will had to drive back down south arriving home just before midnight then end of another hectic week.