Some Great Days on the Wasing Syndicate Water

Last week I made a quick visit to the River Kennet Tuesday afternoon through to Wednesday evening, 500 miles for a thirty odd hour stay. Though it was hard fishing, with a low water temperature, I still managed to wrinkle out few fish. On my return home I watched the weather reports on TV, I called the weather centre for the latest reports being told, “You will get some heavy rain, and very mild temperatures for the week commencing Sunday 13th January. On Saturday Will Carter called me to say “The River Kennet is rising and well coloured, even more important the water temperature was 44 degrees F. In my book a rising river in conjunction with rising water temperature equal’s good barbel fishing conditions. With even more rain promised I decided to head south in the early hours of Sunday morning.

While I was in the BBC Radio Lancashire studio on Saturday morning I listened to several weather reports all said the same “Rain with higher than normal temperatures”. After editing a programme, I called into the local supermarket to pick up ten loafs of extra thick sliced bread, then it was into Roy Porters butcher in Chatburn to collect 20lb of sausage meat. Bait that my friends and I rate highly for chub and barbel; it’s also excellent bait for tench. Later in the day Will Carter called to say conditions on the river Kennet were looking even better. Back home I sorted out clothes, tackle and food to last me a few days. I put new Gamma 12lb line on one centre pin reel, with 6lb Gamma on my other reel. I rate these reels as the best for my type of fishing on small rivers. There isn’t a spot on the Kennet where I cannot put bait. When it comes to playing a fish I find the centre pin reels are perfect, any pressure I want to put on the fish I can do so by using the pressure of my thumb on the reel. Should the fish dive I can easily slacken off. One item of equipment I decided to take on his trip were my chest high waders, when the River Kennet is over the bank you need them to reach some swims, but you must wade with extreme caution and use a wading staff.

I left home on Sunday morning at 4 o’clock arriving at the Wasing Fishery at 8 o’clock, after putting the thermometer in the water I put the kettle on for a brew, and then made a bowl of porridge. Conditions looked good, in most places the river was between its banks except in the odd spot where it had flowed into the nearby woods. Checking the thermometer I got reading of 44 degrees F. Colin Culley was fishing a swim further upstream, Jon King and his brother Peter were in a swim near the car where Peter had caught a nice chub. I fished all day for just one bite, which happened about 5-30m a barbel about 6lbs on sausage paste. With the rain sheeting down Will Carter, Jon and Peter King and I called it a day. I went off for a roast dinner and to plan Monday’s fishing.

A Double Figure Barbel

After a late start I called into Tadley Angling Centre for a chat and some small items of tackle. Passing over the River Enborne I could see it was high and well coloured thinking to myself. Any more rain and it will be over the bank. It was about 10 o’clock when I arrived on the River Kennet, on checking the water temperature I got a reading of 44 degrees F, my plan was to roam the river bank trying all the likely looking spots with sausage and cheese paste baits. I chose to fish with a 12 foot Avon action rod designed for line between 8 and 12 lbs breaking strain Gamma line to which I tied a size 4 Partridge F7 barbless hook, I would use LG shot lightly pinched on the line, the number would depending on the swim being fished. Without chest high waders many of my chosen swims would be off limit. I had a shoulder bag containing hooks weights scales weigh net and bait. A piece of sponge to sit on along with my landing net this completed my gear. After wading through thigh high water I managed to reach a swim known by many as the ‘Straight Run’ a stretch of water about forty yards long over gravel with the occasional clump of water crowfoot with a depth averaging three feet but today I probably had five to six feet. It’s a swim where in the past I had occasionally seen a good barbel.

What made this swim looked exceedingly good was the huge tree which had crashed into the water last winter; it lay at an angle of about 45 degrees downstream creating a lovely crease, I pinched on three LG shot then cast out into the area I planned to fish my bait. Holding the rod high I found the weight staying put on the inside of the crease. Winding in, I leaned the rod on the tree trunk then baited with a dozen pieces of sausage paste. Then went off downstream looking for other likely fishing spots where I would drop in a few hook bait samples. I found five spots that I could try during the next couple of days. An hour later back at the ‘Straight Run’ I cast out a chicken egg size lump of sausage paste, within a minute the rod tip pulled over, the strike connecting with a fish, after a short struggle I netted a barbel about 5lbs, In the next hour I had three more fish of between 5 and 6lbs. After an hour without any more bites I moved off downstream often wading through knee high water to reach a swim.

It’s a Big One

My second swim was where an ivy clad tree with some of its branches trailing in the water protruded out over the river. I dropped a sausage paste baited hook close to the bank then slowly bumped it downstream. After some forty plus minutes I felt a light pluck, then a savage pull. Striking into a very powerful fish which went off downstream. I followed it for a few yards when I realised the fish was trying to get into some sunken tree branches. I cramped down on the fish, soon the pressure told as the fish sulked on the bottom. Minutes later I had the fish under the rod tip. Grabbing the landing net it pushed it out into the flow where it was immediately pushed downstream by the force of the water. Pulling the net towards me I tried to lift the fish. Soon I had it on the surface, suddenly it dived I was forced to lower the rod tip. Once again I lifted and once I had the fish on the source I was able to slide it towards the bank and over the landing net. Then it was mine. After unhooking the fish I placed the landing net in the water, while I set about sorting out scales and weigh bag. Having zeroed the scales I lifted the net from the water then placed the fish in the weight bag then hooked the bag on the scales. The scale needle went to 10-6-0 I punched the air with delight and shouted “Yes”

After dropping some free offerings of hook baits into the swim I went off upstream to the car for a mug of tea and a sandwich. In one or two areas wading was quite difficult, I made a mental note to keep a watch on the river level, should it rise a few more inches then it would be too dangerous for wading. Back at the car I met Paul and John who were fishing the ‘Fallen Tree’ swim where they had both caught barbel using garlic flavoured luncheon meat. Half an hour later I made my way back to my last swim. I fished for an hour without a bite, I then moved back to the ‘Straight Run’ within minutes I had a cracking barbel of 9-7-0 which was quickly followed by a fish of 8-6-0. With the river rising and the flow speed increasing I decided it was time to move upstream. A ten minute walk turned into a thirty minute struggle through the rising swirling water where I had to physically push my way through floating rubbish including some big floating branches. Back on terra firma I heaved a sigh of relief, it wasn’t a walk I wanted to do again in a hurry.


A Surprise Big Chub


With the fast rising river I quickly lost some of the swims I planned to fish. After a long walk upstream I crossed the old gravel track and made my way towards the ‘Black Hut’ Just upstream I dropped bait into a small eddy where I quickly hooked into a good fish. After some heart stopping moments I was ready to net a good fish. It went 8-3-0 again sausage paste was the bait. After fishing several other likely looking spots without a bite, I moved off downstream to fish just upstream of an old bridge where I caught a barbel about 5lbs. With dusk falling cast a chunk of cheesepaste behind a sunken hawthorn bush. Then minutes later I had a pluck, and then the line tightened. Soon I had a big chub, no a very big chub in the landing net. It certainly looked a big six pounder. When weighed it went 5-15-0. If it had been a six it would have given me a dozen 6 pounders from the Kennet. I fished on for another hour without a bite. It was time to call it a day. Back at the car with the rain sheeting down I chucked my gear into the back then headed off for a hot shower and dinner. During the evening I sat and read a novel Ultimate Weapon by Chris Ryan. Soon it was bedtime.

River over the Bank in Many Places

When I got to the river on Tuesday morning the river was well over the bank in many areas, some roads suffered from flooding, driving was quite dangerous through idiots driving far too fast in the prevailing condition. During the day with just a few swims available I roamed up and down the fishery trying my best to get a hook up. I suppose it was just after 1 o’clock when I got my first fish weighing about 6lbs, this was quickly followed by another of the same weight. About 3 o’clock I had a nice barbel of 8 lb 5 ounces. About 4 o’clock Will Carter turned up for a couple of hours fishing, as we sat in the darkness it started to rain, it didn’t just rain, it sheeted down, it was like sitting under a shower. Very quickly Will and I looked as if we had been dunked in the river. Thankfully we were wearing good waterproof clothing so we remained dry. About 5 o’clock I had a light tap on the rod tip, quickly picking up the rod I held the line; I felt another more positive take and struck. A powerful fish moved off downstream, the well balanced tackle was able to master the fish which I quickly had under the rod tip. I slowly lifted making sure I didn’t jerk the line. (I see more fish lost when they are being lifted towards the net than any other time) Pushing the landing net into the water I gently raised the rod pulling the fish to the surface. Then it was mine, the fish weighed 9-7-0 Will shot a couple of photographs before releasing the fish back in its watery kingdom.( see picture) Half an hour later I packed up then went off for some hot food. The rain continued to sheet down for the next few hours, the wind increasing to gale force. I spent the evening reading the Anglers Mail and my novel.

Wednesday was Sunny with a Light Wind

Wednesday was more like a spring day the weather was lovely and warm, though the river was extremely high, I roamed up and down the fishery trying every likely looking spot that might hold fish, I was pleasantly surprised to catch a fish where there is normally a few inches of water flowing under a willow bush. Today the depth was probably near three feet , from having seen the area many time I new the bottom was fine pea sized gravel, it looked a good spot to try, in the first half an hour I had a couple of barbel estimated about 6lbs both fish on sausage paste. An hour with no more interest in my hook bait I moved downstream, where I chose to fish a bait under the bridge. Within minutes I was hooked up to a fish that wanted to get back in the River Thames. After a ten minute struggle I got my first glimpse of a barbel. A couple of minutes later I had the fish in the net it weighed 8-2-0 a very welcome fish in difficult conditions. With no more fish in the next couple of hours, I went back to my car and drove off to another beat. After a break for a sandwich and a mug of tea I was ready to go roving and try a few likely areas that might hold a fish. I was in luck within an hour of starting to fish I hooked up to a big one, or was it a fish foul hooked? For ten minutes I played the unseen fish, and then suddenly the hook slipped. I was gutted. I fished on for another hour catching two barbel between 5 and 6lbs. After an hour in the darkness with no more fish, I called it a day. Within half an hour I got held up on the A34 through a fatal traffic accident, eventually arriving home at 11’’clock. Despite the long drive it had been a good trip.

Be Careful at the Waters Edge

What I did learn from this trip is, don’ take risks. We must be aware at all times when we are on the river bank under flood conditions that the bank can become very unstable, I had a narrow escape when talking with Will Carter on the phone, the section of bank I was standing on started to tremble, I smartly moved back. Within a minute a chunk of river bank disappeared in the swirling water of the Kennet. On another occasion a huge limb of a tree crashed into the water missing me and my rods by about three feet. On several occasions when the wind increased I felt uneasy sitting close to the swaying trees, so I moved. If you haven’t had a bite for several hours don’t give up, on my first day I fished until gone 5 o’clock before I had a bite which turned into my first barbel of the trip. Remember many of the fish can be caught under the rod tip in just a couple of feet of water. When fishing flood water conditions choose big smelly baits on hooks sizes 1’s through to 6’s.