Five Great Days in Berkshire

I suppose it was about 5 0’clock in the morning when Prince Albert AS member Dave Bassett picked me up from my home in Lancashire for the long trip down to the delightful river Kennet in Berkshire, the weather forecast for the next few days was for mild weather with some rain, perfect I reckon for barbel and chub fishing. David is one of those hard working team of PASS bailiffs who work to protect the society’s fisheries from fish thieves and poachers, especially those from Eastern Europe who feel they can go out and catch then kill our fish when and where they like. The first hundred miles of driving on the M6 were atrocious with heavy rain and a lot of spray from the numerous lorries, but David being the competent driver was up to the job, I just sat back and relaxed. By the time we reached Birmingham the weather had improved with a clearing sky and no further rain. Soon we were onto the M42 then the M40 then it was time for a coffee break

Leaving the rest area we were soon on the A34 next stop Thatcham, where we would be based for the next 5 days. It was just before 9 o’clock when we arrived at our accommodation. Having got everything sorted out, we made time for tea and toast before heading off to the River Kennet. Passing over the River Enborne I could see it was up and well coloured, fifteen minutes later we are on the banks of the Kennet. Having been told the Weir Pool had given up a double figure barbel to an angler the day before and another double had been caught from just downstream I chose to fish the small pool. while David picked a swim fifty yards downstream where a double had been caught, he planned to fish with two rods, putting one bait close into the bank, the other out into the main flow which I thought was a good choice. His baits were luncheon meat and paste bait which he had made up himself. I decided on my usual sausage paste, luncheon meat or bread. The water temperature was a high 50 degrees F

Pike on Sausage Meat

An hour into the session I had two small taps, picking up the rod I waited for a whack, it didn’t happen. I felt the pressure build up on the line as if some weed or rubbish had snagged the line, I quickly realised it was a fish. Setting the hook I had brief struggle before netting a pike about 8lbs on luncheon meat. Despite the hook being well inside the pikes mouth there were no abrasion marks on the line, though my finger showed the teeth marks from this predator. I reckon the best thing that happened during the first session, was watching a tree creeper, for half an hour or more this lovely bird worked hard to find some food morsels. About 12 noon I went down to see David who said “I’ve had a couple of whacks on the rod tip but no fish” As we sat waiting for the kettle to boil, I chatted with a couple of anglers who said they had struggled for a bite but no fish. Soon David and I had a fresh brew as we sat chatting I said “We have a good chance of getting a few fish despite those two anglers not catching. Back in the weir pool I had a couple of small barbel. With darkness fast approaching I put the kettle on, soon David and I were clutching mugs of hot strong Yorkshire Gold tea.

A Double from the Pool

As the light disappeared I went back to the pool leaving David to watch his beta light indicators, I suppose it was around 6 o’clock when I had a good take on sausage paste getting a barbel of 8-6-0 an hour later I had a fish of 10-4-0 Further downstream Will Carter was catching taking three god fish over 8lbs the best at 9-10-0. I had a walk downstream to see what David was catching in answer to my question he said “ Just as the light faded the tip pulled to my right I was connected with a barbel which I quickly netted, a fish about 6lbs. An hour later I missed another good take which was soon followed by a violent shaking of my rod tip, soon barbel number two was netted, another fish about 6lbs. I had a couple of small taps missing them both” With a cold wind blowing and the need for food we called it a day packed up and went off for some food, where we both chose the Hot Pot.

Weir Pool Pike

On Monday David and I both chose to fish the weir pool, despite the cold westerly wind we both expected to catch, David fished meat on one rod, with double lobworm on the other outfit, I chose to fish luncheon and sausage paste baits. Apart from a couple of small knocks on our rods in the first hour, nothing else happened. I suppose it was getting on for lunchtime when my left hand rod tapped, tapped then tapped again, picking up the rod I said to David, “Something interested in my bait” A couple of minutes later I put the rod back in the rest, a minute later it tapped three times. Once more I lifted the rod in the hope I could feel the fish. Still nothing!!! Fifteen minutes later I got another three taps, picking up the rod I felt a slight pressure.

Striking I felt a heavy weight, then a powerful lunge. Soon a fish was taking some line from my reel. David cleared my other rod, and then picked up the landing net. For a few minutes I though I’d got a double figure barbel, How wrong could one be as a double figure pike surfaced and quickly netted by David. Again the pike was well hooked inside the mouth, but still no sign of wear on the 12lb Gamma line, neither did this fish take out a piece from my finger.
I then got a call from my friend Will Carter saying he was on the way to hospital after a seven and a half ton truck drove into him. This happened on a clear road with dry condition and good visibility of at least half a mile. Makes you wander how the idiot got a driving job. For a couple of hours I was very worried for my buddy not knowing what injuries he had. Thankfully after a check up Will was released from hospital with nothing worse than bad bruising. No doubt he will suffer for a few days, but thankfully he didn’t get any serious aver injuries.

After a mug of tea and a sandwich David moved of downstream to the swim he had fished the day before, leaving me in the weir pool where I had three small barbel none weighing more than 4lbs. I decided on a move picking a swim just downstream of David, as I was sorting out my bait he hooked into a nice barbel about six pounds which was soon followed by another identical fish. I chose to fish a sausage paste baited hook tight to the bank in about five feet of water, my other rod baited with three chunks of luncheon meat on a size 2 hook was cast out into mid river. I then sat back watching two rods in the torch beam. An hour later I had a small tap on the rod tip, suddenly it whacked round, on striking, I felt nothing. Rebaiting I cast back to the same spot. Ten minutes later I had a tap on the rod tip which was soon followed by a slow determined pull. Quickly setting the hook I soon netted a barbel about 5lbs.
Just after I released the fish, David had another barbel which weighed about six pounds. Half an hour with no more bites we called it a day and went off for some hot food.

Lost At the Net

On Tuesday as we were having breakfast I asked David where he would like to fish, he said “Lets go downstream” I put him in a swim where Will Carter, the late John Bodsworth, Brendan Ince and I have had some nice fish in the past. Having pointed out all the likely spots where he should try, I moved upstream. Apart from a couple of small fish it was extremely hard going. Joining David for lunch I learnt that he hadn’t caught, but had missed a couple of good takes. In fact as I arrived his rod tip pulled over, again it was missed. After lunch I joined him and for a couple of hours neither of us had a touch. Half an hour before dusk I moved into another swim where I immediately got a small barbel. I moved again catching another two small barbel. After a brew I told David I was going further upstream. Within thirty minutes I hooked a big fish which sulked on the bottom for several minutes then I slowly moved upstream exerting enough pressure to get the fish moving.

Another five minutes and I had the fish coming up through the fast swirling water. I pushed the net out over the water then put my foot on the handle to hold it in position. Slowly I got the fish moving then it appeared three feet from the waiting net. It was a big one, and then the hook slipped. I watched the fish slowly disappear into the depths of the murky river Kennet. I was gutted saying to myself, when will I land one of these big Kennet fish? In the next half an hour I got three more small fish. We continued fishing until 9 o’clock, David eventually getting a well deserved fish, we were late getting dinner, though we didn’t get any good size fish we both agreed it had been another good day on the river.
Back in the Weir Pool

On Wednesday when I looked out of the window I could see there had been a frost, I chose to fish a weir pool where the temperature was 48 degrees F David fished a swim further downstream, it was tough fishing, all I got were three small barbel averaging about 4lbs, over the past few days, I have never seen so many small barbel. David fishing further downstream had a couple of barbel averaging about 6lbs. In the darkness David moved to another swim further downstream where he caught another nice fish. About 8 o’clock we decided to go off for some food.

Best Barbel of the Season

On our last day David chose to fish the swim he ended up in the night before, I decided to roam about trying every likely looking spot, the water temperature was 48 degrees F with most of the colour having gone out of the water, with a blue sky and bright sunshine I needed to fish close to snags and weed beds. My first swim was a long walk from the car it took me at least half an hour, as I walked downstream I just hoped my chosen swim would be free. I must admit it’s a swim where only the very keen angler would attempt to fish as apart from the long walk you had to negotiate two big fallen hawthorn bushes which done their best to rip my clothes waders and face to bits. I then had to stand in waist deep water to successfully fish the area. In the first hour I had two good takes, I missed the first, broke on the second. I reckon the weight was behind one of the numerous tree branches that littered the river bed. The next two bites I connected with one barbel averaging 4lb, certainly small fish but it looks as if the future looks bright. After a fishless half an hour, I needed some lunch. It was a long sweaty walk back to the car in the warm sunshine, about half a mile from the car I spotted a likely looking spot that I hadn’t fished before deciding to drop a chunk of sausage paste in the area. Within minutes the tip pulled round and I connected with another barbel about 5lbs. Returning the fish I made a mental note to try the area again in the hope it might produce a good fish. I doubt if an angler had fish the spot for several years with all the bank side vegetation including a prickly hawthorn bush.

Mink Barbel and Munjac Deer

As I sat having lunch of salmon sandwiches with a welcome mug of tea, I chatted to David who told me he had caught a chub and missed a couple of fish, on the opposite bank was a mink, I said to David “I will bring one of my mink traps down on my next visit as its this time of the year when we should be trapping as many of these killers as possible. Lunch over I moved off downstream, it wasn’t an easy walk and I reckon it took me nearly forty minutes and another ten minutes to get into my swim scratching my face and getting my net caught up which I had to cut free.
Before leaving for lunch I dropped on a dozen or more bait chicken egg size lumps of sausage paste. After hanging my bag and jacket on one of the tree branches, I was ready to fish, suddenly a Munjac deer appeared within ten feet of where I was standing, as I watched it drink it made me realise how lucky we anglers are to be so close to nature. I reckon it was three minutes or more before the deer moved away, I then cast a bait well out into the fast flow. Despite the branches of an over hanging alder tree grabbing my line, I managed on my fifth attempt to put the second bait close to the bank a spot I though might hold a good fish.

Within minutes my downstream rod with the bait out in the main flow gave an indication of a bite, I watched hawk like, then two firm knocks, saying to myself. ‘That’s a bite’ I picked up the rod then waited. I had another tap thinking to myself ‘It’s no use trying to hit that movement’ I waited three or four minutes then the tip pulled over in a determined fashion. The answering strike connected with a powerful fish which went off downstream hugging the bottom as it did so which told me it was probably a good fish. I was full of confidence in landing this heavyweight with my balanced tackle set up. Harrison Triptych rod, 12lb Gamma line which I had put on my Relum centre reel for this trip with a size 2 Partridge barbless hook, I reckon these hooks were hand made in the Partridge factory in Redditch about 1975 and there better than any of the modern hooks. What surprises me is the number of anglers who question me for using a cheap Relum reel. I can say now his reel does everything I want from a centre pin. I see no reason to change. It’s not as if I don’t have any other centre pins. I do, its just this model suits me. If anyone knows where I can get another Relum perhaps they will let me know.

Suddenly the fish stopped moving, I couldn’t take in line everything was immoveable, keeping on the pressure I waited for about thirty seconds, then I felt some head shaking suddenly the line went slack, Winding down fast I once more felt the fish which was moving in a slow but determined fashion upstream giving me the chance to get some line back on the reel. Soon the fish was out in front of me, I cramped on the pressure. I could feel a good fish twisting and head shaking in its bid for freedom. Suddenly for split second everything went slack. Then I felt the weight of the fish. Slowly I worked line back on the reel, as I lifted the fish towards the surface I picked up the landing net, how I wished I had Will or David with me to net this fish in the enclosed space. Suddenly a big lovely bronze fish was wallowing on the surface. Pushing the net out over the water the strong flow nearly wrenched it from my grasp. Lifting the rod as high as possible I leaned back drawing the fish over the net. Dropping the rod I lifted the net with both hands then waded backwards to the bank. On the scales it weighed 11-2-0 my best of the season and a very welcome fish. Watching it swim away I thought ‘Perhaps I will hook up to it when it’s a fourteen pounder’ In the next hour I had four more barbel and missing three. I decided to leave my gear on the bank and make my way back to the car for a mug of tea and a sandwich.

I got back to my swim just as the light started to fade, I must say I wasn’t looking forward to the long walk back on the darkness especially through the wood with all the fallen trees and prickly hawthorn bushes. Soon I had two rods back in action and I quickly got two small barbel in about fifteen minutes. In the darkness I had several bites missing most but catching two good fish estimated at 7lb and 8lbs. Then I got a call from David to say he was packing up. It was a long tough struggle for this old boy. On reaching the car I heaved a sight a relief. Having packed away our gear it was off through Thatcham then onto the A34 the M40 M42 M6 finally the A59 arriving home about 11 o’clock.