Its Been a Tough Week On The Kennet

Since early December 2008 I haven't been able to fish as much as I would have liked, especially the lovely River Kennet in Berkshire and Wiltshire, most of December I was running my saltwater fly fishing school at the Le Meridien hotel in Fujairah in the UAE, Then on my return I got a bad neck injury which stopped me from driving, some days it was so painful I couldn't use my PC or even attempt to go fishing. It was so painful, it stopped me working on my new book. Also the latter part of December and much of January the weather was rather horrid, frosty nights with bright sunny days not the best of conditions for seeking fish, big or small in gin clear rivers.

Richard Waltham a member of the Edisford Hall game fishing syndicate on the River Ribble mentioned he would like to fish Berkshire's River Kennet sometime, after chatting for a while we decided to travel south on Monday 19th of January for a weeks fishing, with barbel at the top of the 'I wish catch list'. Having ordered a dozen loaves of bread, and six packs of sausage meat paste from the butcher in Chatburn, I then made up a batch of soft smelly cheese paste. Kate made several cottage pies, hot pots along with a cake that is suitable for diabetics. All through week leading up to our departure I was in constant contact with Will Carter checking on water temperatures and levels. Then two days before leaving home, Will called and said "The river has a foot of extra water with a water temperature of 43-44 degrees F" I thought at last conditions are improving.

Richard picked me up from home at around eight o'clock on Monday morning, by twelve noon, we were enjoying a freshly brewed coffee with Dick Tallents of Masterline Walker at their Tewksbury base. After chatting for a while and looking at all the new gear I recorded an interview with Dick for my At The Waters Edge programme on BBC Radio Lancashire. After taking a good look at the centre pin reels and knowing I couldn't afford one. it was time we got on the road once more for the Kennet. I suppose it was about three o'clock when we pulled into the car park on the Warren beat of the Wasing fishing to fins the river at a nice height with some colour. I was quite ecstatic at the thought I might just get Richard hooked up to a barbel during the evening. We then went off and sorted out our accommodation for the week. Then it was off for a bite to eat. Around six o'clock we were in the Warren car park with the river to ourselves, sadly the sky was clear and I suspected before long it would be frosty. Not what I wanted. After tackling up with the new Grauvell 1.75 specialist barbel rods and 12lb line with a size 4 barbless hooks we chucked a loaf of bread into the bag, along with some sausage and cheese paste before heading off downstream. Having tried several swims we arrived at a long glide which in the past had produced the goods. I suggested Richard bait up with a chunk of crust I then pointed to where he should drop the bait. Fifteen twenty minutes later, still no bites we moved on downstream. Half an hour later with no action we made our way back upstream. Once more Richard fished a crust in the long glide swim, ten minutes later he got a bite, soon I was netting a rainbow trout which chose to eat a chunk of crust. By ten o'clock with a heavy frost covering our gear we ended the session.

Two Lost Fish
Next day back on the Warren beat, we fished several spots without success, arriving at the long glide where the previous evening Richard had caught his out of season trout. After fifteen minutes Richard's rod tip nodded then nodded again suddenly it was pulled over in a savage manner, sadly the answering strike didn't connect. We tried for a while but with no more bites forthcoming. It was time for a late lunch. Then it was off to the Woolhampton beat, where I've had some good fish this season including several double figure barbel, and chub over 5lbs. We both chose two swims which we would fish in rotation, feeding a few hook size bits of sausage meat into the chosen spots along with mashed bread. At about seven o'clock while fishing a bait under some over hanging branches of a sycamore tree, I had a screaming take which Will Carter could hear in the next swim. It was missed. In the next hour I had two good takes, connecting with both fish, but sadly they got off the hook. The way the fish hugged the bottom and moved off slowly I got the the impression they could have been good barbel. But of course I will never know. We fished on until ten pm then we called it a day. Over supper I kept thinking about the days lack of fish, saying to Richard "Perhaps I am getting too old and past my sell by date" Even under the toughest conditions in the past I have always managed to get my guest hooked up to a few barbel.

Another Fishless Day

Wednesday was another tough session the day started off as the previous day with the ground covered by frost with a blue sky. We chose to fish the Woolhampton beat in the hope of catching chub or barbel, if we were lucky both species might be caught. Passing a still water on the way to the river we could see much of it was covered by a layer of ice. Not a good omen. I was right the water temperature was down to 40 degrees F. When we arrived on Monday the water temperature was 43 degrees F also a dropping water temperature isn't a good sign. An hour after dark as the rain started to fall I had a sharp rattle on the rod tip then nothing. At ten o'clock we headed off for supper and a warm bed with optimism in out voices as the rain sheeted down. With luck the river height and water temperature will increase.

A Brace of Barbel

Thursday morning it was still raining as we arrived on the bank of the river Kennet of the Warren beat controlled by the Wasing fishery. I could see we had a ten inch lift on the river, on checking the water temperature I got a reading of 43-44 degrees F I certainly felt hopeful today. Fishing several swims with cheese paste, sausage meat paste and bread either flake or crust we didn't get a bite. Just before dark we had some food and a brew before settling in for a late session. Around 9 o'clock I moved into another swim, within five minutes I had a barbel about 7lbs. Half an hour later I suggested to Richard that he should join me. Within ten minutes I had another small barbel. In the next hour we sat there fishless. Around 10-30 pm we called it a day. I have never known the fishing to be so hard. I talked to many good anglers who catch their share of fish and most of them were fishless. Perhaps its because I am getting old for this game.

Chub on Cheese Paste

Friday morning conditions looked good with a few more extra inches of water, the water temperature was now 45 degrees F, normally I would have bet my house on catching, but not today. It was a hard days fishing for Will, Richard and myself. I did get lucky late in the evening with a nice chub of 5-4-0 on cheese paste and a small barbel. Apart from that nothing. With frost covering all our gear and clothing we called it a day about ten o'clock and returned for supper. We made the decision to travel back to Lancashire on Saturday morning. Saturday morning the ground was frost covered, likewise the puddles of water had a covering of ice. Pulling away from the River Kennet I thought "That's the end of probably one of my toughest weeks fishing".