It’s been a Good Week on the Rivers

Despite the low and gin clear rivers countrywide I still chose to travel down south to fish the Hampshire Avon, Rivers Kennet and Loddon. With 7 days fishing ahead of me I chose to start on the Kennet Wasing Estate water, despite being told very few fish were being caught, I felt I was in with a chance, despite the tough conditions. After bailiffing the various beats and lakes on the Wasing ticket, I ended up at Woolhampton where I sent 3 people off for not having permits. At Dalston I met up with an old fishing mate Jon King, Brother Tom and son Peter. They were planning to fish all night. As we stood and chatted Peter caught a barbel about 7lbs, certainly a good start for the teenager.

An hour later I was on the Warren beat I parked my car, and then grabbed a loaf of bread and some Wraysbury Maple cream paste bait before making my way downstream, putting crumbed bread in some swims, and paste in other spots. With only one member on the beat, I had plenty of swims to fish. Back in the car park I put the kettle on for a brew, and then connected my microwave to the car battery, then heated up a Cottage pie for dinner. Twenty minutes later I’m sitting at the waters edge with a hot meal and a fresh brew. It beats sandwiches or a can of soup.

My plan of action was to move down river fishing all the baited spots then repeat the process on the way back, planning to fish until about midnight. I didn’t take a chair, just a piece of sponge, no rod rest I would hold the rod feeling for the bites. I find this way of fishing so exciting. All your senses are at a high pitch as you sit in the darkness waiting for a slight pluck or a violent wrench on the rod, which was 12 foot Avon action designed for lines between 10 and 12lbs breaking strain my reel a
Kingpin centre pin, I had a size 4 Pallatrax hook tied to 12lb Gamma line. Weight would be between one and four LG shots depending on the spot being fished. In fact some spots I would fish just a chunk of paste.

The first swim I chose was just a few yards downriver from the car park, an old alder tree lay at an angle from the far bank creating a nice crease where I could bounce a chunk of crust down the swim. Within ten minutes I had a nice chub of about 4lbs. half an hour later I am moving downstream to the next baited spot on a bend opposite a riverside cottage. In about 45 minutes I had 2 barbels both fish about 5lbs a piece.
Thirty minutes later with no signs of interest from the fish to my crust or paste I moved downstream to the Pipe Swim.

I chose to use 2 LG shot lightly pinched on the line fifteen inches from the hook which I baited with a pigeon size chunk of Maple cream paste. Sitting in the darkness waiting for a bite I had an owl calling somewhere downstream, and then hearing a sound behind me I looked around finding a Munjac deer ten feet away. About forty minutes later the rod whacked round, a bite I couldn’t miss, a barbel about 7lbs. I fished on for another half an hour, with no more interest I move off downstream to the Black Cabin run. For an hour I fished crust and paste baits searching the swim from top to bottom, then just as I was thinking of moving I felt a slight pluck, not sure if it was weed or a fish I gently lifted the rod tip then feeling tension on the line, I made a strike connecting with an angry fish which dashed around the swim. Eventually netting a nice barbel of about 8lbs which picked up a chunk of paste.

Moving back upstream on the other bank I fished a quiet area downstream of some popular trees that had crashed in the river three
Years ago. Thirty minutes later with no signs of interest, I moved off upstream, choosing to fish the shallow water above the green footbridge. An owl hooted from a nearby oak tree, and then two roe deer entered the river for a drink. Ten minutes later the deer had gone, and then as I was talking to Brendan Ince, I felt a pluck then another pluck, as the line tightened in a positive manner I set the hook. Saying to Brendan “Got to go I’ve got a good fish” A few minutes later I netted a barbel which I put at about eight and a half pounds. I was ready for a brew so I decided to pack up for the day.

A Good Barbel for Will Carter

The next day Sunday I spent a lot of the time checking permits on the Wasing waters. Then after a late pub lunch, I had a look at the Thatcham and Newbury AC waters on the Kennet before fishing a short evening session with Will Carter on the Wasing Woolhampton beat of the Kennet. I suggested to Will that he should fish the swim where I have had a lot of success, while I chose a new swim further downstream.

An hour after starting to fish I heard Will call saying “I’ve got a good fish” Reeling in my rod I went up to Will, then picked up his landing net so I was ready when the fish showed. For five or ten minutes the fish battled away not giving Will any chance to take in line, then as always happens the fish started to lose some power. Soon Will had the fish coming towards the net which I had sunk deep in the water. As the fish come over the net I lifted a good barbel was quickly enveloped in the folds of the net. It looked big, we both thought perhaps 13lbs plus. The scales gave a different story it weighed 12-8-0 a personal best for Will. After a couple of pictures we rested the fish then watched it swim off strongly. Back in my swim I had two bites, a chub of about 2lbs and a bream of about a pound. Still that’s fishing, but it didn’t matter I had seen my friend catch his personal best barbel. (See under pictures)
The River Loddon - It’s an Enigma

Without doubt one of the toughest rivers around must be the Loddon I fished for three days, the first day I had just one bite on sausage meat paste about seven o’clock in the evening, catching a barbel weighing 10-13-0 On that high note I decided to leave. Tuesday I am back trying various other beats taking two fish of 9-10-0 and 8lbs both on sausage meat paste. Wednesday I fished for about seven or eight hours without a bite, in fact I didn’t see a fish. Hence it’s an Enigma. (See under pictures)

London Anglers Association

Thursday I chose to fish the Britford fishery on the Hampshire Avon near Salisbury owned by the London Anglers Association where a card for all their waters will cost just over £40-00 certainly excellent value for money. The Avon is an easy water by Loddon standards, though it can be difficult depending on the conditions. My guest for the day was Mark Cannon from London who was achieving a lifelong ambition of fishing the Avon. Arriving in the car park we were met by Stuart Wilson the river keeper who really does an excellent job of not only keeping down the vermin such as mink and cormorants, but through working with the local police he has defeated the poachers who use rods, nets and also snag fish. Stuart suggested we fish the bottom of the beat.

Lots of Perch and a Big Roach

I chose to fish a pool below a small footbridge, while Stuart took Mark off downstream to fish for dace, grayling and chub. Stuart helped Mark get sorted out with the right tackle, how to feed the swim, shot the float, trott the stream and mend the line. First cast Stuart hooked a grayling, within minutes of starting Mark had his first fish of the session a small grayling, quickly followed by a 2lb chub. Back in my swim I used a bait dropper to put in a pint and a half of red gentles and 20 chopped lobworms. I left the swim alone for about an hour, spending the time either walking the banks, or watching Mark trotting the stream catching chub and grayling.

I suppose it was around 12 noon when I commenced fishing, choosing to use a Chevin Avon action rod, Mitchell 300 1953 vintage reel with 4lb Gamma line to which I tied on a size 6 Pallatrax barbless hook. I started off by using 2LG shot pinched lightly on the line fifteen inches from the hook baited with two lobworms; adding a small piece of rubber band on the hook to stop the worms wriggling off.

Within ten minutes of casting out I felt a light pluck, then a more positive pluck, pushing the rod forward to give slack line I watched it tighten, as it did so I lifted the rod feeling the heavy weight of a fish then the head shaking so reminiscent of a perch. Slowly I gained line at the same time pulling the fish across the fast water into the quiet water on the inside of the pool. Then all went slack, the fish was gone. I then realised that I hadn’t set the hook with a firm strike.

A Surprise Big Roach

During the next hour I hooked and landed nine perch averaging about a pound and a half, all on double lobworm. This was followed by a quiet spell of about half an hour, I decided to put together a float fishing outfit, 13 foot rod, centre pin reel with 4lb Gamma line a size 8 Pallatrax barbless hook. I set the float at five feet, baited the hook with about ten gentles then made long cast across the pool. As the float slowly moved downstream, it dipped a foot further down the flow the float seemed to drag across the flow. I quickly realised it was a fish and set the hook. Minutes later I netted a great roach, which I though might weigh 2lbs. The scales said differently it weighed 1-14-0 a great Avon roach. It was a happy angler who stopped for lunch and a brew.

A Brace of 2lb Perch

In my first four casts after lunch I had two perch of about a pound followed by fish of 2-4-0 and 2-7-0, a brace of perch that any angler would enjoy catching, I then pricked two fish, thinking “This will spook the perch”. It didn’t. I quickly caught three more fish averaging a pound and a half. About 3 o’clock a strong cold wind started blowing across the pool ruffling the water surface, at the same time the bites ceased. For an hour I couldn’t get a single pluck. Then as the light faded I got a couple more fish. It was time to pack up. As Mark and I compared notes on the way to the car park, we both agreed it was a great day out on the Avon. Mark had 6 good chub averaging 3lbs he also had several good grayling the best at about a pound and a quarter. (Picture of Mark with his first chub under pictures)

Kennet chub and Barbel

On Friday I spent several hours walking Wasing waters checking permits. I also cleared away two large bin liners of rubbish which some scumbag had dumped on one of the lakes. After a late lunch I arranged with Will to meet him on the Woolhampton beat. I arrived a couple of hours before Will choosing to fish the swim I had chosen to fish the previous Sunday. I quickly had two barbel about 6lbs apiece, also a mirror carp about 12lbs. The carp was caught on 2 lobworms, both barbel were caught on sausage meat paste.

Prospects of a good session were looking good until a crazy barge owner tried to turn his boat around in the narrow confines of the canal right in my swim. In no time he had run aground. For an hour the engine was well and truly revved up, the roaring sounded something akin to an aircraft getting ready for take off. At the stern the water was being stirred up as if a giant washing machine was at work. Silt and other rubbish was spread up and down the canal, the water turned a horrid muddy colour. The fishing was ruined through an idiot.

As I sat thinking about my next move to another beat, the barge started to slowly move downstream, peace reigned once again. I decided to stay and give the swim an hour before attempting to fish. The hour turned into about three before I had a fish. A barbel about 7lbs, at 11 o’clock I thought I would give it another half an hour. It was a good choice as I had a 5-10-0 chub on sausage meat paste. I then packed up thinking what might have been without a crazy bargee. It was time to go home, I done the journey in about 4hrs.

Tackle and Guns Show
Sunday October 18th Brendan Ince and I were at Stoneleigh Park for the 2009 Tackle and Guns trade show, now in its tenth year. Visitors from the ‘hunting, shooting and fishing’ industry, including key decision makers from many of the country’s leading businesses were in attendance. Tackle and Guns has become firmly secured its position as the must attend trade show of the year; it is now responsible for uniting buyers and suppliers across the outdoor industry. Well done to (DHP) Ltd for organising such a good trade event over the years.

The man behind this successful project is David Hall who comes from a publishing background. DHP Ltd is widely regarded as the leading publisher of angling magazines across Europe. As well as publishing eight angling consumer titles and two trade magazines (Tackle & Guns and Tackle Trade World), I attended the show to record interviews with many of the people in the angling trade and see what was new for the listeners to At The Waters Edge on BBC Radio Lancashire www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire click on listen again then At The Waters Edge where the programme to hear it worldwide via the internet.

An item at the show that caught my eye was the Avon floats on the Middy stand, the largest of the Avon’s takes 11 BB shot, just the float for trotting the Kennet, Avon, Stour and Ribble to name a few. I like a float that takes some weight where you can boss the stream and mend the line without diverting the float off its line going down the flow. It was nice to see Kingpin launch there new centre pin reel at the show retailing for just under £200-00 this for a quality engineered reel by an English company. Roy Hart of Skeetex was his usual knowledgeable self, his Skeetex boots are still a best seller.

A great little tool at the show was the Rigmaster for tying hair rigs as one who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis I have for years had problems when tying hook or knots. Many times I have to ask a fellow angler tie on a hook. No longer is this going to be a problem with this small tool measuring an estimated five inches in length and about a quarter inch in diameter. The Rigmaster will be a valuable tool for all those with arthritis or arthritic hands especially many of us pensioners. Brendan and I arrived back in Blackburn about 8-30pm after a very long but interesting day.