Three Weeks in the Sun - Then it's back to a Cold River Bank

Having arrived home on the 10th December after a three week visit to the UAE where I had a most enjoyable time with my daughter and family. I spent the last week of my visit on the Indian Ocean coast at the Al Aqua hotel in Fujairah where I have a saltwater fly fishing school. The pupils really knuckled down and worked hard. When they left they were proficient at casting knots rigging their gear etc etc. It was a pleasure teaching them.
On my return home I sorted out all the gear for a week long stay in Berkshire fishing the Kennet and Loddon. Monday morning I visited the hairdresser, then the optician for my yearly eye test where I got told my cataracts were getting worse. So that will be another problem I will have to cope with. Don't get old guys and girls. Then it was off to the butcher where picked up ten balls of sausage paste, then off to the bakers for eight loaves Finally Dave Foster and I set off for the 255 mile trip south we arrived around 3pm to see the river Kennet low and clear. After sorting our accommodation out, we had a meal before going off to the river. After fishing for an hour on a gale and rain lashed river, with the rods bouncing about I caught a sea trout about 2lbs on a chunk of sausage meat. Ten minutes later we heard a horrendous creaking and cracking then a thunderous crash as a fifty sixty foot tree crashed down close to where we sat. We felt the ground shudder. I said to Dave”Its time we left"; within ten minutes we were on the way back to the car. Back in our accommodation we had a brew while listening to the Chelsea Manchester City match then it was off to bed.

Next day after visiting Tadley Angling and the Aldermaston village store we went off to the river Kennet, passing over the River Enborn we were surprised to see it bank high, further downstream it had burst its banks. On arriving on the banks of the Kennet we found it had about two feet of extra water. I said to Dave, I reckon you should fish Slack Alice; it’s a swim that has produced a lot of fish over the years with many doubles. I chose a swim on the Bearing straights. On this occasion I chose to fish double boily bait on a short hair, with a short fluorocarbon hook link. I put in a dozen free offerings. I then left the swim, going back about three hours later to add a dozen more baits. My intention was to start fishing at dusk.

Meanwhile David baited his swim with a few bait size pieces of sausage paste, he added five or six pieces every hour or so. Like me he didn't intend to fish until dusk. We done some bailiffing, cleared away several heavy branches which had come down the previous night then sat about drinking tea and discussing the prospects for the fishing that evening. Now you’re probably thinking we would be catching a few. By 9 o'clock that evening without any fish, I had one chub bite which I missed. But David's rods didn't move we called an end to the session. During the day out two feet of extra water slowly disappeared. Wednesday morning we woke up to an icy cold day with frost and ice covering the puddles. After visiting Tadley Angling where Dave purchased the new gardener tackle bag which certainly looked a good bit of kit. We decided as the forecast was looking grim we would return home. By 3 o'clock that afternoon I was unloading my gear from Dave vehicle.

River Ribble for a few Chub


As I listened to the weather forecast today Thursday for the West Midlands I reckon we done right coming home early. I chose to have a walk along my river in the hope of getting a brace of pheasants or ducks. After a good 2 mile walk in which I got a brace of pheasants, I then made my way to the cabin for some soup. I then made up a fifteen foot rod centre pin reel with 4lb line I added a float taking 6 AA shot tying on a size 6 hook completed the tackle set up. The river looked good with a couple of feet of extra water. The weather was near perfect despite Pendle Hill being snow covered. It was cloudy with no wind, as I was well wrapped, I wouldn't have any problems in keeping warm. I caught 6 chub averaging about 3-8-0, the best was probably a scraper 4lb fish Baits were crust, cheese paste and flake all caught stret-pegging. It was a relaxing and enjoyable session. More so after the struggle on the River Kennet