Wednesday 02 October
I can’t believe it!
Arriving at Lower Benyons on the River Kennet in Berkshire at 11am, one of the prime beats under Reading and District Angling Association (RDAA) control, and there is not a single vehicle in the car park.
Too much tackle again! I brought the brolly and it weighs a ton, but rain is forecast for the afternoon. The last couple of nights have been mild with some heavy rain and it feels good as I head upstream searching for a bigger fish than the last few outings on the canal section have brought; I’ve had a few though, along with some cracking chub to just short of 6lb.
The water has a tinge of colour and a bit more flow than usual with just a few surface leaves coming through and I settle into a swim that has a difficult downstream cast amongst overhanging trees on the far bank but a nice fairly static upstream hole behind a sunken tree that spreads across the river.
I have decided on a low feed approach as the fish here are fairly pressured and I believe they are wary of heavy feeding, unless they really are on it. A small bait of 2 x 6ml Elips pellets superglued to a size 9 hook and a 10lb fluorocarbon hooklength of about one foot long are at the business end, together with a PVA mesh bag containing a mixture of pellet sizes. A sliding backlead about six feet from a 2oz lead attached to a snag free running clip completes my set up.
A long cast downstream for the first rod, behind the tree overhang, with the other rod upstream to the slacker water and about eight feet of line pulled off the reel to prevent the bait being pulled out of place by the current or any debris.
After 20 minutes I cast both rods out again to the same spots, and after a further ten minutes the downstream rod rips around and a very spirited barbel of around 8lb comes to the net; it had to be played very hard to prevent it gaining the far bank tree roots – it’s a good start.
The upstream rod has been in place for about an hour and as I consider a recast the rod tip simply taps down three inches and continues to bounce softly, a typical upstream bite. Lifting into the fish it’s obvious it’s a good one and it takes all my will and pressure to try and stop it gaining the tree roots downstream. Despite the rod being bent fully around it gains sanctuary for 20 seconds and I am forced to drop the rod tip down and release the pressure hoping for the best. The rod taps again and I simply heave and the fish comes away from the snag and battles midstream now, still very powerfully. ‘Good fish’ I say – to no one but myself – and it’s only when I lift the net with the fish inside that I finally stop shaking; it’s in wonderful condition and weighs in at 12lb 10oz.
Friend Richard joins me at 3pm but he has no bites despite me managing another one around 6lb from the top swim at around 5pm; mind you he has had five to my one the last two trips so I feel no guilt!
Dusk starts to fall and I realise we have to be off the water far too early, at 7.10pm, and despite the weight of the unused brolly as we return to the cars there’s a spring in my step as I glide along the lane. I think I may try and get out before the weekend whilst the going appears good.
Friday 04 October
I had planned to go and see my daughter and her band ‘Pivotal’ perform at the Cellar in Southampton but needed to change so I could fish longer than the scheduled 1pm finish.
I arrived at the same stretch at 10.20 and again there were no cars. The river still had some colour in it, although the leaves are pretty numerous. New swim? No, I’ll be lazy and fish the same one.
It’s overcast for most of the morning, with the odd drop of rain, but not enough to use the brolly that I have struggled to carry yet again. Waiting for me is the runty-looking mallard duck that I spent time feeding at my feet yesterday. Maybe he’s a lucky ducky?
It certainly seems so because the upstream rod slowly bends around, and the lift is met with a really fierce fight as I hook and hold to try and prevent the fish getting to the snag downstream. It rolls on the surface, than belts away and even holding as hard as I can it manages to take me around a root and cuts me off – bad angling – it looked about 9 -10lb.
30 minutes later the downstream rod pulls around and I’m connected to another hard-fighting fish, energised by the extra water. Finally I manoeuvre it into the net and a superb barbel of 11lb 13oz is the result. Two further fish follow over the next couple of hours; both around 6lb, followed by a quiet period that makes me decide to pack up at around 3pm.
Two pals, Mark and Chas, want to have a barbel fish this coming Sunday; I fancy a change of scenery but I reckon they will want to have a go on this stretch while the going’s good. I may decide to have a trotting session with maggots just for a change, or perhaps even try for a Kennet perch.
Sunday 06 October
“What time do you call this?” said Chas as I arrived at the river two hours later than agreed. A rotten hangover, caused by sampling Jane’s home made Damson Vodka with a friend the night before, was the excuse…best not to mention the singing along to You Tube that accompanied it. Chas, Mark, Matt and two other pals were already fishing and hadn’t had a bite. I was glad I bought my newly-acquired Drennan Power Float rod so at least I could have some sort of action.
I start off at the top end on the canal, the water swirling in mist with the rays of the sun starting to cut through it – it looks stunning. Soon I’m into small roach up to 6oz and then when they are fed off I bag a dozen gudgeon, one absolutely huge at about 3oz. Two hours later the bites have stopped, the sun is up and it’s very bright and clear; I also feel pretty rough still.
It’s quite amazing the numbers of roach and dace I have been catching this season – two dozen fish up to 12oz in a session is not unusual – yet for many years the river has seemed quite empty of silver fish. They remind me of the days spent with my mentor, Reg Rogers, when we could catch 20 or so roach each all over the pound on hemp and tares; indeed my first ever barbel was caught trotting mid-water on the Kennet on a floatfished tare when after roach in the very swim I sit now.
I amble downstream to chat with the lads who, along with a few others, are still barbel free. I have a chat with Len and his son Neil, who have come from Essex and who I met at an ABF event in Basingstoke a year ago, Len and I sort out all of angling’s problems…
After that a few more small roach and a perch from another swim result before the swim is invaded by minnows. Despite feeding very heavily, as I had from the start of the day in an attempt to get the odd barbel feeding, they simply can’t be fed off. I chat to Mark and get him to move swims and suggest where to cast and then head home for a rest. Later I’m glad to hear Mark managed a 9lb 1oz barbel in what was a very tough day with, I understand, only one other fish of 7lb showing.
I’m going to be out again on Wednesday, I’ve yet to decide where, but it will be a change of venue for sure.
Wednesday 09 October
I started out at Ufton on the Kennet after one of the superb perch that reside on this section and find lots of ‘bits’ around on the maggot and hemp but am plagued by small, and not so small, pike with one about 14lb grabbing my fish bait and cutting through the line. I landed two others around the 4lb mark and managed a couple of small perch and one decent one at just over 2lb.
Friday 11 October
A three hour ‘quickie’ session on the River Loddon at Hurst.
It’s a really scenic stretch of water, although today I think it’s too clear for barbel in the day given the bright sunshine. A tricky first cast under some overhanging trees where the river splits leads to an immediate pull on the rod top and a small barbel fights to gain the sanctuary of the tree roots to the left. Safely in the net I admire it and watch as it powers back into the deeper water.
The remaining couple of hours are spent looking for fish, and admiring the river’s beauty with just the odd cast into the deeper water without result.
18 to 21 October
Back to the cottage on the River Wye and a couple of hours fishing from 5pm to 7pm gives up two typically hard fighting Wye barbel and once again I marvel at the power these fish have compared with the slower water fish local to me.
The next two days are simply rain and wind lashed, and although I went down for two hours another evening I decided that it was too wet, windy and dangerous to fish into the evening, especially when the thunder and lightning started! Saying that, ten years ago would have seen me sitting it out whatever the weather or danger!
The Wye has been really kind to me over the past few years with a tremendous number of fish to nearly12lb, so I really just lazed around this time, but kept warm and dry.
Wednesday 23 October
Dreams are made of this – this was a day that will live in my memory forever, thanks to two friends
Having travelled the world in my job with British Airways I decided to have a break when I was 55 years old, a break that continues to this day. Having the time to go fishing has been the main reason I have managed to catch some good specimens including massive barbel, chub over 7lb, bream over 12lb, tench to nearly 10lb, pike over 30lb and British carp, both common and mirror, over 35lb.
You will have noticed that roach are missing from the list, that’s because I had never caught one over 2lb despite netting half a dozen of 1lb 12oz and above. Invited to fish a stretch of the River Test with a couple of friends the first cast gave me a fin perfect roach of just over the 1lb, the next one, in mint condition, was weighed at 1lb 10oz. In between the 20 or so grayling to 2lb, the half dozen madly-fighting brownies to over 6lb and a few chub to 4lb came over 40 stunning roach. The best ones weighed 2lb 3oz, 2lb 2oz, 1lb 13oz and 1lb 12oz with a number of the fish estimated at around the 1lb 8oz mark but not weighed; only around six fish were under the 1lb mark.
I spent most of the day marvelling at these simply stunning fish, deep bodied with blood red fins. It was truly a session to remember and one that had me trembling for most of the day and unable to hook the casters and hemp that were so effective in catching these mint specimens.
The day was rounded off with a welcome carvery meal with the two pals who had enabled me to enjoy a fantastic day’s fishing that will remain in the brain cells until dementia sets in!
Friday 25 October
Off to the Kennet, there’s a bit of water on and an increased flow so hopefully a barbel or two will follow. Arriving at the venue at 1pm there are three cars in the car park and on the bank a couple of well known anglers have already had success with some nice fish between them. I realise that the venue has been fishing best around midday, so think I have probably missed the boat but 30 minutes after the first cast the rod bucks and I am attached to a feisty 6lb fish that gives a good account of itself in the flow. Unhooked and rested it waves goodbye as I release it into a nearside slack.
Steve Stringer, a frequent angler over the past 5 years on RDAA waters, comes along from an upstream swim and tells me he has had no success so far and we discuss tactics. He is fishing a swim that gave me three doubles in a day earlier in the season and is one that is generally good for a bite or two. Stef Horak, also fishing upstream, comes to say hello and we introduce ourselves, having never chatted before.
Dusk comes and the rod remains lifeless, apart from the irritating leaves that keep pulling the rig downstream despite a backlead. I don’t mind if the bait moves a bit, it often induces a bite from fish holding downstream and in the past I have had great success from actually fishing a hook bait attached to a filled feeder that I have intentionally fished in a ‘rolling’ fashion; it works on flooded rivers and is one to try when the far bank is too pushy to fish comfortably.
At 7.15pm it’s time to pack up and, with a guy who has popped in behind me, we make our way back to the car park. I’m surprised to see that Steve’s car is still there as he is a stickler for the rules and should be heading back, but no headlights are showing up the lane. The next day I hear the very sad news that Steve’s tackle had been found on the bank after midnight but with no sign of Steve. I contact the police as requested and give them all the information I have and fear the outcome.
Wednesday 30 October
Still no news regarding Steve, I feel for his family.
November is around the corner and the first frost has arrived, it can be a tough time of year but I have a trip to the Lower Itchen planned and a chub day on the Kennet pencilled in too…
Friday 01 November
I was at the river today when Steve Stringer’s body was recovered. It was a very sad day, he was a regular on the River Kennet and I shall miss him.
My condolences to his family, his friends and to his fishing pals – rest in peace Steve.
