Hi from new member Peter

[peter constable 3]

Hi, I'm a new member here.
I'm secretary of a small but very active local club - at least it was active until Covid-10 came along.
I'm a general angler, fish occasional matches (2 or 3 a year) but am equally happy trotting the Kennet for chub and roach (and increasingly - trout, there's thousands of them) or fishing a pit for carp (only ever one rod, either float or feeder. Never two rods nor boilies nor bite alarms).
I'm looking forwards to seeing what goes on here, meanwhile, I need to post a request for a spare part to fix a rod for a mate - need to do something during the lockdown.
All the best and stay healthy, Peter

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Hi Peter and Welcome to Fishingmagic . . . .

 

[john step]

Welcome to FM. I am sure someone can help with the repair issue,

 

[wetthrough]

Hi Peter and welcome to welcome to Fishing Magic.

 

[flightliner]

Hello Peter, welcome to FM, it's ripples reach out to all areas of angling. Enjoy!

 

[markcw]

Hi peter, I posted a suggestion to your repair query.hope it helps

 

[Keith M]

Hi Peter, welcome to FM. What areas of the Kennet do you fish?

I used to fish the Kennet around Newbury Thatcham and Theale and a couple of other places but my main Quarry were Barbel and Chub (I caught my very first Barbel on the Kennet) however I haven’t fished the Kennet now for nigh on 40 years and I’ve heard that it is a very different river nowerdays, and because of reduced flows caused by abstraction there are now a lot fewer areas which have clean gravel bottoms and large streamer weed beds and has now started to silt up. Is this true? If it is it’s a great shame as it used to be my favourite river.

Keith

 

[peter constable 3]

Hi Keith, unfortunately the Kennet below Newbury has totally lost its sparkle (both literally and metaphorically). It's a shadow of its former self, there are no beds of ranunculus waving in the stream with little white flowers poking out above the surface. Ever since the canal re-opened to boat traffic summer has become just a turbid flow of brown water. In winter the river can be clear as crystal (no boats). On some shots on Google earth you can actually see the disturbed mud trail from the barges on the canal.
All this sediment entering the Kennet has destroyed the beds in which barbel especially breed. Couple that with otters and cormorants and it's easy to see why anglers are deserting rivers in favour of commercials.
Not only do the barges cloud the water but if you are on the canal/river through Newbury at dusk you can hear the hand-pumps from the permanently moored barges emptying their septic tanks.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but if anything similar were to happen to sparrows or starlings there would be an outcry and the process stopped immediately - but as it's below the water surface it is ignored by most.
Yours - in desperation, Peter

 

[108831]

Thanks for your best wishes Peter and welcome.