Every now and then to give a bit of variety to the site I employ a guest blogger at considerable cost ! Todays guest is none other than "Fordy on the Telly", news hound, top angling reporter and friend of the England fishing team !
A couple of times a year Andy arranges a get together on rivers for a number of his mates and total Fishing.com posters.
Here is Andy's report on last sundays events.
A Passion For Angling
A Passion For Angling
As most of you will know, I'm a river angler at heart. This pole fishing lark is all well and good - but to my mind you can't beat trotting a chalk stream, standing up with a bait apron (remember those??) full of maggot. Dace, roach, chub, perch - and not a carp in sight!! Just like Willinghurst really (except for the dace, roach, chub and perch bit....)
There are some venues which make the catching of fish slightly irrelevant. Why does Willinghurst keep coming up, I hear you ask?
But no.....this time I mean a venue that is so amazing, just being there is enough. Being next to the water, stunning countryside, wildlife (including sheep if that's what you are into), the best breakfast you could hope to get your teeth into - and a fresh seafood lunch, prepared lovingly by a man with no teeth, smoking a roll-up.
The Suttons Estate is just off the A4 between Newbury and Hungerford. It's a private trout fishery, wich has around 12 miles of the River Kennet running through it. The countryside is jaw-dropping. Picturesque doesn't really cover it. The river also happens to be rammed with wild coarse fish that rarely see a hookbait.
Many years ago, part of it was used as a location in 'A Passion for Angling'. Chris Yates and Bob James caught roach, chub and pike from the river. There were lots of very pretty shots captured by Hugh Miles - but there's no substitute for actually being there.
I decided to try and organise a couple of coarse fishing days there last year. Part of the reason - simple really. I think a lot of us get so involved in match angling, we lose touch with some of the magical bits of fishing. The 'Being There' bit. You go home happy even if you've not caught 100lbs of carp, and don't have a brown envelope in your pocket.
So on November 23rd we assembled in the Lord Lyon pub in Stockcross, near Newbury, for the second River Kennet get together - The Return of the Lobsterman. Last year John Millington said:''I'll sort the lunch''. He did as well - fresh crab, lobster and prawns caught the day before. This time we knew what to expect - and the anticipation was unbearable.
22 of us arrived and tucked into the brekkie. Nicky Lund - AKA Nicky the Bricky - was crestfallen to discover most of those attending liked black pudding. Among them, Steve May, who'd made the long trip down from the frozen North for the day. He's a man who is no stranger to a fry-up....and even he was happy! We even allowed Andrew Neal (Bodge) to cross the Severn Bridge (special dispensation) to join us.
The 'buzz' you get on days like this tremendous. There was plenty of chatter in the bar as everyone polished off their feast of egg, bacon, sausage, beans, fried bread, mushrooms, black pudding and toast. We were joined by Gary - the gamekeeper from the estate, who passed on tempting titbits of information about barbel living in one location, giant roach in another.
At last we made it onto the river just after 9am. The weather had decided to make things interesting. In other words, it was p*ssing down. Even so, it didn't seem to dampen the spirits too much.
The group scattered to the four corners of the fishery - some electing to try fishing on the main river, others heading for the crystal clear, shallow carriers which criss-cross the entire venue. Phil Stone (Pebs) and his pal Barry were wearing running shoes...not ideal footwear in the mud, but they had their reasons.
They were off the start line in a flash - heading towards an area called Barnett's Hatch, desperate to get there first. Last year my son Ben and I spent the afternoon there - and had 25 chub in just two hours. The smallest was 3lb 8oz - the biggest over 5lbs. Pebs and Barry wanted some of that!! Meanwhile, I led a party to the top end of the fishery - an area called 'The Wilderness'.
I aimed several people towards various swims, including Nicky the Bricky and his partner Julie. There's no-one I know who does more for fellow anglers than Nicholas. The bloke is a legend (ugly and a Man United fan - but a legend all the same). I'd hoped to put him in a swim where he would sack up with dace and roach all day fishing a waggler - and end up with a big smile cracking that wrinkly visage.
I wandered off with Bodge in tow, leaving my lad Ben to do battle with Mick Wilkinson on the carriers. There was plenty of banter between the two of them....with Ben giving as good as he got from Wilkie!
Bodge started off fishing a waggler in a swim that looked perfect. A lovely, smooth run with reeds on the far bank. The river wasn't very wide - about 20 yards at most. Within 5 minutes, Bodge had a bend in his rod.....and a clonking River Kennet trout was safely in the landing net. I found a nice swim with a similar run along the far bank - and ran a John Allerton wire-stemmed stick along the reeds.
Every chuck I fired in a pouch of maggot at the head of the run, then followed it with the float. Before long - the float buried, I hit the bite....and my 14' Drennan Ultralight hooped round. The fight was unmistakable. It was a chub. It took 5 minutes before a big pair of white lips appeared over the rim of my landing net. A lovely fish around 4lbs. Brassy flanks, every scale in place, perfect red-tinged fins. A big smile on my face.
Elsewhere on the fishery, others were enjoying the same feeling. Pebs and Barry were sacking up at Barnett's Hatch. NtB was catching clonking dace - proper Kennet Kippers. and for those who were struggling to find the silvers, the trout kept them busy. Incredible sport.
I continued to run my float through, ending up with two chub, two large trout - and a lovely grayling. Lunchtime arrived too fast - and we returned to the fishing hut where we'd agreed to meet up to sample John's seafood selection!!
On arrival, that hubub was back again. People were buzzing with stories about the fish they'd caught. The lobster, crab and prawns were greedily scoffed - and it was time to change locations for the afternoon session. Bodge (who has gout!!!!) hobbled off looking for a chub swim - and found one. Some of those who had fished the lower end of the fishery in the morning went to The Wilderness to try something different.
Martin Salter - the Reading MP - was among us - and he certainly wasn't moving from the swim he'd collared. He was fishing a superb chub swim using bread and maggot. By the end of the day, he'd had 15 chub and a few trout. He was a very happy man indeed. Fishing had returned the smile to his face - a fair achievement as he'd suffered unbearably on the Saturday.
He, like me, is a Reading fan. Somehow our team had contrived to lose 2-1 to SOUTHAMPTON the day before. He'd watched with another MP who is a Saints fan. But the chub helped him forget it all........
I wandered up to Barnett's Hatch - and persuaded Steve Martin to allow me to poach the swim he'd collared, hoping to follow in the running-shoe shaped footmarks of Pebs and Barry.
At the top of the Hatch is a huge slack - and was felt certain it contained fish. I set up a big waggler - 4.0g Drennan pellet wagg, a few number 4 droppers down and a size 4 barbed hook. I wasn't fishing for dace......
I put one and a half giant lobworms on the hook - and launched the rig across. I held the line up out of the water as the float mooched around in the slack. Before long, the float buried - and I hit the bite. This was a good fish - a proper 'un!! I took my time, and managed to steer what was clearly a decent chub across the fast flowing water of the Hatch. Steve kindly grabbed his landing net, and the handle bent as he lifted a huge fish from the water. It tipped the scales at 5lb 7oz - only 3oz below my PB for a chub. I was chuffed to bits!! - See Picture at the top.
Another large chub and a perch pushing 2lbs fell to the same tactic. Elsewhere, one of Mick Wilkinson's pals had a perch over 3lbs. Mark Hathway also enjoyed chub sport in the afternoon. It was pitch dark by the time I left the venue, stopping on the way out to thank the gamekeeper Gary for allowing us all to spend the day somewhere that has a unique and special appeal.
Everyone caught fish - and everyone finished the day feeling the thing that got us into this sport in the first place. A real Passion for Angling
There are some venues which make the catching of fish slightly irrelevant. Why does Willinghurst keep coming up, I hear you ask?
But no.....this time I mean a venue that is so amazing, just being there is enough. Being next to the water, stunning countryside, wildlife (including sheep if that's what you are into), the best breakfast you could hope to get your teeth into - and a fresh seafood lunch, prepared lovingly by a man with no teeth, smoking a roll-up.
The Suttons Estate is just off the A4 between Newbury and Hungerford. It's a private trout fishery, wich has around 12 miles of the River Kennet running through it. The countryside is jaw-dropping. Picturesque doesn't really cover it. The river also happens to be rammed with wild coarse fish that rarely see a hookbait.
Many years ago, part of it was used as a location in 'A Passion for Angling'. Chris Yates and Bob James caught roach, chub and pike from the river. There were lots of very pretty shots captured by Hugh Miles - but there's no substitute for actually being there.
I decided to try and organise a couple of coarse fishing days there last year. Part of the reason - simple really. I think a lot of us get so involved in match angling, we lose touch with some of the magical bits of fishing. The 'Being There' bit. You go home happy even if you've not caught 100lbs of carp, and don't have a brown envelope in your pocket.
So on November 23rd we assembled in the Lord Lyon pub in Stockcross, near Newbury, for the second River Kennet get together - The Return of the Lobsterman. Last year John Millington said:''I'll sort the lunch''. He did as well - fresh crab, lobster and prawns caught the day before. This time we knew what to expect - and the anticipation was unbearable.
22 of us arrived and tucked into the brekkie. Nicky Lund - AKA Nicky the Bricky - was crestfallen to discover most of those attending liked black pudding. Among them, Steve May, who'd made the long trip down from the frozen North for the day. He's a man who is no stranger to a fry-up....and even he was happy! We even allowed Andrew Neal (Bodge) to cross the Severn Bridge (special dispensation) to join us.
The 'buzz' you get on days like this tremendous. There was plenty of chatter in the bar as everyone polished off their feast of egg, bacon, sausage, beans, fried bread, mushrooms, black pudding and toast. We were joined by Gary - the gamekeeper from the estate, who passed on tempting titbits of information about barbel living in one location, giant roach in another.
At last we made it onto the river just after 9am. The weather had decided to make things interesting. In other words, it was p*ssing down. Even so, it didn't seem to dampen the spirits too much.
The group scattered to the four corners of the fishery - some electing to try fishing on the main river, others heading for the crystal clear, shallow carriers which criss-cross the entire venue. Phil Stone (Pebs) and his pal Barry were wearing running shoes...not ideal footwear in the mud, but they had their reasons.
They were off the start line in a flash - heading towards an area called Barnett's Hatch, desperate to get there first. Last year my son Ben and I spent the afternoon there - and had 25 chub in just two hours. The smallest was 3lb 8oz - the biggest over 5lbs. Pebs and Barry wanted some of that!! Meanwhile, I led a party to the top end of the fishery - an area called 'The Wilderness'.
I aimed several people towards various swims, including Nicky the Bricky and his partner Julie. There's no-one I know who does more for fellow anglers than Nicholas. The bloke is a legend (ugly and a Man United fan - but a legend all the same). I'd hoped to put him in a swim where he would sack up with dace and roach all day fishing a waggler - and end up with a big smile cracking that wrinkly visage.
I wandered off with Bodge in tow, leaving my lad Ben to do battle with Mick Wilkinson on the carriers. There was plenty of banter between the two of them....with Ben giving as good as he got from Wilkie!
Bodge started off fishing a waggler in a swim that looked perfect. A lovely, smooth run with reeds on the far bank. The river wasn't very wide - about 20 yards at most. Within 5 minutes, Bodge had a bend in his rod.....and a clonking River Kennet trout was safely in the landing net. I found a nice swim with a similar run along the far bank - and ran a John Allerton wire-stemmed stick along the reeds.
Every chuck I fired in a pouch of maggot at the head of the run, then followed it with the float. Before long - the float buried, I hit the bite....and my 14' Drennan Ultralight hooped round. The fight was unmistakable. It was a chub. It took 5 minutes before a big pair of white lips appeared over the rim of my landing net. A lovely fish around 4lbs. Brassy flanks, every scale in place, perfect red-tinged fins. A big smile on my face.
Elsewhere on the fishery, others were enjoying the same feeling. Pebs and Barry were sacking up at Barnett's Hatch. NtB was catching clonking dace - proper Kennet Kippers. and for those who were struggling to find the silvers, the trout kept them busy. Incredible sport.
I continued to run my float through, ending up with two chub, two large trout - and a lovely grayling. Lunchtime arrived too fast - and we returned to the fishing hut where we'd agreed to meet up to sample John's seafood selection!!
On arrival, that hubub was back again. People were buzzing with stories about the fish they'd caught. The lobster, crab and prawns were greedily scoffed - and it was time to change locations for the afternoon session. Bodge (who has gout!!!!) hobbled off looking for a chub swim - and found one. Some of those who had fished the lower end of the fishery in the morning went to The Wilderness to try something different.
Martin Salter - the Reading MP - was among us - and he certainly wasn't moving from the swim he'd collared. He was fishing a superb chub swim using bread and maggot. By the end of the day, he'd had 15 chub and a few trout. He was a very happy man indeed. Fishing had returned the smile to his face - a fair achievement as he'd suffered unbearably on the Saturday.
He, like me, is a Reading fan. Somehow our team had contrived to lose 2-1 to SOUTHAMPTON the day before. He'd watched with another MP who is a Saints fan. But the chub helped him forget it all........
I wandered up to Barnett's Hatch - and persuaded Steve Martin to allow me to poach the swim he'd collared, hoping to follow in the running-shoe shaped footmarks of Pebs and Barry.
At the top of the Hatch is a huge slack - and was felt certain it contained fish. I set up a big waggler - 4.0g Drennan pellet wagg, a few number 4 droppers down and a size 4 barbed hook. I wasn't fishing for dace......
I put one and a half giant lobworms on the hook - and launched the rig across. I held the line up out of the water as the float mooched around in the slack. Before long, the float buried - and I hit the bite. This was a good fish - a proper 'un!! I took my time, and managed to steer what was clearly a decent chub across the fast flowing water of the Hatch. Steve kindly grabbed his landing net, and the handle bent as he lifted a huge fish from the water. It tipped the scales at 5lb 7oz - only 3oz below my PB for a chub. I was chuffed to bits!! - See Picture at the top.
Another large chub and a perch pushing 2lbs fell to the same tactic. Elsewhere, one of Mick Wilkinson's pals had a perch over 3lbs. Mark Hathway also enjoyed chub sport in the afternoon. It was pitch dark by the time I left the venue, stopping on the way out to thank the gamekeeper Gary for allowing us all to spend the day somewhere that has a unique and special appeal.
Everyone caught fish - and everyone finished the day feeling the thing that got us into this sport in the first place. A real Passion for Angling
