Walking in a Weedy Wonderland

 My Reading and District club has an exchange scheme so I thought I'd try it out. I was eager to revisit the little River Blackwater near Camberley as it was a river I had visited one winter when doing my 100 rivers challenge, I thought at the time it was really healthy and did well then, so what would it be like in summer? I booked online using the Clubmate app and it worked wonderfully, no picking up keys or going out of the way, all digital all direct, I was ready to go.....and I did!

I had heard folk say it is weedy in summer, well they weren't kidding...

I was however undeterred, I grew up fishing rivers like this, the Gade, the upper Colne, besides weed is great, it's summer, find holes and find fish you will, as Yoda would say, were he an angler, which I'm sure he is given he rocks camo daily.

I set up in a nice spot, when I say nice it was the first swim I could get in without feeling the wrath of the canopy above, note to self - bring a shorter rod than 13ft next time. I jumped in, waded across, looked at the clear water, the weed, the clean gravels, then thanked whatever deity created this, as I trotted down under the trees, alongside some streamer weed towards a raft, it was small river fishing heaven. I had my dibber on once more, taking 1 no1 plus a no6 and it buried each run through, with small chub, gudgeon, plus decent roach and perch which looked and fought well above their actual size, it was bliss, all whilst joggers did their fun run opposite.

By the time the chubby ones had been lapped by the energetic ones I had amassed a decent tally of fish, all returned to the gravels where I watched them, the gudgeon would blend in as if they had an invisibility cloak, the roach and chub would bolt and the perch would hit the bottom eager to get as low as possible, despite their bright green colours and striking red fins they were hard to spot, see if you can spot the perch in this shot.

Did you get it? here's a closer look.

Rockin' camo like Yoda they are!

Back to the fishing I wondered down then back up, stopping for a coffee on some of the benches taking it slow, I saw a couple of lads with their bikes who were fishing and keeping things clean, we exchanged catch reports, a couple of gudgeon was their tally, I responded likewise not revealing I was on quite a few fish by now, it never sounds great, besides gudgeon are cool, a sign of a heathy river, this was my ninth.

Then I saw younger kids, there's no way they'd be fishing a river near where I live that age, fair play. Much like the families walking by saying hello and asking about kingfishers (yes I had to say we see them all the time) it was pleasant surroundings. I wasn't sure about those oak trees however, never seen so many on a river and in the first swim acorns rained down like artillery as the gunfire sounded from the army ranges, but more of that later.

Exploring up towards the free stretch I passed more water than I fished but dipping into each accessible hole yielded fish the way only a healthy river can do. In one such tight swim a few feet long I managed a battle where my 3lb line was tested and a good chub was landed, the day was complete.

More fish followed as I worked my way up however progress was thwarted by a footbridge which was closed, I cursed those trolls like billy goat gruff and more so the morons who had left a mess by the last bench above it, quite why a young courting couple chose that area to make out I do not know although I do hope the young lady in question gets taken to better places in the future.

Returning out of sight of the amorous litter loving couple I hit apon a nearside run and a stunning scale perfect chub of a pound and another roach showing similar perfection, however...

I get a crack on the head that hits hard, now my head is used to it, being a baldy I crack it all the time on cupboards, shelves etc but this left me thinking had I not worn a hat I'd have a bit of a mark there, I rubbed my head before looking down at the acorn that splashed into the water thinking I should stop being a softy. Fishing on, the wind blows once more and another nut hits my nut leaving me shouting out OWWW! Ok it's not funny now! I've left swims for a variety of reasons in the past - Yobbos, high tides, pesky birdlife, fast women. Ok maybe not the last one but this was daft, I gathered up a few of the culprits, rock hard and the size of gobstoppers.

I still had to laugh, getting beaten by the mighty English Oak isn't the worst outcome after all. The last spot saw a tangle with it once more this time at the rod tip, where I broke off, retrieving my little dibber float, avoiding a tree tangle, saluting the mighty oak, cursing not having a smaller rod, but at the same time lauding a fine river.

I finished with 42 roach, 23 perch, 6 dace, 9 chub and 10 gudgeon, A fine trip on the River Blackwater and one that whets the appetite for a return.

Cured By The Avon and English Hospitality

 A day trip

Arriving back at the Avon with the wife for a day trip I was eager to try the spot where I viewed a few fish last time but didn't wet a line, a nondescript swim although I say that with a whole heap of complacency as every spot on this river looks the same - Gorgeous!

The low levels showed gravels and of course lush weed beds which is a stark contrast to the ever muddying Severn, with this clear water came fish, in clear view, from small chub to dace and roach, plus the odd larger chub of course. I fed some pellets and instantly they were hit, I knew I would catch.

On went a dibber more akin to a carp puddle but ever so good on rivers, even with it taking just one no1 shot plus a dust dropper I was able to ping it to the far bank albeit only just. This resulted in some good chub sport instantly with a couple around a pound or two.

Then the roach came, typical pellet fare, none of the small ones, lovely redfins, in the clear water looking much larger than they were but still a decent size.

Naturally a pike showed, this is compulsory on the Avon even in low water on bright sunny days, in the weedy swim I lost the battle but fortunately the pike didn't return although I did expect a hit with the next few roach.

The roach with the odd chub kept me busy for the next few hours, ending with a good 10-12lb of fish, not bad for a drought hit summer, when the roach are this quality you can't really knock it.

Under the Weather

I return once more to the Warks Avon on holiday with the missus, picking the windiest couple of days for a mini break and also one where I had a bloody cold, can't believe it - two years without getting ill then getting a real stinker in the middle of summer - Stress eh, there's only one cure for that and it is of course fishing, or coarse fishing, or any fishing, let's wet a line.

Trying a different area the first trip was pretty much a non event, I had hoped for some good perch at Bidford but instead had to make do with silvers before getting bleaked out, naturally a pike showed once again but in the world's most awkward spot there was only going to be one winner , what with all the weed and a dodgy platform, the latter leaving a sour taste as there was so few swims due to poor maintenance yet the opposite bank had plenty.

I was happy to call it a short day, arrive at the farm, catch up with our hosts and hit a country pub, we found one that was 16th century and used in the Archers, with all the nostalgia on the walls and hanging from the beams, a good glass of wine and a home made hearty pie filling a hole, I was feeling better by the minute.

The second day's adventure further down at Eckington saw more comfortable fishing, I was happy to sit on the bank dangling my legs like a child and lower a stick into the margins, all the time watching the water sports opposite from open water swimmers (who always for some reason seem to be rotund ladies of a certain age) to folks inflating boats. The odd canal barge came by and despite all the activity it was a lovely few hours fishing.

The wind once again got a bit silly but I still managed to winkle out loads of perch, roach,dace and chublets before the bleak became a problem once more, quite a few rudd showed too which was a bonus.

The afternoon saw us pack up and head to Tewkesbury for the traditional look round the shops for the wife and of course hit Wetherspoons for me, with the garden looking over the Avon. Here we sat in the evening sun and chatted to a couple of locals who shared our views on the state of the country. But having spent the two day break counting flags, drinking in ancient pubs and wetting a line deep in the English countryside, with country folk and country ways it was no surprise that my cold was well and truly beaten - Fishing therapy!