Next 2 visits to the H.Avon and a couple of 6lb chub
The weather had been dry and bright for a fair time but over the last few days it had rained and we had about 2 inches. The pond I'm building is almost full now. Andy had arranged to go catfish fishing while I had thought it would be a good time to head to another swim on the H. Avon. The →
First couple of visits of the 2020-2021 season to the H.Avon
The Covid 19 virus had still kept people in lockdown however luckily us anglers were allowed to fish again. Normally Andy (you should have been here yesterday) Cowley and I normally stay at my house in Fordingbridge for the first 4 days of the season. However this year this wasn't possible because we were not allowed to visit second homes →
Carp fishing on the top
With many people furloughed due to the Covid 19 virus it would appear that many people are using this time off to go fishing. The lakes have been rammed with anglers enjoying the fantastic weather that spring has bought. The Met Office is saying 696 hours of bright sunshine for this spring which is a record and exceeds the previous →
First Time out since lockdown
We were allowed out to fish 6 days ago as the lockdown was being loosened to enable some sport and outside activities to start once again. I thought about where I should fish first. Lakes were going to be very busy and booking swims and all sorts of regulations were being debated. One of even could anglers camp outside while →
Corona virus or Covid-19
Pretty soon after the river season finished for the year, March 2020 will go down in history of when the UK closed down.23rd March Boris our Prime Minister came on the TV at 8.30pm to tell people to stay at home. One of the slogans was very much stay home, protect the NHS and save lives. We are only allowed to →
Thats’s it for the season and another big chub
Andy (you should have been here yesterday) Cowley and I were discussing where we were going to fish the previous night. I had to remind him that the second day of the season I suggested he should fish a swim that produced a big 6lb chub plus 3x5lbers. He did and he caught a 7lb 4oz chub. I said I wouldn’t make the same →
At last 7lbs 3oz chub from the Avon
Well having returned from the Maldives and a great experience it was time to get fishing again. The season was drifting towards a close and all I had to show was a couple of chub to 5lbs 10oz plus a smaller one. I had been fishing some short 2hr sessions and half day ones and blanking. It was 4 outings on the H. Avon →
More perch fishing and yet another 3lber
The rivers were still in flood and high. The Hampshire Avon has been in the fields for months now. Sure enough the quantities of rain was diminishing however there is so much ground water that any showers go straight into the river sending the levels up once more. So Andy (you should have been here yesterday) Cowley and I travelled to →
Rivers still in flood and Andy and I visit the perch lake again. I’m lucky this time
With the rivers still in flood and the fishing being really difficult Andy (you should have been here yesterday) Cowley and I decided to revisit the perch lake once more. Now Andy returned to his swim from his last visit where he caught those two 3lbers. I wanted to fish another swim still in deeper water. As I wandered around →
Perch Fishing as the rivers are in the fields still. 3lb perch for both Andy and me.
The H.Avon and Stour has been in flood now for weeks. The Avon is running clear but you need chest waders to get to it and the Stour floods with each shower we have, or so it seems. Andy (you should have been here yesterday) Cowley and I normally head off perch fishing. The normal locations were not producing many →
Bristol Avon and a 17lb skinny pike
I had just returned from the session on the Severn for 1 small chub. I thought that since the river is 15mins away I would try for a pike on a stretch I had not fished for 20 years. I arrived to see that the bankside had not been worn and it looked like nobody had been fishing it. The →
A couple chub from the H.Avon
I won't bore you with all the outings on the H.Avon. There have been plenty of blanks and just a couple of chub. Nothing very large but at least it's fish. One was caught on a maggot feeder session when the river was still in the fields but at 0.8m high. I hooked and landed one chub of 5lbs 3oz →
Bristol Avon and some dace and roach
The Bristol Avon is very much a spate river and comes up and down quickly. I fish a syndicate stretch around Great Somerford where there are some good roach and dace. Plus the odd good pike. I fished for an afternoon with the river fining down from a flood. I was using some maggots from my last perch trip with →
Perch fishing
The rivers have been in a serious flood since November. The H.Avon has been so high it almost reached it's highest ever 1.36. The Stour has been in the same situation with water in the fields for weeks on ends. I was desperate to get out. Perch fishing was the answer. So I returned to a small fishery that used →
3 weeks in Cape Verde
This year we decided to spend 3 weeks in Boavista with our friends Wilf and Jo. We fished for sharks during the afternoon and bait fish in the morning. We couldn't fish everyday as the weather blew up with huge waves coming onshore. Our friend Mustaffa was there again selling his gifts. We had a wonderful time catching a →
6lbs 15oz chub from the Hampshire Avon
It's been a very busy time at home with many jobs to complete before I head off to Cape Verde for 3 weeks holiday. It had rained cats and dogs for weeks now and the H.Avon river has been over it's banks and in the fields several times. You have needed waders to find the river. For me this doesn't →
A guiding day with Dennis on the Wye
Dennis had contacting me asking if I could help him catch a barbel. Now coming from Devon there are very few barbel down his way. Our window of opportunity was short as I don't normally guide on the river Wye after October. We had so much rain over the previous couple of weeks the river had been up 5m and →
Another 6lb chub from the H.Avon
I had an opportunity to fish the H.Avon for a few hrs over the weekend. The river had been up and coloured but was now dropping back in height and clearing. There was still plenty of weed coming down in the flow which with other debris can be a pain. The weather though was warm 16c with some sunshine. The →