canals and waste lands

Bikes along the tow path of the canal.

Hi guys.

Well, it's nearly that time of year again where everyone stops working for a few days, gets unceremoniously drunk and eats far too much turkey and mince pies! I for one am just looking forward to a new year and more fishing adventures! Don't get me wrong Christmas is great for the kids and nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing their eyes light up when they open their presents up on the big day. The wife and I have never personally bothered with Christmas ourselves and we usually just buy ourselves that something we need or want near the time. This year has been no different and I grabbed the chance of a couple of quick bargains on eBay last week. I purchased a pair of beautiful Fox Bob James BJ5 Centerpins. They were reduced down to £80 each from over £360! Supplied in a box with certificate signed etc etc. I know, I know....I've already get 4 pins so why did I need 2 more? God only knows but they're rather nice! Can't wait to get out there and use them now....that's if the bloody excessive flood water ever abates!

Talking of which, it's been a terrible time up in Cumbria hasn't it? Crikey, those poor people have had it really tough this last few weeks. I'm not only sure what the answer is in protecting these places prone to flooding really? I mean, yes you can stick a 20 foot high wall around the areas most likely affected but that's not only unsightly but also a huge expense. Even then the water has to go somewhere and it will still end up down stream in some other poor buggers house. I think the only sensible thing to do is to not build in the many flood plains that could have future housing developments put on them and possible canal/drainage systems dug to relieve the flow when it becomes problematic. I know these concrete ditches are unsightly, costly and lets face it always going to cause an issue for someone...but what's better? The drain-away ditches or high walls or worse still continually flooded homes and businesses. In the meantime lets hope the waters abate a bit and life can once again start to get back to some level of normality for those affected.

The weather in the Welsh Valleys has been foul for some time now with wet and windy conditions ruling the roost. It has however stayed exceptionally mild for December and a few nights back when I went out side at midnight to let the dog have his evening pee it was a very pleasurable 13C! I don't think I've ever known it so mild on a December night in 40 years???

One of the two nice chub i had before i had to call it a day due to flu.

Needless to say that I thought I would grab a last chance and head off back over the bridge and try a new venue for a river carp. I ventured off to Newbury and to one of the venues that is fast becoming a favourite of mine. The River Kennet. I purchased a late season ticket for a small club section of the River/Canal section near to Thatcham and met my good mate Bob down there for a guided walk along the bank. The venue looked top notch. The water was rather clear and still very low for the time of year....total comparison to that of other areas of the country! I chose a lovely spot with a couple of over hanging bushes opposite me and proceeded to bait 2 spots up with a bit of hemp, flavoured corn, mixed pellets and a few broken boilies.

Stunning and untouched

Bob left me to it and headed off to work and I sat back to await results with a hot dinner and a nice coffee. My little girl Natasha has been off with the Flu this last few days and I was hoping I wouldn't catch it as the wife and boy had also got it! Come 5pm that evening I was starting to feel the cold and wrapped myself up in my cosy bedchair. The rods were very quiet until around 11pm that night and the right hand rod broke the silence with a slow take. The fish was well hooked and spiritedly scrapped under the rod tip for a few minutes before succumbing to tiredness. A nice chub of 5lb 4oz. I took a picture and sent her back. I recast and the same rod was away again at 2am. This time it wasn't so much fun as it was absolutely chucking it down.

I played the fish out and netted another fine chub. I weighed her under the front of the brolly and at 6lb 1oz it was one of the best I've had this season. I made the decision to put her straight back and about a minute later I felt rather gutted I hadn't bothered to take a picture as it was a lovely fish. Nevermind....I thought to be honest that there would be more to follow but that was it for the session and as the next day unfolded, so did a nasty dose of the flu! I haven't felt so unwell in ages. As i write this 3 days after, i'm still feeling very rough. I hope it's in  the final stages now as I really need to get on with stuff.

Laid to waste......

Anyway, while I was away I watched with intent a thread on my local clubs Facebook page. It was originally posted by a chap who had been removed by the clubs head bailiff from a club lake almost an hour earlier than he needed to be off the water. The poor chap was forced to leave the venue and pack up during about the best part of the day despite the rules stating he was welcome to stay until an hour after sunset. The thread developed into nothing less than a war zone and i'm normally first to not get involved in someone else's argument especially on a computer...but i felt this guy had really been hard done by. What made it worse was the head bailiff was very rude to the guy. I had my ten pence worth in return and all hell broke loose on there.

One thing led to another and I then receive a threat from said bailiff via a text message! I posted this on the club page and it turned out he felt that it was ok to threaten club members with violence. I've since pulled myself away from the club site and I also won't be rejoining next year as they clearly have issues. To top things off I received pictures of their fishery management skills that week and to say they had obliterated one of the clubs prettiest fisheries was an understatement.... A stunning venue set in the rolling hills with amazing countryside had had nothing less than a nuclear bomb dropped on it....Not just a quick back and sides on the bank but a total flattening of every last plant and tree on the site. It now looks like every other commercial crap hole that they have laid waste to over the last few years....such a dam shame to see such a pretty untouched venue laid to waste yet again. I'm honestly lost for words as to why the club feels it needs to do this to all its venues?

Right, that's enough from me. I'm off for some more hot honey and lemon and back to bed to sweat this god awful flu off!

Tight lines all and please have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

All the best
Keith
xxxx