Hardly a vintage autumn for anglers but the signs are positive

An improving week saw catches around the local venues pick up as the rain finally eased off, it was hardly vintage autumn fishing but there were positive signs.

Small stuff

Just because the title of this weekly angling column is ‘The Big Fish Column‘ it doesn‘t mean that we are averse to reporting small fish catches, far from it. Indeed, without small fish there would be no big fish, and a balanced biomass with fish populations comprising different year classes of different species is a sign of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. In this respect it was nice to receive two different reports of small fish catches from the rivers last weekend, starting with the very in–form River Thames where Slough fisher, Rod Edwards, netted a fine net of roach and perch.

River Thames smalls

Making a later than usual start due to having to watch the England vs Australia Rugby World Cup quarter final (me too!) Rod set up a light waggler outfit to trot a sheltered swim below a bend in the river where the current was a little steadier on the inside line along a classic crease line.

Feeding a pinch of bait every cast and alternating between single and double white maggot on a size 16 or 18 hook to a 2lb 12oz hook length to 4lb main line, Rod netted roach to 12oz and perch to just over a pound in a total net weighing 12lb.

River Kennet smalls

I referred to Reading and District Angling Association‘s Fishery Manager, Del Shackleford‘s, comments regarding the changed fish population of the Kennet recently and prompted by this High Wycombe angler, Tim Best sent me a report of his session last Sunday morning, which demonstrated Del‘s assessment perfectly.

Tim set up light float gear, but had a tip rod in reserve with the intention of giving his trotting arm a rest every couple of hours, hoping for a better fish or two. The plan worked perfectly with maggot and caster hook baits taking roach and small perch and the tip, baited with a pellet scoring with two chub, one weighing around 2lb, the other 3lb 14oz.

Trout returns

Thanks to periods of fairly incessant, heavy rain the fishery team told me that it was a challenging week on Haywards Farm Lake, but there were fish to be caught and as the weather started to dry out there were far better returns and a lot more consistency to catches.

As might have been expected the rod average was down on the previous week, but at 2.8 it was not too bad. Buzzers have continued to perform well, mini lures and fry patterns were still taking a few fish and by the end of the week blobs and damsels were beginning to come to the fore with the sink, wait, wait, wait….and strip approach the ‘go to‘ method.

The best fish of the week was an 8lb 9oz rainbow, which fell to fishery regular Jeff Brearley and the average weight was 3lb 14oz.

The week ahead

The rivers are fining down nicely and the forecast suggests a degree of consistency with little in the way of rain. As far as autumn conditions go, it should be pretty good.

Any anglers wishing to report catches may contact me at ian@bigfishtrail.com