He is also a very keen angler, having come back to the sport in 1995 following a break of several years. In this regular column he will tell us about his progress as an angler – his thoughts about the sport, what he learns, the fishing trips he makes, the anguish, the humour, in fact everything he experiences as his angling career develops. | |||||
| BACK ON THE BERKSHIRE BREAM TRAIL MY FIRST TRIP to Kingsmead produced two eels, but not even a hint of a bream. Still, it was with a positive spirit that I set off once more on the Berkshire bream trail, this time intending to fish for two nights. (My first trip was for three). So, as it was back into Ali G country (I was fishing near Staines), I said my goodbyes to ‘Me Julie’, or in my case, ‘Me Debby’ and set off in a southerly direction.
Call it planning, intuition or just plain common sense, but I decided to take the M25 out of the equation completely. Leaving the M40, I cut through Slough and joined the M4 for just one junction, before once more entering what could be termed Gravel Pit Country. In an ironic twist, the building of the motorway system, which at its worst is a nightmare for travelling anglers, has also created the rich waters that we call gravel pits. A proliferation of venues And in the area that Kingsmead is located, there is certainly a proliferation of these venues. Forgetting the other waters in the area, the RMC portfolio itself boasts pits such as Horton’s Boat Pool and Church Lake and the two Wraysbury waters – names that are instantly recognised in the specimen world, particularly amongst carp anglers. And the great thing is that these waters are available for anyone to fish, at a very reasonable price. Even the ones that do have syndicates, that at present are full, still operate a waiting list that anyone can add their name to. Arriving at Kingsmead, the phrase ‘great minds think alike’ came to me as other anglers already occupied my preferred swims. Still, fourth choice is better than nothing, so I wasn’t upset in any way as I started to unload the gear from my barrow. Fishing the same swim I’d fished on my previous visit there was no need to lead around, as I was certain that no bars had sprung up overnight! Fishing a southern gravel pit, its funny how much of the conversation with other anglers revolves around bars and gullies. Talk to a northern angler about the same things, and even though the terminology may be the same, the meanings will be totally different. Ask him where the nearest bar is and he’ll probably give you directions to the Rose and Crown. As for a gully, that’s got nothing to do with fishing – it’s a passage between two houses!
If you read my article about my first trip to Kingsmead, you will be aware that the water is directly below the Heathrow flight path. On that visit, every thirty seconds my head lifted up, as I found myself subconsciously drawn into the hobby of plane spotting, as yet another Jumbo took off for some exotic destination somewhere in the world. Yet, it’s amazing how the human mind adapts to its environment, no matter how different it is from the norm, because on my second visit I don’t think I looked up more than a couple of times.
Dog Kennel Bay and the Howlin’ Wolf By the time the last of the jet setters had stopped for the night, I was laid prostrate on my bedchair. Of course, it doesn’t necessarily go quiet at that time. The area I fished is not known as Dog Kennel bay for no reason! Immediately behind me was…wait for it…dog kennels! Some poor Fido was obviously missing his owners (maybe he had seeN them setting off on one of the planes?) and decided to mourn their absence as loud as he could! Still, I was quite tired and not even Howlin’ Wolf could stop me from dropping off into the land of Nod. I was abruptly brought back firmly into the land of the living however at 1.00 a.m. when my right hand Micron came to life. The way that the line was peeling from the reel I knew this was no bream that had taken my bait, but a carp. The strike confirmed this as I engaged with what I estimated to be a mid-double fish. (I don’t know if you’re like me, but I often estimate the weight of the fish during the fight. It’s interesting to see how my guess compares with the real thing). As the fish took me from the right of my swim and then across to the left, I was grateful for two things. Firstly, the back leads kept line from my other rod and the marker float rod pinned to the lake bottom and therefore well and truly out of the way. Secondly, although I was bream fishing, the fact that the carp go big in Kingsmead meant that I was using 10lb line, in the event of hooking one. And that’s often the case of course. Fish for bream and you’ll catch carp, and vice versa. After a good fight I slipped the landing net under a fish that fell in line with my previous estimate of a mid-double. A few photographs later and the fish is happily on its way, telling its friends that it will soon be famous, because its photograph will be all over the papers. Well, at least the Internet anyway!
Advice to carpies – get some corn! Caught on Safeway economy sweetcorn (89p per Kilo), my advice to all you carpies out there (tongue in cheek, of course!) is don’t waste your money on expensive baits packed with amino acids, betaine and other feed inducing additives. Get down to your local Aldi, Netto or other no frills supermarket, and get some bait at a cheap price that will definitely produce the goods! The carp proved to be the only fish of the session and the second night passed off peacefully (apart from a rat that decided it wanted to share my bivvy with me!). I had remained hopeful though, as the water temperature was a constant 13, from the moment I arrived till the time I left, even during the nights. Still, one has to grateful for small mercies and the carp was definitely most welcome. Particularly as I’ve been having a lean spell recently. | |||||
Next week’s Pilgrim’s Progress is entitled ‘HOW DO I GET TO DO IT SO OFTEN? – Well, not at all in the last week’. Check out FISHINGmagic next Thursday when all will be revealed. The Reverend Stewart R Bloor Pilgrim’s Progress – read it every Thursday! |
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