Inconsistent weather brings inconsistent fishing while cooling rivers bring just one species, chub

Inconsistent weather always brings inconsistent fishing and last week was no exception with the variable conditions doing very little to deliver results bankside.

River chub

Heavy rainfall gave all the local rivers a bit of a boost last week but unless you were fishing at the very beginning of last week, before the winds switched and the temperatures dipped, you won’t have taken advantage of the end of a brief period of fine barbel fishing. For most anglers, rivers that were running down and cooling meant just one species, chub.

With a bit of colour in most of the running waters larger, smelly baits seemed to produce most of the fish, including the best reported last week – a specimen of 6lb 2oz taken by Bray angler, Spencer Smith.

Spence made the Big Fish Column back in October with a brace of big chub caught while fishing the Thames at Windsor with a paste-wrapped mini boilie and he employed the same tactics last week to weigh in the fish, along with another tipping the scales at exactly 5lb. 10lb main line with a 12lb fluorocarbon hook length to a size 8 hook brought both of the fish safely to the bank.

Also getting in on some of the good chub sport on offer was Twyford’s Paul Randall who legered cheese on a free section of the river. 6lb line straight through to a size 8 hook brought just the one bite and a fish of 5lb 6oz during a short pre-Sunday lunch session.

Bourne End perch

Bourne End has probably been the most consistent area of the local Thames for good perch in recent seasons and Fred Wilson became the latest local captor to net a couple of good fish with specimens of 2lb 4oz and 2lb 2oz, both of them taking small rubber shads fished on 6lb main line with a soft wire trace. Fred also took a couple of jack pike during his afternoon on the river.

Trout prospects

Over at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre Jonno Randall reports that the spell of southerly winds helped the fishing tremendously by warming the upper layers of the water and the fish were really on the feed. The water in Haywards Farm Lake is clear as glass at the moment and small godheads fished on floating lines are all that’s needed to enjoy a good day’s sport.

The best fish last week was caught by Micky Barnes, who landed a fantastic fully-finned resident 8lb 1oz rainbow on a small hare’s ear fished on a floating line and the rod average for the week was a cracking 4.4.

Next week I’ll be taking a look at local angling prospects over the Christmas holidays, traditionally one of the busiest times of the year on the bank, when so many of us creep out for at least a few hours to escape from yet another helping of turkey, or indeed the relatives…

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