Sunday 6th October - Clevedon Club match River Kenn

Well it's been a while since I have been out and mainly due to a cruise around Italy.

I had a number of options today but decided to stay local and fish my Club's match on the River Kenn in Clevedon. I am Secretary of the Club but find it hard to fish these matches due to Team commitments.

Only 8 of us today which was to be expected due to other matches around and the River Kenn is not everyones cup of tea. The River has been weed locked for a couple of months but is now almost completely clear after the EA done some serious cutting.

The decision was to put 4 pegs above Strode Rd and 4 below.

I drew peg 16, end peg below. We had plenty of room with a spare peg in between us.

Forecast was for a dry day with a moderate wind and high tide was due at 12:47 but only 9 metres so should not affect the flow too much. Lots of cold rain went in overnight and despite this the river was still clear.

Due to the upstream wind I didn't set up the waggler. I did set up the feeder but never used it slough I should have given it 30 minutes perhaps. I concentrated on 2 pole lines, 1 at 6 metres just beyond the reeds to my right with a 4x14 to a wide gape 16 where it was just over top 3 deep, target species was perch using choppy and caster. Out at 13 metres and top 4 deep I had 2 rigs, a 1 gram with a 18 and a 2 gram with a 16. Ground bait was black river and gros gardens with a bit of noire.

After feeding both lines I started at 13 metres one the lighter rig with maggot and it was going through lovely although the wind was a bit difficult at times. After 20 minutes not a bite so fed another ball laced with caster and hemp and came in on the inside with half a worm.

In 20 minutes I had a run of perch 5oz plus before it dried up so re-fed and went back out to 13 metres. Small roach had turned up and I mean small but anything was welcome.

Club mate Scott came down from peg 18 and said he hadn't had a bite, he had started on bread and it hadn't worked. While he was there I took a few more roach.

I swapped between both lines on a regular basis and kept the bites coming to finish with 6lb 11oz which was enough for 2nd on the day.

Up on peg 20 Barry Fowler didn't have many fish but what he had was quality, 3 tench and a couple of skimmers. Barry took 1st prize easily with 15lb plus.

Scott 2 pegs above me went back and refocused and managed 4lb 11oz of perch including a 2lb specimen which was enough for 3rd.

I know it was only a small knock up but I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, good access and the fact that everyone had plenty of room.

Next up for me is the 4th Round of the Commercial House League 13th Oct on the Kennet and Avon Canal.