Sunday 21st February - River Kenn

 Another day on the Kenn which I always look forward to although as I write this post (Monday 22nd) I see there is a good chance for outdoor sports including match fishing to open up non 29th March, happy with that to be honest and hopefully associated travel restrictions will also be eased.

I did fish the Kenn the previous Wednesday for a short afternoon session, peg 22 but only had one little roach but the weather conditions were not great and the river was dirty. Still I didn't blank!

High tide today was 13:00 so I planned an early start and got to the river, peg 35 at around 07:30. It was still a little pacy so in addition to my usual waggler and feeder rods I set up a 6bb crowquill avon. 

Out in the mud I went with the keepnet which also serves as a rod rest, a large bait bowl with odds and ends in it plus maggot on a stand and a back rod rest.

In the summer you would be sitting up on the grass bank here.

Even though the flow was a little fast I could not resist giving the waggler a go. I moved my 2 x No.8 bulk shot further down so it was about 2 foot from the hook then had a single 8 below and then 2 No. 10 spaced out. I started fishing 6 inches over depth holding it back as it went through. I never picked up any of the other rods all day.

I believe I have got the approach to the Kenn spot on this winter, its all about the presentation and feeding, picking the right peg also helps.

I had a bite after about 30 minutes and bumped the fish, didn't feel that big. Within 15 minutes I had a small roach and it took another hour to get a bite but I missed that one as well.

Out of the blue, this often happens I had a sail away right at the end of the trot and it felt like a good fish. It was, a nice perch around 2.5 lbs. Chris Ford arrived for a walk up the bank and stood behind me for a while. Always good to talk to Chris as he knows what mood there river is in due to walking the bank most days. He asked me what I had and I told him. Kev Perry and Chris had not done all that well a few days ago. I said I feel like there's a few more fish to come here and with that started to catch a few roach.

Chris went off and I had a phone call from Scott who was fishing up river at Kenn Rd. He said he was getting liners from what he believed was bream. As we spoke he hooked a good fish which was a big perch.

Scott sent me the photo of his perch

I had a few more roach and just as the river started to slow down around 11:15 there was a quick dip of the float that told me it was a tench and that's exactly what it was, not big but around 2lbs.

I finished the session with 5 tench, 1 perch and 12 roach. Simply lovely.

Scott came down to take a photo for me, he never had another bite after the perch.

Tide and weather look great for this Wednesday so I'll be back on it.

Monday 15th February - River Kenn & Tuesday 16th February - Mikes Funeral

I didn't fish Sunday as it was blowing an absolute hooley. I didn't mind really as the forecast for Monday was OK although the tides this week aren't great to get a full days fishing in but Monday was the best day to go. High tide was 08:40 so it would not turn until about 12:00.

I was thinking about a day on the tip down the bottom end but on arrival at 10:45 it looked to good for staring at a tip and decided to go on peg 35 to fish the waggler.

I set up in the mud as usual and was ready to cast at around 11:30. At 11:50 the tide turned and I set about the continuous trotting and feeding that is required to try and draw fish into the peg.

Chris Ford came up the bank for a walk, he wasn't fishing today and while he was there I bumped a good fish right at the end of the trot. 

30 Minutes passed and no more bites while he was there. Chris went off and said he'd come back later on to see how I got on. Not long afterwards I had a good perch way down the swim. 

Kev Perry then arrived for a chat, he was off work this week but not fishing today. While Kev was there I had a decent hybrid.

I was feeding caster with the odd reg maggot with maggot on the hook. Kev went off after a short while.

Bites were hard to come by which surprised me as it was pretty mild but perhaps the water was still too cold.

Anyway I had 3 more bites, a small roach, a decent perch and another big hybrid.

 

A decent net of quality fish again and I was more than happy with it.

As I was packing up around 16:00 specimen angler Chris Burton came down and fished peg 37 with bread on the tip, he had a 4lb plus tench more or less straight away.

On the Tuesday I attended my friend Mike Martin - Davis funeral just outside Newport. Only 20 were allowed inside and a few outside. I was privileged to be asked to attend and speak at Mike's ceremony, Clive Branson also done a tribute to Mike.

Quite a few of the Team Nomad guys were there, Nige Evans, Rich Candy, Clive Roberts, Martin Challenger, James Smitherson and David Healy. Mike's coffin had his team colours and cap on it.

When I spoke I talked briefly of when I met Mike and our friendship, I then read the following poem which I wrote a few days after his passing.......

Intelligent and witty

in so many ways

to tell his life story

would take several days

A man of steel

a man of vision

whatever he did 

it was with precision

He touched many people

in all walks of life

quick to help those

who had trouble and strife

When he retired

he had a bit more time

travelling the country

wetting a line

He loved the mighty rivers

and in between canal locks

but never ever ever

suggest Port Talbot Docks

Mike bought a lot of tackle

getting some abuse

but he knew what he was doing

and put it to good use

Three times Tidefest Champion 

he was talk of the land

a competition he made his own

picking up a couple of grand

Taken too soon

and we are shedding a tear

but think of St. Peter

because he’s bending his ear

So …rest in peace

my “Celtic Cousin”

up in heaven

catching fish by the dozen

The ceremony was very moving with recorded guitar music played by Mike himself and a brilliant photo gallery of Mike with his family and of course fishing shots. He was a very good guitarist.

Team Sensas Nomads will miss him a lot.

Wednesday 10th February - River Kenn

 Back to the Kenn again and my 10th visit this year. I have to say I am really lucky having this venue on my doorstep allowing me to continue to enjoy fishing and the outdoors within the guidelines.

The overnight temperatures had dropped to around -4 so it was not an early start. When I started the van up at 09:15 it was registering -2. The wind chill factor made it feel colder but I loaded up anyway and headed over to Clevedon. 

After parking up I walked the bank a bit just to have a look. The river looked spot on but it was freezing and after having a telephone conversation about Team Nomads business I went back to the van undecided whether to fish or not, I was a bit like this last Sunday.

Chris Ford had turned up and already unloaded his car. He took one look at me and said "you don't look as if you've got it in you today Ivan". I said your right, not sure. He then said he had 5 big bream on Monday down below Strode Rd and that made my mind up to fish. If Chris isn't fishing the river he's walking it and a good source of up to date information.

Chris headed down to peg 22 and I said I would see him down there. I settled in on peg 19 out in the mud. 

It was still cold but the peg was out of the wind a bit so set up the waggler as well as the feeder rod with a straight lead set up. Some hybrids had come out a few pegs below last Sunday so was hoping for some of them. Just using maggot today with worm as another option.

As waggler is my preferred option on the river this is how I started off. Less than 3 foot deep and an uneven bottom, I put the rod back up the bank after an hour without a bite. I usually give it longer than this but felt it wasn't right today.

Out went the straight lead (20grm) with a 60 cm hook length, size 16 hook to 0.13. I kept feeding little and often as if I was fishing the float. Still a fair bit of light weed coming down the river and had to be cleaned off every time.

Another hour and a half passed without an indication. Tony Derrick came down to see how I was getting on along with Chris who hadn't had a bite either. Chatting away passing the time of day about all things fishing I had a proper knock on the tip which they both saw, I waited for the second one and then hit it. 

Rod bent over and Chris said "there we are then, I had them late on Monday".

I thought it was a bream at first but soon realised it was a nice hybrid, it certainly didn't want to give up.

So blank avoided and was looking forward to a few more .... it didn't happen despite giving it until 15:45.

I walked up to Chris who was still without a bite despite having 2 feeder rods out.

Thanks to Chris for taking the photo below, he was going to give it another hour.

Didn't hear from Chris so I assume he didn't catch. Given the conditions I am not surprised. It looks a bit warmer at the weekend so watch this space.

Sunday 7th February - River Kenn

 The forecast for the weekend was a tale of two halves. I walked the bank on the Saturday morning after picking up some bait. It was about 6 degrees with a light wind. The river was still quite coloured and pushing through a bit.

The only angler on the bank was a heron opposite peg 24 and he was catching!

Roll on to Sunday morning and I met Matt Davis on Strode Rd Bridge at 08:00. It was flipping freezing with a cold blustery wind. We both looked at the river still deciding whether to fish or not. The river looked a lot cleaner. Scott Smallwood pulled up intending to fish as well but was going down the bottom end in search of bream. While Matt and I deliberated Scott said well ...I have not brought all this bait with me to take it home again and headed off towards peg 10.

I said to Matt OK I'll have a go and give it a few hours and chose a short walk to peg 35, Matt said he'd go up above me.

As expected the level was well down so into the mud it was. I have the set up finely tuned now as once your in your in. Top tip...don't drink anything because there's nowhere to pee and trying to get chest waders below your waist is a challenge in itself. 

The water was a little bit pacey and the wind constantly changed direction but I gave the waggler a go. I had a maggot feeder rod set up as well just in case.

Plumbing up I found I had less than 3 foot of water down the middle but not worried as the fish are used to it this time of year. Maggot would be the only bait today and constant feeding is key.

30 minutes in and I had a text from Paul Tedman-Whitemoor who was down on 15. He told me he had 5 bites and landed 3 hybrids. Nice.

Started fishing just after 09:00 and it took an hour to get my first bite which I hit resulting in a chunky perch approx 12oz, as expected I caught right at the end of the trot.

Matt came down for a walk and said he had not had a bite. Not long after he went back to his peg I had a lovely hybrid, my first one from the Kenn this winter.

Kev Perry turned up and stood behind me for a while trying to convince himself to fish. After 30 minutes he talked himself into it and went down on the rocks below the bridge. I had a small roach before he went.

Scott then texted me saying he was getting loads of bites on the feeder down on peg 11 but couldn't hit them. Soon afterwards he informed me he had managed a bream.

So there were a few fish feeding but not surprisingly and due to the cold they were not crawling up the rod end.

I kept plugging away and managed another roach and a couple of decent perch. It's brilliant catching decent perch and other quality fish on the waggler especially at the end of the swim.

At around 14:00 and just as the tide was coming in the hook pulled out of a bit fish. I got it level with me but never saw it. I am almost sure it was a tench the way it stayed deep.

Scott managed another bream and Paul didn't get any more hybrids. Matt went home early.

Paul's 3 hybrids

Scott's 2 bream

My mixed bag

Scott demonstrating the lengths we go to during winter on the Kenn

Despite the cold and it was cold, couldn't feel my fingers come the end, it was a rewarding day.

However a few other anglers blanked, but that's the Kenn for you.

Wednesday 3rd February - River Kenn

 Back on the Kenn again but where else would I go. I only hope travel restrictions will be eased a bit to enable me to travel a bit further next month, the numbers appear to be going the right way.

The tide was not right for fishing today but I went anyway, needed my midweek fix.

High tide was at 09:38 so would turn until 2 hours plus later so no rush. Got on the bank (peg37) at 11:00 and was set up by 11:20. Only a feeder rod again today as the water was still coloured and expected to push through quite hard.

With choppy and caster in the feeder and half a dendra tipped with maggot on the hook I had a little knock 15 mins in while the river was still. Encouraging I thought and next cast had the culprit, a 10oz perch.

The tide turned at approx 12:15 and as expected it ran off pretty hard and the level dropped about 3 foot over the next 2 hours.

I managed a 4oz roach down the middle before coming in on the inside with the straight lead and maggot loose feeding maggot. 

Lots of bites but they were very small roach, only hit one of them (2oz) but good to see them there. Most of the time the maggot was just mouthed at the end.

I called it a day at 16:00.

Still I didn't blank and there's always another day. Just need the rain to stop and the river to fine down a bit.

Sunday 31st January - River Kenn

 It's fair to say I have been fishing the River Kenn a lot but with the current guidelines on travel there is nowhere else I can go unless I go to Acorn Fishery which is a Commercial but as there are no matches permitted it's not my thing.

The only trouble is and I have mentioned this many times ..... you have to keep an eye on the tides.

Today's high tide was at 08:38 so it wouldn't turn until approx 10:38. The good thing was I had a lie in and didn't leave home to travel the 5 miles until 08:45. 

I stopped on Strode Rd bridge in Clevedon to have a look at the river. It was quite dirty and even though the tide had not turned there was a slow movement toward the sea due to the rain water pushing into the river further up.

A couple of anglers were setting up on the concrete above the bridge so I walked over to do a licence check. They were very basic pleasure anglers and setting up what I would describe as pike floats with a bunch of maggots on a short hook length. All in order ticket wise so left them to it. I had seen one guy before and he had watched me fish so not sure why they would set up as they did.

I dove into Yeolands Driver in order to park up and fish the lower river. I had just feeder rods with me as I wanted to target bream. Not many have shown this winter but a Club member had one and lost one the other week.

The river looked awful down the bottom end and the bank was very muddy. Forecast was a bit of light rain but it was dry initially. After going through the mud with the barrow looking at options I eventually settled in on peg 21 which is on the downstream end of a bend.

I was always going to attack the river today whatever the conditions so it was basically shit or bust. I had half a kilo of worm, a pint of caster and a pint of red plus some of Clive Bransons Black Bream Ground Bait.

A 30grm open ended feeder and a size 16 wide gape hook at the business end to a 4lb hook length.

I started fishing at 10:30 and the tide was just starting to turn. I cast slightly downstream and put a bit of slack in the line making a bow. Generous helpings of chopped worm and caster went in at 5 minute intervals with a full worm and maggot on the hook.

20 minutes in I had a big drop back on the tip and I hit it hard. I felt resistance immediately and held the rod up. The thump thump told me it was bream on.

The flow was quite fast at this point and the fish was a decent size. I had all sorts of problems as the flow took the fish way down the peg into nearside reeds and I had to carefully play it sometimes dipping the rod to give it slack and allow it hopefully to go back out into mid stream. It did eventually and the hook held. More than relieved when it was netted and around 6lbs.

Then....it started to snow!

It was very fine at first but then got heavier and the temperature dropped as well.

The river was now dropping quite fast. After an hour I had another drop back bite and it was bream on again. Same problem as before with it going downstream and into the reeds so I slide down the bank with the landing net trying to get the rod out a bit more from the bank and ease the fish upstream.

It worked and another good fish was landed.

That was the only 2 bites I had and gave it until 14:45 as I was freezing as well as being covered in mud.

Thanks to Tony Derrick for taking the photo

Given the conditions I was quite happy and achieved what I set out to catch.

What a January I have had.......

28lb of roach on the whip River Axe

4lb 11oz chub River Kenn

3 Tench over 4lb and 3 perch over 2lb in the same session River Kenn

2lb 12oz roach River Kenn

2 big bream River Kenn when it was snowing

Wonder what February will bring?