Duncan’s monthly Blog – April 2014
Its been a strange
month, usually one that I look forward too and relish as all
fisheries wake up and their occupants go on a feeding frenzy, yet its
had not only its high’s but its lows, the most life changing one
being the loss of my good friend Richard Crimp. Richard was one of
the founders of the TAC (Thames Anglers Conservancy), an avid Thames
angler that loved the outside world, chasing monsters of the deep,
namely carp but he also had a passion for perch. He was only 47 when
he lost his fight against stomach cancer, an indiscriminate illness
that once again took one of the nice guys. How do I describe Richard,
charismatic, charming, a listener and one that was able to store
information like no one I knew. He often helped me out when the hole
was dug and was never condescending or offensive, explaining things
in simple terms so that I understood. I will remember Richard for
sleeping within his unhooking mat, at one with nature under a star
filled sky, on the Thames in places we never should have been, the
only sign giving him away was the smoke from his roll up, yet more
than anything he was a gentleman and friend that will be dearly
missed. RIP my friend.
April is normally
an unsettled one, one of sunshine and showers, warm days and chilly
nights, yet what’s been most noticeable this month is the ever
changing wind. Rarely has the wind direction been the same on
consecutive days and it’s for this reason why the fishing has been
so inconsistent. Usually I end the month on a high with a couple of
whackers to show for my efforts, yet a big silver bream just hasn’t
happened and I just cant see it happening, why, I don’t quite know,
its just a feeling and having to give up Westhampnett due to the
cost, but more importantly due to it being a non-publicity water the
massive bronze bream hasn’t happened and probably never will.
Things could have been so different if my hook hadn’t pulled from
the mouth of a very big eel, yet this would have been an accidental
capture, so although upsetting it wasn’t the end of the world.
Looking at my
diary inputs I’ve managed to get out on fourteen occasions, down on
the last couple of months due to the rivers closing and short
sessions being knocked on the head. In total these sessions have
added up to 143 hours, an average of more than fourteen hours per
session! Personal sessions (4) have been disappointing with guiding
(6) days up and features (4) also up. My customers have all gone away
happy, some with mega hauls of bream, crucians and tench and with at
least one customer per week during May along with the weather warming
up, and hopefully a wind that makes its mind up, things look good.
My weekly day
ticket challenge hopefully has been working out and providing readers
with a few new places to visit with the best being compiled into a
knew feature that will soon be published within Coarse Angling Today.
The four venues this month have been Mill Farm Fishery, Harris Lake,
Goldsworth Park and River Farm Fishery. Sadly problems with the water
quality at River Farm Fishery has seen the venue close but even
sadder is the quality roach it once held are no longer!
The four personal
sessions has seen me visit Mill Farm Fishery, fortunately before the
doors open to the public due to my help with the fishery as a whole
with features and catch reports, yet although over a couple of
hundred pounds of fish were caught, the best silver bream taken was
2lb 3oz, one that I couldn’t count as my mate Chris took my rod
whilst I played a carp. One day was spent with my father at Badshot
Lea Big Pond were once again more than a hundred pound of fish were
landed, all bream apart from two tench that dad landed. He enjoyed
himself so much he even stayed on when I left! Another session was
again spent on Badshot Lea targeting catfish, sadly without any joy
and the other on a new tench venue that again was unproductive buts
that’s all part of the learning curve.
Images –
1. Dad with a
standard BLBP bream.
2. The best silver
of the spring, shame I was playing a bloody carp.
3. Chris in action
at dawn.
4. Young Tom with
an old warrior. Watch out for this one, he’s good!
5. Alan in action
at Goldsworth Park.
6. Its not all
about fishing.
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