I had organised cover for the shop on 5/6th March so that I could have a couple of days away. I had packed the car with clothes and tackle, bought the bait, even made my sandwiches on the Wednesday night in anticipation of an early start. Then, at about 6 in the morning, I looked outside - there was 4" on snow on the ground. No way could I get to the main roads (living in the moors) in the near future, and there goes my break. My friend Harry rang at 8 to ask if I was going to make it having seen the news broadcasts, only to be told I was snowed in. I rang him a couple of hours later as the sun rose and the snow started thawing to say that I would try and get up that night, find a B&B, to have a fish on the following day. Like a true friend, he said that I should stay at his place as there was a spare bed - what a star! At midday, the temperature in the sun had risen to about 7C, so I chanced it and headed for the Kennet.
After about 4 miles the snow had gone completely and I made the trip in just under 3 hours. I even had time to put a rod up and catch a few chub to about 1lb from the little pool opposite his house and a nice gudgeon before moving to a small carrier which had produced good perch previously. I had none this time, but I did have about 20 roach and a couple of jack pike. How do the roach transfer the hook from their mouths into the pike that grabs them whilst they escape? Houdini has got nothing on these fish.
I then went to Harry's and was even cooked a lamb dinner before crashing out for the night.
Next morning, there was a heavy frost with a beautiful blue sky. I decided to fish the main river just below the by-pass as I thought the cold would affect it less here than in the carriers. The swim might look familiar to the lovers of "A Passion for Angling". It is the one Chris Yates poached a chub from and Bob James fired the maggots. I managed to catch a chub of a couple of pounds just above the trees but the sport was slow, either due to the temperature or my lack of skill.
I then decided to trot the stretch below where Harry said barbel sometimes appear. I did catch four nice trout before hitting into a solid fish about 40 yards below which after a short period of total inactivity, headed downstream towards Reading. With 4lb line and a size 16 hook, that was the end of that, and the hook duly pulled out as I held firm.
There were no more takes, so I headed off to another carrier which I hadn't fished before which was only about 8' wide. As my rod was a B James Kennet Perfection and was 12' long, I had problems snagging the grasses on the far side.
The effort proved worthwhile as I had a few chub and a trout. The best chub was a real beauty in perfect condition.
I then finished by moving to another carrier and trotting from a bridge in true schoolboy style catching another small chub before heading off home.
I had a great 2 days and it wouldn't be possible without the support of Harry, a true fishing buddy.