Category: River Isle

After the Xmas break I couldn’t wait to get back on the river and some much needed rain promised to put some colour in the river. Even a frost couldn’t put a dent in my hopes. Eight pairs had signed up for this one and my partner was club chairman, Pete Lonton. My usual partner Justin (or should that be Judas?) was …

The day started in the worst possible way when I received a phone call from Robin Cox to say that Barney Crockett had passed away this morning. Robin was going to cancel the match but after speaking to the family they said he would have wanted us to fish. Before I tell you about the match I must just say a few …

Heavy overnight rain meant the river was in perfect condition with a tinge of colour, the trouble was it was still raining! I drew peg 82 at Ashford which has seen some decent nets of roach, the peg is opposite a mill pool and is very shallow apart from a deeper hole to the left of the peg underneath an overhanging tree. …

Round three of the Crown league arrived and after the last two weeks being pretty pants I must surely be due a decent draw!!!!! There were a few pegs I fancied but true to form I stuck my hand in the draw bag and pulled out peg 52 at Ilford, which wasn’t one of them. The peg is known as the bream …

I didn’t get off to the best of starts when I overslept, things got worse when I got to the pub and Robin Cox had drawn for me and told me I was on peg 123 at Isle Brewers. The peg is on a fence leading up to a bend and I have drawn it a couple of times over the years …

After last weeks fantastic days fishing I was hoping for more of the same and when I drew peg 17, which has been fishing quite well, I thought I might get a few. The river was painfully low and clear and you could see the bottom across much of my swim, there was one deeper spot, tight across to some overhanging brambles …

As I have never won this league, finishing second on a couple of occasions, I was desperate to get off to a good start. When I pulled out peg 128 from the bucket I was gutted, I have never had more than 5lb off it and didn’t expect to catch that today. Robin Cox drew peg 126 which is the most consistent …

Another beautiful day greeted the thirteen keen river anglers for this one, as reigning Crown league champion I was hoping to get off to a flying start. Like the rest I really wanted to draw the in-form ‘Tank Traps’ swim, that honor went to my nemesis Janders so I was up against it to try and win my pound back that he …

We all met out the pond to be told the match was on the river! Everybody really wanted to draw the ‘Tank Traps’ swim and the lucky angler was Martin Heard and he would be very hard to beat off it. For my sins I drew peg 16 which is just below a sewage outlet, it used to be a very good …