A word from our River Keeper

How times change! Not long ago winterbournes were dry and MPs stood for photographs in a dry 
riverbed at Marlborough lamenting the decline of our chalk streams. However, our weather patterns are 
currently living up to their unpredictable reputation. The last two years have been exceptionally wet and the
 dry winterbournes of the Upper Kennet are once again full , flowing strongly and in places full of ranuculas, 
these winterbournes provide many miles of valuable spawning habitat for fish from the main river

This constant period of high flows has cleared silt, washed and moved gravel and encouraged weed and insect populations to
multiply. Our numbers of wild trout are increasing year on year, the condition of these fish, mostly below one and a half
pounds is exceptional and I would encourage all who catch them to look carefully at the markings before returning them.

Although fly hatches are not at historic levels both the Kennet and Dun at Hungerford continually record the highest numbers
of invertebrates recorded in the catchment. Fly hatches are fickle things, dictated by time of year, time of day, water temperature, atmospheric conditions and dissolved oxygen levels. please feel free to ask for guidance as hatches can change
 very quickly.

I look forward to catching up with you all during the season.

Tight lines

Robert Knight-Starr – Water Keeper

Etiquette

The basic rules and practices for chalk stream fishing are essential and should be understood and accepted by all, but agreement on the positive practices applicable to this fishing should be considered to be of more importance than rules forbidding certain practices. It is suggested that these positive practices are contained in the following sequence:

  1. The spotting of a fish feeding or liable to feed by its rise or by direct view
  2. The decision whether it is a worthy quarry
  3. The stalking of the fish so that it is not disturbed
  4. The presentation of the fly or nymph so that it deceives the individual fish into thinking it is natural food
  5. The removal of the fly or nymph, if not taken by the fish, as soon as it has passed the quarry

Chalk Stream Fishing
By Donald Macy

Considerations for fellow Rods

Enjoyment of fishing by us all can well be spoilt by thoughtless and selfish behaviour.

The main causes are:

  1. Excessive crowding, cutting in upstream and hustling from below. A distance of at least 50 yards (45 meters) both upstream and downstream must be observed. When moving from one part of the river to another, please always use the access paths. If there are none, please keep as far away as possible from the water’s edge to avoid disturbing the fish and always give maximum consideration to the activities of other Rods.

  2. Walking up and down the river casting blindly and repetitively, either nymph or fly, is not chalk stream fishing and should be reserved for other waters. Such fishing usually does little more than frighten and disturb fish, and is totally banned on this Fishery. Please fish selectively.

  3. Allowing Guests, Children and Partners who do not know the rules or how to fish to ‘have a go’ is against the rules and is detrimental to the fishing of everyone else. Rods and Commoners are responsible for the behaviour of their Guests, and only Guests of acceptable competence and experience are permitted. In no circumstances may the banks of the river be used as a playground.

What fly should I use?

Looking forward to the season ahead we wanted to address a frequently asked question, what fly should I use?

Our River Keeper offers this advice:
Careful observation is the key to choosing the right fly, however this is not a guarantee of success, but the correct presentation of the fly is equally important.

This guide is designed to help you understand the different fly hatches in chronological order as the season progresses, making a choice of artificial fly a little easier. This is not an exhaustive list but rather a selection of the significant flies that frequent our rivers.

The Hawthorn (Bibio marci), this is a common terrestrial fly with long legs which is often blown onto the water, so is most effective on windy days.

The Large Dark Olive (Baetis rhodani) is an upwinged fly with two tails that hatches most prolifically on cold wet days.

The next fly of note to hatch is the Mayfly (Ephemera danica). This large upwinged fly hatches during the last week of May and the first two weeks of June.

After the Mayfly hatch has finished, the most prolific hatch during the summer months will be of Blue Winged Olives(Serratella ignita).

September is the best month of the season to fish a sedge pattern, the most effective fly being the Large Cinnamon Sedge(Potamophylax latipennis).