Andy Spreadbury's Fishing Blog

Tuesday, 24th.April, Bough Beech The Dam, (First Steps) 16.15 Finally set up (and here at last) after an horrendous morning. I originally intended to set off straight after the kids had all gone to school at about 9.15, but just as Christine and I were having breakfast came the news of total and utter pandemonium on the local roads. Not only were there serious accidents on one of the major roads out of Sittingbourne - but three! A bad two car pile-up on the A249 (my main route to the reservoir) had caused the police to shut the dual carriageway in both directions causing all the traffic to use the only other way through - via the tiny roads and villages. Unable to to cope with such a huge volume of traffic, every road around the town was gridlocked; nothing could move in or out. I had no other option than to wait until things sorted themselves out so consequently didn’t make it here until much later. It is extremely sobering to contemplate that while I was chuntering an...

Wednesday, 11th.April Bough Beech, Three Trees 13.45 So I am set up for my first session of The Challenge at the reservoir.The only sounds I can hear is the rat-a-tat-tat of a distant woodpecker, songbirds singing, and the occasional plop of feeders entering the water down the bank to my left. Bream anglers are plying their trade, practicing for the many prestigious matches held here. This is a positive sign. All along I have been worried about the insignificance of my baits and baiting in the vastness of the reservoir’s 300 acres and have always thought a concentration of food was more likely to encourage all fish to feed, as not. I also met another syndicate member on my way in this morning - Arthur. A most genial character who didn’t mind sharing his plans which involved pre-baiting the very spot I was fishing. He has been trickling in bait for the past couple of weeks and intends to keep this up in the hope carp may visit the area regularly. This is right along the lines...