Hiroshima Diary (Avon T-259, 1955)

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I'm sure many readers will be pleased to see Chris remembered in this way and may wish to donate toward the memorial. John Slader and I are happy to collect any donations toward the cost and keep you all informed as to progress. The fly responsible, classic Avon colours, barbless, straight eyed circle. David also had the fish he landed last season on the same set-up. One of several hot topics that are currently doing the rounds in the valley. Due in a large part to the state of the water meadows, preventing the removal of the grass crop for Winter animal feed.

So what you may say is the point of me moaning about it on here if I refuse to get involved. Quite right. I have no solutions and given the current level of our leadership feel matters will only get worse. The Ibsley weirpool, Ibsley and Tizard's salmon pools and the view of the bridge from the hatches. Showing the water flowing over the bund. We seem to be struggling on the salmon front for the last few weeks. Why this should be, when we are enjoying good flows and almost at the peak of the season, I have no idea. Are they running and passing straight through us, into the higher river? Is there an element such as; temperature, air pressure, water quality, a factor lost on us but not on the salmon? Or are they simply not here because the last Spring tides of April failed to encourage any fish to enter the river? Whatever the reason I hope they soon get it out of their system and return to normal patterns of migration and numbers we might expect. It came as quite a surprise to me the number of different fungi the group found in just a couple of hours. The link below will open a list that Mark has kindly produced showing the number and variety. He also tells me there were one or two more they have been unable to ID successfully. Its amazing that the weird and wonderful world of fungi can be found right under our nose. A flavour of the variation can be seen in the photos below that Mark also very kindly sent through, for which I thank him once more. They're still at it. Another otter has fallen victim to the traffic. I'm not sure whether thats the fifth or sixth in the last few months, on that deadly couple of miles of the A338.

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We're running out of options here! If we can't dredge or cut the aquatic weed and the desirable artificial nature of the Hampshire Avon requires a percentage of impounded reaches, what option are left? In typical fashion this bird made fishing attempts all around me yet I never managed to get the camera pointed in the right direction. After half a dozen failed attempts the compilation was in desperation as it hovered overhead before plunging into the river yet again. I imagine this was a young bird as it never managed to catch a fish whilst i watched for half an hour. I could see any sign of rings or tags so this may have been a wild bird moving south for the Winter. The final shot shows a Juvenile bream that has been swept out of the channel. I have mentioned on here before that skimmers are the first fish we see washed out of the channel. Their deep body makes them susceptible to the pressure of the high flows. The reason why we associate bream with still and slow moving waters not rivers such as the Hampshire Avon. We all know of his writings, in both books and articles, that were so painstakingly researched and allowed us a glimpse of the development of the sport as we know it today. Out of his writing grew the historical archive that he so carefully created. He was custom made for the role of Carp Society President. His understanding of carp and carp anglers, based on many decades of experience, allied with his historical archive made him unique. A spot of advice, should you ever find yourself with occasion to be wading about out in the middle of a flooded valley. Importantly, always, always, have a wading staff with you. Two or three hundred meters from the nearest feature, that is above the surface, it is very easy to become disorientated. A stout staff allows you the opportunity to take a rest and get your bearings. The water may only be a couple of feet deep but it is flowing rapidly so keep an eye upstream to avoid being swept off your feet by passing flotsam. Out in that vast sweep of water there are many ditches and channels that have to be avoided, which is were your staff once more becomes vital. Don't take a step unless you have tested the ground where you intend to put your foot.

We are meant to be WeBS counting this weekend although if the forecast is correct I don't think that will be possible. With the river currently remaining well out in the fields we are forecast up to fifteen hours of rain overnight and tomorrow morning. A Met Office yellow warning is in place along the south coast suggesting we are in for a pretty torrid time. As a taste of what birds are about in the valley at present I have put up a couple of shots taken today.

Cattle crossing below the island

The bream were spawning today and the carp were doing their best to eat the eggs adhering to the roots of the willow. A fish on a net photo, worth including as its such a beautiful looking common. This stunning 20 plus fish, once more landed on the fly by John Slader, is exactly the quality of fish we wish to see. The NFU repeatedly tell us we can trust the farmers to look after our rivers. So how come we still see arable in the flood plain with Defra's support?

Now there's an odd thing? The other day, at the height of the flood water, I received a phone call asking if I had the hatches at Ibsley open on flood settings as the caller was getting flooded at Fordingbridge. I have to admit to being a little surprised to be asked such a question when considering that Ibsley is at least five thousand meters downstream of Fordingbridge town centre. Added to which there is an extremely large set of hatches between Ibsley and Fordingbridge! Given the average gradient of the Avon is about 1:1000, I would have had to have a head of water at over five meters at Ibsley to overwhelm and impound the intervening hatches and impact on the town. I have become shamefully cynical, to the extent I see little value in many of the bodies that govern our daily lives. I hide behind the fact I am, long in the tooth, diabolically intolerant, old, grey and wizened, long beyond the point I feel I can get involved in the maelstrom of political activity. Besides I work and exist in what I consider the most idyllic spot on earth. It may have many problems and faults, and is currently under water but it is a very special place. To give over a huge percentage of my time in an effort to become involved in political life has no appeal what so ever. A great shot of John, with a good looking 28 pound common. This is the largest of three fish John caught on the fly today that included another twenty, plus a nineteen pounder. John has certainly refined fly fishing for carp, making catching them look simple. There in lies the art of the true expert, making the impossible look easy. Well fished John and thanks for the report and photo. Hooray! At long last Roger has got her. One of at least four ghosts that are in the lake, this one had been ignoring all attempts to get her for weeks; this season and last. No idea how they got in the lake, they've been in here for years, probably as long as that bloody terrapin that Karl landed the other day, its first capture of the season! What I can say for certain about Roger's carp is that she weighed twenty two pounds and is most definitely yellow. Well fished Roger, perseverance rewarded.

There were in the region of 45 butterflies on that single buddlia bush. Thirty two of them were Red Admirals, more than twice the number recorded on the entire transect.