May 4th , 11th & 14th

Back at Bullock Farm for the third match in Clevedon's spring series, this time on North Pool, reasonably content with my draw (peg 8) I decided to feed two paste lines and a catmeat line in the RH margin. First put in saw the paste float slide under and a fish around 7lb come to the net. That quick start was a false dawn as the fish weren't in a feeding frenzy. I had three more in the first hour ans set myself a target of four an hour, as no one was catching well. second hour saw me net my four, the next three saw me net five, so seven short of target and seven in the last hour took the total to eighteen, but they weren't of the usual stamp and I new I was well short of the 60lb+ that eighteen would often weigh. The scales registered 48lb 8oz, enough to beat Paul Faiers who weighed 42lb 6oz. Shame I wasn't fishing this as a series.

I had the one initial fish from the bottom of the far ledge, directly in front, two from the RH margin on catmeat and the other 15 from tight to the far bank to my left, positive bites when they took it, although there was a lot of 'carp traffic' along the far bank, giving me liners.

May 11th. Fifth match of the Kev Perry series and I must admit, I arrived at Bullock Farm feeling not too good, excessive celebrations after Bristol City's win at Palace in the play-off's being the cause. Knowing I was on Rushcombe I wasn't to worried, the chance of picking up in the series overall gone and very unlikely to frame from this lake.
After two hours the Bullock breakfast and a couple of litres of ice cold squash had me feeling somewhat sober again and the headache was going, I finally sussed how to pick out the bigger carp ( on this lake the bigger carp are 8oz to 2lb) and finished with nearly 13Kg. Tony Goodland won the section with over 18Kg and was 7th overall, had I been in a fit state to fish, perhaps I might have pushed him a bit harder.

May 14th, After the short drive to Hunstrete, I drew a peg I hadn't fished before, 68 on Withy. I'd brought plenty of pellet expecting the carp to be up in the water, Kev Perry had come along on my recommendation and he drew peg 60. The carp were up in the water alright, many just cruising round, some spawning, but few feeding. I drew next to Mike Nicholls and he started, as usual fishing for silvers and he was soon into roach and small perch. I persevered with the pellet waggler, having two rods set up, one shallow, one at dead depth. I foul hooked a fish and lost it on the dead depth rod after about 10 miniutes, this was the full extent of my action for an hour or so.

I had fed a paste line at 11m and tried that, one bite, float shot away, but no contact with a fish was all I had to show for 15 minutes, so back on the pellet waggler fished shallow, persevering with this brought me 7 fish foe 51lb 1oz and first place, another welcome win in this nice little run thats coming together. Mike Nicholls picked up first place in the silvers with 18lb 2oz and the backing weights overall were 44, 42 & 41lb