A silvers day today, well that was the plan, perhaps with hindsight (there we are again, that hindsight gene I appear to be missing) I shouldn't make decisions like that until drawing.
Two lakes in, Match & Specimen, once again, I was on the wrong lake, peg 17 on Match. with venue silvers stalwart, John Bradford on 15. I set up a pencil float on 0.14 to a 0.10 hooklength and a 18 Drennan Carp Match, to fish caster. A Carpa Chimp on 0.14 to 0.12 and a 18 808 to fish worm or devils spawn and a MW slim power on 0.18 to 0.16 and a 18 B960 for banded pellet. I also set up a paste rig to try and catch some better skimmers or bream.
It was a struggle, my initial entertainment was seeing Trigger on peg 19 hook a lively carp on his new Sensas 774, I couldn't see Trig, but I could tell his arse was twitching by the liveliness of the fish and the way the pole followed it round the peg.
I struggled to keep the fish coming, switching baits and lines constantly to keep bites coming, John was finding the going equally tough. I tried paste and had two skimmers on it, before the carp moved in and I had 4 on it. I weighed 18lb odd of silvers and the 4 carp went 32lb. I had a 4oz roach jump out of the net at the weigh in and it flew 6-8' back into the lake - all to no avail as Speci lake produced a low 50lb and a 39lb of silvers.
I had carp moving around the far shelf all day and it was difficult to resist, but I did - as said, with hindsight, I should have fished for them and fed the casters to the birds.
See Tony's blog for the result, I had to get away as the draw had been delayed by latecomers. Trigger won, so the new pole stood up to the test and brought some luck.
I hate matches spread over more than one lake..........
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Avon Angling open, Shiplate Farm, Sunday 24th July 2011
First time at this venue, I was told that two lakes were in, both canal types, Hawthorn, which apparently houses plenty of small carp and Westpool which is home to carp and plenty of bream. I must admit I fancied a draw on Westpool, big bream and skimmers sounded just the job.
First into the draw container and I had Westpool, No1 aim achieved, sadly it wasn't an end peg which I assumed would be best. A walk around the main lake to Westpool was then the only way to get to peg 4. Tony was paying sections of 5, overall and one in the silvers, surely some coin was available?
I set up three rigs, a MW cane topped diamond on 0.16 to a 0.14 hooklength with a 16 63-13, to fish the deepest channel at approx 6-7m. A MW slim power on 0.18 with a 0.16 hooklength, finished off with a 18 B960 for 15m, up the far shelf. Completing the set up was a Sensas Pencil on 0.12, with a 0.08 hooklength and a 22 63-13.
b
If I was to believe Tony's blog, groundbait might be the way to go, so on the all in, I put 4 big jaffas of GB packed with CW & caster and a few dead maggots into the deepest part of the peg. I fired a few maggots to the far shelf and flicked a few casters in at topkit range.
3 Skimmers from the deep channel, nothing from the far shelf and a conceren that this was going to be a poor day was the result of the first hour, I wasn't alone, but John Bradford was making the most of his end peg by filling his net with carp ( yep, carp, no typo!!).
On the hour mark, I retopped the middle line with GB, but it was slow going. I had a look into the near line (topkit) and started to catch small skimmers, roach & rudd
before a decent skimmer (nearly a bream!!) was netted. Everytime I looked to my left I could see John Bradofrds elastic streaming out, so i decided to stick with silvers. Alternating between the topkit and a line at 6.5m, kept skimmers and the odd roach and rudd ( + a 0.3 oz perch) coming. On peg 5 , Sensas Thyers team mate Nick Harvey started to fish short and he also had some decent skimmers, + one of them big old black boys - I'm glad he didn't folow suite earlier. as he manmaged 2nd in silvers.
With just over half an hour to go the skimmer bites had dried up, so I went over to the far shelf and had a carp a chuck for 5 put ins.
The scales arrived from Hawthorn Lake with 61.13 to beat, I knew I couldn't match that, but was quietly confident that I had the silvers in the bag, for my hatrick of silvers wins. 32.08 was enough to do that and 17.00 of carp taken in the last half hour gave me my 5 peg section as well ( Although with the default, I only took the silvers money).
An interesting venue, tidily kept, not too far from home and it will surely mature as time goes by.
1) John Bradford 70.04 peg 10(W)
2) Tim Ford 61.13 peg 1 (H) How does he keep drawing corner/end pegs??
3) Adrian Jeffery 61.11 peg 9 (W)
4) Rod Wootton 49.11 peg 3 (H)
5) Dean Malin 49.09 Peg 2 (H)
6) Chris Fox 49.08 peg 4 (W)
Silvers
1) Chris Fox 32.08 peg 4 (W)
2) Nick Harvey 21.14 peg 5 (W)
3) Adrian Jeffery 21.04 peg 9 (W)
First into the draw container and I had Westpool, No1 aim achieved, sadly it wasn't an end peg which I assumed would be best. A walk around the main lake to Westpool was then the only way to get to peg 4. Tony was paying sections of 5, overall and one in the silvers, surely some coin was available?
I set up three rigs, a MW cane topped diamond on 0.16 to a 0.14 hooklength with a 16 63-13, to fish the deepest channel at approx 6-7m. A MW slim power on 0.18 with a 0.16 hooklength, finished off with a 18 B960 for 15m, up the far shelf. Completing the set up was a Sensas Pencil on 0.12, with a 0.08 hooklength and a 22 63-13.
b
If I was to believe Tony's blog, groundbait might be the way to go, so on the all in, I put 4 big jaffas of GB packed with CW & caster and a few dead maggots into the deepest part of the peg. I fired a few maggots to the far shelf and flicked a few casters in at topkit range.
3 Skimmers from the deep channel, nothing from the far shelf and a conceren that this was going to be a poor day was the result of the first hour, I wasn't alone, but John Bradford was making the most of his end peg by filling his net with carp ( yep, carp, no typo!!).
On the hour mark, I retopped the middle line with GB, but it was slow going. I had a look into the near line (topkit) and started to catch small skimmers, roach & rudd
before a decent skimmer (nearly a bream!!) was netted. Everytime I looked to my left I could see John Bradofrds elastic streaming out, so i decided to stick with silvers. Alternating between the topkit and a line at 6.5m, kept skimmers and the odd roach and rudd ( + a 0.3 oz perch) coming. On peg 5 , Sensas Thyers team mate Nick Harvey started to fish short and he also had some decent skimmers, + one of them big old black boys - I'm glad he didn't folow suite earlier. as he manmaged 2nd in silvers.
With just over half an hour to go the skimmer bites had dried up, so I went over to the far shelf and had a carp a chuck for 5 put ins.
The scales arrived from Hawthorn Lake with 61.13 to beat, I knew I couldn't match that, but was quietly confident that I had the silvers in the bag, for my hatrick of silvers wins. 32.08 was enough to do that and 17.00 of carp taken in the last half hour gave me my 5 peg section as well ( Although with the default, I only took the silvers money).
An interesting venue, tidily kept, not too far from home and it will surely mature as time goes by.
1) John Bradford 70.04 peg 10(W)
2) Tim Ford 61.13 peg 1 (H) How does he keep drawing corner/end pegs??
3) Adrian Jeffery 61.11 peg 9 (W)
4) Rod Wootton 49.11 peg 3 (H)
5) Dean Malin 49.09 Peg 2 (H)
6) Chris Fox 49.08 peg 4 (W)
Silvers
1) Chris Fox 32.08 peg 4 (W)
2) Nick Harvey 21.14 peg 5 (W)
3) Adrian Jeffery 21.04 peg 9 (W)
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Viaduct Open, Saturday 23rd July 2011
Cary was the venue for this 18 pegger, as Campbell was hosting the Carps AC three day festival. Out of the draw tin with 81, a peg that can produce, but also can be hard, today I had a feeling it would be tough going, as the wind was blowing towards the opposite bank.
Optimistically, I set up two wagglers and two lead rods, one waggler had a 3 swan straight peacock, the other a 3AAA insert peacock, two lead rods just to save swapping hooklengths, so I could try short/long hooklengths.
Delving back into the rod holdall, I then realised that the powerkits I took out last Sunday (not needed on Match lake), were still in the garage - duh!! Never mind, I had an idea it might turn into a silvers day, I set up a rig to fish meat for Tench in front of the concrete monk, another to fish meat at 14.5m up the spit, a MW diamond on 0.15 with a 0.13 hooklength and a 18 808 for skimmers and a MW slim power on 0.17 to fish banded pellet.
At the all in I started on the waggler just past the spit, fishing 8mm pellet, there were some fish up in the water, but they appeared uninterested in feeding, a switch to the lead also proved fruitless, trying pellet, popped up pellet and bread, all brought no bites. That was the end of trying to intentionaslly catch carp, so no further mentions of wagglers or lead chucking.
I had fed some groundbait and 4mm pellet at 13m, a look over this produced a couple of small skimmers to the devils spawn, so I refed at 5m, if I was going to get small skimmers, then at least I'd try and catch them close in.
Whilst this settled, down to the monk with 8mm meat and two tench in 25 minutes was the reward, then back in over the 5m line and a few small skimmers, a look up the spit to rest it and a small skimmer on the meat, back in and a 2oz roach on 8mm meat was the next fish.
Back on the 5m line and a pole pot was added top the topkit, a few 4mms and a couple of devils spawn going in each put in, a few more small skimmers, then back to the monk with meat, another tench netted. I could see that peg 94 was starting to catch carp steadily, so there was little point in going back for carp. I couldn't see anyone really bagging on silvers, but I knew Dave Roper on 86 was getting a few skimmers. Another look up the spit,I hit a bite and the fish had tangled itself in something traing from the brambles, I couls see a tench on the surface and luckily, it came out of the snag and styed on the hook.
Another tench from the monk and that completed my tench fishing for today, I had two more bites on meat, a 10lb mirror from the spit and a 15lb common from the monk.
To try and increase the size of the skimmers, I opened a tin of corn, first put in and a 3lb fish obliged and I thought I'd sussed it - you guessed it - no I hadn't, I didn't have another fish on corn. I finished the match on 4mm devils spawn, catching the occasional skimmer, wishing that I had some dead maggots or wroms with me, to try and revive the flagging swim.
The scales got to me, with Dave Ropers 19.04 of silvers to beat, I thought it would be close, but I didn't think I had quite enough, the scales proved me wrong and my 21.03 was enough to take first place in the silvers and ninth overall, with the 2 accidental carp weighing 25.02.
Quite a close match apart from Jamie Parkhouse's winning net.
1) J Parkhouse 152.00 peg 94
2) D White 79.03 peg 76
3) G Powell 77.02 peg 88
4) R Jordan 75.05 peg 102
5) N Brown 71.12 peg 90
6) Roy ? 70.06 peg 100
Silvers
1) Chris Fox 21.03 peg 81
2) Dave Roper 19.04 peg 86
3) Matt King 16.14 peg 99
Optimistically, I set up two wagglers and two lead rods, one waggler had a 3 swan straight peacock, the other a 3AAA insert peacock, two lead rods just to save swapping hooklengths, so I could try short/long hooklengths.
Delving back into the rod holdall, I then realised that the powerkits I took out last Sunday (not needed on Match lake), were still in the garage - duh!! Never mind, I had an idea it might turn into a silvers day, I set up a rig to fish meat for Tench in front of the concrete monk, another to fish meat at 14.5m up the spit, a MW diamond on 0.15 with a 0.13 hooklength and a 18 808 for skimmers and a MW slim power on 0.17 to fish banded pellet.
At the all in I started on the waggler just past the spit, fishing 8mm pellet, there were some fish up in the water, but they appeared uninterested in feeding, a switch to the lead also proved fruitless, trying pellet, popped up pellet and bread, all brought no bites. That was the end of trying to intentionaslly catch carp, so no further mentions of wagglers or lead chucking.
I had fed some groundbait and 4mm pellet at 13m, a look over this produced a couple of small skimmers to the devils spawn, so I refed at 5m, if I was going to get small skimmers, then at least I'd try and catch them close in.
Whilst this settled, down to the monk with 8mm meat and two tench in 25 minutes was the reward, then back in over the 5m line and a few small skimmers, a look up the spit to rest it and a small skimmer on the meat, back in and a 2oz roach on 8mm meat was the next fish.
Back on the 5m line and a pole pot was added top the topkit, a few 4mms and a couple of devils spawn going in each put in, a few more small skimmers, then back to the monk with meat, another tench netted. I could see that peg 94 was starting to catch carp steadily, so there was little point in going back for carp. I couldn't see anyone really bagging on silvers, but I knew Dave Roper on 86 was getting a few skimmers. Another look up the spit,I hit a bite and the fish had tangled itself in something traing from the brambles, I couls see a tench on the surface and luckily, it came out of the snag and styed on the hook.
Another tench from the monk and that completed my tench fishing for today, I had two more bites on meat, a 10lb mirror from the spit and a 15lb common from the monk.
To try and increase the size of the skimmers, I opened a tin of corn, first put in and a 3lb fish obliged and I thought I'd sussed it - you guessed it - no I hadn't, I didn't have another fish on corn. I finished the match on 4mm devils spawn, catching the occasional skimmer, wishing that I had some dead maggots or wroms with me, to try and revive the flagging swim.
The scales got to me, with Dave Ropers 19.04 of silvers to beat, I thought it would be close, but I didn't think I had quite enough, the scales proved me wrong and my 21.03 was enough to take first place in the silvers and ninth overall, with the 2 accidental carp weighing 25.02.
Quite a close match apart from Jamie Parkhouse's winning net.
1) J Parkhouse 152.00 peg 94
2) D White 79.03 peg 76
3) G Powell 77.02 peg 88
4) R Jordan 75.05 peg 102
5) N Brown 71.12 peg 90
6) Roy ? 70.06 peg 100
Silvers
1) Chris Fox 21.03 peg 81
2) Dave Roper 19.04 peg 86
3) Matt King 16.14 peg 99
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Avon Angling Open, Viaduct Match Lake,Sunday 17th July 2011
When Tony said he had another match booked on the Match Lake at Viaduct, I got my name down pronto. I enjoy this lake, its a real change from the big carp dominated venues that seem to make up most of the match calendar. Its possible to catch on 'proper' waggler gear and 'proper' baits like maggot, caster and worm.
I was a bit concerned that I'd miss the match, as I had to miss out on Saturdays open, I've had a re-occurrence of the stomach ulcer problem I had last year,but i felt OK when I got up this morning. Nice and early to the venue, mainly to get a decent parking place, as Carps AC had a match on Campbell & Carey.
Peg 47 was my home for the 6 hours, one to the left of 46, where I drew on the last match, on 46 today was Tim Ford and on 48, Tony Rixon, so no pressure, with quality either side and both with a reedy margin to plunder. I came with silvers and silvers only in mind, I had a Kilo of worms (not bought for this match, but unused from Trinity Festival), 2 pints of casters, a pint of dead maggots and half a pint of wriggly ones. I also made up a small bowlful of groundbait and reluctantly moistend some micros.
Tackle was an original Normark Microlight (has there ever been a better skimmer rod made? - I doubt it), this had a Daiwa TDR reel and 0.16 reel line, a 2½AAA waggler, with a 18 808 on 0.12 hooklength. One other rod set up, another great skimmer rod, Drennan MatchPro Quiver, paired with a Shimano reel, 4lb Direct Mono and a 16 808 on 0.12, this with a very small cage feeder. No more about this as I only chucked it in twice, once whilst I re-made a trashed rig, another whilst I tied up a hooklength.
Three topkits, two with double 5 preston slip elastic and one with double 8 for a big worm in the margin. The margin rig was a slim power on 0.13 straight through to a 16 808. The open water rigs were both on 0.14, one with a 4x14 carpa chimp and the other with a 0.2 MW diamond. The chimp with 0.10 hooklength and a 18 Drennan carp maggot and the diamond had a 18 808 to 0.12.
I cupped in some caster and dead maggot in groundbait at 14.5m and went over this with live maggot, it produced a couple of skimmers but the action all round the lake was slow. I did get frustrated, after Tim went down his margin and proceeded to get a run of F1's and carp, whilst I struggled for bites - Déjà vu or groundhog day from Sunday last week - of course he didn't enjoy that did he.
At the half way point, I got up to get a drink and stuck my head round the tree and spoke to Tony who was struggling, I'd kept the odd skimmer coming but not quickly enough, so back to the peg and a pot of chopped worm prepared and fed. An almost immediate reaction and 3 big skimmers in as many put ins, then nothing again, a change to 0.10 on the diamond, with a 18 Gamma black hook brought a couple more fish.
I finished the match on the waggler, the skimmers had moved up onto the shelf, I'd had a few looks earlier, to no avail, but the last hour or so saw a few more skimmers netted, 3 carp hooked, that all went off with the hook and a big fish, that may have been a decent bream, that snagged itself and left me to reel in a submerged branch.
With hindsight (I reckon I've got a 1:1 BSC Hons in hindsight)it may have paid to go on the waggler earlier and feed heavier to get the fish feeding more confidently close to the island. Disappontingly, I was pegged next to the winner for the second week running, but I had come to target skimmers and was succcessful in that, my 25.00 being enough to win the silvers by a 10lb margin. If I draw next to Tim in the next match, he might find his platform is a bit slippery......
Tims plundering of the margin for F1's and carp gave him top spot in waht was a fairly evenly contested match, I'm looking forward to the next one on here.
1) Tim Ford 35.07 peg 46
2) Dave Evans 32.00 peg 49
3) Dean Malin 27.09 peg 43
4) Clayton Hudson 26.10 peg 45
5) Chris Fox 25.00 peg 47
6) Tony (chip shop sausage)Rixon 16.06 peg 48
Silvers
1) Chris Fox 25.00 peg 47
2) Eddie Wynne 15.00 peg 542
Yep, its true, Tony battered either side......
I was a bit concerned that I'd miss the match, as I had to miss out on Saturdays open, I've had a re-occurrence of the stomach ulcer problem I had last year,but i felt OK when I got up this morning. Nice and early to the venue, mainly to get a decent parking place, as Carps AC had a match on Campbell & Carey.
Peg 47 was my home for the 6 hours, one to the left of 46, where I drew on the last match, on 46 today was Tim Ford and on 48, Tony Rixon, so no pressure, with quality either side and both with a reedy margin to plunder. I came with silvers and silvers only in mind, I had a Kilo of worms (not bought for this match, but unused from Trinity Festival), 2 pints of casters, a pint of dead maggots and half a pint of wriggly ones. I also made up a small bowlful of groundbait and reluctantly moistend some micros.
Tackle was an original Normark Microlight (has there ever been a better skimmer rod made? - I doubt it), this had a Daiwa TDR reel and 0.16 reel line, a 2½AAA waggler, with a 18 808 on 0.12 hooklength. One other rod set up, another great skimmer rod, Drennan MatchPro Quiver, paired with a Shimano reel, 4lb Direct Mono and a 16 808 on 0.12, this with a very small cage feeder. No more about this as I only chucked it in twice, once whilst I re-made a trashed rig, another whilst I tied up a hooklength.
Three topkits, two with double 5 preston slip elastic and one with double 8 for a big worm in the margin. The margin rig was a slim power on 0.13 straight through to a 16 808. The open water rigs were both on 0.14, one with a 4x14 carpa chimp and the other with a 0.2 MW diamond. The chimp with 0.10 hooklength and a 18 Drennan carp maggot and the diamond had a 18 808 to 0.12.
I cupped in some caster and dead maggot in groundbait at 14.5m and went over this with live maggot, it produced a couple of skimmers but the action all round the lake was slow. I did get frustrated, after Tim went down his margin and proceeded to get a run of F1's and carp, whilst I struggled for bites - Déjà vu or groundhog day from Sunday last week - of course he didn't enjoy that did he.
At the half way point, I got up to get a drink and stuck my head round the tree and spoke to Tony who was struggling, I'd kept the odd skimmer coming but not quickly enough, so back to the peg and a pot of chopped worm prepared and fed. An almost immediate reaction and 3 big skimmers in as many put ins, then nothing again, a change to 0.10 on the diamond, with a 18 Gamma black hook brought a couple more fish.
I finished the match on the waggler, the skimmers had moved up onto the shelf, I'd had a few looks earlier, to no avail, but the last hour or so saw a few more skimmers netted, 3 carp hooked, that all went off with the hook and a big fish, that may have been a decent bream, that snagged itself and left me to reel in a submerged branch.
With hindsight (I reckon I've got a 1:1 BSC Hons in hindsight)it may have paid to go on the waggler earlier and feed heavier to get the fish feeding more confidently close to the island. Disappontingly, I was pegged next to the winner for the second week running, but I had come to target skimmers and was succcessful in that, my 25.00 being enough to win the silvers by a 10lb margin. If I draw next to Tim in the next match, he might find his platform is a bit slippery......
Tims plundering of the margin for F1's and carp gave him top spot in waht was a fairly evenly contested match, I'm looking forward to the next one on here.
1) Tim Ford 35.07 peg 46
2) Dave Evans 32.00 peg 49
3) Dean Malin 27.09 peg 43
4) Clayton Hudson 26.10 peg 45
5) Chris Fox 25.00 peg 47
6) Tony (chip shop sausage)Rixon 16.06 peg 48
Silvers
1) Chris Fox 25.00 peg 47
2) Eddie Wynne 15.00 peg 542
Yep, its true, Tony battered either side......
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Viaduct Open, Wednesday 13th July 2011
I'd booked a days annual leave for today, as I'd agreed to fish Carps AC 'Kingston Seymour' series, which was subsequently cancelled. After two days interviewing applicants for a couple of vacancies at work, I decided to keep the holiday and fish Viaduct.
First into the tin and out came two swimcards stuck together - whichever one you put back its bound to be the wrong one, isn't it? I took one and opened it, revealing 125, I wasn't exactly overjoyed or cartwheeling around the room. I had drawn it a couple of weeks ago and managed 70lb ish, of which 24lb was skimmers. I hadn't brought anything to fish for silvers, I just had plenty of 8mm pellet, 6mm pellet and 8mm meat.
I set up two waggler rods, one to fish 8" deep as there were plenty of fish showing all over the lake on the surface and one to fish at half depth. I did set up a lead rod, although I didn't really expect to catch on it. And finally, three pole rigs, one shallow, a MW cookie on 0.17 straight through to a B960 16, a MW diamond to fish 8mm pellet at depth, same line & hook as the shallow rig and a MW float whose name eludes me (and he doesn't seem to sell it anymore)on 0.17 to 0.18 (0.17 Preston is actually 0.20) and a 16 Xedion TXR7 size 16 hook, this rig for meat.
I started at 14.5m shallow and had a couple of fish in the first 15 minutes, this didn't last and I had 2 more up to the 1 hour mark. Time to try the pellet waggler, this produced 2 fish fairly quickly, at around 15" deep and then it went quiet, just as the pole line did. I tried from 6" deep to 4' deep, to no avail, although there were plenty of blows. Into the third hour and I was now struggling for bites, so I put the straight lead over the waggler line and was rewarded with 4 fish in 6 chucks, 2 tench and 2 carp. Then as surely as the pole and waggler stopped producing bites, so did the lead.
From the halfway mark I'd been feeding meat at 5m, a look here produced nothing, so back on the 14.5m line with the full depth rig and first drop in with a 8mm banded pellet, the float settled and buried, carp number 9. A few lost foulers followed, so back on the shallow rig, but I couldn't get a bite on it. Back to the waggler for another fish, then back to the 14.5m line and another fish at depth.
So with 11 fish in the net and 1 hour 15 minutes to go, I knew I'd have to catch quickly and decent fish, to try and pick up some money. Back in on the 5m line and a 7lb carp first put in, then a 3lb+ tench, now there were bubbles from the 5m line and I caught 6 carp for nearly 60lb and 2 tench in that last 75 minutes. I thought I had 120lb of carp and 10lb of tench, and when the scales got to me, the 4 tench went 10.12 and the 17 carp 129.07, giving me 139.13, enough for second on the day. I suppose I can't be too disappointed at that, after my initial feeling that I'd struggle when I drew the peg. 17 fish for 129lb gives a fish average size of 7.08, so a few of those meat fish were doubles.
A pretty close match, with Kedgie missing out on a pick up by 3oz and some good silvers weights
1) Paul Homewood 188.13 peg 110
2) Chris Fox 139.13 peg 125
3) Howard Webb 125.05 peg 129
4) Steve Kedge 125.02 peg 115
5) Dave Roper 123.13 peg 116
6) Steve Jackson 106.04 peg 128
Silvers
1) John Green 64.12 peg 112
2) Alex ? 46.06 peg 123
3) Tim Pallant 42.08 peg 119
4) Howard Webb 34.02 peg 129
5) Steve Kedge 30.08 peg 115
Finally, something that made me smile on the way home. I went home via the Fosseway, as it is pretty deserted at 7pm on a Wednesday night, as I got into Shepton Mallet by the traffic lights, a 7 ton pick up/tipper towing an estate car switched lanes a couple of cars in front, catching my eye. It was one of those where you get a feeling somethings dodgy, fair play to the pick up, he got up some speed down the hill, into the dip by the cider factory and stated to climb the other side reasonably well. I then saw something, a piece of plastic? come out from under the estate car, for some reason the driver let the tow rope go slack.
This was half way up the hill, as the rope went tight again, there was an explosion of dust and shit at the front of the car, it slowed and the pick up accelerated up the hill with the complete front bumper moulding (a large one) attached, but no car. Luckily I managed to overtake them once the car had ground to a halt and the pick up driver realised what had happened and stopped - he got out smiling, it obviously wasn't his car......
First into the tin and out came two swimcards stuck together - whichever one you put back its bound to be the wrong one, isn't it? I took one and opened it, revealing 125, I wasn't exactly overjoyed or cartwheeling around the room. I had drawn it a couple of weeks ago and managed 70lb ish, of which 24lb was skimmers. I hadn't brought anything to fish for silvers, I just had plenty of 8mm pellet, 6mm pellet and 8mm meat.
I set up two waggler rods, one to fish 8" deep as there were plenty of fish showing all over the lake on the surface and one to fish at half depth. I did set up a lead rod, although I didn't really expect to catch on it. And finally, three pole rigs, one shallow, a MW cookie on 0.17 straight through to a B960 16, a MW diamond to fish 8mm pellet at depth, same line & hook as the shallow rig and a MW float whose name eludes me (and he doesn't seem to sell it anymore)on 0.17 to 0.18 (0.17 Preston is actually 0.20) and a 16 Xedion TXR7 size 16 hook, this rig for meat.
I started at 14.5m shallow and had a couple of fish in the first 15 minutes, this didn't last and I had 2 more up to the 1 hour mark. Time to try the pellet waggler, this produced 2 fish fairly quickly, at around 15" deep and then it went quiet, just as the pole line did. I tried from 6" deep to 4' deep, to no avail, although there were plenty of blows. Into the third hour and I was now struggling for bites, so I put the straight lead over the waggler line and was rewarded with 4 fish in 6 chucks, 2 tench and 2 carp. Then as surely as the pole and waggler stopped producing bites, so did the lead.
From the halfway mark I'd been feeding meat at 5m, a look here produced nothing, so back on the 14.5m line with the full depth rig and first drop in with a 8mm banded pellet, the float settled and buried, carp number 9. A few lost foulers followed, so back on the shallow rig, but I couldn't get a bite on it. Back to the waggler for another fish, then back to the 14.5m line and another fish at depth.
So with 11 fish in the net and 1 hour 15 minutes to go, I knew I'd have to catch quickly and decent fish, to try and pick up some money. Back in on the 5m line and a 7lb carp first put in, then a 3lb+ tench, now there were bubbles from the 5m line and I caught 6 carp for nearly 60lb and 2 tench in that last 75 minutes. I thought I had 120lb of carp and 10lb of tench, and when the scales got to me, the 4 tench went 10.12 and the 17 carp 129.07, giving me 139.13, enough for second on the day. I suppose I can't be too disappointed at that, after my initial feeling that I'd struggle when I drew the peg. 17 fish for 129lb gives a fish average size of 7.08, so a few of those meat fish were doubles.
A pretty close match, with Kedgie missing out on a pick up by 3oz and some good silvers weights
1) Paul Homewood 188.13 peg 110
2) Chris Fox 139.13 peg 125
3) Howard Webb 125.05 peg 129
4) Steve Kedge 125.02 peg 115
5) Dave Roper 123.13 peg 116
6) Steve Jackson 106.04 peg 128
Silvers
1) John Green 64.12 peg 112
2) Alex ? 46.06 peg 123
3) Tim Pallant 42.08 peg 119
4) Howard Webb 34.02 peg 129
5) Steve Kedge 30.08 peg 115
Finally, something that made me smile on the way home. I went home via the Fosseway, as it is pretty deserted at 7pm on a Wednesday night, as I got into Shepton Mallet by the traffic lights, a 7 ton pick up/tipper towing an estate car switched lanes a couple of cars in front, catching my eye. It was one of those where you get a feeling somethings dodgy, fair play to the pick up, he got up some speed down the hill, into the dip by the cider factory and stated to climb the other side reasonably well. I then saw something, a piece of plastic? come out from under the estate car, for some reason the driver let the tow rope go slack.
This was half way up the hill, as the rope went tight again, there was an explosion of dust and shit at the front of the car, it slowed and the pick up accelerated up the hill with the complete front bumper moulding (a large one) attached, but no car. Luckily I managed to overtake them once the car had ground to a halt and the pick up driver realised what had happened and stopped - he got out smiling, it obviously wasn't his car......
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Tony Rixon's Float Only League, Landsend, Sunday 10th July 2011
I secured a guest spot in this match and had it in my mind to fish for silvers, as doing this seems to be the only way I can ever pick up at Landsend. Out of the draw bucket with peg 34 - bad memories, the last time I drew 34, Matt Tomes emptied it on 33, whilst I struggled. Tim Ford on 33 today and when I stood with him in his peg, it was looking likely that history would repeat itself. There were loads of fish moving between the aerator and the end bank.
I set up a rig to fish shallow to the island at 16m, a MW cookie on 0.18 with a 16 B960, I also set up two silvers rigs, a 4x14 carpa chimp on 0.16 to 0.14 with a size 16 808 and a 4x12 carpa chimp on 0.14 with a 0.12 hooklength and a 16 Drennan carp maggot hook. I also set up a paste rig.
I started on the lighter rig, fishing caster at 7m, apart from a couple of small roach, there wasn't much to show for that. I'd fed a line at 13m with softend 4mm and caster, hoping for skimmers, as well as pinging some 8mm hard pellet to the island. Tim Ford kept saying "look at the tails coming out of the water in front of you" - he was right, but they were black, not orange. Some of the tails belonged to chub and occasionally a big skimmer waved its black, forked caudal fin at me.
I looked in on the 13m line, to no avail and by now was three or four fish behind Tim, the thought of luring some of those carp from the aerator, to my island ledge, made me abandon the silvers and over with the shallow pelet rig I went. I had several chub, before it went quiet, I then had two carp, but after them the bites dried up.
Back in on the 13m line with caster and a couple of skimmers, but the bites were few and far between, a look on the devils spawn over the 13m line brought my only fish of the day on it, a 3lb tench. I tried back over to the island, shallow, with a couple more chub to show for it.
With a couple of hours to go, I set up a shallow rig to try meat over and had three carp in three drop-ins - sussed it, no! That was the end of the carp action off the island. I went back in on the light silvers rig, with double red maggot and had a carp around the 5lb mark, next put in, a 15lb carp took the maggots and nearly gave itself up like a skimmer, before realising it was hooked and stretching the double six to its limit, before the 0.12 parted.
I finished the day on the heavier silvers rig, landing several more decent skimmers, which all took double red maggot - I knew I'd messed up, I should have stuck it out for silvers for the full 6 hours, as my 24lb was just not enough to sneak in the silvers coin. My carp went 42.14 or a total of 66.14, that was 8th overall and enough to pick up the section money by double default, with Tim Ford winning and Mike Nicholls winning the silvers with 32lb. So what appeared to be a disasterous day, from being spanked again by peg 33, to poor decision making, at least ended up with some coin.
1) Tim Ford 126.12 peg 33
2) Tony Rixon 111.13 peg 24
3) Dean Malin 99.14 peg 19
4) Mike Nicholls 94.14 peg 36
5) Paul Elmes 86.04 peg 31
6) Chris Davies 85.08 peg 32
Silvers
1) Mike Nicholls 32.00
2) John Bradford 28.15
3) John Green 27.10
Can't log off without a mention for ex Clevedon Veals team mate, Steve Seager, on peg 34, who had a nightmare, at one time he was squirrel fishing, with his rig at least 20' up one of the island trees - shame I didn't get a picture.......
I set up a rig to fish shallow to the island at 16m, a MW cookie on 0.18 with a 16 B960, I also set up two silvers rigs, a 4x14 carpa chimp on 0.16 to 0.14 with a size 16 808 and a 4x12 carpa chimp on 0.14 with a 0.12 hooklength and a 16 Drennan carp maggot hook. I also set up a paste rig.
I started on the lighter rig, fishing caster at 7m, apart from a couple of small roach, there wasn't much to show for that. I'd fed a line at 13m with softend 4mm and caster, hoping for skimmers, as well as pinging some 8mm hard pellet to the island. Tim Ford kept saying "look at the tails coming out of the water in front of you" - he was right, but they were black, not orange. Some of the tails belonged to chub and occasionally a big skimmer waved its black, forked caudal fin at me.
I looked in on the 13m line, to no avail and by now was three or four fish behind Tim, the thought of luring some of those carp from the aerator, to my island ledge, made me abandon the silvers and over with the shallow pelet rig I went. I had several chub, before it went quiet, I then had two carp, but after them the bites dried up.
Back in on the 13m line with caster and a couple of skimmers, but the bites were few and far between, a look on the devils spawn over the 13m line brought my only fish of the day on it, a 3lb tench. I tried back over to the island, shallow, with a couple more chub to show for it.
With a couple of hours to go, I set up a shallow rig to try meat over and had three carp in three drop-ins - sussed it, no! That was the end of the carp action off the island. I went back in on the light silvers rig, with double red maggot and had a carp around the 5lb mark, next put in, a 15lb carp took the maggots and nearly gave itself up like a skimmer, before realising it was hooked and stretching the double six to its limit, before the 0.12 parted.
I finished the day on the heavier silvers rig, landing several more decent skimmers, which all took double red maggot - I knew I'd messed up, I should have stuck it out for silvers for the full 6 hours, as my 24lb was just not enough to sneak in the silvers coin. My carp went 42.14 or a total of 66.14, that was 8th overall and enough to pick up the section money by double default, with Tim Ford winning and Mike Nicholls winning the silvers with 32lb. So what appeared to be a disasterous day, from being spanked again by peg 33, to poor decision making, at least ended up with some coin.
1) Tim Ford 126.12 peg 33
2) Tony Rixon 111.13 peg 24
3) Dean Malin 99.14 peg 19
4) Mike Nicholls 94.14 peg 36
5) Paul Elmes 86.04 peg 31
6) Chris Davies 85.08 peg 32
Silvers
1) Mike Nicholls 32.00
2) John Bradford 28.15
3) John Green 27.10
Can't log off without a mention for ex Clevedon Veals team mate, Steve Seager, on peg 34, who had a nightmare, at one time he was squirrel fishing, with his rig at least 20' up one of the island trees - shame I didn't get a picture.......
Viaduct Open, Saturday 9th July 2011
I'd love to write a comprehensive account of a interesting, competitive match, sadly I can't. Viaduct has been in good form this spring and summer and the top weights from this match will look good, but the weather or whatever put the fish off feeding made this one on Carey and Lodge, a grueller for many.
I drew peg 90, the wind was blowing into the corner and I hoped for a decent day, there should be fish there, following the wind in. Usual set ups, a waggler rod to fish at depth, a lead rod and pole rigs to fish the margin and pellet at 14.5m.
Suffice to say, as I've already mentioned grueller, after 2½ hours, I had one skimmer on the lead, then another on the waggler, the margin appeared devoid of fish, as did the open water in front of me. There was some fish blowing, I was convinced it was skimmers, so I opened a tin of corn and tried that at 12m, first put in resulted in a 4-5lb common, then nothing.
I kept feeding and working at all the lines, Phil Cardwell packed up on 88 and went, perhaps he had the right idea. Towards the end I managed a couple of decent Tench on meat in the margin, along with one other carp around the 4lb mark, there were three weigh in in my section (88-99) two silvers weights and only one carp weight. My two carp probably would have gone 9lb, but they went back, the silvers went 11.02, easily my worst perfomance on Viaduct during the 'pellet allowed' season.
1) Tom Mangall 144.10 peg 44
2) Steve Jackson 127.11 peg 105
3) Ray Hayward 104.15 peg 66
4) Craig Edmunds 98.03 peg 100
5) Ryan Jordan 77.04 peg 97
6) Terry Lenny 72.04 peg 69
Silvers
1) John Green 30.05 peg 85
2) Barry Fitchew 25.15 68
3) Jamie Parkhouse 23.13 peg 70
I drew peg 90, the wind was blowing into the corner and I hoped for a decent day, there should be fish there, following the wind in. Usual set ups, a waggler rod to fish at depth, a lead rod and pole rigs to fish the margin and pellet at 14.5m.
Suffice to say, as I've already mentioned grueller, after 2½ hours, I had one skimmer on the lead, then another on the waggler, the margin appeared devoid of fish, as did the open water in front of me. There was some fish blowing, I was convinced it was skimmers, so I opened a tin of corn and tried that at 12m, first put in resulted in a 4-5lb common, then nothing.
I kept feeding and working at all the lines, Phil Cardwell packed up on 88 and went, perhaps he had the right idea. Towards the end I managed a couple of decent Tench on meat in the margin, along with one other carp around the 4lb mark, there were three weigh in in my section (88-99) two silvers weights and only one carp weight. My two carp probably would have gone 9lb, but they went back, the silvers went 11.02, easily my worst perfomance on Viaduct during the 'pellet allowed' season.
1) Tom Mangall 144.10 peg 44
2) Steve Jackson 127.11 peg 105
3) Ray Hayward 104.15 peg 66
4) Craig Edmunds 98.03 peg 100
5) Ryan Jordan 77.04 peg 97
6) Terry Lenny 72.04 peg 69
Silvers
1) John Green 30.05 peg 85
2) Barry Fitchew 25.15 68
3) Jamie Parkhouse 23.13 peg 70
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Carps Viaduct Series, Sunday 3rd July 2011
I took a guest spot in this league today, so it was a positive approach, where ever I drew, no need to fish for series points. 105 came out of the tin, last time on this one I won the lake and a stupid lost fish cost me doing so again.
I set up two margin rigs, a MW 'Dinky D' for meat and a poly ball for paste. A shallow rig for pellet and a depth rig for pellet, a MW diamond and a MW Cookie respectively both on 0.17 with 16 B960 hooks. A MW paste rig completed the pole set up. I also set up a waggler rod and a lead rod, as there fish moving around towards the middle.
Virtually opposite I had Garbolino BMVG silvers ace Bob Gullick, so he wouldn't be feeding to far out to nick any carp - in fact he would be trying to avoid them.
On the all in I flicked the waggler at full depth to the middle, it settled and went under, after a 25 minute battle a 15lb fish graced the net, good start. I then had a smaller fish, but then the bites tailed off. I tried shallowing up and had another fish, great start, but that was the end of it. I tried the margins, nothing, not even an indication, or a twitch from a meat stealing nuisance fish. This was how it stayed on every look into the margins (both left & right) until the end.
I tried the paste line I''d been feeding at 8m - nothing, I tried 6 & 8mm pellet over it just in case there were some skimmers around - nothing again. In desperation I picked up the lead rod and it brought 3 fish.
In the last hour, I decided to really up the feed and fish the waggler, its a tactic that used to catch me a lot of chub on the river, its nearly like the constant rain of bait falling through the peg makes them feed. I started to get bites on the waggler and deepening up again saw me hook a big fish, initially I thought it may have been foul hooked, but it wasn't, it was just the sheer size if it. It took me all over the peg and it just wouldn't get its head off the bottom.
After 20 minutes, I had it under the rod and every time it came within 3 or 4' of the net, it powered off again, it was a angry common well over 20lb. trying to think ahead, as I had started to get bites, I thought I might get another fish if I could get back out there, so using the logic that it must be a good hook hold,as it had been on for 20 minutes+, put a bit more pressure on. Big mistake, the hook pulled and with it went a lake win and £50 quid section money......
I'd been feeding whilst playing it, but not nearly enough and the last 15 minutes remained biteless.
My 7 fish went 72lbish and Bela Bakos took the section with 76lb.
See Mike Nicholls blog for the results, as I had to disappear after the weigh in to go to work.
I set up two margin rigs, a MW 'Dinky D' for meat and a poly ball for paste. A shallow rig for pellet and a depth rig for pellet, a MW diamond and a MW Cookie respectively both on 0.17 with 16 B960 hooks. A MW paste rig completed the pole set up. I also set up a waggler rod and a lead rod, as there fish moving around towards the middle.
Virtually opposite I had Garbolino BMVG silvers ace Bob Gullick, so he wouldn't be feeding to far out to nick any carp - in fact he would be trying to avoid them.
On the all in I flicked the waggler at full depth to the middle, it settled and went under, after a 25 minute battle a 15lb fish graced the net, good start. I then had a smaller fish, but then the bites tailed off. I tried shallowing up and had another fish, great start, but that was the end of it. I tried the margins, nothing, not even an indication, or a twitch from a meat stealing nuisance fish. This was how it stayed on every look into the margins (both left & right) until the end.
I tried the paste line I''d been feeding at 8m - nothing, I tried 6 & 8mm pellet over it just in case there were some skimmers around - nothing again. In desperation I picked up the lead rod and it brought 3 fish.
In the last hour, I decided to really up the feed and fish the waggler, its a tactic that used to catch me a lot of chub on the river, its nearly like the constant rain of bait falling through the peg makes them feed. I started to get bites on the waggler and deepening up again saw me hook a big fish, initially I thought it may have been foul hooked, but it wasn't, it was just the sheer size if it. It took me all over the peg and it just wouldn't get its head off the bottom.
After 20 minutes, I had it under the rod and every time it came within 3 or 4' of the net, it powered off again, it was a angry common well over 20lb. trying to think ahead, as I had started to get bites, I thought I might get another fish if I could get back out there, so using the logic that it must be a good hook hold,as it had been on for 20 minutes+, put a bit more pressure on. Big mistake, the hook pulled and with it went a lake win and £50 quid section money......
I'd been feeding whilst playing it, but not nearly enough and the last 15 minutes remained biteless.
My 7 fish went 72lbish and Bela Bakos took the section with 76lb.
See Mike Nicholls blog for the results, as I had to disappear after the weigh in to go to work.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Viaduct Open, Saturday 2nd July 2011
I was quite happily making my way to Viaduct, when at just before 10am the phone rang, "where are you, its a 09.30 draw". Why do they have a different time on Wednesdays and Saturdays? To confuse the simple, obviously...... Luckily Paul Greenwood had left a ticket in for me, unluckily it was 125.
I decided to keep things simple and set up a pellet waggler, as there were plenty of fish sunning themselves and cruising round in the sunshine. The water temperature was 24.3°C, no wonder they were so laid back. I also set up 4 topkits, one for paste, one for banded pellet at depth, one shallow and a margin rig for meat. This was a total waste of time, either I'm doing something drastically wrong, or every peg I get is full of tiny roach etc. which continually nibble away at the meat.
The first 20 minutes were spent trying to mug some of the cruising fish, but they weren't having it and they backed off towards the middle after having a pole waved over their heads. Out with the pellet waggler and I had a couple of indications, then a slight ripple got up and I had three fish in quick succession, the ripple went and that was pretty much the end of the waggler line. In the meantime, I was seeing Martin Preston on 123, getting a run of fish on the lead, fishing popped up bread.
I dropped into the 14m line I'd been feeding, with the paste rig and soon had a flying skimmer, next fish was a big lump well into double figures. From then on it got hard, the margin only produced 1-2oz roach on meat, so that was abandoned. I stuck at the 14m line with paste and alternating that with 8mm banded pellet, this produced a couple more skimmers. There were plenty of skimmers blowing over the feed, so with 2 and a bit hours to go I decided to set up a skimmer rig. This was dropped in and I immediately started to catch carp on the expander, another double figure fish was landed.
I reverted back to small balls of paste, without feeding, this stopped attracting carp and had a few more skimmers, with hindsight I should have fished for them all day, as I was so far adrift on the carp. I also had 2 tench on the paste, the first tench I've caught in open water at Viaduct. My 7 carp went 48.02 and the skimmers 24.00 for 72.02.
Peg 132 kept up its good form as it produced 209.10 to win
1) Roland (Lucas?) 209.10 peg 132
2) Lewis Greenwood 162.01 peg 112
3) Martin Preston 145.10 peg 123
4) Craig Edmunds 128.08 peg 110
5) Andy Wilkinson 127.10 peg 119
6) Tim Ford 100.11 peg 129
Silvers
1) Craig Edmunds 66.08
2) Dan Squire 52.02
3) Andy Wilkinson 39.07
I decided to keep things simple and set up a pellet waggler, as there were plenty of fish sunning themselves and cruising round in the sunshine. The water temperature was 24.3°C, no wonder they were so laid back. I also set up 4 topkits, one for paste, one for banded pellet at depth, one shallow and a margin rig for meat. This was a total waste of time, either I'm doing something drastically wrong, or every peg I get is full of tiny roach etc. which continually nibble away at the meat.
The first 20 minutes were spent trying to mug some of the cruising fish, but they weren't having it and they backed off towards the middle after having a pole waved over their heads. Out with the pellet waggler and I had a couple of indications, then a slight ripple got up and I had three fish in quick succession, the ripple went and that was pretty much the end of the waggler line. In the meantime, I was seeing Martin Preston on 123, getting a run of fish on the lead, fishing popped up bread.
I dropped into the 14m line I'd been feeding, with the paste rig and soon had a flying skimmer, next fish was a big lump well into double figures. From then on it got hard, the margin only produced 1-2oz roach on meat, so that was abandoned. I stuck at the 14m line with paste and alternating that with 8mm banded pellet, this produced a couple more skimmers. There were plenty of skimmers blowing over the feed, so with 2 and a bit hours to go I decided to set up a skimmer rig. This was dropped in and I immediately started to catch carp on the expander, another double figure fish was landed.
I reverted back to small balls of paste, without feeding, this stopped attracting carp and had a few more skimmers, with hindsight I should have fished for them all day, as I was so far adrift on the carp. I also had 2 tench on the paste, the first tench I've caught in open water at Viaduct. My 7 carp went 48.02 and the skimmers 24.00 for 72.02.
Peg 132 kept up its good form as it produced 209.10 to win
1) Roland (Lucas?) 209.10 peg 132
2) Lewis Greenwood 162.01 peg 112
3) Martin Preston 145.10 peg 123
4) Craig Edmunds 128.08 peg 110
5) Andy Wilkinson 127.10 peg 119
6) Tim Ford 100.11 peg 129
Silvers
1) Craig Edmunds 66.08
2) Dan Squire 52.02
3) Andy Wilkinson 39.07
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