Todber Manor Open, Sunday 25th June 2017

Fancied a change today, so headed down to Todber Manor for an open on Hillview lake.  Good run down and had time to spend some money in the shop - just too tempting!!!

A few familiar faces with who I had a discussion about the current state of match fishing and the seeming reluctance of people to pay an increasing amount in relation to inflation.  Anyway, that ended with me a Lee Werrett putting the match fishing world to rights, without actually changing anything!!

I drew peg 48, which is the end peg on the spit, so no parking behind my peg today, but its only a short walk.  My main attack was going to be pellet, banded 6 or 8mm, it was quite windy, so I plumbed up at 2+3 and found a slope rising to my right, I picked a spot a few inches up the slope  as a starting place.  I did plumb up a bit further out in case the wind subsided  - but it didn't and that rig remained unused.  the rig for the slope was a 0.5 NG Gimp 0.16 line with a 16 LWG on 0.14, with a band.  A 0.4 NG Gimp was also set up, this with a bulk shot direct above the 6" hooklength, which was the same as the other rig.

I set up a margin rig with a 14 960 to 0.18 again with a band, to fish at 9m down towards the point of the spit.  I also assembled and clipped up a method to fish to the island, that went on the roost and stayed there until it was disassembled and put back in the bag.

On the all in I cupped some 4 & 6mm pellets in on the pole line and started catching small carp and mini tench right from the off.  This got a bit better when I put a big pole pot on and fed via this, as it was too windy to throw accurately at that distance and a bit too close to use a catapult.  Only problem was the size of the fish, I had some meat in the bag and started flicking that in at topkit range, with a few pellets. A switch to this saw me put a bigger stamp of fish in the net for a short spell, before the smaller ones came back and then the little tench rocked up.  I upped the feed and this brought the carp back, but nothing too big.  I had been feeding the margin, with a little GB and pellet and went in there and had 3 fish straight away, then nothing.  Refeed and back to the short line, this gave up a couple of better fish and then slowed up, so back to the margin, this saw the biggest fish of the day, which was 7 or 8lb netted.

The fish would come straight to feed in the margin and then go once it was eaten, maybe it was a little too shallow?  I tried to get round it with a big pot on the pole and feeding this way, but I am not convinced it was enough feed - these are hungry fish and it is great to actually fish a veniue that responds to feed, some venues now are like winter fishing, as you have to be so frugal with bait,

I swapped between the short line and the margin up to the end, pulling the band of the hair rig into the meat - I went up to 10mm meat to try and pick out better fish - this was quite successful and I didn't miss too many bites, I even had a stunning golden tench on it, lovely looking fish.

I thought I had about 115lb, but its hard to judge with these small and varied sized fish, the scales said I had 137lb, which enough to take the section and 4th place, well done to Dave Romain on what I believe is a new record with 192lb.  I will be getting back to Toder again soon, as it was an enjoyable day and I managed the a couple of the better stamp fish for the first time today.

Landsend Open, Saturday 24th June 2017

18 in for this one, so a decent turn out, I drew the same number - 18 on Match lake, there was half of the Specimen lake in as well.  Not going to write too much about this one, as there were feeding fish in the peg by the island and with 2 and a bit hours to gone I had about 28lb in the net, but had lost 5 rigs and 12 hooklengths in some weeds that were tumbling down into the water on the point of the island, the fish were running through them.  Even a change to a solid 14 elastic tightened down wouldn't stop them.

That was enough for me, I go fishing to try and win and compete, but also to enjoy it and I don't enjoy fishing like that, so it was a early bath for me.

Cadbury Angling Evening Open, Thursday 22nd June 2017

Another Thursday I managed to get off work early enough to get to Acorn for the 5pm draw.  I wasn't too bothered where I drew and after a chat with Paul Faiers, it was into the ping pong bag and out come 4. Given last weeks result, I wasn't too unhappy with  the draw.

As I have caught mostly across in the previous matches, that was my line of attack and I cleared out two areas to target, they plumbed up nicely, with about 12" of water.  I did set up a margin rig just in case and then had enough tie to set up one for the other side, so pellets down LH edge, maggot RH side.

It started OK, catching across and I had 4 or 5 fish in the first half an hour, but instead of getting stronger as in previous weeks, it died off.  There were a few fish moving about, but I couldn't catch shallow, even though there was a breeze my peg was flat calm which didn't help.

Feeding the edges brought fish in, but I only had a couple, the maggot in the RH edge only produced a little perch, the pellet in the RH margin had them in there churning it up and I just could not work out how to get them to take a bait, very frustrating, spent too much time doing this, but when they are so visibly tail waving, they are hard to ignore.  Got a couple of ideas to try out next time this happens, so fingers crossed at least one idea works.


1st. Tim Whitchurch  92lb 9oz Peg 21...
2nd. Mark Bromsgrove 77lb 8oz Peg 11
3rd. Ivan Currie 70lb 12oz Peg 33
4th. Adriano Mercato  59lb 5oz Peg 2
5th. Chris Fox 59lb 1oz Peg 4
6th. Toby Parker 50lb 12oz Peg 38

Viaduct Spring League, Last Round, Sunday 18th June 2017

The league hasn't been kind to me this year, so there was little to do but try for the win on the day today, thoughts of a chance of that were dashed when I drew 102, the diagonal bank hasn't been the best area so far this year - Tony also drew it, I think there is a jinx on travelling in his new van.....

Two wagglers set up, one at depth and one for shallow, I did set up a lead rod, but only to use in desperation. I set up two meat rigs, one with just 3x11down the line, one a more standard bulk and droppers.  Two pellet rigs, one deep and one shallow and as I thought sport would be slow given my draw and the heat, a paste rig to try.  No margin rig, as I had Nicky Ewers on 103 and a tree to my right, I was not confident at all of catching in that edge.  Nicky had the fortune of no one to his left until Andy Neal 0n 109, as 105 wasn't drawn.

Chatting to Nicky before the off we both were starting on meat and I said, "we'll get the obligatory skimmer on this line and then not much else".  That's exactly what happened, the down side was my skimmer was 3oz, whereas Nicky's was 2lb.  I then had a roach on the meat and decided that it may not be the way to go....

To cut a long story short, after 3 hours I had a couple of skimmers and no carp, then I had one 5.08 on the long pellet line on the deck - couldn't get a bite shallow.  There just didn't seem to be any carp around, I wasn't alone in struggling, as Nicky and Bob Gullick who was on 100, were also scratching round, although Nicky was getting a run of decent skimmers, whilst if I fished a 6mm pellet I got 3oz skimmers, frustrating.

I did hook one more carp on the long pole line, it leapt from the water like a skimmer and was gone, so that summed up the day really.  Couldn't get too much enthusiasm for it after that to be honest and wasn't too disappointed to hear the all out.

My 18lb wasn't last in section,  I was only 307lb behind Mark Wynne who won at a canter from peg 64 with 325lb, that also saw him win the league with a 4 point score.  Well done Mark and I can now put what was a pretty disastrous league behind me and get on with some opens.

Cadbury Angling Evening Open, Acorn, Thursday 15th June 2017

Well, after last weeks second place and another opportunity to get to this evening match, it would have been rude not to...

Got to the venue well early, as I was on a course in Stoke Gifford and it wasn't worth going home. For a change, Mark Bartlett was busy working, instead of fishing, so I had a chat with him, then into the shop to pay on and a chat with Toby.  As ever couldn't help having a browse round a tackle shop and after last week, I needed a yellow topped float for fishing across, as I paid for it Toby said it would be a lucky float.... a 0.2g Drennan Carp

Time for a walk round round the lake, there was a fair old wind blowing, but it was coming very South Westerly, so some protection from the trees and the buildings. There were carp showing in 22/23, 12 and plenty on the corner opposite 8 and 5.  As I neared the end of the stroll, I bumped into Vic Bush, who plied me with wine gums........ my mum warned me about that sort of danger!!  A chat with Vic and then I saw him pumping up Devils Spawn in his van, not sure why, but maybe he'd prove me wrong.

I was about 4th into the draw bag and had a rare trip over the bridge to an island peg - I usually only get on there to weigh in!!  Peg 2, with venue stalwart Mike Chapman on peg 4.  First job was a walk round and onto the other island with some new shears I'd bought only the day before from Lidl, two areas cut out so I could get tight in, about 5 yards apart, either side of the centre line from the pallet of my peg.

I set up two rigs to fish across, both areas cut out were 12" deep, just about perfect and nice and easy that they were the same depth., I did set up a rig to fish paste on a shelf about 2'6" deep, a couple of yards of the near bank. Finally a margin rig to fish GB / maggots down to the pallet of peg 1.

Starting across, I had a couple of early fish from the LH cut out, then the wind changed, much gustier and bizarrely blowing suddenly from the right and then, by the time I'd correct the pole position, it was gusting from the left.  This was causing problems as even though I thought I'd cut out a big enough area, the gusts were taking the rig into the bankside vegetation.  A switch to the RH cut out brought a couple more fish, but it wasn't prolific and unless I kept feeding the fish disappeared.

I started feeding the RH margin with GB and maggot and the LH with pellet, then the paste line with softened pellets.  To save too much typing, I had one micro perch in the maggot margin, I had one carp on paste and nothing in the pellet margin.  I spent the rest of the match across and at the end the RH cut out was barren, whilst I had a few more fish from the LH cut out. It was necessary to keep feed going in but I didn't go mad, I fed about 1 pint of 4mm pellets. Strange night, as the water temp and conditions pointed to the fish coming short or into the margins, but they didn't.

I hadn't seen too many catching, so unless anyone out of view had sacked up, I thought I might be there or there abouts with what I thought might be 55lb.

The scales gave me 65.12, all carp apart from a 2 dram perch and a near 2lb skimmer, which was also caught 12" deep on the far bank.  That was enough to just pip Walshy to the win, so two evening matches and two pick ups, especially nice after Sundays bloody disaster at Landsend.  Good to see that there is no silvers payout, which would unnecessarily dilute the payout on a match like this, its been decent pickups given the size of the matches, food for thought maybe.

Once again, thanks to Toby for the hotdogs and cider after the match (and for selling me the lucky float - the last one he had!!), most welcome and it makes a bit of a social occasion out of it. 

Tony Rixon's Float Only, Landsend, Sunday 11th June 2017

"You have to write about the bad, as well as the good" is something you often hear levelled at you when you publish a blog.  I guess it's human nature to express when things have gone well and it's certainly easier to write and believe people will want to read it when things have gone well, not so easy to pen a meaningful blog after a disaster, whether that be of my own making, or by outside factors.

Landsend is a venue I like going to, its within an easy travelling distance, its peaceful and in a lovely setting.  Fishing wise, I prefer open water venues and it is pole dominated, which shouldn't be a problem but it has been, even given the reasons I like it, a personal bête noire and one venue I have fished a few times without ever winning, frame places yes, silvers wins, but match win no.  Have I got a mental block about the place, not sure, there are regular ton plus weights from the venue and I have only managed to break that a couple of times.

I think I have been slowly improving on the venue, but 'dangling pellets' by islands is still not my forte, although I have had some success with that at Acorn, not sure why.

Onto today and I draw peg 11, personally I think a better winter peg, but should still be good for a few fish, as you can get to the island and the end bank, as well as in front of the vacant peg 12.  One gripe is the vegetation, I cut back what I could, but the island needs a trim and the edges need more than a trim, as its impossible to get in tight.  The wind was pushing across from 13, but it was also blowing down the other side of the lake, causing a skim to come towards, the outcome of this was a eddy of willow fluff, leaves, twigs and other arboreal detritus.

The level is also down and my far shelf which I had been looking forward to plundering was just 2" deep and then dropped off to 2 1/2 feet, before dropping off to 4'.  I found a bit deeper water against the end bank, so that was likely to be better and Trigger on 9 said he had caught there in the past when the level was down.  I set up a rig to fish pellet 6" deep along the edge of the first drop off, another to fish at 2 1/2 feet (which would do for the shelf across and down to the end bank), a meat rig to fish at full depth 5m, a margin rig to fish in front of the first pallet.  Too much time to set up, so I did put up a paste rig as well and a caster rig.

Starting on meat short on the all in and had a roach and a near 3lb skimmer and that was it, no further signs.  Picked up the 2 1/2 foot rig and had a couple of F1's across, but there was little sign of fish, I did get a lonesome 8lb carp, but the fish weren't exactly queuing up, as I was getting no indications or liners.  The 6" deep rig was tried and it was altered depth wise a few times, all to no avail.  As I'd had the odd couple of F1's earlier, I tried a caster shallow line, this was equally fruitless.  I did see one fish right in tight by a bush to my left and tried the 6" rig in there, lifting it I caught it on one of the fronds of vegetation that stick out straight at you, making them difficult to see - that was the end of that rig and time for a banana walk...... Had it been an open, I would have most likely been heading for the pub.  The fluff and debris, which was still circling the peg, unable to break free and bother anyone else, was making presentation very difficult, getting through it was a pain and on several occasions my hook came back looking like a white nymph - more akin to trout fishing than carp.

Back from the walk somewhat calmer, I had a chat with Ken Rayner on 13, who was as equally fishless and frustrated as me, I decided to fish caster deep and catch all, this brought 2 more big skimmers and a lonesome big ide, that was going to get me nowhere though, so a look around all lines again, but still nothing doing.  I did manage a couple of carp from in front the pallet of 12, but that was frustratingly snaggy with sunken twigs.

At the end I'd have been happy to never return, last in section, putting 67lb on the scales and Ken had 69lb and was equally as frustrated (although the wind kept the surface debris of his peg)  the surface debris and circulating skim didn't help, Tony suspected that all the fish moved down to him as Ken didn't really feed and fish the island - but in fairness it is a good 17m reach to the island.  Trigger had done well on 9, he found 4" of water and fished bunches of maggots and worms in that 4" of water, not sure I would have done that with 4" of water, so fair play to him.  I hope Mike can give the place a trim before the next match and topping the water level up would be a bonus too. Results on Tony's blog, as I was off before they were announced.

Upwards on onwards, back to Acorn on Thursday night and Viaduct next Sunday, so hopefully get this one out of my system.

Mike Nicholls 13m Pole Match, Viaduct, Saturday 10th June 2017

I nearly missed this match, as I obviously hadn't marked in on my calendar or put it in my phone when I booked in, thankfully Mike saw I had booked in at Landsend and rang to ask if I was fishing his match.  Glad he did, I hate letting people down.

I usually like to get in at the start of the draw, but only 4 tickets left in when I drew, two were wedged together, so I dropped them back in the tin and picked up one of the two solo tickets, couldn't be too disappointed when I opened it and saw 110.  Its been several years since I have drawn it, but I have never failed to pick up money from it, so challenge on.

Without any rods to set up, there was no race to get to the peg, given that we still had 90 minutes to tackle up.  I had intended to just fish pellet and meat, but at the last minute chucked some maggots and a bag of paste into the bait bag, just to some options if I needed them.  7 topkits set up, a paste rig, a shallow rig, two meat rigs, a pellet rig, margin rig and one for down to the brambles.

Started on meat short and had two carp and a tench, before that line died off, a switch to 13m and 6mm pellet brought a few more carp to the net, but this started going 'iffy', I did try paste over the pellet feed and had one carp and a few liners.  There were fish there showing themselves, but I could not catch shallow, Joe McMahon on the next peg was in the same boat, not sure why they wouldn't take it shallow.

The middle of the match was a bit of a nightmare, I had several carp and a couple of tench by the stump, but that didn't last too long either.  Reluctantly I had to go up to the brambles and even fishing off bottom I was picking up sticks and twigs on the hook.  I had one fish out for 6 lost, solid 14 elastic, pulling as hard as I could, the fish were running through all the debris and cutting through the line - not a type of fishing I enjoy.

I had to give up on fishing to the brambles, as a Tourette's outburst was imminent if I stayed with it.  A look around the other lines again brought just the one skimmer, I had been feeding the edge between my pallet and the stump, at 4pm, there were signs of fish there after several fruitless looks in the previous hour or so.  Dropping in with maggots was a waste of time, so I switched to 10mm meat and this proved to be the right choice as I had another 6 or 7 fish in the last hour and lost a couple more, as it was a case of hit, slide the pole back and pull the elastic, as they were trying to get round the stump.

My few silvers and the carp went 147.05 for 4th on the day and a section win, so not all bad, just a few rigs to retie ready for tomorrow!!

Acorn / Cadbury Thursday Evening Open. 8th june 2017

I was on a First Aid at Work course in Stoke Gifford and the finish time meant I could make the 1700 draw for this match - or so I thought, the motorway was 3 lanes of all but stationary traffic, luckily the Clevedon turn off appeared before I started panicking.

The worst thing you can do in match fishing is have a ridged plan before you start and I was a bit guilty of falling into this trap tonight, thinking that short and margins would be the best way to put together the ton plus that would most likely be needed to win.

Four topkits set up - wasn't going to do so many, but had loads of time....  paste rig, pellet rig for across, two margin rigs, RH side shallower, just fed with pellet, LH edge, some rushes and cover, so fed with GB and maggots.

Started across and had 22lb on the clicker in the first 30 minutes, then it went iffy, so a look round the margins and short paste line - no avail, they remained as absent of fish at 1830, as they did at anytime during the match.

Back across and feeding 4mm pellet and fishing 6mm on the hook saw a few more fish netted.  I did try the short lines and margins again, without much hope, as there was no sign of fish in any of the swims.

Back out on the long rig, fished to the island and  a steady run of bites saw me net a few fish until the whistle went, I didn't think I'd done enough as my old mate Kev Perry on peg 8 had a few quality fish on paste.  In the end he beat me by 2lb, 94lb to 92lb, my wasted time trying to catch short cost me, lesson learnt!!

After the match, Toby from Cadbury Angling got out hot dogs and cider - most welcome and I'm sure, the way to go!!

Viaduct Spring League, Round Four, Sunday 4th June 2017

This won't be a long blog, the league was already blown, so a draw with a chance of framing was needed, peg 59 wasn't likely to offer that.  The closest peg to the aerator and whilst it has been on a while, I would prefer it to be off during a match (from a personal point of view, if its beneficial for the fish, then so be it).

I set up waggler - to no avail, it was trotting through the peg faster than a peg at Newbridge in the summer.... A lead, I will admit to 5 minutes on it, before my boredom threshold set in and upmthe bank it went.

Next peg, Andy Power was catching a few skimmers, so off my box and a lighter rig and elastic set up, I did have a couple, but Andy was catching best off to his right at towards the empty 61.  Now I am not going to say I am anywhere near the standard of a professional angler like Andy, but it seemed to me, the further to the right he went - away from the aerator - the more skimmers he caught.

I was struggling to catch skimmers, indeed I was struggling to catch anything, so onto the paste out by the tree, a 12lb fish fell to to this first drop in, he was a loner, the only one from there.

To cut a boring tale short, I weighed 66lb for a convincing last but one in section, the aerator did it for me, maybe that's a failing, if so, so be it.

Results on viaduct FB page