Plantation Open, Wednesday 30th December 2020

Another chance at an open on this lake that isn't match fished too often, all prepped to fish for carp, but then was drawn peg 3, an open water peg with no margin to speak of.  I was pretty sure it would be an island or one of the corners with a long margin that would be taking the overall coin.  Silvers it would have to be.

Set up 3 rigs, one for caster short, hoping for some of the lakes big roach, two rigs for 16m (as the peg is set back from peg 4 and even 16m falls short), GB, caster and pinkie fed on one line, some micros on the other.

Slow start, took 30 minutes or so to get a fish, a small roach, kept plugging away, but I feared the still conditions and open water of my peg would prove tricky and the skimmers were very conspicuous by their absence, only small roach and hybrids showing and then in not enough numbers to do damage.

Not much to say about this one, I was going nowhere fast and no matter what I did - changed the initially micros fed line to caster fed, still keeping it negative, compared to the more positive GB line.  Still no sign of the skimmers, I did have an unusual sight, a big perch followed in a 3oz roach and flashed at it just as I brought it to the surface.

I switched back the the previously unproductive short line and had two decent perch and they helped me scrape over the double figure mark, but to no avail, as that was nowhere near enough. Match was absolutely smashed by Des, best peg and a very good angler, unbeatable.....

Viaduct Two Day Silvers, Day Two, Monday 28th December 2020

 Couldn't believe the draw, 111, next to Trigger again, who was on 112, both decent draws on paper.

Not going to say too much about this one, Trigger had a 90 minute sell catching decent skimmers short, I had one and a reasonable perch, that was it, then the cold wind got up and it really knocked our bank on the head, not that that matters when you have nigh on 30lb in 90 minutes to absolutely paralyse the section, as it didn't matter I tipped back 3-4lb and just had absolutely no idea what I could have done differently, never felt there were feeding fish in my peg.  I did spend the last 45 minutes fishing the waggler and corn, as I needed a run of the big skimmers, all I had was several carp.

Well done the winners and framers.

Viaduct Two Say Silvers, Day One, Sunday 27th December 2020

 Two days, two lakes, but an open draw each day so could be on the same lake both days.  Today saw me on Lodge 70, not a bad draw, Trigger on 69, so no easy pickings on the next peg, not that the standard of entrants gave any easy pickings.

Bit of wind forecast, so I did set up a 3 square cage feeder, as well as a waggler to fish corn. 3 pole rigs, one to fish short(ish) strung out 11's to get a slow fall through the water, a heavier rig with some strung out 8's and a rig with a bulk and single dropper.

The sun was out and the visibility was dreadful, shimmering light, flickering between silver and black, no matter what float colour it was all but impossible to see at times.  Before the start Trigger walked down and saw what I had seen, some bubbles and  rolling skimmer off to the right, I started here, just dripping a few casters in, but to no avail.

I had odd roach and small hybrids on the long line, but that visibility was proving a tad frustrating.  I switched to the feeder and had a couple of skimmers on it, the light improved and I switched back to the pole and had another decent skimmer.  The light improved a bit more and I picked up the waggler, had one on corn and then had a bit of a disaster, lost two decent skimmers in two casts, both in the same way, I strike across my body and hit a tree both times with the line getting caught in a branch, allowing the skimmers to make good their escape.

Maybe sticking with the feeder would have been a better idea, but I wasn't convinced ( or was it confident).  Anyway, those two skimmers cost me as I ended up second in section to Trig.

Viaduct Silvers League, Round 6, Sunday December 20th 2020

 Last round and surely I'd get a peg on Cary, but no, it was not to be 129 on Campbell, oh well, that it for this years league, never going to win the match or frame from there, so it was section pride to go for.  This league is like a temptress, she lures you in, makes you believe she is all for you and then wham, next match, there she is, in flagrante with another.....

Anyway, so much for that, it was a nice day, it wasn't raining and I was going to keep things simple, three top kits and a waggler, the waggler would do for corn, a rig for skimmers at 14m, this is a slim pattern float, spread bulk, 0.10 fluorocarbon hooklength and a 20 F1 pellet hook.  A similar rig but 4x10 rather that 4x12 for roach at 6 joints and a rig to fish up the spit that is a feature of this peg - hoping for tench or perch - so a 0.12 FC hooklength and a 16 F1 pellet hook.

Usual GB and caster/maggot on the 14m line on the all in and then drop back on the short line for roach, as seems typical on Campbell lately, a near instant response, a couple of roach, then nothing, they just won't settle at the moment.  I persevered until 30 mins in and then had a look over the GB line, a 2 oz skimmer and a couple of tiny roach was my reward, I left it and refed it.  Back to the short line, a roach and then nothing.

Time to have a look up the spit, where I'd been pinging casters, a small hybrid first put in, then a roach, then a welcome tench, another roach and that was it, how do you get 4 bites in 4 put ins and then nothing.... I guess that's winter for you.  

I had a go on the waggler - nothing, so back out on the long pole lines (fed two) 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock, nothing from the 1 o'clock line but I did have a small hybrid off the 11 o'clock line.  I have struggled to make the two lines work this year, maybe I haven't drawn on many fish for 5 of the rounds and it' splitting them.  I refed the 11 o'clock line, but not the other, then went straight over it, a 3lb skimmer was my reward, but little else, I did have a couple more roach and another hand sized hybrid from the spit, but I wasn't able to compete with Paddy on the end peg 131 who had a few better skimmers and opposite where Trigger and John Fuidge on 11 and 110 respectively caught skimmers whilst many of us went without.

My 8.14 was enough for a consolation second in section envelope, so not the worst finish to the league, but could do better.

We done to the winners, hope we can do it all again next year, as predicted all the framers camr from Cary.

Viaduct Silvers League Round 5, Sunday 13th December 2020

 Back to Viaduct for the re-arranged 5th round and with not too much to fish for league wise unless I could sneak two more section wins, a positive approach was needed to try and get in the frame, Cary has been the place to do that, but with Matt drawing me on Lodge, albeit 68, which can a be a decent draw, I was going there more in hope than expectation.

The weather was shit, rain in my face, I don't like the pegs layout, you are sat down on a platform that a good 2'6" below another platform, meaning when you are a short arse like me, you are shipping awkwardly and with the peg directly behind on Cary being in just making it worse.

I gambled on fishing the waggler and caster virtually all match, not much to say about it, had a couple of carp, some roach and a couple of skimmers, weighed 9.14, beat the pegs to my left in the section, Clint on 69 had 11lb, and the next two pegs had 12.00  and 12.04, not sure if the pole would have got me anymore fish, not really convinced it would as the weights improved at the car park end of the lake and were pretty low at the narrow end.

No weigh sheet, didn't get on with the social distancing and I just wanted to get my wet, sorry self home!

Acorn Winter League, Round 1, Saturday 12th December 2020

 Writing this after the event, I can't start without mentioning the shock and sadness I had when told on the Monday of the death of Lance Tucker, who I have know and fished under as a team Captain and against over many years.  Lance was a character, told it like it was, with a sense of humour, he fished this match and won the Clevedon FWAC Christmas match the next day, before suddenly passing away on the Monday.  RIP Lance and deepest condolences to Craig (his son) and family.

Onto the match, I drew (or should I say, had drawn for me) peg 15, usually a decent peg in the section, but given the results lately, I wasn't unconvinced that the peg the other end of the section wouldn't be better.

Quite a simple approach, rig to dob across - plumbed up at dead depth, so I could decide on the depth to fish the bread at the start, a rig to fish down to the pallet of peg 14 (same float) and two rigs for just up the far slope, one with 0.10 and a Guru F1 hook, one with 0.13 and a Kaizen hook, just in case it got good....

On the all in, I picked up the dobbing rig and took 4" off it, fish first put in and lost it - fouler, then one in the mouth, then a torrid run of foul hookers, 6 or 7 of them and only one more landed, I shallowed up a bit more during this time, before finally realising I'd picked up the edge rig, the edge was deeper than across, so I was probably in the deck with the bread all the time...... what a numpty - I blame not being able to go to the pub, staying home and rocking up to matches sober isn't all some crack it up to be!!!

That probably cost me the section, I struggled thereon in and finally had a tench a couple of silvers and a carp just up the far slope on maggot, but I wasn't confident I'd done enough and so it proved, with Paul taking the section from the peg I fancied and Kev on bridge peg 21 second.  So third place and it was down to my stupidity, lesson learnt, differentiate between rigs........

Silver Open, Plantation Lakes, Thursday 10th December 2020

 A rare chance to fish a silvers match on Plantation main lake, so I booked in and booked a days holiday.

It has some great silvers fishing, roach, perch and skimmers making up the target fish, it is possible to frame with roach or skimmers, if the roach feed short enough.

Peg 4 was drawn for me, the venue had been 'manually' pegged, so the peg numbers don't relate to the permanent pegs, I think my peg was peg 5 permanent.  Really simple approach, two rigs, one for roach short and one for skimmers long, I have been using the Preston Duraslip elastic, in No5 it's perfect for skimmer fishing with small hooks.

I wanted to feed two lines long for skimmers, but going long to my left put me too close to peg 5 (perm 7) so I had to feed this shorter.

I won't say too much about the short line, I had a carp 3rd put in and later I had a roach and a hybrid, it was hardly prolific.

The best line was the 14m off to the right, the position I fed was determined by the light and shadows on the water, it wasn't the best visibility.  I had roach on caster for an hour or so, but then switched to maggot tipped with pinkie and this brought a couple of decent skimmers, I was topping up with a toss pot of GB and pinkies, I had a short lull, hooked a carp that took the hooklength, I then had a decent run of roach and skimmers, alternating between caster, pinkie and double dead red maggot on the hook to keep bites coming.

The last 90 minutes saw things slow right down and I was ruing the lack of the second line, I was also wishing I'd set up a waggler, the conditions were perfect for it and I would have tried fishing a line at 20m or so and am sure that the would have seen some fish come to the catapulted feed - it would also attract carp, so may or may not have been successful.

So probably cost myself the win by not setting up the waggler as my 24.10 was enough for third, but I feel I should have won this one.

Viaduct Silvers League, Round 4, Sunday 6th December 2020

 With the majority of the field praying for a draw on Cary, it was no surprise when I drew Campbell...... I wasn't unhappy with the peg, 127, it should be OK for points in the section, although sometimes 130/131 chuck up weights.

I set up a 3 square cage feeder, that went back into the holdall at the end unused, a waggler to fish corn and two pole rigs, one for roach short and one for skimmers at 14m.  Nice and simple then, F1 pellet hooks size 20 on both and 0.10 fluorocarbon.

Pretty standard tactics at the start, two lines fed with GB, one with caster and one with dead maggot, just to see if there was a difference, then onto the short caster line, this was soon changed to a pinkie line at 7 joints and by toss potting pinkies and GB in I could catch roach, small roach, but at least it was bites.

After about 40 minutes I had a look over the GB lines, nothing doing, I refed the caster line after an hour and went back to the small roach, they weren't queuing up, but it was better than no bites. An hour and 40 minutes I saw a couple of pin prick indications over the GB/caster line, it looked like the GB fizzing, but it was pretty inert, made the day before and had been in 40 minutes.  I picked up the skimmer rig and went out over the GB and it wasn't long before a 3lber was in the net, he was a lonesome soul though, as I gave it another 15 minutes without anymore bites.

I refed and looked over it again, I had another 3lber and a couple of roach, then hooked what I thought was a carp as it ran off, I shipped back rapidly, not concerned if it came off, then as I got down to the topkit, realised it didn't feel like a carp, I was some what relieved that it hadn't come off when  2lb+ perch came into view in the clear water and was even more relieved when it was netted.

A couple of smaller skimmers and roach completed the day and I was happy enough that my 14lb odd was enough to take the section and I think 3rd on the lake.

No weigh sheets, but the top 6 were

1. Greg Welsby - 44lb 4oz - peg 81
2. Des Shipp - 25lb 5oz - peg 97
3. Sam Powell - 22lb 3oz - peg 59
4. Paul Elmes - 21lb 9oz - peg 112
5. Jason King - 19lb 9oz - peg 111
6. Andy Power - 16lb 12oz - peg 103

Open (Knock up) Acorn, Saturday 5th December 2020

 First chance for a match after the 2nd lockdown, I decided to run one at Acorn, only ended up with 8 fishing, so more of a knock up than a match, Bev let me have plenty of space, so going by the usual winter best pegs I pegged 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15, all pegs you'd expect to catch a few from, even with the cold weather.

I ended up on 11, first time I'd seen it since the tree has been taken out, the tree definitely seemed to be a fish holding feature in the winter, so it may not be the flyer it was, we'll have to see.

Set up 3 rigs, one to fish across on the 'second shelf' one for down the track and one down the edge, where the tree used to be.  Started on 18 F1 hooks and 0.10 as I was sure it was going to be fishing for a few bites. 

Started across, toss potted half a dozen maggots in and lowered the rig into position, within 30 seconds the float buried and a decent fish was on, after a slightly nervous tussle, a 9lber was safely in the net, maybe it was going to be OK after all.  Peg 1 had a fish first put in as well.

Well, I'm not going to waste words on the rest of the match, I had a couple more bites, a roach and a perch, I could see everyone else struggling, so kept at it, but I wasn't even getting liners or any sort of indications.

I packed up after the all out and did the weigh in, my first put in fish was enough to win, peg 1 had his two fish in the first couple of put in's and that was the only carp caught.  Brian was a little disappointed to drop a skimmer back in and miss out on a payout because of that (paid top 2).

Chris Fox  9.12 Peg 11
Rich Grundy  7.08 Peg 1
Brian Slipper  7.07 Peg 15
Mark Broomsgrove  4.01 Peg 5

Viaduct Silvers League, Sunday 1st November 2020

 Travelled down to this one with Tony, breakfast at The well in Shepton, nice breakfast, could be problematic if there was a lot in, as its a bit slow in coming out the kitchen, but worth the wait.

Another draw I had to convince myself I'd catch something from, 113,.

I'm not going to waste time describing events, I had a skimmer first put in and had a few roach and a couple more skimmers to come last on the lake with 6lb odd.  I used every single hook I had tied to 0.08, 0.10 and 0.12, I was in the 0.13 Kaisen's at the end, lost an elastic/rig and smashed an old favourite float.  No matter where I went in the peg, short, long, waggler, I hooked a carp, once I'd used over 40 hooks, I pretty much gave up and resigned myself to being on a peg absloutely full of carp and I could not find a way of getting through them.

It looks like I may have 4 weeks to tie up some new hooks.....

Ivy House Open, Saturday 31st October 2020

 Back to Ivy House today, the weather forecast was to be something like last Saturday, although they did promise it would dry up after a band of heavy rain traversed from West to East.  At one point with attendees pulling out it looked as if we would be a five peg knock up, but it ended up at eight.

I suppose that given my drawing record, I shouldn't have been surprised to be handed peg 46, in the last 6 matches on the canals I have drawn, today 46, then the preceding matches were: 45, 37, 43, 47, 43 one lonesome trip away from a five peg stretch....

Even though rain was forecast, it was mild, so I was intending to make hard pellets my mainstay bait, with a pint of casters and another of maggots to complete the bait tray.  Rigs were a Malman Roob with a eyed Kaisan 18 to 0.13 N-Gauge.  A Nick Gilbert Gimp, this had a 18 F1 to 0.12 Middy Hi Viz and a Des Shipp F1 Maggot float, with a F1 18 to 0.10, for caster short.  I also set up a feeder, a small Guru pellet feeder, with a 0.16 4" hooklength and a 18 LWG with a band.

Started just short of halfway across and had about 12lb in the first 50 minutes or so, toss potting a few 4 and 6mm hard pellets in, with a 6mm in the band.  Then the wind changed, the tow stopped and it rained, it then rained harder and rained some more.  This definitely knocked things on the head and I tried maggots just past half way off to the left, as well as caster short, I had one small carp over the maggot line and a few 'bits' on caster.

When the rain stopped and the clouds cleared away, the temperature dropped and I had to walk back to the van and get a windstopper,  Going into the last hour I had three or four more fish, but I think I concentrated on one line far too much and should have had another line started up with hard pellets, that cost me as I came home slap bang in the middle of the pack, with 46lb, I should have had enough to come in the top two, the other thing I should have done was open a tin of corn, still at least I was in familiar surroundings, maybe next time I can draw away from that little cluster of pegs.

Charlie Barnes Memorial, Acorn, Saturday 24th October 2020

 Charlie Barnes was a character, one of life's lovable characters who made an impression on the match fishing scene, from his days as a maggot farmer through to the end.  Match angling is poorer for losing Charlie and other characters like him.

I'm sure given the forecast, wind and rain for a change would see him laughing at us all sat there, but he wouldn't have shied off from a bit of rain.

The leaden grey skies were promising their worst, the surface of the lake was rippling with miniature waves, which would hopefully see the silvers feed, as this was a silvers match, Charlie loved silvers fishing and who can blame him.  I was a little disappointed to hear that F1's and Carassio's counted, but maybe I'd catch some.

I was drawn out peg 31, well can't say I was enamoured, it is a good peg, but no great silvers history.  I thought i'd be sheltered by the building behind the peg, but the wind had other ideas and had positioned itself to be blowing in a direction that ensured it evaded the building and swept around and past me.

Simple bait tray, maggots, casters, micros and soft pellets.  A rig to fish down the track with soft pellet, another for maggot and a rig for caster at the bottom of the near shelf, plumbing this line was tricky, as the float wouldn't settle because of the number of fish swimming into the line, but I feared they were the barbule sporting cousins of F1's......

Well, I won't torture myself or bore anyone with the unexciting details, it pissed down, the silvers in the peg we few and far between, with an hour to go I reckon I had 4lb and was getting a carp a chuck, so knocked it on the head early, headed off home, via Brockley Coombe Stores, where I snapped up some rib-eye steaks at half price.....best bit of the day.

Well done to Zoe on the win, showing Des the way to do it.  Hopefully I can do better next year.

1. Zoe Bartlett                                     27-07 p36

2. Des Shipp                                        25-12 p12

3. Ryan Shipp                                      17-15 p19

4. Dave Stephenson                           13-11 p22

5. Mark Bartlett                                   11-11 p2

6. Mark Bromsgrove                           11-09 p18

 

Viaduct Silvers League R2, Sunday 18th October 2020

 So, after a long weekend away in a lovely converted barn last weekend with some friends and our dogs, walking on Dartmoor and some trips to Cornish beaches, it was back to fishing and I was looking forward to this after the wet, but decent days fishing I had last round.

First time in the Well at Shepton Mallet since it was done up, nice breakfast, but the service is a bit slow, but there was no danger of missing the draw.  I collected my casters from the shop and joined the queue for the draw, with the mostly jovial, piss taking throng.  Can't say I was filled with joy when I saw 121 drawn out for me by Steve, last round Ricky Mills was on there and he beat 2 in the section.  But its a different day and I was sure that the overcast, settled weather would see the skimmers in rapacious mood.

I trundled my gear past the beaming anglers who had drawn the plum pegs on Cary, as well as Gabe on 74, who was most despondent, I did try and cheer him, as I could truthfully say the peg usually throws up one section win a series.   Back to 121, apart from the fact it hasn't got much history as a silvers peg, it is a nice peg to fish, a new platform, that hasn't got steps to it and a splendid view of the lake.

I did have a waggler rod and a feeder rod, but I decided to leave them in the bag and concentrate on the pole, so two rigs for 14m, one 0.4g bulk and the other 0.2g strung shot.  A Chianti to fish short through the water for roach and a rig to fish either edge.  So with that set up and bait sorted - which was 4mm meat, soft pellets, micros, caster and maggots along with a few worms, but they were only for the hook, I had time to wander round for a chat.

On the all-in I fed micros at 14m off to the left and GB/caster to the right at the same distance, before starting at 6m on the 4mm meat, nothing on that in 20 minutes, so I ditched it and switched to the caster short, this did bring a couple of small roach, but it was a case of catch one or two and then twiddling thumbs until the next bite, they certainly weren't lined up....

I had a look on the micro line with a 4mm expander on the hook, didn't have as much as a tremble of the float bristle, I gave that 20 minutes and decided I best get a dead maggot on the hook and try the GB/caster line.   I expected the float to go under, but yet again, it resolutely sat there, I red the line and went back to the roach, even though the rate of catching them was probably less than 1lb an hour.

At 12:40 I had a skimmer, then at 12:50 another, optimism was rising, but that was quelled after another spell with no bites, including a look in the edges, before I went back to the reluctant roach, but the pattern was the same every time, catch one or two and you'd have to either wait ages for a bite or try something else.

At 15:10 and 15:20 I had two more skimmers on the GB line, once again the two skimmers brought hope that a shoal had found the bait and were settling down for a banquet of casters, but this once again was a false dawn and I didn't have another bite off that line,  I had converted the micros line to GB and this was a complete write off, never had a bite over it.

I managed a 1lb+ hybrid and a couple of 8-10oz perch from the edges in the last 20 minutes, but it was a most unproductive day.  I hooked and lost 3 carp, so there weren't even loads of them around, after one of the carp took a hook I put a 22 to 0.06 on and that made no difference.  Oh well, here's hoping for a better draw next round.

Well done to Paul on the win from Cary, using a 40+ year old rod - has there ever been a better skimmer rod made than the original Normark Microlite?  I don't think so.

Viaduct Silvers League Round 1, Sunday 4th October 2020

 

This seems to have come round quickly, leading up to this I was looking forward to some silvers fishing, but I wasn't looking forward to the weather, the Met Office were promising rain all day....

Matt drew me 102, no complaints, it should be worth a few a few fish, 101 was not in and I had Trigger for company on 103.  I set up a small cage feeder and a waggler and never used them, so I won't mention them again.

Four pole rigs, one quite optimistically for meat, scaled down from my usual carp rig, a 18 Kaizen to 0.12 for 6mm meat, another rig for expanders, a rig to fish caster or maggot and a Chianti, with strung out shot to fish caster through the water. All of these had 0.10 and a 18 or 20 Guru F1 hook.  Luckily the wind wasn't too strong and I was under an umbrella - I don't use one often, but was glad of it today.

I started on meat at 6 joints, after feeding 2 balls of GB and caster at 13m, had three bites that I didn't connect with in 20 minutes, so switched to the light caster rig off the end of the tree, in 10 minutes I had a ruffe and a tiny roach, so wasn't convinced that this was going to be productive.

30 minutes was enough time to wait and it was time to get out to 13m and try dad maggot over the GB.  I had some hand sized skimmers, before one a bit bigger, all the time the rain kept coming and I was really starting to wonder why the hell I was here.... 

I managed to get short runs of two or three fish, before they backed off, including a 3lber.  I did try a second line with micros and expanders, but this was really slow and smaller fish.   With 2.5 hours to go I had to get up for a wee, getting back on the pallet I slipped (the pallets at Viaduct can be very slippery when wet) straight into the lake.  

The worst bit was the horrendous cracking sound, I initially thought I'd fallen through my pole and an irreplaceable Normark rod, once I got my self sorted and hauled myself out of the water, I realised the cracking sound was my ripple bar mounting breaking, the pole and rod seem to have escaped any damage.

The rest of the match wasn't the most comfortable I have fished, wellies full of lake water, I may have well left my bib and brace in the van how wet I was under it.  I think it made me slightly 'lazy' and I tried to keep one line working, where I thing another, maybe even a feeder line might have given me a few more fish in the quiet spells, also not convinced I fed enough, as I switched to caster from dead maggot and was getting slightly better fish on them.

I wasn't too disappointed to hear the all out, even though I had a nice day on the fishing front, the weather and the dip weren't so good.  Well I was well beaten by Trigger on the next peg, but as he framed I had the section by default.  Roll on the next round, lets hope it's a bit drier!!!

1. Dave Burns - 59lb 10oz - peg 78

2. Clint Wojtyla - 57lb 3oz - peg 96

3. Craig Edmunds - 56lb 14oz - peg 103

4. Bob Gullick - 55lb 4oz - peg 77

5. Chris Fox - 39lb 4oz - peg 102

6. Joe McMahon - 37lb 10oz - peg 99

Ivy House Open, Saturday 26th September 2020

 No fishing last weekend, had a great few days camping in Cornwall.  

Today's match was spread over the canals and the match lake (Willow), I was unsure how it would fish, I had the frost warning light come on in the van once I got into the lanes near Ivy House.  I was drawn peg 45 by Andy, an area I seem to draw often.

I left the rods in the van, today would be a pole only attack - although I would take a negative approach at the start, rather than attacking the peg.  Rigs set up to fish right across, which is 16m on this peg, a margin rig and rigs for maggot short and long, finally a rig for soft pellet at 11m and a banded pellet rig.

Started by feeding some GB and maggots short and at 11m at 10 o'clock, then picked up the rig for soft pellet, feeding a few micros and an expander on the hook, this seemed to work and I had 4 carp for about 10lb in the first 30 minutes.  I had a look over the maggot line as it was fizzing, but not even an indication and this was a feature all match, feed some GB, lots of fizzing and no bites, I tried maggots, worm, corn and pellets over it.

From the anglers I could see I was holding my own and the soft pellet/micro combination was best, I did have a look across at 16m, but this produced one small F1 and one small carp, hard pellet was just not working.

I'd switched the short line to feeding maggots with no GB and with two hours to go had 40lb on my clicker and about 5lb silvers, I then hooked a big common - biggest I've seen in the canal - and played it for 10 minutes on my skimmer rig (0.10 and a 20 Guru F1 hook), I thought it was tiring and I nearly netted it, it went off again and the hooklength parted, I can only thon it was constant pressure/movement on the spade knot, as I didn't feel I had put more pressure on.

Frustratingly, after that I added only 11lb in the last two hours, not sure if playing that common through all the lines had upset the few fish that were there, seems unlikely to be honest.

I put 59lb on the scales for 3rd on the lake and 4th on the canals, managed to get a picture of the weigh sheets before they weighed the main lake, so not sure what come from there.  Not sure I could have had another 40lb from the peg to win the lake, but maybe if I had landed that common it might have been a different story.....

Ivy House Open, Sunday 13th September 2020

 Back to Ivy today, on the old match lake for a change, cafe was open and I tried the Keto breakfast, very nice too.

Only 12 of us today, I was very happy with the draw, peg 10, a peg I have won from previously albeit 2 years ago.   I had no intention of fishing longer than 13m after yesterday and not wanting to spend a week in agony, but I could push it if I had to - I find fishing a long pole on the deck OK, it slapping and swinging that cause me issues.

So a rig to fish 8mm pellet at the bottom of the shelf, two rigs for 13m on the deck, one on 0.20 with an 0.16 hooklength and the other on 0.16 with a 0.13 hooklength and I was trying the eyed Kaizen's for the first time.

Two margin rigs, both the same except one with a band and one without.  A shallow rig and two lead rods, one for bomb and pellet and one with a method, as the point of the island looked fairly inviting.

Started on the short line and had some bubbles, a carp and a couple of decent skimmers were all I had to show for it.  I gave it nearly an hour, before the activity stopped on that line, switching to the bomb and pellet, that was pretty slow going and I had one on it before I got bored.....

Spent a bit of time on the 13m line fishing a banded 6mm over 4mm catching the odd skimmer and two carp.  I had fed some 6 & 8mm pellets down the edge and had a look down there about halfway through, but not even a liner.

Back on the bomb, nothing, so out onto the 13m line again, I hadn't seen much caught apart from Chris Davis on 9 who was having a few as well as a bit of a torrid time with foul hookers, I hadn't had the foul hooking issue, as I didn't feel there were that many fish in the peg.  Ryan Shipp was having a few silvers on his usual caster shallow, but apart from that I couldn't see much being caught.

With an hour or so to go I put some GB and maggots in down the edge hoping that would draw the fish in, I had two carp over it, but pestered by roach.  Chatting to Chris Davis afterwards he thought it was the wrong thing to do, I agreed, but it was a bit of a last hope attempt to draw some fish.

I was somewhat surprised to end up 4th with 66lb as I thought I'd be further down the results than that, maybe I could have fished harder for silvers and pushed Ryan, but I really don't see where anther 100lb was going to come from to beat Chris who won - or anther 80lb for second to overtake Mark Poppleton.

Open, Viaduct, Saturday 12th September

 Phil Hardwick ran this open, it's getting difficult to get on opens on Viaduct now, real shame as it's one of my favourite venues.

Well when 126 was drawn from me, I was divided in my thoughts, I'd seen Andy Lloyd win the second day of my two dayer from there last week but not having 125 makes a big difference and 125 was in today.

I set up a meat rig for 5m, pellet for up and down long and a margin rig, to go into the spot Andy caught from last week. 

It didn't take long to realise that fishing shallow and long was the way to go, but my back was particularly bad and I gave it 30 minutes having one fish on it, before I had to make a decision to either fish rod and line or short.

It was a tough day, I had one carp and one tench in consecutive put-ins in the margin and that was it from there.  I had 30lb of skimmers on meat and 60lb of carp for 91lb and thanks for coming, not being able to fish long was the downfall (no silvers payout).

Mark Wynne won from 131, Dan squires second from 130, didn't hang around to get the weigh sheet picture.

Foxy's Two Dayer, Viaduct Fri/Sat 4th/5th September 2020

 This was the fourth year of this two dayer, which has retained the same format of fishing Cary and Campbell, with Campbell being pole only.  Initially I had it on points, but I felt that too many were out of it after day one, so last year switched it to total weight and kept that for this year.  It's a friendly affair with some good banter and very little moaning, its also a serious match with a chance to pick up decent money (£2060 paid out).

A big thanks to Steve, Helen & Matt at Viaduct, for hosting and ensuring all were kept happy, thanks to all who fished and supported the match, not exactly sure what's happening next year, I have Campbell booked, but as it stands Cary isn't going to used for matches, but fingers crossed that will be reviewed.  

36 fishing, day one is an open draw, day two separate draws for each lake, as you fish the other lake than the one you fished.  I got Matt to draw for me and he drew out 80, probably the shallowest peg on the lake and a little unknown as Cary has not been match fished apart from a couple of the holiday lodge bookings.  Consensus generally was that Cary would be better on day two, after they'd seen some bait on the pole lines, instead of the spodding of many kilos of particles into the middle. 

A waggler, set to full depth with no shot down the line, a lead rod, a rig to fish up the spit at 14.5m, a pellet rig shallow and deep and a meat rig for short, although I wasn't expecting that to be hugely productive due to the aforementioned shallowness of the peg.

I started on the lead, an 8mm pellet on a 12QM1, with a teabag of 6mm pellets.  I had walked round to remind everyone of the net limits (at Viaduct if you go over 70lb, you lose all nets....) and hadn't settled in and got evertything ready as I would usually, I realised as I was casting that I'd put the teabag on, but no hookbait...  So straight back in and the bag had mostly dissolved by the time I got it back to hand.

Second cast with a new bag and a hookbait, 10 minutes in the tip went round and after a battle, I netted a fish that was a big teen, probably not far off 20lb, stayed with it for an hour and had two more carp and two skimmers.

A switch to the waggler saw me net another, before one took me round the end of the spit, parting the hooklength as it did so.

I had a look up the spit and hooked a decent fish, it swam out into the open water and then the line parted, bit surprising, as it was a freshly tied rig and new hooklength,  the line was slightly damaged halfway down the rig where it parted, I can only think that the line went of a sharp, jagged fin on he fish.

I had a skimmer and a stockie carp from the spit before the bites dried up.  I had another look on the waggler and all that produced was a skimmer, there were a few bubbles on the short line where I'd been throwing 8mm meat.  I was hopeful a big carp was mooching round there, but it was skimmers, decent skimmers and it was weight going in the net.

I did have another look on the lead, to no avail, I was hoping the spit would come good an I did have a decent fish and 3 more stockies off it but it didn't produce as I hoped it might.

The scales gave me 136.03, second on the lake behind Phil Moris who made no mistake from the fancied peg 81, the other side of the spit from me.

Yellow denotes Campbell, Blue Cary.

Onto day two and plenty of us in with a shout, plenty of speculation about how Cary would fish, with Nick Ewers and Dan White drawing reasonably.

I was going to get Matt to draw for me again, but he wasn't around, so I passed the tin to Gary O'Shea and was somewhat deflated when he handed me 124, it wasn't good yesterday and Phil Morris ended up on 123, so the top two on Cary yesterday, ended up on the worst two pegs from day 1 on Campbell....  Still its a different day and maybe with a little breeze on the fish may have moved round.

Pole only, so nice and easy to set up, with the rods at home in the garage.  Rig for up to the empty pallet of 125, meat short, pellet up and down long and a lighter rig to fish pellet, should it be as hard as I feared.

My usual start short on meat brought that early double figure mug fish that often comes along, then a skimmer, before all indications stopped.  I could see Andy Lloyd on 126 catching odd fish shallow, so I went out long, but had no ripple, so wasn't surprised to see no action shallow, one skimmer and one carp at depth, but it was far from hectic action.  I was just trying to put something in the net, so got off my box to grab some groundbait and I fed this with some corn.  Two skimmers, but it was slow, so I put another ball in with maggots and this seemed to liven things up, as I had two carp and a few skimmers on it.

I was hoping th big fish that can show up in these pegs would be down by the pallet of 125 in the last couple of hours, Andy Lloyd had switched to fishing the edge and was catching well, just down to his left, I had a couple from the margin, but Andy was catching 4 or 5 to my 1.  Corn on the hook was better, but I then got invaded with roach and had to go back to 8mm pellet.

I'd been feeding the 5m meat line and hadn't seen the usual bubble or swirl that indicates the fish are there, so I left until the last 25 minutes, that was a mistake, as I had a decent skimmer or a carp every put in in that 25 minutes spell, had I had a last hour at it, I may just have made up enough ground to sneak into the frame.

I put 155.03 onto the scales and I am sure it could have been more, stubbornly expecting the margin to produce, beat Phil to my left, but was well and truly battered by Andy who won the lake.

Again, yellow denotes Campbell, blue Cary.

Overall Nick Ewers took the victory, well done Nick, with Dan White pressing hard behind.  The overall payout below does not include daily lake/section money or superpool, so some went home with a nice pick up.

Finally, didn't hear any moans, I hope everyone enjoyed it, even if some of the pegs didn't quite produce as well as others and hope to see as many of you as possible again next year.