Acorn Silvers, Saturday 29th January 2022

 Not sure if this was a match or knock-up, twelve fishing, I guess in this day and age that's somewhere near the border of what constitutes a match or knock-up.

The weather was forecast to be dry, but a bit windy, with only 12 on, there was a bit of room for everyone, wasn't expecting huge weights thought low teens might be enough, unless the Tench fed in any numbers.

Out of the ping pong bag came 34 for me, a bridge peg, so a chance of Tench, but also the risk of carp muscling in on the action.  No need to set anything but a pole up, so with plenty of time I set up 4 rigs, one with a wire stem and a bulk, one with a carbon stem and strung shot, another bulk - but heavier in case the wind got worse and finally a really light rig with strung 11's for roach.

Decided to fish 3 lines, against the bridge at the first stanchion and a line at the third stanchion, with another line in open water.  On small ball of GB with not too much loose feed in in open water and on the third stanchion, with just loose fed caster on the first stanchion.

Started against the bridge, but no indications, switched to the open water line and had a couple of small roach, then that died off.  Back to the third stanchion and I had a Tench, not quite the size I wanted, this one was going to struggle to register 4oz on the scales, back in the open water and a better fish, a skimmer just over 1lb, bit of  loner though.

Kept rotating lines, even started a new line further across feeding micros and fishing expander, two bites, missed one, 4oz skimmer from the other. I did have a look on the short line (first bridge stanchion) and had a couple of decent roach from there, it also housed a few small carp, which were a nuisance, but small enough not to be a problem.

That line went quiet, I switched to double fluoro pinkie and the float buried, I hit a decent fish, the way it ran off, I was convinced it was a carp, so gave it a bit of stick, not enough to break the 0.10 hooklength, when I saw it I eased off and played it to the net a little more nervously, it was a Tench around 4lb - safely netted , phew.

Had a run of decent roach ( not many, but a good size, biggest was at least 10oz) from the same line and a skimmer, as well as a couple of rudd.  Fishing into the bridge had me a bit blinkered as to what was going on around me, so had no idea what and been caught (and I wasn't sure what I had, thought it was low double figures).  When the scales got to me 16.09 was winning, with 14.04 second, didn't think I had 16.09 and so it proved, my 15.09 giving me second place.  3 roach of the stamp I was getting would have done the job, but can't complain about 2nd, Mark who won had 4 decent Tench, well done to all the framers.

Ivy House Winter League, R2, Sunday 23rd January 2022

 Well, this won't take long to write.

Travelled up with Tony, his turn on Heron, mine on Willow, it was expected that 23 on Willow was the peg to draw, so I drew 20.

Set up two bomb rods, one for bread and the other to chop and change, a waggler and 3 pole rigs, one for carp, one for skimmers and one for roach.

Started on the bread, nothing, I can only sit for so long on the bomb, so had been feeding a roach line at 7 joints and a skimmer line at 14.5m.  Nothing on the roach line, in fact, no need to mention it again, as I never had a touch there whenever I tried it.  I did had a roach and then a decent skimmer at 14.5m , but that tailed off to odd small roach, caster or pinkie, same number of bites, same stamp of fish.

Went back looking for carp towards the end, bread again, waggler and corn, but nothing, ended up with 6lb odd, which was over 5lb more than peg 19 to my left, but nearly 70lb behind peg 23 - another league over....

Acorn Winter League R4, Acorn, Saturday 22nd January 2022

 Round 4, so that means a free draw again, so no idea what section and who I'll be fishing against, took a whie for name to be called out followed by 24...... FFS, 24 historically a poor peg in the section and with the venue being largely iced over, albeit only about 1/8" thick so easy to break, I was in for a tough day.

At least with the goats and sheep moved into their winter abode off the island, it's easy to break a channel all the way across by going round and doing it from both sides.

I set up a dobbing rig for bread, anther for maggots across in just over 2' of water (in front of the grass, not the bare bank, one for down the track and one for down to the pallet of 25, where I'd broken out a channel, but a couple of feet from the bank, I didn't think they'd venture right into the margins.

It seemed just right to start on bread, but after 50 minutes I attached a tiny pot and reverted to my favourite bait, the humble gentle.  Fed 5 maggots across dropped a single maggot in amongst them and had a bite soon after, a lively F1 just over a couple of lb tried using the ice to escape under, but thankfully it was netted saving the blank.

Stayed on that and in the next hour or so I had 4 carp, one of which was a double, another just under and a couple of other decent fish, I reckon 4 for nigh on 30lb, then the ice started to move and melt, that ended the bites across and I struggled for the last couple of hours, adding two roach, two skimmers and a carp about 1 lb to the net.  That was to be my lot, which was one out of the money (only sections paid, two in each section), but all things being equal, 3rd in section wasn't a disaster from that peg.

Ron's Silver League, Viaduct, Sunday 16th January 2022

 First time at Viaduct for a while, on Campbell it wouldn't be my choice of lake for a silvers match in January, but it is what is.  After the match at Acorn yesterday I was chatting to Martin Rayet and said I really wouldn't fancy 119,  (or 135, but that shouldn't have been and wasn't in - great summer carp peg, not a silvers peg).  I felt 119 would be too far down the lake (it's a corner peg).

Well, what do I draw - picked up two cards stuck together, put one back and opened 119.... bugger.  This time of year you are reliant on the roach feeding and hoping for bonus perch and possibly tench, but they aren't there in the numbers they were.  If it had been an open I might well have not bothered.  But its a league, so something to fish for and I believe if you enter a league you should fish and give it your best shot, as the outcome could be affected.

First out of the rod bag was a waggler rod (trusty Normark Microlite), had a plumb round and found an area where the light was OK.  4 topkits, one for roach at 7 joints, didn't think I'd catch closer, teo skimmer rigs for 14,5m and one for the hoped for big perch down the edge.

Bait tray was maggots and casters, with the obligatory pinkies.  I did have corn and meat, but didn't expect to catch on it, so it stayed in the bait bag.  I fed the 14.5m line (one to start with) and then a tiny nugget of GB with casters on the 7 joints line.  It took 17 minutes to get a bite and I was surprised to feel a decent fish when lifting into the bite, turned out to be a skimmer nigh on 3lb.

Next was a roach just over the 8oz mark I guess, it tried to get under the pallet and keepnets, lively fellow for a cold day.  Couple of small roach in the next hour, I then had a perch, that was at least 2lb, but that seemed to be the end of the shorter line.  By now the wind had got up, straight into our faces on this bank, we were rather forlornly looking the the anglers on the opposite bank, with the breeze off their backs.

The long line was hopeless apart from two short bursts of small roach and a skimmer about 8 0r 10 oz with 50 minutes to go, that was the last fish, the second half of the match being tough going.

I was surprised to beat 4 in the section to be honest, the roach didn't feed, not even late on, so that was me scuppered as the top weights in the match were all skimmer weights.

That'll be this league over - getting to be a common theme this winter, next round is on Plantation Lakes, which usually offers consistent silvers sport, but like anywhere, this time of year you still need to draw where the fish want to be.

Acorn Open, Saturday 15th January 2022

 Third of my monthly winter opens today, these are 50/50 payout matches (overall/silvers) just to try and give everyone something to fish for.

Given the weather the last few days and Zoe saying the lakes were frozen over yesterday, I did think it would be hard, I tried to peg it to give everyone a chance of a few bites, but the fish don't always agree.  15 fishing, I waited until everyone had drawn and then took the last ping pong ball from the bag, peg 40, I would have taken that at the start, it did have a spell of being pretty dire, but it seems to be creeping back into the framing positions the last few matches.

Bait tray was simple, live and dead maggots, I did have a few pinkies as well, finally a slice of bread, no need for anything else.  Rigs were straight forward, one for across on the top shelf, another for down the shelf, simple slim patterns with 0.13 and a 20 Kaisen.  For the deeper water by the bridge, I set up Preston maggot float, this with a 18 F1 hook on 0.12, spread shotting.  Finally a rig to dob bread across.

I could see pegs 1, 2 and 43 into fish within minutes, whilst it took me a while, dobbing bread across was a waste of time, never had a bite on it.  I fed a very small nugget of GB to the bridge at the bottom of the far slope and one at the bottom of the near slope, I did get a couple of indication and a lost fouler from the far line, before finally getting a bite and a fish, a 6oz Tench.  I was happy with that, as being equal payouts for overall and silvers, I would take a days silvers fishing. 

Well, that wasn't to be, I had a carp next and then had a look on the near line where I had another, back to the far line and I had a couple of indications and then another carp.  I did get another off the near line but that was the last one.  It was slow but steady going, I tried a bit of a throwaway line off to the right with a ball of GB, but that was no good.  I had one fish off the line up on the second shelf, but by far the best line was against the bridge at the bottom of the far slope, just toss potting in a few maggots and waiting for a bite.

I ended up with 2 skimmers, a roach and that small tench and 11 carp, I hadn't got my clicker out, so wasn't exactly sure what I had, I was expecting high 30lb, was surprised to see 48lb on the scales, with the silvers that gave me 51lb and the win.  Good to put last weekends disasters behind me.

1. Chris Fox  51.00 peg 40
2. Mark Birdseye 37.14 peg 34
3. Russ Peck 32.11 peg 7
4. Glenn Calvert 28.11 peg 11

Silvers

1. Martin Rayet 8.08 peg 1
2 Keith Ray 6.12 peg 38
3. Paul Faiers 5.06 peg 17

Ivy House Winter League 2022 R1, Sunday 9th January 2022

 After yesterday ended my chances in one league, today brought fresh hope as it was the first round of a 5 match league at Ivy House.  Travelled up with Tony, I had been drawn on Heron 1, Tony on Willow, so I was expecting a few bites whilst he sat it out for a few bites and bigger stamp of fish - what do I know about fishing......

Whilst we knew the lakes and rotation we were on, the peg draw was done on the day, peg 7 for me, I don't know the lake so it didn't mean too much to me, but I was advised that its not usually been pegged in opens lately and the last time it was, it hadn't fished well.

The picture shows where you can fish to on the island, with peg 6 being able to get much closer with the pole to the island (6 fishes to the little spit to the right of my x where 7 can cast to).

I started on the pole at 16m, nothing, so tried bread on the bomb, nothing with 8mm punch, so dropped to 6mm punch and had two small carp, nothing else forthcoming so I switched to a small maggot feeder and had one bite on this straight away, briefly felt the fish and then it was gone, next cast a F1 gave me some hope I'd sussed it, sadly not, I tried the pole again, a method feeder, the bomb and bread, maggots, corn and soft pellets, all to no avail, those 4 bites were my only ones, another absolutely disastrous day.  I didn't see the weigh sheet at the end and haven't got a picture, but I will be very close to, if not last in the section.  so a nightmare of a weekend, been a long time since I had two days like that, where I just didn't have a clue what to do and never felt there were fish in the peg.

Acorn Winter League R3, Saturday 8th January 2022

 My turn in the 'worst' section this week, no problem as everyone has to fish it twice and there is only section money to fish for, needed a good result this week as my league was already teetering on the edge after the first two rounds.  The weather forecast didn't make pleasant reading, so I was set for a tough day fishing and wind/rain wise, well the weather wasn't as bad as forecast, but the fishing, for me, was another disaster.  Having finished 3rd in 2019/20 and 2nd in 2020/21, I won't be troubling the frame in 2021/22.

Peg 40 was where I fancied before the draw, I was handed 33, not one of the consistent pegs in the section, but I was sure I'd get a few fish from it, even if I had to catch a few silvers.  I did say to Paul on 34 he had the better peg today, as he had the tow going under the bridge, it's not often that isn't an advantage,

A rig to go tight across, but I wasn't confident of catching in the shallowest water, the colour had slightly dropped out, another rig for down the shelf at about 2.5'.  Another rig for against the bridge and a final rig for open water away from the bridge (had to use a separate rig as it was a bit shallower).

Started across with bread, had one tiny dip of the float in 25 minutes, I suspect this was a little roach.  I then toss potted a few maggots in just down the shelf, again nothing, finally I had a look by the bridge, 80 minutes in and duck broken, a small roach.  I then had a carp from the same line, but not the stamp you need.  I ended up with one more carp, a skimmer a tiny perch and a rudd, I doubt I had 12 bites in 5 hours, even setting up another rig to fish pinkies on a 22/0.08, never had a bite on it.

Another match where I have no idea what I could have done differently, or what I would change if I could fish the match again.  Oh well, free draw next round, so I could be in C section again!!

Acorn Open, Monday 3rd January 2022

 Back to travelling with Tony today, stopped in the Wessex Flyer for breakfast, very nice it was too!  Hardly any traffic so a quick run down to the fishery and I gave Laurie a hand with the pegging and the draw, Covid safe, Laurie called the names in order of booking on and I drew the numbered ping  pong balls from the silken bag.....  Although there were a few ashen faces when they realised I'd be drawing their pegs with my fabled drawing arm.

Paul Faiers did look somewhat satisfied as I pulled 9 for him, 21 for Tony, a bridge peg, but it hasn't got a lot of form, the catcalls of fix, as I pulled peg 5 from the bag after Laurie announced my name, I was surprised, as there is no denying, peg 5 has form, lots of form, it's not usually languishing in the DNW or those that weigh, "just because I fished" category.  Pressure on then.

Over the bridge and I think back to a match a year ago, when I drew peg 5 and had to break the ice to fish, won it that day with Des coming second from 40. I didn't think a huge weight would be needed and I set up several topkits to cover the multitude of options that this peg presents.  A home made slim float (2x9) with a fibreglass stem to fish tight over and the same to fish just down the shelf, but this time 4x9.  Both with 0.13 hooklengths and a 20 Kaisen hook.  A Malman Roob (carbon stem) to fish towards the bottom of the slope that extends a fair way out on the left of the peg and a wire stemmed slim float (name eludes me) to fish at the bottom of the slope.  Not expecting to catch on it, but I did set up a rig to fish the LH edge/corner.

I had an ideal start, toss potting a few maggots across and getting a 3lber first put in on the shallowest rig.  This was a loner, as no more bites or liners switched to the slightly deeper rig and had a couple of liners, but nothing too much ,

Switched to the near shelf and started to get indications and bites almost immediately at 2+2, fishing maggots, had a couple of fish, but also lost a few foulers, then had a nightmare 15 minutes, played a big fish, around 12lb for ages and it came off as I thought is was getting beaten, possibly fouled in the wing, but not sure.  Next put in, another big fish, low double again, definitely mouth hooked and after a tough battle it was gone, I thought it had snapped me, but the hooklength came back with the tell tale curly wurly of a spade knot which has either pulled through or slipped over the spade.... not had that happen for  long time.

Couple more fish and indication from that line, but had to go to 2+4 to get a few more, there were lots of fish there, up in the water not really feeding, switched to a shallow rig, slapping maggots over and letting them hang, nothing, not a bite.  By now the indications had stopped, Paul over on 9 had stopped catching as well, the fish had moved and it looked very much like they'd moved down to peg 6 where Brian started catching well.

I had a couple of smaller fish by switching back to the far bank and one better carp 10 minutes before the all out, I had tried a line with micros and fishing soft pellet over it, but didn't have so much as a liner on this, can't remember the last time I caught a fish on pellets here, it's been months.

I thought Paul might have run me close, Brian said he had 40lb, so I said "you've beaten me then, as I've got 40lb on my clicker and a tench and a perch, you'll have 55lb"  Can't lie straight in bed these old Thyers blokes....

The scales proved that to be the case, with Brian putting 55lb on the scales, I wish I'd have put a wager on it, my self with 46lb for second and Paul taking 3rd with 41lb.  Those lost fish cost me, but it was still a decent day and it didn't rain.

 

Ivy House Open, Sunday 2nd January 2022

 Ivy House today, not been for a while, just down to circumstance, no other reason, Travelled up by myself as Tony is fishing the Landsend Winter League and I just didn't fancy it.

When I texted the fishery to book on, I was told the only space was on the Heron match, as it's bound to be in the Ivy House Winter League which starts next week, I thought I'd give it a go for a practice as I haven't fished it since the festival last June.  I assumed that the summer tactics of fishing short wouldn't come into play today, but I really didn't have any up to date information.  I'd brought maggots, pinkies and pellets, the lake only has F1's and carp in (realistically) so no dedicated silvers rigs or bait.

Allan Oram told me I was most likely to catch at 16m, rather than shorter and possibly on the method.... Hmmm, not so good.  I drew peg 20 not that it meant anything to me, but 19 wasn't in so I had a bit of room to my right.

I did set up a method feeder, just in case I was absolutely desperate or saw others catching on it.  4 topkits set up, a Preston maggot float with a strung bulk, 0.10 hooklength and 20 hook for a line at 11m in the deepest part of the peg, same set up but a smaller size float for 16m, which was significantly shallower and optimistically a duplicate, but with a banded hook on for hard pellet.  Finally a rig for down the edge towards peg 19.

Started down the track tapping a few micros in and fishing a soft pellet, gave it 20 minutes with a motionless float before switching to 16m and a few maggots toss potted, it took an hour and twenty minutes to get a bite, then I had 3 F1's in twenty minutes, but that was it, no other indications.  I did have a look down the edge, in hope, not expectation and the hope was dashed, not a bite.

With three hours gone, the light being really bad (couldn't see any colour float tip out there) I had to try and make something work, so came back on the 11m line, upped the feed to a full toss pot of maggots every put in and started to get some F1's and an odd small carp.  This carried on - not manic, but at least it was bites - until the all out, no idea what weight I had, so was surprised to go into third place when weighed, with 26.00, but that didn't last long as peg 21 had 27.08, he'd stuck to that shorter line and it obviously paid off.  So one out of the money, but a useful practice for the upcoming league.