And so it continues, I can't recall running over that black cat, but I must have. Peg 9 for me, struggled once again, if you look at the section, the weights run down the section with only me bucking the trend of having less weigh than the peg to the right.
Oh well, keep plugging away, things will change round.
Wasn't happy with the draw, but as usual went to the peg and gave it a good shot, never had a bite from a carp and there weren't many skimmers evident either, some pretty low weights recorded and I was joined in my weight of 11lb by Callum Dicks, so I am confident I didn't do too much wrong.
It would be good to get some settled weather....
I really didn't want to draw the Squircle again on this match, so was pretty pissed off when I did, you have no chance of picking up in the overall or silvers, so fishing for section only, I'd payout sections only if it was my match.
Level was down and I never had a bite over, everything coming on 6mm meat fished down the track, with 38lb being enough to win the section.
Final round of Ron's silvers league today, I had no chance
of resurrecting any sort of league position, so it was all out for the
win. Peg 7 probably wasn't the first
choice for that.....
Not too much to say about this, worked hard to get 18lb, but
it was a long way from what was needed, the pegs with a bit of room throwing up
some decent weights, really didn't have a good league, can't really think of
much I'd do differently if I could fish it over again (except draw better) roll
on next year....
Another frost, well at least it was a very good breakfast in the Wessex Flyer, for me the best bit of the day.
I drew peg 10, a peg I have won from this winter, a peg that threw up a 50lb of silvers last Thursday, but I had my reservations, it's probably the shallowest peg on the lake and you are limited by the island being about 17m in front of you, so no waggler or cage feeder chuck.
Set up a couple of 4x12 rigs, one with a blk and one with strung shotting and a 4x10 strung shotting in case I had to fish for roach.
Well not sure I can write much, I fed GB and maggot on one line art 14.5m, a few micros on the other long line, fed a 10m line pretty negatively.
Struggling to write much about this, I just couldn't get bites, no matter what I did, tried a new line with just pinkie, a caster line off to my left, all to no avail, whilst Joe to my left caught pretty much all day for second in the match, I have absolutely no idea what I could have done, Joe was foul hooking fish off the bottom, I never had one liner. Absolutely last in the match, can't remember that happening for some time!
One to put behind me and move on sharpish. One round left on this same venue in a couple of weeks,
Was looking forward to getting back to Shiplate today, after the success of yesterday, wasn't too upset with my draw, as 22lb had come off it the day before, so was expecting a few fish.
Turned out to be a tough day, 0.08 and 22's came out of the box, a negative and a positive line fished, but really struggled for bites, even at the end I couldn't say what I could have done to catch more. shame, not a good start to the league.
Fished this as a stand in, drew peg 10, which I did wonder if it being a bit closed in by the island, would be OK, I might have preferred a peg in the open water.
Simple set up, a bulk shotted rig and a strung out rig - it seems the days of catching commercial skimmers on heavy and double bulked rigs are gone, the light strung out rigs seem to be the ones that catch most fish now.
I struggled for 90 minutes, my first fish was a roach after 80 minutes, I then had a skimmer at 14.5m and stayed there for the rest of the match catching skimmers around the 2lb mark on dead maggots over GB, lovely days fishing and nice to win on the day.
Final round and really only pride to fish for, I would have liked to see the canals pegged differently, as I was in the middle of the 'bunches of three' and that as you can see from the sheet was not where you wanted to be.... A real struggle and I wasn't sorry to see the back of this league which has not been kind to me.
My turn on match lake and amazingly I was handed 15, a peg I'd never seen before, but it is an end peg with a bit of space.
Approach was waggler and lead, with just a margin pole set up, as I felt an edge and a short line would be enough, with waggler being my main approach. Simple bait tray, 6mm and 8mm pellets, a few expanders, meat and maggots. I had time so I set up a method and did some micros.
Started on popped up bread, didn't spend too long chucking it round the peg, thought the colour and the temperature would suit pellets and a bit of feed. I pinged pellets on the waggler line and had a couple of fish, then the indications stopped, the fish were rolling past the marker board peg 15 can't fish past and no one on peg 0 to push them back my way. The did come back and drift away again in spells, I had odd fish on the waggler and the lead.
I tried the method up the end bank, not as much as a liner, I'd fed a short line with meat, never had a bite on that and I did manage a low double down the edge on 8mm pellet with 30 minutes to go. Frustratingly lost a double on the lead, the hooklength broke, just after landing another low double, so I can only assume it got damaged, that probaly cost me two places.
Enjoyable day on the waggler mainly, fed about 3/4 pint of pellets for 85.02 which was third on the lake and 4th overall, so frustratingly one out of the money, but a big improvement on the last four matches....
1. Joe McMahon 110.12 Main Lake 14
2. Russ peck 92.02 Main Lake 12
3. Paul Nichols 85.03 Westpool 5
4. Chris Fox 85.02 Main Lake 15
5. Brian Slipper 83.06 Main Lake 8
6. Steve Howell 77.11 Westpool 15
Hawthorn for me today, I knew the lake before hand, just the peg to be drawn on the day. Bob Gullick had said before hand, you don't want peg 2 or 15, I was handed 2......
Struggled to catch I think I beat two on the lake, around 11 am I started to get a terrible headache, feeling sick and generally unwell, stayed fishing to the end, no idea how. Got home and took a covid test, that was clear, my Mrs thought it might have been a migraine
Not sure I could have done much more even if I was 100%, but I would surely had had a couple more fish.
I said I'd fish this a while back, wasn't sure what the set up was, I just knew I was fishing of one of the two Landsend teams entered. Turns out I was in Landsend B with Steve Segar and Rod Wootten.
The draw gave me the longest walk on the complex, 15 on Westpool. I left the waggler and feeder rods in the van. Given its an end peg I was expecting to catch a few off to my left, although the wind had been pushing up the other end for a week or more, but surely there would be a few hungry residents.....
Rig for across with banded pellet, meat down the track, shallow rig, margin rig for the LH edge and a shallower one for the RH edge and end bank. Started across and had 3 fish for just over 20lb in the first three put ins, I was starting to think this might be a good day. The fish had other ideas, the bites dried up and I had to nick an odd fish from across, one from the RH margin, two from the LH margin and one from the end bank, it was a proper struggle, not much more to say. My 51.05 was enough for 3rd on the lake, as a team we were joint first on points, but lost out on weight.
Shiplate Farm today for the second round of Tony's popular float only league, this is a lovely fishery near Weston-Super-Mare, right on the banks of the river Axe.
I was hoping for a draw on the main lake, big carp and a big head of skimmers, suits me perfectly. second to that, either of the two canals, what I wanted to avoid was the 5 pegs on the lake know as Squircle. Where did I draw, yep, from a 1/8 chance, Squircle 9.
X marks the spot where my peg was, less than 10m wide, the lake holds small carp, some ornamentals and very few silvers. I banked on pellets and set up 3 rigs to fish different depths on the far slope, from tight to the bank in 8" of water, one at about 14" and another at 18". I did set a rig at depth to fish maggot short.
I wasn't enthused at all by the peg/lake and started short, had a couple of goldfish and two unexpected skimmers, but it wasn't ever going to be productive enough to compete. Switched to fishing pellet over - hardly a hardship at 9m.... this wasn't much quicker and I doubt I had 4lb in the first hour,
I persisted with this, but could see Paul on peg 14 catching better fish on meat, 14 is on the opposite bank where the lake opens up a little wider. I hadn't brought a meat cutter, but had in anticipation of a draw on the main lake, brought some meat already cut up to 8mm. I did get of my box and set up another rig to fish this, but by now my frustration at drawing the bloody fishpond, not being able to get a signal to listen to the GP and the ducks, the f##king ducks.....
I am usually pretty laid back with ducks, I don't think the fish mind them, because this lake is shallow and it has a head of ducks that would put a duck farm to shame, meant that it was impossible to feed any other line than that which you fished at the time. If I fished short and fed over, the ducks would be diving and eating al the bait and vice versa. I did have some better fish (1lb - 2lb), but I took too long to change to the meat and just lost my head with it and beat myself. Not sure I could have beaten the end pegs, but if I had not got myself so pissed off, I could have pushed them a lot closer.
Some great weights of skimmers of the main lake, whilst the carp didn't really feed well on the other lakes.
Tony ran this open over both canals, with a continental pay-out, so not too concerned where I drew, Judith did the draw and plucked me out peg 9 on Hawthorns, not fished it loads, so I don't really have entrenched opinions on any of the pegs.
Peg 9 doesn't have any margins as such - at least, nor ones you can reach to fish, by dint of being set back slightly and having an aerator rope across from the lake, I did cut back a few overhanging fronds to get me tight to the bank, but it was only a topkit distance. Far too deep really, the edge is a steep slope that the plummet tumbles down, so I set up where I could pull it into the slope, at over 3' it was far too deep, but it was all I had.
Plumbing up across, I had no bare bank, so got tight into the rushes, but again, too deep, being over 2'. I also set up a shallow rig and a mugging rig, as the sun was up and the fish were more interested in cruising and pairing up than was good for fishing.
Started across on the hard pellet, had a couple, but then as was always likely, a flurry of foul hookers, none of which were landed, I tried the shallow rig across, but that was no good. I tried the meat line I'd been feeding, not so much as a liner, didn't really expect one I suppose. I tried mugging fish, I couldn't even manage that.
Matt next door was catching on caster shallow - although that knowledge wasn't much use to me, as I had no casters, I did try it with maggots, but never had a bite. It does create a range of opinion, that Matt brings a gallon of casters with him and often does well - some seem absolutely obsessed with the cost of them - I personally wouldn't spend that on casters for a 20 pegger, but would happily do it for league, team match or big open, but each to his own. I recall similar moans and groans about bloodworm and joker.
I managed a couple more across on banded pellet and 4 down the edge on maggots, never had a bite on meat. I also had a chub that was probably 10 or 12oz.
Come the weigh in, I put one net of carp on the scales and with the agreement of the scalesmen, put the chub on top. Total weight of 73.08.
That ended up third on the lake - so one out of the money in the overall, as the continental payout was top four, not weighing that chub separately cost me 2nd in the silvers, as even though there were two silvers anglers on my lake, they never caught one, the only other silver was a chub caught by Matt on the next peg who battered me (and everyone else) with his casters,
I'd had a feeling all day of something not being quite right and that proved to be true, needed one more fish or to have weighed the bloody chub separately.....
Just for a change... (not) I drew as far away from where the winners come from - peg 8. I decided straight away that fishing for silvers would be my best bet to pick up. It was a windy day, so I decided not to venture past 11m, with a line at 6m, and a rig to fish casters very short down the LH edge.
Feeding GB laced with dead maggots and casters, it was soon apparent by the rig that the water was towing hard from R to L, the peg had a bit of 'fizz' but it was coming up about 4' from where I was feeding, suggesting the tow was spreading the bait along the bottom.
I found a light 4x12 strung out rig best, as the fish weren't keen on picking up a bait static on the deck, I had started in a cage feeder, but felt it wasn't right, the light rig was picking up fish myuch better than a bulk rig and I stuck with it throughout.
The caster line short was only giving up small fish, the 6m line did produce a couple of fish, but the 11m line was by far and away the best. I had fed a line at 11m off to the right, with micros, I tried expander and corn over it, only two skimmers from that, but two carp, hopefully it was keeping the carp off the skimmer line.
Picked up two tench near the end and a bream of 5.05, giving me a total of 44.05, with travelling partner Tony taking second in silvers with 29.09, so a happy van on the way home.
Ever forgotten something - well not even forgotten, just not had it when you've arrived at your peg, well today was that day, no rig roost, thought I'd gone mad a checked the peg at least 4 times. Travelled down with Tony, so went and got his van keys to check in the van, not there, so two options, it had gone missing at Viaduct or was in my van, I sat stewing on its whereabouts all day.
Both canals in again as last week, this week a draw on Hawthorns for me peg 10 next to another blogger in the shape of Mike Nicholls. This would give me plenty of space across, as Mike wouldn't be trouble the residents of the far bank.
I fully expected to catch on hard pellets, so s rig for them across, a mugging rig, a rig for meat short and a margin rig, The mugging did get picked up, but it was never going to wok, the fish I could see were too deep and moving around too fast. I just couldn't get the fish to settle across, so gave the meat short a try, never had a bite on it.
I had found a nice shelf down to my right and fed a few maggots and a nugget of GB and some maggots, as the sun came round onto the margin I had a nice run of fish from it, before the bankside foliage cast its shadow and the fish departed. I think I tried it to make the margin work for too long after it went quiet, as I did go back across and shallowed up, pulling a pellet up the far bank shelf. That produced a couple more fish, pretty certain that I wouldn't have beaten Matt's 191lb to win, maybe the lack of ripple for the second day running didn't help.
Matt used 6 pints or so of caster, causing a few grumbles, not from me, its an open, if the bait is allowed then its fair game, I can recall the same years ago with bloodworm - cost being the gripes.
I ended up 5th, which isn't the worst result, but the peg was worth a bit more, when I got home the rig roost was in my van, must have fallen off the trolley and I didn't notice in the excitement of picking up an Indian on the way home Saturday.....
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Todays match was an open at Shiplate, on both canal lakes with the payout being top two and silvers on each lake, given the small silvers weights that seem to come from these lakes I do wonder if it wouldn't be better just to pay overall places.
Had the luxury of a ride down with Tony today, he managed a peg on the favoured Hawthorn, whilst I had to settle for peg 6 on Westpool. 3 baits today, pellets, maggots and meat. Rigs set up for banded pellet across, meat at 5m, margin and a rig to fish maggots or soft pellet through the water.
Started over on the banded pellet and had a liner/fouler that came off straight away and that was it for over 2 hours, the only fish I had was 3oz skimmer of a line at 13m that I fed a nugget of GB and some maggot.
I did see some carp start to move about and did manage to mug 3, but it was a case of waiting until I saw one and then trying the mugging, I think the ratio was something like 30 or more to one and after 3 they seemed to disappear again. I did manage a brief run of fish by fishing maggots shallow against the far bank and catapulting maggots, that was one a chuck for 5 fish and then they went as soon as they came, I reverted to fishing maggot on the deck across and had a couple more in the last hour. I was expecting to be beaten by end peg 15 and peg 10 which had the advantage of the angler on 11 going home and not going to his peg.
I was pleasantly surprised to get 2nd on the lake and maybe, I could have found a way to get the extra 3 fish needed to win the lake, there was no chance of competing with the other lake. Tony was 2nd on his lake, so a fairly content van on the way home.
Nice to see a venue not afraid to have a sensible pool, making this match £30, all three lakes in paying top 3, one in the silvers and £70 every 6 pegs, pools definitely haven't kept up with the cost of living.
Rolling draw from 07:30, with fishing from 10:30 - wow, that's a lot of time to sit at your peg, so we didn't get there and draw until 09:00, shortish walk for me, peg 6 on the main lake, with a cold wind blowing across and at me - great. I suspected I'd be be pushed to beat the pegs at the 'house' end of the lake and to try would mean sitting on a method or bomb and pellet most of the match.
I did set up a method, but it went away again at the end, unused. I decided to fish for silvers, bit of a gamble with just the one payout, I plumbed up at 13m and 6 joints, rigs with a 18 F1 hook on 0.10 fluorocarbon, one with a bulk and two droppers, one with a spread bulk. Also a feeder rod, cage feeder and a 0.10 hooklength / 18 F1 hook.
Bait was to be GB, pinkie and maggot, with a few micros to put in if it felt right. Started on the feeder and it was slow, 5 skimmers in the first hour, I'd fed the 6 joints pole line (wind was too strong to fish 13m) and had a look - nothing, back on the feeder and one more skimmer, but it had died right off, I took the clip off and went out seven more turns, but still nothing.
Another look on the 6 joins pole line and the skimmers started to show, I switched to feeding nuggets of GB through a toss pot, this seemed the best way, rather than larger cups, it wasn't hectic and finding the trip against the wind was essential, as most bites came as the float was just held and the bait lifting in the tow,
Pinkies were by far the best bait, I had fed a some meat at the bottom of the shelf and did have a quick spell trying it, when the bites tailed off, cupping in a bigger ball on that 6 joints line before I I did. No indications on the meat, so back over the GB, odd indications and I did bump a couple, I suspect were liners, then with 15 minutes to go, the peg started fizzing, I thought it was a carp, but I had three decent skimmers in tat last 15 minutes, they had got there heads down right at the end.... typical!!
Scales came round and I put 27.04 on the scales, which proved enough to win the silvers, so the right decision, as the payout was more than a section win. it stopped a poor run over the Easter weekend and was far more enjoyable than sat on a method praying fo0r a pull from a carp. Roll on next week!!
17 of us on the main lake today, drawn in order of booking on, with me coming out of the hat last or last but one, once all the fancied pegs had gone, peg 9 for me, not a peg I have seen produce much in my previous visits, apparently yesterday it had 1" thick ice on it and today had a lovely NW wind blowing straight into it - I wasn't confident.....
I set up a straight lead and a cage feeder, left the waggler rod in the bag as getting ant feed out would be nigh on impossible with the head on wind. I did set a rig for down the LG and RH edges (same depth) but I never got used, I set up 2 rigs for 14m, a .4 and a .5 bodied float with a wire stem, one with a 20 and 0.10 fluorocarbon, the other with 0.12FC and a 18, in case it got good.....
I had a chuck round with the lead, no signs, I had the feeling there weren't going to many, if any carp in the coldest peg on the lake, so concentrated on silvers, feeding GB with squatt and pinkies in on one line, micros and maggots on the other, but very negatively.
It was a slow and steady match, I was catching small roach over the squatt and pinkie, but at least it was bites in the cold wind (and rain!) at 12 0'clock I had two skimmers in two put in's, then back to roach, bit odd. I had one more decent skimmer about 12.30 and that was it, back to the tiny roach again. The micro line was pretty much dead until the last 40 minutes when I had a small hybrid and then a tench, that gave me 9.06, I was sure walking back past peg 8 weighing in that I heard 11lb something and Dom weighed 15lb odd, so into the van and off home, then it transpires I was second in the silvers, so a second pick up of the weekend, but well away from the carp today.....
1st p13a John Page 115lb 02oz
2nd p4 Shawn Kittridge 109lb 06oz
3rd p11 Paul Lasson 63lb 14oz
1st silvers- p6 Dom Sullivan 15lb 14oz
2nd silvers- p9 Chris Fox 9lb 06oz
