First match back since the carpal tunnel op. A thick coating of ice on the van greeted me and I guessed it would be another hard winters day. At the draw I fancied a peg on the far bank, but it wasn't to be, with another peg on the lodge lake bank, No31 and for company on 33 was Rich Coles, who also can't get away from this bank.
I had tried to keep things simple in the bait bag, caster dead reds, live reds and some assorted jelly pellets. I had put some hard pellets in the bag, but that was before I saw the ice on the van. A bit of groundbait and a tin of corn completed the bait line up.
It was fairly windy, so I was expecting a undertow on the lake, with this in mind I set up a 1.5g Jolly (with a hollow bristle added) and a 1g Jean Desque - again with the addition of a hollow bristle - the Jolly rig had a 0.13 hooklength finished off with a 16 B911 and the JD rig had 0.10 and a 18 Tubertini 808. I started to set up a margin rig, but that got thrown up the bank and not touched again, when I found less than 18" of water in the margin.
I also set up a waggler to fish at depth and a feeder (which got set up and put away again without entering the water, the waggler was a 3AAA with 3 No10 down the line and a 18 Middy 63-13 hoook to fish caster.
I was going to concentrate on two lines, one about 20m where I loose fed caster and another at 12m (which was about as far as I could realistically hold in the wind), this line had a jaffa of groundbait which contained dead reds and a few 3mm pellets cupped in on the whistle.
Within what seemed like seconds of th all-in, I could see Andy Hembrow on peg 7 playing a carp, whilst my float remained motionless. During the first hour, I fished dead red on the hook initially, looking for carp or skimmers and that resulted in a couple of roach, after 30 or 40 mins I switched to double caster and had a 3lb carp on the first put in, a couple more roach and then it went quiet.
I spent between 2 and 3 hours on the waggler, continually changing depth and shotting to try and increase my catch rate, everytime I thought a change had sorted it, the bites dried up soon after, how finicky are those roach??
I decided to come back over the groundbait on the pole for the last couple of hours and kept the odd roach coming to maggot/caster, at 10 to 3 the float buried and I lifted into one of the lakes decent skimmers, next put in a smaller skimmer, had they arrived?? I switched to soft pellet and was 'rewarded' with two carp in two put ins - too little, too late for carp, I needed more silvers.
I managed another couple of roach and lost a decent skimmer in the last hour and at the whistle I though I had 13 or 14lb of carp and silvers. The scales got to me with Steve Kedge's tench and roach net of 19lb easily winning the silvers, with 6.04 to beat, to pick up the second in silvers envelope. My carp went 11lb odd and the silvers 6.08, with Rich Coles last to weigh, his silvers went 4lb, so taking 2nd in the silvers, I at least had my money back and some over for a couple of beers.
Looking at the results, my pre match thoughts that the far bank (natural margins)would be the place to draw, were proven correct - I notice Tony Rixon never asks me to draw for him, as he can see that my drawing arm is jinxed.....
Here's hoping for a period of more settled (and milder) weather!!
If anyone is interested, I'm running a pole only match at Trinity (Woodlands) on Good Friday (22nd April) 09.30 draw, fish 11.00-17.00. Overall and silvers payout.
1st Tony Rixon 67.02 peg 11
2nd Jason Radford 34.14 peg 18
3rd Tom Thick 24.10 peg 2
4th Andy Curry 24.6 peg 16
5th Adrian Clark 23.14
6th Andy Hembrow 23.13 peg 7
Silvers
Steve Kedge 19.14 peg 27
Chris Fox with 6.08 31
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Thursday, 27 January 2011
A Thanks for good service - Matchbox Tackle.
In July 2008, I decided to change my seatbox, I fancied the idea of the tray/modular type, so I could swap trays as dictated by venue. The Matchbox looked to be just what I was after, but with no local dealer I was reluctant to order online. After a phonecall to arrange it, I was on my way up the M5 to visit Matchbox, to see the boxes. As I arrived, the owner was setting off for a trade show and left me with Jane, who couldn't have been more helpful.
I had taken my boss box with me, to get a proper comparison and Jane put up with me disecting the matchbox (and kept me plied with coffee), trying all the accessories and trays, before deciding on my final options. She chucked in a couple of freebies and gave me a really good price. I then discovered that I hadn't brought a cheque book or enough cash and they couldn't take card payment. No problem, between us I paid using their PC, from my paypal into Janes own paypal account.
In November 2008, I wanted another tray, it was dispatched promptly and arrived safely.
I unfortunately lost one of the mud feet from my box on the way back from my last match. I rang Matchbox and whilst I was asking if they would supply just a mud foot (not shown seperately on-line), I also asked if I could have a mix/match of one of their standard trays. On the website they have a river winder assembly, which comprises trays for two sizes of rig, I wanted two trays of the 27mm rig size. They readily agreed to supply this, along with the mud foot, at a very good price including postage.
This phonecall was yesterday morning, this morning I received an email, telling me the package would arrive between 11.12 & 12.12, which it duly did. Well packaged, exactly as orderd, with the addition of a Matchbox cap. (Thanks Matchbox, my old ones are looking worse for wear).
I have the S range box and apart from 2 things, I can't fault it. 1st thing is the mud feet unscreww and they do work loose, although a dash of loctite or 10 mins with a drill and roll pins would sort it. 2nd point is if you buy one, I'd definitely recommend the side plate kit, even if you don't use the side footplate, fit the bars, it stiffens up the legs by a very noticeable amount. Although I now believe they come with the bars as standard.
In this day and age it's nice to receive good service, so thanks Matchbox.
Whilst on the subject of good service, I can't not mention Tony Rixon of Avon Angling, always helpful and willing to bring bait and supplies along to a match if I can't get into the shop - thanks Tony.
I had taken my boss box with me, to get a proper comparison and Jane put up with me disecting the matchbox (and kept me plied with coffee), trying all the accessories and trays, before deciding on my final options. She chucked in a couple of freebies and gave me a really good price. I then discovered that I hadn't brought a cheque book or enough cash and they couldn't take card payment. No problem, between us I paid using their PC, from my paypal into Janes own paypal account.
In November 2008, I wanted another tray, it was dispatched promptly and arrived safely.
I unfortunately lost one of the mud feet from my box on the way back from my last match. I rang Matchbox and whilst I was asking if they would supply just a mud foot (not shown seperately on-line), I also asked if I could have a mix/match of one of their standard trays. On the website they have a river winder assembly, which comprises trays for two sizes of rig, I wanted two trays of the 27mm rig size. They readily agreed to supply this, along with the mud foot, at a very good price including postage.
This phonecall was yesterday morning, this morning I received an email, telling me the package would arrive between 11.12 & 12.12, which it duly did. Well packaged, exactly as orderd, with the addition of a Matchbox cap. (Thanks Matchbox, my old ones are looking worse for wear).
I have the S range box and apart from 2 things, I can't fault it. 1st thing is the mud feet unscreww and they do work loose, although a dash of loctite or 10 mins with a drill and roll pins would sort it. 2nd point is if you buy one, I'd definitely recommend the side plate kit, even if you don't use the side footplate, fit the bars, it stiffens up the legs by a very noticeable amount. Although I now believe they come with the bars as standard.
In this day and age it's nice to receive good service, so thanks Matchbox.
Whilst on the subject of good service, I can't not mention Tony Rixon of Avon Angling, always helpful and willing to bring bait and supplies along to a match if I can't get into the shop - thanks Tony.
Friday, 21 January 2011
Trinty Waters, 19th January 2011
With the weather warming up and the water temps on the rise, I had high hopes for this Wednesday open on Woodland - until I got up and saw that the forecast 1°C overnight was down to -4.5°C on the journey down. At least the lake remained ice free and there were some small roach topping.
Peg 27 came out of the hat, so I immediately decided to fish for skimmers and see if an odd carp or two came along, as in the winter, the lodge bank pegs often find it hard to compete with the opposite bank, when the fish come into the margins. The lodge bank is in its first full winter since being remodelled by John and whilst the ledges he created during the remodelling were very productive last summer, they seem just too shallow to get the carp on them in this cold weather. Maybe next winter, with another years growth of reeds and mother nature shaping the ledges John made with the digger, the fish will be more comfortable to come up the ledge.
Anyway, those of us on the Lodge bank would have been frozen if the high bank was still in place, as it used to block out the sun - which made its margins colder than those opposite, so even before the work often its margins weren't so productive in cold spells.
I set up two rigs, a 1g Jean Desque with a hollow tip added, this was on 0.13 and a 0.09 hooklength and a 18 808, and a 1g Jolly on 0.11 and a 0.08 hooklength with a 20 gamma black. I initally only fed one line 14m and put in two jaffa's of groundbait, micro pellet and dead reds. First put in and the float settled, then buried, a spirited fight ensued, but the double 6 preston slip with a pulla bung saw me net a decent carp after 10 minutes, it took double dead red.
Next put in with a soft pellet saw another carp in the net and just before the first hour was up, a much smaller cyprinid joined its big brothers in the keepnet, my first carp since 18th November!!
As the hands of the watch passed into the second hour, there was some bubbles and activity in the peg, I lost two foul hookers and landed a couple of decent skimmers, then the wind got up, blowing across the lake from the far corner (6) towards the top corner (23), that killed off the sport for myself, Rich Coles on 29 (and I won't elaborate on the defamatory comments made about Rich, by Mr Rixon - who claims he's a silverfish hasbeen :-) ), Andy France on 26 and Paul Lock on 24, the last 3½ hours saw only odd fish, mainly small roach caught on this middle section of our bank, whilst we watched fish coming from the pegs opposite. My 3 carp went 17lb odd, with 5lb odd of silvers.
Pete Sivell took advantage of his end peg (6) with no one on the bottom bank (1-5) and put just shy of 60lb on the scales to win. Jason Radford had 14 & 16 empty either side of his draw on the culvert (15) and again made good use of that situation.
1) Pete Sivell 59.07 peg 6
2) Jason Radford 42.13 peg 15
3) Martin Lengahan 37.15 peg 17
4) Tony (lets leave the good pegs with plenty of room) Rixon 37.07 peg 19
5) Andy Curry 36.14 peg 23
6) Chris Fox 22.14 peg 27
Silvers
1) Leighton Palmer 15.14 peg 10
2) Steve Kedge 11.02 peg 13
Thats it for about three weeks now, no fishing, as I've had the carpal tunnel op on my left wrist this morning (Friday) (its a right pain in the arse typing this out one handed!!) although you may see me bank walking once I can drive, I get stir crazy in the house.
Peg 27 came out of the hat, so I immediately decided to fish for skimmers and see if an odd carp or two came along, as in the winter, the lodge bank pegs often find it hard to compete with the opposite bank, when the fish come into the margins. The lodge bank is in its first full winter since being remodelled by John and whilst the ledges he created during the remodelling were very productive last summer, they seem just too shallow to get the carp on them in this cold weather. Maybe next winter, with another years growth of reeds and mother nature shaping the ledges John made with the digger, the fish will be more comfortable to come up the ledge.
Anyway, those of us on the Lodge bank would have been frozen if the high bank was still in place, as it used to block out the sun - which made its margins colder than those opposite, so even before the work often its margins weren't so productive in cold spells.
I set up two rigs, a 1g Jean Desque with a hollow tip added, this was on 0.13 and a 0.09 hooklength and a 18 808, and a 1g Jolly on 0.11 and a 0.08 hooklength with a 20 gamma black. I initally only fed one line 14m and put in two jaffa's of groundbait, micro pellet and dead reds. First put in and the float settled, then buried, a spirited fight ensued, but the double 6 preston slip with a pulla bung saw me net a decent carp after 10 minutes, it took double dead red.
Next put in with a soft pellet saw another carp in the net and just before the first hour was up, a much smaller cyprinid joined its big brothers in the keepnet, my first carp since 18th November!!
As the hands of the watch passed into the second hour, there was some bubbles and activity in the peg, I lost two foul hookers and landed a couple of decent skimmers, then the wind got up, blowing across the lake from the far corner (6) towards the top corner (23), that killed off the sport for myself, Rich Coles on 29 (and I won't elaborate on the defamatory comments made about Rich, by Mr Rixon - who claims he's a silverfish hasbeen :-) ), Andy France on 26 and Paul Lock on 24, the last 3½ hours saw only odd fish, mainly small roach caught on this middle section of our bank, whilst we watched fish coming from the pegs opposite. My 3 carp went 17lb odd, with 5lb odd of silvers.
Pete Sivell took advantage of his end peg (6) with no one on the bottom bank (1-5) and put just shy of 60lb on the scales to win. Jason Radford had 14 & 16 empty either side of his draw on the culvert (15) and again made good use of that situation.
1) Pete Sivell 59.07 peg 6
2) Jason Radford 42.13 peg 15
3) Martin Lengahan 37.15 peg 17
4) Tony (lets leave the good pegs with plenty of room) Rixon 37.07 peg 19
5) Andy Curry 36.14 peg 23
6) Chris Fox 22.14 peg 27
Silvers
1) Leighton Palmer 15.14 peg 10
2) Steve Kedge 11.02 peg 13
Thats it for about three weeks now, no fishing, as I've had the carpal tunnel op on my left wrist this morning (Friday) (its a right pain in the arse typing this out one handed!!) although you may see me bank walking once I can drive, I get stir crazy in the house.
Viaduct Teams of Five Sunday 16th January 2011
First team match of the year, first visit to Viaduct in 2011, which on the whole, was good to me last year, especially in my first full season fishing it.
Arrived at the Globe for the buffet style, help youself brekkie, not bad, so I was all set for a decent day, when back comes my draw, peg 8 on Spring, another bloody corner, which aren't my favourite pegs in winter. With peg 7 in as well, that left little water to fish, except a 14m line for silvers and the margin for carp (which I had no confidence would show) or a big perch or two.
At the all in I fed some caster at the end of the boards to the RH side and a few dead reds at 14.5m along the margin. At various times throughout the match I tried these lines, with maggot, caster, corn, meat & worm as hookbait, all to no avail, not so much as a twitch on the float.
Starting at 14.5m, with some groundbait and dead reds, I had 3 skimmers in 3 put ins - great, a day on the skimmers, but no they had other ideas and they were the only three I caught all day. The wind was making it difficult to fish the 14.5m line, so I started a line at 9m. This produced a 8oz perch to caster first put in and then a ruffe and a couple of very small rudd.
Once again it was a struggle to get bites, not just for me, peg 7 was struggling, so I had the chance to avoid being last in the section! I started to loose feed caster over the 9m line and shortly after had a tench that saved me from last in section, my hard won 4.08, just beating the couple of decent perch from peg 7 by 5oz.
I can't fish all the matches, but I'm looking forward to some warmer weather and a peg with some water to work at in the next one I fish. Sadly the rest of the team struggled as well and to make the day worse, I lost a screw on foot from my Matchbox walking back to the van, retracing my steps failed to find it. Although that wasn't as bad as Lance (Tucker) who managed to lock his car keys in his car, with no spare.
1. Jason Radford 82-0-0 peg 3
2. John Gray 78-02-0 peg 132
3. Will Bohnie 54-0-0 peg 113
4. John Howell 45-10-0 peg 53
5. Chris Davis 43-12-0 peg 40
6. Alan Oram 35-03-0 peg 110
1. Chris Davis 24-04-0 peg 40
2. Tony Rixon 16-05-0 peg 88
3. Jamie Parkhouse 14-04-0 peg 39
4. Nick Collins 14-02-0 peg 102
5. Steve Kedge 13-09-0 peg 52
Arrived at the Globe for the buffet style, help youself brekkie, not bad, so I was all set for a decent day, when back comes my draw, peg 8 on Spring, another bloody corner, which aren't my favourite pegs in winter. With peg 7 in as well, that left little water to fish, except a 14m line for silvers and the margin for carp (which I had no confidence would show) or a big perch or two.
At the all in I fed some caster at the end of the boards to the RH side and a few dead reds at 14.5m along the margin. At various times throughout the match I tried these lines, with maggot, caster, corn, meat & worm as hookbait, all to no avail, not so much as a twitch on the float.
Starting at 14.5m, with some groundbait and dead reds, I had 3 skimmers in 3 put ins - great, a day on the skimmers, but no they had other ideas and they were the only three I caught all day. The wind was making it difficult to fish the 14.5m line, so I started a line at 9m. This produced a 8oz perch to caster first put in and then a ruffe and a couple of very small rudd.
Once again it was a struggle to get bites, not just for me, peg 7 was struggling, so I had the chance to avoid being last in the section! I started to loose feed caster over the 9m line and shortly after had a tench that saved me from last in section, my hard won 4.08, just beating the couple of decent perch from peg 7 by 5oz.
I can't fish all the matches, but I'm looking forward to some warmer weather and a peg with some water to work at in the next one I fish. Sadly the rest of the team struggled as well and to make the day worse, I lost a screw on foot from my Matchbox walking back to the van, retracing my steps failed to find it. Although that wasn't as bad as Lance (Tucker) who managed to lock his car keys in his car, with no spare.
1. Jason Radford 82-0-0 peg 3
2. John Gray 78-02-0 peg 132
3. Will Bohnie 54-0-0 peg 113
4. John Howell 45-10-0 peg 53
5. Chris Davis 43-12-0 peg 40
6. Alan Oram 35-03-0 peg 110
1. Chris Davis 24-04-0 peg 40
2. Tony Rixon 16-05-0 peg 88
3. Jamie Parkhouse 14-04-0 peg 39
4. Nick Collins 14-02-0 peg 102
5. Steve Kedge 13-09-0 peg 52
Plantation Lake Saturday 15th January
I was intending to go to football, but a phone call from Paul Nicholls saying there was a place going in the Saturday match at Plantation, allied with the warmer weather, had me booking in.
I was fairly disappointed with my draw, peg 12, its a bit like peg 1, win the match or come nowhere, there just doesn't seem to be any inbetween position on the pegs at either end of the lake. I had Rod Wotton on 11 and fellow Ashton Gate absentee, Pete Sivell on peg 8 as my nearest company.
I did set up a margin rig, but had my doubts that I'd catch on it, never had a bite, except on single or double maggot from small roach, so thats all there is to say about that. That left a roach rig for close in, a Malman Winter Wire on 0.11 to a 0.08 hooklength and a 20 gamma black and a MW Diamond on 0.13 with a 0.12 middy hooklength and a 18 808 hook, this for for the skimmers and any odd carp that may show up.
I fed a groundbait line at 14m, two tangerine size balls with some dead reds in and a roach line at topkit range.
The match followed the usual pattern of late for me, my Carp net once again going unused - may as well put them on ebay - and a battle round three lines (one at 6m, loose fed caster started after an hour or so)to keep silvers coming, albeit slowly. The roach were heavier than the skimmers, which backed off after catching two and took 20 minutes or so to come back. A decent F1 from the skimmer line and a reasonable Perch on the topkit caster line helped me to a weight of 11-12, just seeing off Rod & Pete who had 8lb & 10lb weights. We couldn't compete with the opposite corner of the lake, where Rich Lovereing took 53lb to win from peg 33.
1) Rich Lovering 53lb peg 33
2) Simon Carvello 32lb peg 19
3) Kev Perry 29lb peg 27
4) Mark Bromsgrove 27lb peg 31
5) Lance Tucker 22lbpeg 29
6) Lewis Jones 21lb peg 39
Silvers
1) Mark Bromsgrove 27lb peg 31 (Skimmers)
2) J Page 17lb 12oz
3) Glen Calvert 17lb 06oz peg 4
I was fairly disappointed with my draw, peg 12, its a bit like peg 1, win the match or come nowhere, there just doesn't seem to be any inbetween position on the pegs at either end of the lake. I had Rod Wotton on 11 and fellow Ashton Gate absentee, Pete Sivell on peg 8 as my nearest company.
I did set up a margin rig, but had my doubts that I'd catch on it, never had a bite, except on single or double maggot from small roach, so thats all there is to say about that. That left a roach rig for close in, a Malman Winter Wire on 0.11 to a 0.08 hooklength and a 20 gamma black and a MW Diamond on 0.13 with a 0.12 middy hooklength and a 18 808 hook, this for for the skimmers and any odd carp that may show up.
I fed a groundbait line at 14m, two tangerine size balls with some dead reds in and a roach line at topkit range.
The match followed the usual pattern of late for me, my Carp net once again going unused - may as well put them on ebay - and a battle round three lines (one at 6m, loose fed caster started after an hour or so)to keep silvers coming, albeit slowly. The roach were heavier than the skimmers, which backed off after catching two and took 20 minutes or so to come back. A decent F1 from the skimmer line and a reasonable Perch on the topkit caster line helped me to a weight of 11-12, just seeing off Rod & Pete who had 8lb & 10lb weights. We couldn't compete with the opposite corner of the lake, where Rich Lovereing took 53lb to win from peg 33.
1) Rich Lovering 53lb peg 33
2) Simon Carvello 32lb peg 19
3) Kev Perry 29lb peg 27
4) Mark Bromsgrove 27lb peg 31
5) Lance Tucker 22lbpeg 29
6) Lewis Jones 21lb peg 39
Silvers
1) Mark Bromsgrove 27lb peg 31 (Skimmers)
2) J Page 17lb 12oz
3) Glen Calvert 17lb 06oz peg 4
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Avalon, Sunday 2nd January 2011
All work and no play lately, hence the late writing of this blog entry. After the reasonable days fishing at Trinity on New Years Eve, I assumed that it would be best to stick to another lake with a bit of depth. With confident assurances from Mr Rixon that Avalon was ice free, I booked in.
The sight that greeted me on arrival at Avalon was bank to island ice on the LH side of the lake and ice free water on the RH bank, two hardy souls were thrashing around in a boat, trying to break the ice on the LH side. (Andy Bush and Paul Elmes).
I drew 29, which was miraculously ice free, with Andy Bush on my RH side and Vince Brown on my left. I'd decided to fish two lines on the pole, 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock at 14.5m, one line feeding with dead maggot and one with micropellet. A straight lead and a waggler completed the set up. Vince started at 20m and stayed there most of the day, I did go out to 19m for a short while, but I need a few months in the gym or a bucket of steroids to be able to stick with it when bites are scarce.
After 30 minutes I had a 6oz perch, apart from a 2oz roach on the lead, that was the extent of my days sport, Vic and Leigh walked past a couple of times and said "this seems to be the worst bit" - why didn't that surprise me!!
Not much point in writing any more about a non-eventful day, suffice to say perhaps the ice free areas aren't always the best, during the thaw.
See Tony's blog for the result, I can't get out now until the teams of five at Viaduct on Sunday 16th.
The sight that greeted me on arrival at Avalon was bank to island ice on the LH side of the lake and ice free water on the RH bank, two hardy souls were thrashing around in a boat, trying to break the ice on the LH side. (Andy Bush and Paul Elmes).
I drew 29, which was miraculously ice free, with Andy Bush on my RH side and Vince Brown on my left. I'd decided to fish two lines on the pole, 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock at 14.5m, one line feeding with dead maggot and one with micropellet. A straight lead and a waggler completed the set up. Vince started at 20m and stayed there most of the day, I did go out to 19m for a short while, but I need a few months in the gym or a bucket of steroids to be able to stick with it when bites are scarce.
After 30 minutes I had a 6oz perch, apart from a 2oz roach on the lead, that was the extent of my days sport, Vic and Leigh walked past a couple of times and said "this seems to be the worst bit" - why didn't that surprise me!!
Not much point in writing any more about a non-eventful day, suffice to say perhaps the ice free areas aren't always the best, during the thaw.
See Tony's blog for the result, I can't get out now until the teams of five at Viaduct on Sunday 16th.
Friday, 31 December 2010
Trinty Waters, 31st December 2010
As I have been working all over Christmas, I was hopeful that a few others would fancy a day at Trinity, especially as the ice breakers could stay in the van. As it was there were six of us, so a decent little knock up, with £40 & £25 to fish for in the overall and a silver payout of £25.
I was pacing round my garage before I left, convinced I'd forgotten to put something in the van, but I walked round it half a dozen or more times and couldn't think what it could be...... until I got to Bridgwater, my dead maggots. So that was the plan down the pan before I started.
We had pegs 9-15 and peg 12 left out, I took the last card from the hat and opened it to reveal 15, not a bad draw, but on such a cold day, I'm not convinced the draw was crucial, all the pegs in can produce fish. Water temp was 2.5°C at the start and didn't vary all day.
I set up two rigs to fish at 12m, both Jean Desque wire stemmed floats, one standard, one with a hollow tip added to it. 0.9g and 0.13 to 0.11 and a 18 808 for the one with hollow tip and 0.75g 0.11 and a .08 flourocarbon hooklength and a 22 B611 on the standrd float rig. A margin rig on 0.15 and a 18B911 completed th pole set up. I did set up a straight lead, but it stayed on the bank and was put back into the holdall unused at the end.
I fed some softend 4mm, caster and micro at 12m on the whistle and waited half an hour for a bite, which was a small roach. Not much to tell about the day, it was hard work to keep the bites coming, alternating between soft pellet (couldn't catch on 4mm, but had some skimmers on 6mm) and maggot at 12m. The margins didn't produce, the peg died for 10 or 15 minutes after every bait top up, except when I just fed maggot, then I was plagued with microscopic Rudd.
I did chop a few worms and tried worm on the hook, but that was just a waste of time and worms, as the float didn't offer any indications of hungry fish when a worm was on the hook.
I could see Mike West on peg 13 and knew he had a couple of carp and a few silvers, I didn't have any carp, nor any sign of them, Andy Hembrow had also caught carp, to go with his silvers, along with Darren'Noddy' 'Nuddy' Vowles who had two carp and a skimmer on the brain dead lead.
1) Andy Hembrow 21.14 peg 10
2) Mike West 12.14 peg 13
3) Chris Fox 9.07 peg 15
4) Darren Vowles 4.14 peg 9
5) Glen Calvert 4.01 peg 14
6) Dave Baker DNW peg 11
Silvers
1) Andy Hembrow 14.04
2) Chris Fox 9.07
3) Mike West 5.10
I was pacing round my garage before I left, convinced I'd forgotten to put something in the van, but I walked round it half a dozen or more times and couldn't think what it could be...... until I got to Bridgwater, my dead maggots. So that was the plan down the pan before I started.
We had pegs 9-15 and peg 12 left out, I took the last card from the hat and opened it to reveal 15, not a bad draw, but on such a cold day, I'm not convinced the draw was crucial, all the pegs in can produce fish. Water temp was 2.5°C at the start and didn't vary all day.
I set up two rigs to fish at 12m, both Jean Desque wire stemmed floats, one standard, one with a hollow tip added to it. 0.9g and 0.13 to 0.11 and a 18 808 for the one with hollow tip and 0.75g 0.11 and a .08 flourocarbon hooklength and a 22 B611 on the standrd float rig. A margin rig on 0.15 and a 18B911 completed th pole set up. I did set up a straight lead, but it stayed on the bank and was put back into the holdall unused at the end.
I fed some softend 4mm, caster and micro at 12m on the whistle and waited half an hour for a bite, which was a small roach. Not much to tell about the day, it was hard work to keep the bites coming, alternating between soft pellet (couldn't catch on 4mm, but had some skimmers on 6mm) and maggot at 12m. The margins didn't produce, the peg died for 10 or 15 minutes after every bait top up, except when I just fed maggot, then I was plagued with microscopic Rudd.
I did chop a few worms and tried worm on the hook, but that was just a waste of time and worms, as the float didn't offer any indications of hungry fish when a worm was on the hook.
I could see Mike West on peg 13 and knew he had a couple of carp and a few silvers, I didn't have any carp, nor any sign of them, Andy Hembrow had also caught carp, to go with his silvers, along with Darren
1) Andy Hembrow 21.14 peg 10
2) Mike West 12.14 peg 13
3) Chris Fox 9.07 peg 15
4) Darren Vowles 4.14 peg 9
5) Glen Calvert 4.01 peg 14
6) Dave Baker DNW peg 11
Silvers
1) Andy Hembrow 14.04
2) Chris Fox 9.07
3) Mike West 5.10
Saturday, 25 December 2010
Happy New Year
Well, the snow and ice have really hit the match calender, I've been fortunate enough to have spent some of December in Goa, basking in the sun (34°C), drinking Kingfisher and cocktails and filling my face with Goan seafood and curry. We even had three extra days holiday at Thomsons expense, as Gatwick was closed.
Anyway, Happy New Year to those of you that follow my inane ramblings, lets hope for plenty of success stories in 2011, I'm looking forwrd to April/May and the warmer weather already!!
Just a reminder, if anyone is interested, there is an open at Trinity Waters (Woodland Lake) on Friday 31st Dec 2010, 08.45 draw, fish 10-3, so plenty early enough to get home and start the New Year piss up. Ring me on 07973 790719 if you want to fish. (The forecast looks like we'll have had three days warmer weather by then)
Anyway, Happy New Year to those of you that follow my inane ramblings, lets hope for plenty of success stories in 2011, I'm looking forwrd to April/May and the warmer weather already!!
Just a reminder, if anyone is interested, there is an open at Trinity Waters (Woodland Lake) on Friday 31st Dec 2010, 08.45 draw, fish 10-3, so plenty early enough to get home and start the New Year piss up. Ring me on 07973 790719 if you want to fish. (The forecast looks like we'll have had three days warmer weather by then)
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
Lunacy at Landsend, Wednesday 8th December 2010
Eight hardy souls (or bloody lunatics) braved the icy conditions to fish Landsend today. I arrived and there was already an advance ice breaking party, Dean was throwing a 30lb dumbell in to break the ice, which was over 2" thick in places. Some pegs were thicker than this and left alone, it would probably take Mike to get down there with the slew machine to break some of it.
Three corners in, as 11/12 were in the corner which was thick to break, but I managed to pull peg 3, not my favourite peg on the lake, but if we'd catch at all was more relevent than what would be a decent peg in normal conditions. It's thanks to Tim Clark that I got there at all, the alternator packed up on my van last week and Tim came out in the ice and snow last Friday to fit a new one - thanks Tim.
I managed to finish off Dean & Tony's good work, breaking myself a LH margin and a channel in front. Tony had peg 5 drawn for him and was soon into a small hybrid, I followed this with a roach on pinkie and thought that I'd get a few bites, that was the only one for a long time. About 11.30 I got my thermometer out and put it about 15" deep into the water, the water temp was probably the coldest I've ever fished, at 0.5°. Tony was catching odd perch by swapping from in front to his margin, whilst a few others were blanking.
The cat ice kept forming over the clear area, meaning constant clearing, all the while I still could not get a bite, at around 1pm, Mike Duckett appeared, bearing gifts of hot coffee and twix bars, very much appreciated, thanks Mike. I managed two small perch from the margin, as by just after 2pm the channel in front was unfishable. The general consensus was that the 4pm finish was overly optimstic, as the lake would be frozen over again by then, the air temp was -2°.
So with everyone agreeing, well nearly everyone, Dean was sitting it out for a carp - thats real optimisim - the match was shortend to a 3.30pm finish, at 20 past I landed fish No4 and my best perch, but I was a long way behind Tony, John Bradford on peg 1 who foul hooked a chub (not that I'm bitter...)and Matt Tomes on peg 7. I was determind to weigh in, as I'd sat there, but I knew there'd be no beer tokens for tonight.
I do wonder as to the sanity of going fishing in these conditions, but its better than working.
1) Tony Rixon 5.12 peg 5
2) Matt Tomes 3.12 peg 7
3) Alan Oram 2.13 peg 21
4) John Bradford 1.10 peg 1 (Did I mention that was a foul hooked chub and 1 2oz perch!!)
5) Chris Fox 13oz peg 3
6) DNW
Three corners in, as 11/12 were in the corner which was thick to break, but I managed to pull peg 3, not my favourite peg on the lake, but if we'd catch at all was more relevent than what would be a decent peg in normal conditions. It's thanks to Tim Clark that I got there at all, the alternator packed up on my van last week and Tim came out in the ice and snow last Friday to fit a new one - thanks Tim.
I managed to finish off Dean & Tony's good work, breaking myself a LH margin and a channel in front. Tony had peg 5 drawn for him and was soon into a small hybrid, I followed this with a roach on pinkie and thought that I'd get a few bites, that was the only one for a long time. About 11.30 I got my thermometer out and put it about 15" deep into the water, the water temp was probably the coldest I've ever fished, at 0.5°. Tony was catching odd perch by swapping from in front to his margin, whilst a few others were blanking.
The cat ice kept forming over the clear area, meaning constant clearing, all the while I still could not get a bite, at around 1pm, Mike Duckett appeared, bearing gifts of hot coffee and twix bars, very much appreciated, thanks Mike. I managed two small perch from the margin, as by just after 2pm the channel in front was unfishable. The general consensus was that the 4pm finish was overly optimstic, as the lake would be frozen over again by then, the air temp was -2°.
So with everyone agreeing, well nearly everyone, Dean was sitting it out for a carp - thats real optimisim - the match was shortend to a 3.30pm finish, at 20 past I landed fish No4 and my best perch, but I was a long way behind Tony, John Bradford on peg 1 who foul hooked a chub (not that I'm bitter...)and Matt Tomes on peg 7. I was determind to weigh in, as I'd sat there, but I knew there'd be no beer tokens for tonight.
I do wonder as to the sanity of going fishing in these conditions, but its better than working.
1) Tony Rixon 5.12 peg 5
2) Matt Tomes 3.12 peg 7
3) Alan Oram 2.13 peg 21
4) John Bradford 1.10 peg 1 (Did I mention that was a foul hooked chub and 1 2oz perch!!)
5) Chris Fox 13oz peg 3
6) DNW
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Shivering Silvers @ Landsend, Sunday 28th November 2010
I left it late to book into this one, waiting to see what the weather would do, as it was just going to be cold (very cold) with no snow, I weighed up if fishing or staying at home/pub and sky footie would be best - fishing won.
Supposedly 15 today, but a couple of no shows knocked the numbers back, that saw both match & speci lakes used, I once again drew the match lake, peg 11. The ice breaker made its first appearance of the season, although the ice was that annoying thickness, you know, the one that shatters when you chuck the ice breaker in. Nice thick ice you can cut into sections, the thinner stuff shatters into loads of pieces. The thermometer in the water didn't change from 2°C all day and the air temp didn't get above 0°C, it was -5.5°C getting out of the car and -3.0°C getting back in.
I had a nice area cleared, that gave me a 9m line toward my right and similar length lie to my left, by the time the all-in was shouted, most of it had frozen back over.
I also cleared the RH margin up to the next pallet and to save posting loads of waffle, thats where my fish came from, 8 of them all perch, taken mostly on caster, but one or two on maggot. Frustratingly I lost 8 fish, all perch, they seemed to be only just hooked.
By 13.30 the margin had refrozen to the point of making it necessary to rebreak the ice, I went for a stroll round the lake after and came back to add three more perch (and the biggest ones) to my net.
The lost perch probably cost me, not sure if it was the hook (couldn't see anything wrong and it was sharp), the fact that the elastic was freezing in the pole couldn't have helped. I managed 5lb 2oz for fourth place and enough money back to have a couple of beers on the way home.
1) Dean (Chub Slayer) Malin 8.14 peg 40 (6 chub)
2) Tony (corner peg) Rixon 8.11 peg 24
3) John Bradford 5.11 peg 19
4) Chris Fox 5.02 peg 11
5) Martin Lengahan 4.02 peg 3
6) Martin Pettifer 1.12 peg 15
Going to try an open on New Years Eve this year and see if its worthwhile, so if anyone fancies it it give me a ring or let Misha at Trinity know and she'll ring me. Trinty Waters, Woodland Lake draw 08.45, fish 10.00-15.00, usual format, overall + silvers payout.
Supposedly 15 today, but a couple of no shows knocked the numbers back, that saw both match & speci lakes used, I once again drew the match lake, peg 11. The ice breaker made its first appearance of the season, although the ice was that annoying thickness, you know, the one that shatters when you chuck the ice breaker in. Nice thick ice you can cut into sections, the thinner stuff shatters into loads of pieces. The thermometer in the water didn't change from 2°C all day and the air temp didn't get above 0°C, it was -5.5°C getting out of the car and -3.0°C getting back in.
I had a nice area cleared, that gave me a 9m line toward my right and similar length lie to my left, by the time the all-in was shouted, most of it had frozen back over.
I also cleared the RH margin up to the next pallet and to save posting loads of waffle, thats where my fish came from, 8 of them all perch, taken mostly on caster, but one or two on maggot. Frustratingly I lost 8 fish, all perch, they seemed to be only just hooked.
By 13.30 the margin had refrozen to the point of making it necessary to rebreak the ice, I went for a stroll round the lake after and came back to add three more perch (and the biggest ones) to my net.
The lost perch probably cost me, not sure if it was the hook (couldn't see anything wrong and it was sharp), the fact that the elastic was freezing in the pole couldn't have helped. I managed 5lb 2oz for fourth place and enough money back to have a couple of beers on the way home.
1) Dean (Chub Slayer) Malin 8.14 peg 40 (6 chub)
2) Tony (corner peg) Rixon 8.11 peg 24
3) John Bradford 5.11 peg 19
4) Chris Fox 5.02 peg 11
5) Martin Lengahan 4.02 peg 3
6) Martin Pettifer 1.12 peg 15
Going to try an open on New Years Eve this year and see if its worthwhile, so if anyone fancies it it give me a ring or let Misha at Trinity know and she'll ring me. Trinty Waters, Woodland Lake draw 08.45, fish 10.00-15.00, usual format, overall + silvers payout.
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Viaduct Costcutter. 18th November 2010
13, unlucky for some was the number for todays Viaduct Costcutter Open, all pegged on Campbell, which like many other venues has seen the colour drop out over the last week or so - although Cary appeared to be holding a bit more colour.
Todays dip into the hat, (not exactly a hat, Paul Greenwood, pleading poverty as its a Costcutter, put the unstapled swimcards face down on the counter)peg 126 was my reward. I wasn't disappointed, as Saturday before last, Ray Hayward won from this peg, trebling my weight from 115 which is nearly opposite, so an opportunity to see if I was that far behind, or did the peg have some influence on the result.
I had brought some 8mm cubed meat and if I hadn't had 3 pints of caster left over from yesterday that would have been all. The caster tempted me to set up a rig to fish it and mix some groundbait - I might as well not have bothered, a quick look on this line saw some micro roach which bumped off the doubled 8 elastic.
I fancied the waggler and meat to produce a few fish, I didn't think that they'd come close due to the water clarity and that proved to be the case, the 14.5m line I tried with meat on the pole, to no avail, not so much as a liner. The wind and subsequent surface skim put paid to decent presentation on the waggler for all but the first and last hour. 6 fish falling to the lead and 5 to the waggler,
The straight lead was on 6lb Daiwa TDR reel line and a 0.17 hooklength with a 16 PR36 hair rigged, the waggler had 4lb sensor reel line, a 0.15 hooklength and a 18 B911 buried in the meat - although this changed to a 0.15 and a PR36 18 hair rig after a duck took the meat on the 18 B911 and at full flight towards Somerton Town Centre managed to snap the hooklength.
Before and after the match I tried to draw some info on feeding at this time of the year, but all I spoke to were very cagey or claimed to be as clueless as myself - not sure about that!!. I started on the lead, not feeding at all, just a tiny liner or two to show for that, three cubes of meat fed and the waggler produced 6 or 7 consecutive bites resulting in 3 fish in the net. I upped the feed and had two more, then endured a quiet spell - too much feed??
Switching between the lead and the waggler for the rest of the match (as the wind and surface skim allowed) I managed 11 Carp and 1 Brown Goldfish, I guess I used about 1/3 of a tin of meat.
I could see that 111 had a few fish, John Green on 115 had take a few on the lead - no silvers for John today!! and Colyn Dyer had a few on 112, I thought my fish were of a better stamp and so they proved to be, 60lb 10oz being enough to take topspot.
1) Chris Fox 60.10 peg 126
2) John Green 50.02 peg 115
3) D White 46.12 peg 128
4) P Homewood 44.10 peg 111
5) Colin Dyer 43.10 peg 112
6) J Williams 30.13 peg 123
Silvers
1) John Bradford 14.00 peg 110
2) C Pinker 10.04 peg 125
3) J Williams 9.06 peg 123
Todays dip into the hat, (not exactly a hat, Paul Greenwood, pleading poverty as its a Costcutter, put the unstapled swimcards face down on the counter)peg 126 was my reward. I wasn't disappointed, as Saturday before last, Ray Hayward won from this peg, trebling my weight from 115 which is nearly opposite, so an opportunity to see if I was that far behind, or did the peg have some influence on the result.
I had brought some 8mm cubed meat and if I hadn't had 3 pints of caster left over from yesterday that would have been all. The caster tempted me to set up a rig to fish it and mix some groundbait - I might as well not have bothered, a quick look on this line saw some micro roach which bumped off the doubled 8 elastic.
I fancied the waggler and meat to produce a few fish, I didn't think that they'd come close due to the water clarity and that proved to be the case, the 14.5m line I tried with meat on the pole, to no avail, not so much as a liner. The wind and subsequent surface skim put paid to decent presentation on the waggler for all but the first and last hour. 6 fish falling to the lead and 5 to the waggler,
The straight lead was on 6lb Daiwa TDR reel line and a 0.17 hooklength with a 16 PR36 hair rigged, the waggler had 4lb sensor reel line, a 0.15 hooklength and a 18 B911 buried in the meat - although this changed to a 0.15 and a PR36 18 hair rig after a duck took the meat on the 18 B911 and at full flight towards Somerton Town Centre managed to snap the hooklength.
Before and after the match I tried to draw some info on feeding at this time of the year, but all I spoke to were very cagey or claimed to be as clueless as myself - not sure about that!!. I started on the lead, not feeding at all, just a tiny liner or two to show for that, three cubes of meat fed and the waggler produced 6 or 7 consecutive bites resulting in 3 fish in the net. I upped the feed and had two more, then endured a quiet spell - too much feed??
Switching between the lead and the waggler for the rest of the match (as the wind and surface skim allowed) I managed 11 Carp and 1 Brown Goldfish, I guess I used about 1/3 of a tin of meat.
I could see that 111 had a few fish, John Green on 115 had take a few on the lead - no silvers for John today!! and Colyn Dyer had a few on 112, I thought my fish were of a better stamp and so they proved to be, 60lb 10oz being enough to take topspot.
1) Chris Fox 60.10 peg 126
2) John Green 50.02 peg 115
3) D White 46.12 peg 128
4) P Homewood 44.10 peg 111
5) Colin Dyer 43.10 peg 112
6) J Williams 30.13 peg 123
Silvers
1) John Bradford 14.00 peg 110
2) C Pinker 10.04 peg 125
3) J Williams 9.06 peg 123
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Landsend, Wednesday 17th November 2010
The BBC weather forecast wasn't too good, heavy rain and high winds, so I plumped for Landsend today, as the trees would hopefully give some shelter. As usual. the BBC forecast was over dramatic, light rain and some breeze was all we experienced (or was that the trees doing their job??).
Match and Speci lakes in today, my dip into the swimcards brought me peg 21, I was surprised by the clarity of the water, the frosts of the last few days have obviously done their worse.
I set up two rigs, both Malman winter wires, a 4x14 on 0.13/0.11 and a 16 6313 for soft pellet/double caster and a 4x12 on 0.11/0.09 and a 20 6313 for single caster or maggot, these were matched to double 6 and double 5 elastic respectively.
I fully intended to fish really tight and sensible for silvers...... but got a bit waylaid. I started fishing at ¾ the way across, straight in front, feeding caster, I also fed a line at 2 o'clock with micro and a couple of expanders. A roach a chuck for the first four chucks on caster then it slowed down, an odd fish after that, then after 45 mins I had a look over the micro, the float shot under and I lifted into a large leaf - how do they give such positive bites??
Back onto the caster line, but I was getting lured by the large shapes, several of them ghosties, that were swimming along the far shelf, to be accurate they were swimming just off the shelf about 12" deep. I stuck at the caster line and was rewarded with a carp, but then it went dead. I put another couple of sections on and pushed across to the bottom of the shelf, this resulted in two carp in two put-in's, happy days. Then two foul hookers in the next two put-in's, both of which came off.
This resulted in the peg going very quiet, I had looked up the shelf to where the carp had been showing themselves, but everytime I went near the shallow water with the pole, they disappeared - I'm not surprised, the water was very clear. Its then I had the soup disaster, I poured a full cup of tomato soup and then managed to knock it between the side tray and my box. The result made the side of my box, the pallet and a few bit and pieces under the box, look like a scene from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre - what a waste of Heinz's finest.
I had a walk up to Tony Rixon, he was catching silvers, the lake was fishing pretty hard, so after a decent time to rest my peg after the two lost foulers, I returned and carried on, adding a couple more perch and roach to the silvers net, but not a sign of another carp, apart from one lone ghostie who was patrolling the far shelf, but didn't seem to be feeding.
I didn't have anothe bite on soft pellet, so the leaf was my only end product for that, my silvers went 4lb+ and the three carp went 17lb+ for a weight of 21lb+, not enough on the day to frame.
The Speci lake provided four of the top six, but even that was a struggle.
1) Chris Davis 48.04 peg 31
2) A Clark 35.14 peg 32
3) Kev Molton 30.02 peg 24
4) A Jones 29.00 peg 33
5) Martin Lengahan 26.05 peg 19
6) Tim Ford 25.12 peg 35
Silvers
1) Tim Ford 25.12 peg 35
2) Tony Rixon 21.00 peg 17
Match and Speci lakes in today, my dip into the swimcards brought me peg 21, I was surprised by the clarity of the water, the frosts of the last few days have obviously done their worse.
I set up two rigs, both Malman winter wires, a 4x14 on 0.13/0.11 and a 16 6313 for soft pellet/double caster and a 4x12 on 0.11/0.09 and a 20 6313 for single caster or maggot, these were matched to double 6 and double 5 elastic respectively.
I fully intended to fish really tight and sensible for silvers...... but got a bit waylaid. I started fishing at ¾ the way across, straight in front, feeding caster, I also fed a line at 2 o'clock with micro and a couple of expanders. A roach a chuck for the first four chucks on caster then it slowed down, an odd fish after that, then after 45 mins I had a look over the micro, the float shot under and I lifted into a large leaf - how do they give such positive bites??
Back onto the caster line, but I was getting lured by the large shapes, several of them ghosties, that were swimming along the far shelf, to be accurate they were swimming just off the shelf about 12" deep. I stuck at the caster line and was rewarded with a carp, but then it went dead. I put another couple of sections on and pushed across to the bottom of the shelf, this resulted in two carp in two put-in's, happy days. Then two foul hookers in the next two put-in's, both of which came off.
This resulted in the peg going very quiet, I had looked up the shelf to where the carp had been showing themselves, but everytime I went near the shallow water with the pole, they disappeared - I'm not surprised, the water was very clear. Its then I had the soup disaster, I poured a full cup of tomato soup and then managed to knock it between the side tray and my box. The result made the side of my box, the pallet and a few bit and pieces under the box, look like a scene from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre - what a waste of Heinz's finest.
I had a walk up to Tony Rixon, he was catching silvers, the lake was fishing pretty hard, so after a decent time to rest my peg after the two lost foulers, I returned and carried on, adding a couple more perch and roach to the silvers net, but not a sign of another carp, apart from one lone ghostie who was patrolling the far shelf, but didn't seem to be feeding.
I didn't have anothe bite on soft pellet, so the leaf was my only end product for that, my silvers went 4lb+ and the three carp went 17lb+ for a weight of 21lb+, not enough on the day to frame.
The Speci lake provided four of the top six, but even that was a struggle.
1) Chris Davis 48.04 peg 31
2) A Clark 35.14 peg 32
3) Kev Molton 30.02 peg 24
4) A Jones 29.00 peg 33
5) Martin Lengahan 26.05 peg 19
6) Tim Ford 25.12 peg 35
Silvers
1) Tim Ford 25.12 peg 35
2) Tony Rixon 21.00 peg 17
Monday, 15 November 2010
Plantation Main Lake
I nearly thought about the poppy match for Sundays outing, but the prospect of drawing 'one of those walks' saw me heading towards a easy walk on Plantation and hopefully a few fish. It was a 21 pegger today and the cafe was open for the draw and I had a coffee whilst chatting to a few faces I haven't see for a while. Bridgwater raider Andy Hembrow was looking worse for wear and muttered something about vast quantities of vodka the previous evening.
I had actually stayed in on a Saturday night to prepare my gear for this match, as soon as I drew, I knew that I would have been better going out for a few beers, peg 33 in the bay, the wagglers and lead rods I'd set up might as well stay in the van along with the pellets, meat & corn.
I did have some worm and caster and a couple of pints of maggot, so I set up two silvers rigs and one rig for the margin, just in case there was a lost carp or two in the bay. The margin only got looked at for 10 minutes and the float remained motionless. I had a MW pellet float to fish worm/double maggot/soft pellet at 11m over groundbait, CW&C. A slim Mosella pattern to fish caster a whatever depth the roach were feeding at and that was it, nice and simple.
I cupped in some GB loaded with CW&C at the start and went over it with ½ a worm, nothing, so a switch to double red maggot saw a few skimmers in the net, until I lost a decent bream. This killed the peg for 20 minutes or so, I refed groundbait, but this time with no worm, just dead maggot, they didn't seem to want the worm. This brought a couple more skimmers, but they wouldn't keep coming with any great regularity.
I switched to the caster line I'd been drip feeding, just topkit to hand and this produced a nice run of roach to 12oz and a couple of perch, one which was 1½lb. Switching between this and the 11m line, I kept fish coming until the end, not exactly one a bung, but a pleasurable day, a nice bonus was a roach at least a 1lb from the 11m line.
I only hooked one carp, a foul hooker at mid water over the 11m line and that snapped the 0.12 hooklength, the decision to fish for silvers was justified, when the scales got to me, the top silvers weight was Kev Perry, 10lb 4oz, he caught skimmers on pellet, my mixed bag went 18lb 14oz and took the silver coin.
1) Andy Hembrow 104.13 peg 7 ( The hangover wasn't too bad then, Andy) Pole/pellet
2) Lewis Jones 80.10 peg 4
3) Rich lovering 80.06 peg 28
4} Rich Healy 59.08 peg 38
Silvers
1) Chris Fox 18.14 peg 33
2) Kev Perry 10.04 peg 25
Oh, I nearly forgot, the pre match entertainment was Mark Walsh testing the water temperature in his peg (39) by falling in, he also lost a couple of trays from his box, full of winders. The peg are in a bit of a state, the pleasure anglers banksticks causing loads of erosion. He didn't see the funny side at the time, but he went home and changed and could at least smile at the banter by the end of the match.
I had actually stayed in on a Saturday night to prepare my gear for this match, as soon as I drew, I knew that I would have been better going out for a few beers, peg 33 in the bay, the wagglers and lead rods I'd set up might as well stay in the van along with the pellets, meat & corn.
I did have some worm and caster and a couple of pints of maggot, so I set up two silvers rigs and one rig for the margin, just in case there was a lost carp or two in the bay. The margin only got looked at for 10 minutes and the float remained motionless. I had a MW pellet float to fish worm/double maggot/soft pellet at 11m over groundbait, CW&C. A slim Mosella pattern to fish caster a whatever depth the roach were feeding at and that was it, nice and simple.
I cupped in some GB loaded with CW&C at the start and went over it with ½ a worm, nothing, so a switch to double red maggot saw a few skimmers in the net, until I lost a decent bream. This killed the peg for 20 minutes or so, I refed groundbait, but this time with no worm, just dead maggot, they didn't seem to want the worm. This brought a couple more skimmers, but they wouldn't keep coming with any great regularity.
I switched to the caster line I'd been drip feeding, just topkit to hand and this produced a nice run of roach to 12oz and a couple of perch, one which was 1½lb. Switching between this and the 11m line, I kept fish coming until the end, not exactly one a bung, but a pleasurable day, a nice bonus was a roach at least a 1lb from the 11m line.
I only hooked one carp, a foul hooker at mid water over the 11m line and that snapped the 0.12 hooklength, the decision to fish for silvers was justified, when the scales got to me, the top silvers weight was Kev Perry, 10lb 4oz, he caught skimmers on pellet, my mixed bag went 18lb 14oz and took the silver coin.
1) Andy Hembrow 104.13 peg 7 ( The hangover wasn't too bad then, Andy) Pole/pellet
2) Lewis Jones 80.10 peg 4
3) Rich lovering 80.06 peg 28
4} Rich Healy 59.08 peg 38
Silvers
1) Chris Fox 18.14 peg 33
2) Kev Perry 10.04 peg 25
Oh, I nearly forgot, the pre match entertainment was Mark Walsh testing the water temperature in his peg (39) by falling in, he also lost a couple of trays from his box, full of winders. The peg are in a bit of a state, the pleasure anglers banksticks causing loads of erosion. He didn't see the funny side at the time, but he went home and changed and could at least smile at the banter by the end of the match.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Viaduct Open. Saturday13th November 2010
The fine winter run of getting spanked, which all started since I had the op on my hand(thats my excuse), continues.
Peg 115 for me today, I've not drawn it before, but it does have some form, so I expected a few fish. I did myself no favours by taking worm & caster, corn & meat and maggot. I had some half baked plan where I'd fish for silvers initially and then carp, as other venues I've fished recently haven't been producing carp from the start.
Once I saw John Green on 116, I started to change my mind and confused myself, doing myself no favours with either silvers or carp. I fed a line at 7m with groundbait and caster, one at 14.5m with caster & corn and some corn via the catty at lead/waggler range towards the middle.
I set up a straight lead, 6lb Daiwa TDR to a 0.17 hooklength and a 16PR36 with a quickstop. A waggler with 4lb sensor, a 0.13 hooklength and a 18 6313 and three pole rigs, a Mosella slim float (model unknown) to fish caster on the 7m line, with a 18 6313 on .011, a MW diamond to fish corn, double caster or maggot on the 14mm line, with a 18 808 on 0.13 and a Durafloat to fish meat/corn at either distance on 0.17/0.15 and a 18 Xedion hook.
I started on the waggler with meat, over ½ a dozen grains of corn, that produced nothing for 25 minutes, the 7m line with double caster yielded a fish a chuck, but it was roach of an identical stamp, lucky if they went ¾oz each. Some carp were being caught on the waggler and at least its easy to see when others are catching on meat. So out with the lead and a 6lb fish first put in, then 2 fish lost, one definite foulhooker. A quiet spell and then another 6lb fish followed by an 8lber, the bites followed the same pattern, no indications, then a liner or two, before a rip round. It seemed as if there were just individual fish coming in to the peg and finding the bait.
The middle of the match saw a very quiet spell, I set up a margin rig as 114 was taking fish from his LH margin (the pallet of 113) and Dick Bull on 112 was catching in the margin fishing back towards 113. I may have well as saved the effort, as I didn't have a bite or any indication in either LH or RH margin. There were still carp being caught on the waggler, I didn't manage to get one single bite on it in 6 hours, apart from one foolish cast with double maggot (another pea in the pod ¾oz roach).
In the last hour I had a few more fish on the lead/meat, I'm pretty sure the fish were shoaled up, in certain pegs, but not to the extent that other pegs were virtually barren, I just couldn't work out how to feed/how much to feed. In the last hour and a half, I upped the feed to ½ a dozen or ten cubes of meat every cast/bite and I caught more, but was that just last hour syndrome?
This was my first experince of an open on Viaduct where the pellet is banned (apart from a Carps AC Xmas match where the lake was frozen over at least 1" thick) and I've got a lot to learn about how to fish it during the winter, I reckon its back to the Thursday costcutters for a bit of experimentation and learning curve, at least it cheaper to be pools fodder in these matches.
I managed a lowly 56.03 (not a bad winter weight in my book, but not good on the day). The middle 3-3½ hours were where I fell by the wayside and the answer lies in the feeding (I think!! although I had no liners or indications during this time).
1) Ray Hayward 156.09 peg 126 waggler/meat
2) Roland ? 123.03 peg 123
3) M Wright 111.01 peg 114 waggler/meat, LH margin/meat
4) Trev Huth (??) 94.04 peg 110
5) D Cockayne 93.11 peg 118
6) Dick Bull 73.15 peg 112
Silvers
1) Steve Hutter 21.03 peg 131 (including 4 perch for 10lb)
2) John Green 16.06 peg 116
3) S Denner(??) 10.10 peg 129
Peg 115 for me today, I've not drawn it before, but it does have some form, so I expected a few fish. I did myself no favours by taking worm & caster, corn & meat and maggot. I had some half baked plan where I'd fish for silvers initially and then carp, as other venues I've fished recently haven't been producing carp from the start.
Once I saw John Green on 116, I started to change my mind and confused myself, doing myself no favours with either silvers or carp. I fed a line at 7m with groundbait and caster, one at 14.5m with caster & corn and some corn via the catty at lead/waggler range towards the middle.
I set up a straight lead, 6lb Daiwa TDR to a 0.17 hooklength and a 16PR36 with a quickstop. A waggler with 4lb sensor, a 0.13 hooklength and a 18 6313 and three pole rigs, a Mosella slim float (model unknown) to fish caster on the 7m line, with a 18 6313 on .011, a MW diamond to fish corn, double caster or maggot on the 14mm line, with a 18 808 on 0.13 and a Durafloat to fish meat/corn at either distance on 0.17/0.15 and a 18 Xedion hook.
I started on the waggler with meat, over ½ a dozen grains of corn, that produced nothing for 25 minutes, the 7m line with double caster yielded a fish a chuck, but it was roach of an identical stamp, lucky if they went ¾oz each. Some carp were being caught on the waggler and at least its easy to see when others are catching on meat. So out with the lead and a 6lb fish first put in, then 2 fish lost, one definite foulhooker. A quiet spell and then another 6lb fish followed by an 8lber, the bites followed the same pattern, no indications, then a liner or two, before a rip round. It seemed as if there were just individual fish coming in to the peg and finding the bait.
The middle of the match saw a very quiet spell, I set up a margin rig as 114 was taking fish from his LH margin (the pallet of 113) and Dick Bull on 112 was catching in the margin fishing back towards 113. I may have well as saved the effort, as I didn't have a bite or any indication in either LH or RH margin. There were still carp being caught on the waggler, I didn't manage to get one single bite on it in 6 hours, apart from one foolish cast with double maggot (another pea in the pod ¾oz roach).
In the last hour I had a few more fish on the lead/meat, I'm pretty sure the fish were shoaled up, in certain pegs, but not to the extent that other pegs were virtually barren, I just couldn't work out how to feed/how much to feed. In the last hour and a half, I upped the feed to ½ a dozen or ten cubes of meat every cast/bite and I caught more, but was that just last hour syndrome?
This was my first experince of an open on Viaduct where the pellet is banned (apart from a Carps AC Xmas match where the lake was frozen over at least 1" thick) and I've got a lot to learn about how to fish it during the winter, I reckon its back to the Thursday costcutters for a bit of experimentation and learning curve, at least it cheaper to be pools fodder in these matches.
I managed a lowly 56.03 (not a bad winter weight in my book, but not good on the day). The middle 3-3½ hours were where I fell by the wayside and the answer lies in the feeding (I think!! although I had no liners or indications during this time).
1) Ray Hayward 156.09 peg 126 waggler/meat
2) Roland ? 123.03 peg 123
3) M Wright 111.01 peg 114 waggler/meat, LH margin/meat
4) Trev Huth (??) 94.04 peg 110
5) D Cockayne 93.11 peg 118
6) Dick Bull 73.15 peg 112
Silvers
1) Steve Hutter 21.03 peg 131 (including 4 perch for 10lb)
2) John Green 16.06 peg 116
3) S Denner(??) 10.10 peg 129
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Acorn Little Lake, Wednesday 10th November
I was looking forward to this 12 peg knock up, as this lake usually produces a few fish even in the coldest weather. Once I'd drawn, I knew that I wasn't going to see any return on my pools money today (maybe a different story in the summer). I drew peg 7 which today was next to the bridge (RH side of the bridge looking towards the Carp lake). On my RH side I had Pete Sivell for company, his peg is slightly narrower than mine, but at least he had an empty peg to his RH side.
It was a cold day and the water temperature just about pushed the mercury to 6°C, I'd decided on an maggot approach, to the far bank, up to the bridge and in the LH margin. I also fed a line ½ way across with a little micro and a couple of 3mm expanders - as I suspected this didn't produce a single bite.
I had a couple of fish from the bridge, and couple from the far bank, it was fishing hard for everyone, although I could see some action towards the end of the lake (motorway end). Pete Sivell went down to th empty peg and a weed bed and had a few fish, before Dave Blakemore on the peg the other side potted in a big pot of feed, that pretty much stopped Pete, who had been getting a fish a chuck.
I did have a short spell where I lost a couple of foul hookers, I shallowed up and had another fish, but I pretty sure the fish were just passing through the peg, as the liners stopped as soon as they started. I was losing interest, I couldn't tempt any silvers (apart from a small chub and 1 roach), where have all the Perch gone? They were prolific in this lake.
At half three, with half an hour to go, the sun had gone, I was freezing cold and knew that I had no chance of sneaking into the money, so I packed up neatly and tidily (unusual for me!!) so I'd be ready for Viaduct on Thursday. Quite bizarely, the silvers were won with 1lb 9oz, most of which was a big fat goldfish.
As I sit typing this on Thursday lunchtime, I should be at Viaduct fishing, but our dog manged to lose an arguement with a barbed wire fence this morning, whilst out on his walk and I'm waiting for the phone call from Langford Veterinary College, where he is being operated on to clean up his wounds and stitch him up. So the 4 pints of pristine caster in the fridge will hopefully keep until Saturday.
1) Martin Lenaghan peg 1 with 89.03
2) Tim Ford peg 11 with 80.06
3) Phil Harding peg 2 55.00
4) Tony Rixon peg 3 44.12
5) Pete Sivell peg 8 40.10 Also top silvers with 1.09
6) John Bradford 33.12 peg 12
As the results prove, you wanted to be at either end in the 'bowls' or have an empty peg to one side.
It was a cold day and the water temperature just about pushed the mercury to 6°C, I'd decided on an maggot approach, to the far bank, up to the bridge and in the LH margin. I also fed a line ½ way across with a little micro and a couple of 3mm expanders - as I suspected this didn't produce a single bite.
I had a couple of fish from the bridge, and couple from the far bank, it was fishing hard for everyone, although I could see some action towards the end of the lake (motorway end). Pete Sivell went down to th empty peg and a weed bed and had a few fish, before Dave Blakemore on the peg the other side potted in a big pot of feed, that pretty much stopped Pete, who had been getting a fish a chuck.
I did have a short spell where I lost a couple of foul hookers, I shallowed up and had another fish, but I pretty sure the fish were just passing through the peg, as the liners stopped as soon as they started. I was losing interest, I couldn't tempt any silvers (apart from a small chub and 1 roach), where have all the Perch gone? They were prolific in this lake.
At half three, with half an hour to go, the sun had gone, I was freezing cold and knew that I had no chance of sneaking into the money, so I packed up neatly and tidily (unusual for me!!) so I'd be ready for Viaduct on Thursday. Quite bizarely, the silvers were won with 1lb 9oz, most of which was a big fat goldfish.
As I sit typing this on Thursday lunchtime, I should be at Viaduct fishing, but our dog manged to lose an arguement with a barbed wire fence this morning, whilst out on his walk and I'm waiting for the phone call from Langford Veterinary College, where he is being operated on to clean up his wounds and stitch him up. So the 4 pints of pristine caster in the fridge will hopefully keep until Saturday.
1) Martin Lenaghan peg 1 with 89.03
2) Tim Ford peg 11 with 80.06
3) Phil Harding peg 2 55.00
4) Tony Rixon peg 3 44.12
5) Pete Sivell peg 8 40.10 Also top silvers with 1.09
6) John Bradford 33.12 peg 12
As the results prove, you wanted to be at either end in the 'bowls' or have an empty peg to one side.
Sunday, 31 October 2010
Bullock Farm, Sunday 31st October 2010
I took my nephew who is just getting started fishing and mad keen down to Bullock Farm on Thursday, it fished pretty hard then, so I was sure today wouldn't be a red letter day - in fact most of the words uttered around the lake today were of the turn the air blue variety.
A hearty breakfast curtesy of Karen's cafe at Bullock's, then the draw which put me on peg 15, a peg with lots of options, but not much history of success. I have caught carp across to the back of peg 27 in the warmer weather, but wasn't hopeful today with the water being pretty clear and Pete Sivell's pole pushing back over their heads. Not that Pete had much option other than to break down three times, although he could tone down the bright red stripes on the butt section.
I started about 2/3 across towards the boards (which are mostly covered by a tree now)with a meagre feeding regime of very sloppy swim stim and pinkie. I also fed a caster line at 5m to my right. I had a couple of crucians (the new, small stockies, not the big old boys) and a goldfish, before a carp around the 1lb mark took the pinkie. A decent roach followed and then a carp around the 5lb mark, gently coaxed in on the 0.10 and size 20 6313. I was getting the odd bubble and indication on the float, another crucian and small hybrid were netted.
It all seemed to be going to plan, it was fishing hard and I was getting bites, when I lifted into a carp that the double 5 wasn't going to stop from reaching the tree and debris in front of the boards. That signalled the end of my match, as I pulled for a break, instead of the 0.10 or 0.11 mainline breaking, it seemed that the carp had snagged the elastic, which broke and disappeared at a rate of knots towards the tree, taking the PTFE bush with it.
I set up a new rig on 0.13 with an .011 hooklength matched with doubled 8 elastic and never had a bite on it, I also lost a fish from the margin adjacent to the pallet of 14,in another snag, that was my last action, either of the lost fish would have given me the section. 9lb odd was my sum total, which was all caught in the first half of the match.
The temperatures are forecast to hold up, with a little rain this week, which might give some hope to those on the Teams of Four next week, the lake definitely needs a bit of colour from somewhere.
1) P Elmes 35.01 peg 17
2) G Bedford 24.02 peg 8
3) G Calvert 22.07 peg 30
4) D Roper 21.14 peg 25
5) R Wooten 19.01 peg 31
=6) J Gray 12.02 peg 2
=6) T (lucky tench) Rixon 12.02 peg 12
A hearty breakfast curtesy of Karen's cafe at Bullock's, then the draw which put me on peg 15, a peg with lots of options, but not much history of success. I have caught carp across to the back of peg 27 in the warmer weather, but wasn't hopeful today with the water being pretty clear and Pete Sivell's pole pushing back over their heads. Not that Pete had much option other than to break down three times, although he could tone down the bright red stripes on the butt section.
I started about 2/3 across towards the boards (which are mostly covered by a tree now)with a meagre feeding regime of very sloppy swim stim and pinkie. I also fed a caster line at 5m to my right. I had a couple of crucians (the new, small stockies, not the big old boys) and a goldfish, before a carp around the 1lb mark took the pinkie. A decent roach followed and then a carp around the 5lb mark, gently coaxed in on the 0.10 and size 20 6313. I was getting the odd bubble and indication on the float, another crucian and small hybrid were netted.
It all seemed to be going to plan, it was fishing hard and I was getting bites, when I lifted into a carp that the double 5 wasn't going to stop from reaching the tree and debris in front of the boards. That signalled the end of my match, as I pulled for a break, instead of the 0.10 or 0.11 mainline breaking, it seemed that the carp had snagged the elastic, which broke and disappeared at a rate of knots towards the tree, taking the PTFE bush with it.
I set up a new rig on 0.13 with an .011 hooklength matched with doubled 8 elastic and never had a bite on it, I also lost a fish from the margin adjacent to the pallet of 14,in another snag, that was my last action, either of the lost fish would have given me the section. 9lb odd was my sum total, which was all caught in the first half of the match.
The temperatures are forecast to hold up, with a little rain this week, which might give some hope to those on the Teams of Four next week, the lake definitely needs a bit of colour from somewhere.
1) P Elmes 35.01 peg 17
2) G Bedford 24.02 peg 8
3) G Calvert 22.07 peg 30
4) D Roper 21.14 peg 25
5) R Wooten 19.01 peg 31
=6) J Gray 12.02 peg 2
=6) T (lucky tench) Rixon 12.02 peg 12
Viaduct Open. Saturday 30th October 2010
This was advertised as a silvers match, good job I rang to book in before buying the caster, as it reverted to a proper match where all fish count. Last weekend before the winter pellet ban at Viaduct and as it had been mild all week, I just took 6 & 8mm pellet and 8mm cubed meat.
Peg 111 was to be my home for the 6 hours, I set up a depth waggler, one at 2/3 depth, a straight lead and two pole rigs, one for hair rigged pellet at 14.5m and one for meat at 6m. I could have saved the effort!!
I started on the waggler at depth towards the aerator, I'd also fed some 6mm via a cup at 14.5m, it took a while to get a bite and I was a couple of fish behind Lewis Greenwood on 112 before I landed my first one. In fact the day was a bit of a groundhog day, hearing Lweis cast, strike and his clutch sing as another foul hooker sped off, there certainly seemed to be a ball of fish opposite the end of the spit.
Around 10 to 2 the phone rang and during the call (a bizarre question from Tony Rixon about fishing rights on the drain that flows into the Kenn at the crosswaters of the old Kenn & the Tickenham Boundary Rhine - one I couldn't answer) I hooked and landed my seventh fish. Then a blank two hours, I'd had one skimmer on the pole, no other bites. Pellet, meat, all seemingly a waste of time.
I managed to lose two wagglers as I snagged the ropes of the areator, I was surprised how the numbness in my palm (caused by the operation scar) affected my casting and feeding accuracy, which was pretty crap today.
I resorted to meat on the lead, unless I got tight to the aerator I couldn't get a bite - not sure if that was me being drawn to it at the start and feeding there initially - or that the fish were content to sit where they felt happy, I lean towards the latter.
Finishing just over halfway down th field was not the intended outcome, but the fish seemed to be content to stay towards the middle pegs of the lake, an enjoyable day anyway, 11 carp for 67.13 and a lone skimmer at 1.06 for a total of 69.03.
1) A Palmer 161.13 peg 128
2) K Masheder 129.12 peg 114
3) M Preston(? the Viaduct hand writing curse strikes again)120.14 peg 116
4) Roland 116.02 peg 124
5) D Roper 110.06 peg 126
6) L Greenwood 105.12 peg 112
Silvers
1) J Green 25.03 peg 125
2) G OShea 19.06 peg 115
3) N Bartlett 18.13 peg 118
Peg 111 was to be my home for the 6 hours, I set up a depth waggler, one at 2/3 depth, a straight lead and two pole rigs, one for hair rigged pellet at 14.5m and one for meat at 6m. I could have saved the effort!!
I started on the waggler at depth towards the aerator, I'd also fed some 6mm via a cup at 14.5m, it took a while to get a bite and I was a couple of fish behind Lewis Greenwood on 112 before I landed my first one. In fact the day was a bit of a groundhog day, hearing Lweis cast, strike and his clutch sing as another foul hooker sped off, there certainly seemed to be a ball of fish opposite the end of the spit.
Around 10 to 2 the phone rang and during the call (a bizarre question from Tony Rixon about fishing rights on the drain that flows into the Kenn at the crosswaters of the old Kenn & the Tickenham Boundary Rhine - one I couldn't answer) I hooked and landed my seventh fish. Then a blank two hours, I'd had one skimmer on the pole, no other bites. Pellet, meat, all seemingly a waste of time.
I managed to lose two wagglers as I snagged the ropes of the areator, I was surprised how the numbness in my palm (caused by the operation scar) affected my casting and feeding accuracy, which was pretty crap today.
I resorted to meat on the lead, unless I got tight to the aerator I couldn't get a bite - not sure if that was me being drawn to it at the start and feeding there initially - or that the fish were content to sit where they felt happy, I lean towards the latter.
Finishing just over halfway down th field was not the intended outcome, but the fish seemed to be content to stay towards the middle pegs of the lake, an enjoyable day anyway, 11 carp for 67.13 and a lone skimmer at 1.06 for a total of 69.03.
1) A Palmer 161.13 peg 128
2) K Masheder 129.12 peg 114
3) M Preston(? the Viaduct hand writing curse strikes again)120.14 peg 116
4) Roland 116.02 peg 124
5) D Roper 110.06 peg 126
6) L Greenwood 105.12 peg 112
Silvers
1) J Green 25.03 peg 125
2) G OShea 19.06 peg 115
3) N Bartlett 18.13 peg 118
Monday, 25 October 2010
Carps AC Wednesday Qualifiers Final. Sunday 24/10/10
Only my second visit to Sedges and it ended as the first time, a mediocre also ran! I had some information, but that didn't help me as I struggled to put a run of fish together.
Peg 36 came out of the bag and I found myself next to Rich Coles, who proclaimed it as a crap draw.... Nothing new there then, but as I didn't know wat was good or bad, I remained optimistic as I tackled up a feeder rod with a cage feeder to fish groundbait & maggot and three pole rigs, one Malman winter wire to fish maggot/caster, one MW pellet to fish worm/pellet and a Maver model unknown to fish hair rigged worm or hard pellet.
There was a slightly deeper area straight in front at 11m and after the cold night, I decided to target that as my main CW& C line, I fed a line with micros at about 8m 10'oclock and to let them rest had a chuck or three with the feeder to get some bait out to the gap in the islands. The day got off to a good start (not) when second cast I hooked a big fish on the feeder and it swam straight into a snag, fish 1 me 0.
Dropping back on the CW&C I had a couple of roach, then a skimmer, before hooking a skimmer around the 3lb mark, which rolled on the surface and shed the hook, the red maggot hookbait had gone over the point, fish 2 me 0. I had a few small skimmers and they seemed to be responding to the feed going in, so I upped it slightly - then spent the rest of the day thinking it wasn't the wisest thing I've ever done, as the fish backed off the bait and probably, by the lack of bites, the peg!! Bloody winter fishing, I hate all this meagre feeding.
Another look on the feeder and apart from small roach and th odd liner, it was also quiet, I did try a banded pellet, nothing doing. Back on the pole and the micro & pellet line saw another small skimmer in the net, by now my hand was hurting, a combination of the cold wind and the pole pressing into it.
I'd never fished a method feeder, but I had bought a couple, just to try, with a guilty feeling, like being caught in a married womans bedroom by her husband, I slipped the method onto the line and launched it to the gap in the islands, it gave my hand some respite, thats my excuse. I actually had three carp and a goldfish on it, nothing of any size, although it has left me traumatised, I think I need to donate them to a worthwhile cause, just in case I'm ever tempted to put one on the line again.
So well and truly battered, although not by 'venue expert' Rich Coles, who managed 10lb odd from 37, my weight boosted by the carp caught when I lost my principles, still only went 11lb odd. If you read Mike Nicholls blog, you'll see he thinks Terry Bruton was on 36, that means Mike must have been on 32 they say the first thing that goes is your mind...... I still have my swimcard with a big blue 36 on it.
It seems there were plenty of fish caught on soft pellet, I wish I could get on with it, probably my least favourite bait and one I may as well not take to matches, as I can't recall ever having done any good with it.
1. John Thompson 68-15-0 peg 19
2. Terry Bruton 44-01-0 peg 34
3. Vince Brown 35-09-0 peg 40
4. Dave Bacon 32-03-0 peg 20
5. Mike Nicholls 26-11-0 peg 32
6. Mike Owens 26-10-0 peg 18
Silvers:
1. Mike Nicholls 20-07-0 peg 32
2. Mike Snudden 19-0-0 peg 39
3. Terry Bruton 15-08-0 peg 34
Peg 36 came out of the bag and I found myself next to Rich Coles, who proclaimed it as a crap draw.... Nothing new there then, but as I didn't know wat was good or bad, I remained optimistic as I tackled up a feeder rod with a cage feeder to fish groundbait & maggot and three pole rigs, one Malman winter wire to fish maggot/caster, one MW pellet to fish worm/pellet and a Maver model unknown to fish hair rigged worm or hard pellet.
There was a slightly deeper area straight in front at 11m and after the cold night, I decided to target that as my main CW& C line, I fed a line with micros at about 8m 10'oclock and to let them rest had a chuck or three with the feeder to get some bait out to the gap in the islands. The day got off to a good start (not) when second cast I hooked a big fish on the feeder and it swam straight into a snag, fish 1 me 0.
Dropping back on the CW&C I had a couple of roach, then a skimmer, before hooking a skimmer around the 3lb mark, which rolled on the surface and shed the hook, the red maggot hookbait had gone over the point, fish 2 me 0. I had a few small skimmers and they seemed to be responding to the feed going in, so I upped it slightly - then spent the rest of the day thinking it wasn't the wisest thing I've ever done, as the fish backed off the bait and probably, by the lack of bites, the peg!! Bloody winter fishing, I hate all this meagre feeding.
Another look on the feeder and apart from small roach and th odd liner, it was also quiet, I did try a banded pellet, nothing doing. Back on the pole and the micro & pellet line saw another small skimmer in the net, by now my hand was hurting, a combination of the cold wind and the pole pressing into it.
I'd never fished a method feeder, but I had bought a couple, just to try, with a guilty feeling, like being caught in a married womans bedroom by her husband, I slipped the method onto the line and launched it to the gap in the islands, it gave my hand some respite, thats my excuse. I actually had three carp and a goldfish on it, nothing of any size, although it has left me traumatised, I think I need to donate them to a worthwhile cause, just in case I'm ever tempted to put one on the line again.
So well and truly battered, although not by 'venue expert' Rich Coles, who managed 10lb odd from 37, my weight boosted by the carp caught when I lost my principles, still only went 11lb odd. If you read Mike Nicholls blog, you'll see he thinks Terry Bruton was on 36, that means Mike must have been on 32 they say the first thing that goes is your mind...... I still have my swimcard with a big blue 36 on it.
It seems there were plenty of fish caught on soft pellet, I wish I could get on with it, probably my least favourite bait and one I may as well not take to matches, as I can't recall ever having done any good with it.
1. John Thompson 68-15-0 peg 19
2. Terry Bruton 44-01-0 peg 34
3. Vince Brown 35-09-0 peg 40
4. Dave Bacon 32-03-0 peg 20
5. Mike Nicholls 26-11-0 peg 32
6. Mike Owens 26-10-0 peg 18
Silvers:
1. Mike Nicholls 20-07-0 peg 32
2. Mike Snudden 19-0-0 peg 39
3. Terry Bruton 15-08-0 peg 34
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Kev Perry Series 2011
Kev Perry Series 2011
Bullock Farm, Kingston Seymour , Somerset.
Match Dates: (All Sundays)
13th March 2011
10th April 2011
24th April 2011
08th May 2011
15th May 2011
22nd May 2011
Draw: 08.45 (Breakfast available on site)
Fishing: 10.00 - 16.00
All matches will be held on the Match Lake maximum of 21 anglers, fishing 3 sections of seven. Open draw on first and fourth matches, rotate sections on second, third, fifth and sixth matches.
The series will be decided on section points; best five results from the six matches, in the event of a tie, total weight will decide the final positions.
Entry to the series is £75, first 21 to pay will secure their place. (peg fees have increased this year to £5 per angler per match) There will be a compulsory £10 pool each match, as well as optional super pool and optional silverfish pool. It will also be necessary to pay the £10 pool for the last match, with your series entry fee.
Match Day Payout: 1st £70, 2nd £50, 3rd £30 & three section winners £20 (by default). + Superpool payout, to be announced on the day.
Series Payout Overall: 1st £250, 2nd £175, 3rd £125
Series Payout Silvers: 1st £175, 2nd £125, 3rd £95
Phil has once again, kindly provided a Bullock Farm season ticket for the overall winner and we will endeavour to secure any other sponsorship we can.
To enter or for more details, contact:
Paul Faiers: 01275 858984
Or
Chris Fox 01275 544397
Bullock Farm, Kingston Seymour , Somerset.
Match Dates: (All Sundays)
13th March 2011
10th April 2011
24th April 2011
08th May 2011
15th May 2011
22nd May 2011
Draw: 08.45 (Breakfast available on site)
Fishing: 10.00 - 16.00
Pole Only
All matches will be held on the Match Lake maximum of 21 anglers, fishing 3 sections of seven. Open draw on first and fourth matches, rotate sections on second, third, fifth and sixth matches.
The series will be decided on section points; best five results from the six matches, in the event of a tie, total weight will decide the final positions.
Entry to the series is £75, first 21 to pay will secure their place. (peg fees have increased this year to £5 per angler per match) There will be a compulsory £10 pool each match, as well as optional super pool and optional silverfish pool. It will also be necessary to pay the £10 pool for the last match, with your series entry fee.
Match Day Payout: 1st £70, 2nd £50, 3rd £30 & three section winners £20 (by default). + Superpool payout, to be announced on the day.
Series Payout Overall: 1st £250, 2nd £175, 3rd £125
Series Payout Silvers: 1st £175, 2nd £125, 3rd £95
Phil has once again, kindly provided a Bullock Farm season ticket for the overall winner and we will endeavour to secure any other sponsorship we can.
To enter or for more details, contact:
Paul Faiers: 01275 858984
Or
Chris Fox 01275 544397
Ramblings driven by boredom.
The operation on my wrist seems to have been a success, its still healing, but I did manage a few hours at Bullock Farm today - more of that later.
Wednesday 6th saw me able to drive, but with the stitches still in, not ready to fish, so I went and walked the match at Landsend, just to try and see what I'm doing wrong there. I learnt a few things watching Tony (Rixon) and Dean (Malin), but also saw others struggling as I have in the past - still not sure what the answer is, except to draw on a peg full of fish.
I have cleaned all my gear up, checked and changed as necessary all my topkit elastic, stripped all my rigs off and will retie some fresh ones, hooks are tied, tackle box has been emptied, cleaned and all items cleaned and returned to box. (Or binned, if I haven't used them in a coulpe of years.)
I use powerline and decided to get the micrometer out, its quite a revelation, the actual dia is way over the stated, I intend to try out some other lines for silvers/winter carp hook lengths, so mic'd up all the lines I had in the garage. This is how they came out.
Powerline:
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.05.......0.0584.....10oz
0.06.......0.0685.....12oz
0.07.......0.0889.....1.0
0.08.......0.106.....1.12
0.09.......0.116.....2.02
0.10.......0.127.....2.10
0.11.......0.142.....3.06
0.13.......0.162.....4.12
0.15.......0.180.....5.14
0.17.......0.205.....6.12
0.19.......0.231.....7.06
0.21.......0.256.....8.15
Ultima Silk
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.10.......0.104.....2.01
0.12.......0.127.....2.08
0.14.......0.152.....3.08
Middy Lo-viz
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.12.....0.132....3.2
0.14.....0.157....4.4
Browning Cenex
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.14.....0.139.....4.0
Daiwa Sensor
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.205.....0.205.....4.0
0.235.....0.231......6.0
Shimano Technium
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.26.....0.279.....8.0
Maxima
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.15.....0.157.....3.0
0.17.....0.203.....4.0
Told you I was bored.........
I've bought one of those Preston Monster Carryalls, that fold out and hold all rollers etc, it's certainly cut down on all the loose luggage, although it hasn't a side pocket for trays etc. Time will tell if it's a good buy. I've also ordered a set of Halkon Hunt Goretex waterproofs after getting wet at Viaduct a few weeks ago, thay won;t be with me until November, as they have pretty full order books.
Sunday saw me at Trinity Waters, Woodland lake, walking the Clevedon club match, It's painful to watch the method feeders going in, even more painful to see the fish being caught on them..... The Northerly wind made things tricky, that and a monster hangover for Paul Faiers. Dave Baker won with 98lb odd from peg 10ish, Kev Perry second from peg 23 with 60lb+ and a couple of high 50's made up the frame. At least the fish were caught up in the water and the margins later in the match, with the method chuckers failing to keep the fish coming.
Stitches came out Tuesday, so I thought it maybe best to pleasure fish Wednesday, I ventured to Bullock Farm today, it was pretty busy, but a new platform was just being finished on peg 24, so I jumped on that. Keeping it simple I had soft pellet, maggot and a tin of corn, I set up one rig, a MW slim on 0.13 powerline to a 0.12 Middy Lo-Viz hooklength and a 6313 size 18. (Thats my first time with the Lo-Viz and it seems OK, but I was using light elastic (doubled No5) so we'll see how it stands up on a couple more trips).
Fishing at a comfortable 11m, I had a double figure carp on the first put in with 4mm pellet - much to the annoyance of the rest of the anglers on the lake, who hadn't caught whilst I was tackling up....
What was nice to see, was the 25lb net of silvers I had was made up of 50% skimmers, up to 2½lb, these fell to red maggot, whilst the crucians and fantails would only take the 4mm pellet, a 6oz roach and a couple of goldfish completed the species.
I had several other carp up to 8lb and ended the day with around 65lb, not bad in 5 hours, stopping to rest my wrist and to rescue the No5 section of my pole, which fell off behind me. (For those that know peg 24, you ship back over the lake behind you.)
Worst bit is back to work Saturday, what with the operation and holidays, I have only worked one day since Sept 9th, its going to be a bit of a shock!!
Lastly, Paul and myself have decided to run the Kev Perry series again in 2011, see seperate post for details.
Wednesday 6th saw me able to drive, but with the stitches still in, not ready to fish, so I went and walked the match at Landsend, just to try and see what I'm doing wrong there. I learnt a few things watching Tony (Rixon) and Dean (Malin), but also saw others struggling as I have in the past - still not sure what the answer is, except to draw on a peg full of fish.
I have cleaned all my gear up, checked and changed as necessary all my topkit elastic, stripped all my rigs off and will retie some fresh ones, hooks are tied, tackle box has been emptied, cleaned and all items cleaned and returned to box. (Or binned, if I haven't used them in a coulpe of years.)
I use powerline and decided to get the micrometer out, its quite a revelation, the actual dia is way over the stated, I intend to try out some other lines for silvers/winter carp hook lengths, so mic'd up all the lines I had in the garage. This is how they came out.
Powerline:
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.05.......0.0584.....10oz
0.06.......0.0685.....12oz
0.07.......0.0889.....1.0
0.08.......0.106.....1.12
0.09.......0.116.....2.02
0.10.......0.127.....2.10
0.11.......0.142.....3.06
0.13.......0.162.....4.12
0.15.......0.180.....5.14
0.17.......0.205.....6.12
0.19.......0.231.....7.06
0.21.......0.256.....8.15
Ultima Silk
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.10.......0.104.....2.01
0.12.......0.127.....2.08
0.14.......0.152.....3.08
Middy Lo-viz
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.12.....0.132....3.2
0.14.....0.157....4.4
Browning Cenex
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.14.....0.139.....4.0
Daiwa Sensor
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.205.....0.205.....4.0
0.235.....0.231......6.0
Shimano Technium
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.26.....0.279.....8.0
Maxima
Stated.....Actual.....Stated BS(lbs)
0.15.....0.157.....3.0
0.17.....0.203.....4.0
Told you I was bored.........
I've bought one of those Preston Monster Carryalls, that fold out and hold all rollers etc, it's certainly cut down on all the loose luggage, although it hasn't a side pocket for trays etc. Time will tell if it's a good buy. I've also ordered a set of Halkon Hunt Goretex waterproofs after getting wet at Viaduct a few weeks ago, thay won;t be with me until November, as they have pretty full order books.
Sunday saw me at Trinity Waters, Woodland lake, walking the Clevedon club match, It's painful to watch the method feeders going in, even more painful to see the fish being caught on them..... The Northerly wind made things tricky, that and a monster hangover for Paul Faiers. Dave Baker won with 98lb odd from peg 10ish, Kev Perry second from peg 23 with 60lb+ and a couple of high 50's made up the frame. At least the fish were caught up in the water and the margins later in the match, with the method chuckers failing to keep the fish coming.
Stitches came out Tuesday, so I thought it maybe best to pleasure fish Wednesday, I ventured to Bullock Farm today, it was pretty busy, but a new platform was just being finished on peg 24, so I jumped on that. Keeping it simple I had soft pellet, maggot and a tin of corn, I set up one rig, a MW slim on 0.13 powerline to a 0.12 Middy Lo-Viz hooklength and a 6313 size 18. (Thats my first time with the Lo-Viz and it seems OK, but I was using light elastic (doubled No5) so we'll see how it stands up on a couple more trips).
Fishing at a comfortable 11m, I had a double figure carp on the first put in with 4mm pellet - much to the annoyance of the rest of the anglers on the lake, who hadn't caught whilst I was tackling up....
What was nice to see, was the 25lb net of silvers I had was made up of 50% skimmers, up to 2½lb, these fell to red maggot, whilst the crucians and fantails would only take the 4mm pellet, a 6oz roach and a couple of goldfish completed the species.
I had several other carp up to 8lb and ended the day with around 65lb, not bad in 5 hours, stopping to rest my wrist and to rescue the No5 section of my pole, which fell off behind me. (For those that know peg 24, you ship back over the lake behind you.)
Worst bit is back to work Saturday, what with the operation and holidays, I have only worked one day since Sept 9th, its going to be a bit of a shock!!
Lastly, Paul and myself have decided to run the Kev Perry series again in 2011, see seperate post for details.
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