England Ladies Team Fundraiser, Barston Lakes, Tuesday 26th July 2016

This was originally planned for the Glebe, but due to KHV and the Glebe being closed, Nigel at Barston stepped in and we had the whole lake for the 60 booked in, so plenty of room.  I have only been a couple of times before, but was keen to return, circumstance and opportunity stopping me getting there rather than choice.

A decent breakfast at the nearby Premier Inn and onto the draw, 53 stuck to my hand, I was advised that this was a good draw, so hopeful of a good days fishing.  We went back to the van discovered that some 'pranksters' had given it a liberal coating of Old Ghost....

Although I wasn't sure that Ken and Tony didn't have the rolled up £20 outs........

53 is a longish walk, but you can't complain about that if it's decent, so after sorting out a rod, reel and some method feeders for Tony, I was on my way.

That's the view I had for the day and the information was that there would be carp to be caught on the bomb and waggler, without chucking too far.  I set up a pellet waggler, a full depth waggler and a bomb.  A couple of topkits, one for down the edge and another with a 4x16 wire stemmed float to fish pellet at 11m.  Bait tray was simple, pellets and corn, dead maggot.  I did mix two groundbaits, one for down the edge and another for putting in with the pellets at 11m.

Starting on the bomb and pellet, I had two liners in the first half an hour (I had fed 3 balls of GB and pellet at 11m), switching to the waggler for another 20 minutes, I remained biteless and fishless - that certainly wasn't the plan.

A switch to the pole and with corn on the hook I had a few skimmers, but it wasn't hectic, a switch to banded 6mm saw the catch rate increase, but after a while I started to lose fish, not just the odd one, i was losing 3 to 1 landed at one stage.  I changed hook size, hook pattern, laid line on the deck, fished dead depth, off bottom and all to no avail.  It wasn't foulers, the fish I was landing were only just hooked in the outside edge of the top lip.

The skimmer line died off a bit and I went back onto the the waggler and had a 2lb F1, but that was a lone bite until I saw a fish roll about 10yards further out, I cast to it and soon had another F1, but that was it, no real sign of fish in the feed area.  Back on the pole and more skimmers, more hair pulling frustration at lost fish.  Going into the last couple of hours, a few carp were being caught and I remained carpless, the edge line gave me 2 perch and two big skimmers, but no carp and now the guy on 55 was catching on the pellet wag, whilst I had struggled.

With an hour to go I went back on the waggler and hooked a big fish, played it for 10 minutes and had it nearly to the net, I estimate it to be 17lb, a proper angry common, I had a few passers-by stop to watch and on the way to the net the hook pulled.........  the torrid time with losing fish continued.

A few more chucks on the waggler and nothing to show for it, when I saw a couple of big vortexes down the edge. Dropping in with 10 maggots on a 12 Guru XS - a hook I have been using for a couple of years with no problems - the float buried and I was attached to another Barston lump, this time a mirror in the high teens, when that shed the hook at the net I was completely numb, why, how?  could I lose so many fish in one match, 3 different hook patterns, two different methods.....

I managed three more from the edge before the all out and put 38lb of skimmers on the scales and 37lb of carp which was 3 F1's and 3 proper carp.  A nice days fishing, but a torrid days match fishing, I have lost enough to frame and with hindsight, I don't think I fed enough on any of my lines, although I am sure that that didn't contribute to the lost fish.  Being too negative has cost me, especially down the edge, I was trying to feed for one fish at a time, but once I upped the amount of bait, I had more fish in the edge, by then I ran out of time......

All in all a good day out, hopefully a few quid raised and I really must get back there before too long.

Avalon Float Only Open, Sunday 17th July 2016

Really struggling lately to get my head round the way lakes are fishing and I must admit I was sat at Avalon today wondering if I would be enjoying the Huntspill more......

Whilst on many venues the winning weights are respectable, the back up weights are down for this time of year, with fish seemingly reluctant to get their heads down and feed, even late in the match, I know I'm not alone in thinking this.

I guess I have been a bit negative in feeding recently because of the lack of bites, but today I decided to go more positive and see what that would bring, as it couldn't be any worse than the dreadful run I've been on since May.

The draw saw me heading to peg 19, I don't know the venue that well, but its not the worst draw on the lake.  Two waggler rods set up, one at full depth with a couple of No8 droppers and a pellet wag to fish tight to the island, trying to cover options I had two full depth rigs set up, one to fish hard pellet and one for soft pellet/corn.  A shallow rig and a paste rig covered the open water options and I did set up, although not too confidently, a margin rig, as the shallowest water I could find close in was nearly 5'.

Bait tray was simple, 4,6 and 8mm pellets, soft pellets, paste and corn, on the all in I cupped 3 balls of GB at 13m with pellets and a few grains of corn in, just pellets in at 5m and then onto the pellet wag.  a great start, two fish in two chucks, before it started to go wrong big style, as always (in my experience) happens at thei venue, the fish move tight against the island, even with the feed deliberately dropped short. The next two chucks saw the float lost in underwater roots, I then hooked a decent fish which kited left and went solid in a snag, another float lost.  In my haste in setting back up and casting back out, I snagged again on the island and lost another float, today was getting expensive.....

I dropped back onto the 13 line with pellet and that was devoid of action, I swapped the pellet for corn and had three decent skimmers in 4 put ins, great, sussed it I thought, but that was to it, I never had another skimmer all match.  I tried the 5m line, but that was completely dead, I never saw as much as a bubble from that all match and never had a bite on it.  I reset up the waggler and switched to fishing the open water at the end of the island, this brought a decent fish to the net, but the activity that was there soon stopped after half a dozen casts.

Back to 13m and a fish on paste, then onto the deep waggler and a hard fighting ghostie fell to an 8mm pellet, I kept the odd fish coming by swapping between paste at 13m and pellet waggler.  I think chasing the crusiers that were off the end of the island has cost me, I should have just persevered with the 13m line and kept the feed going in, as feeding was essentiual to get a bite, even though they were few and far between.

I put 60.14 on the scales, I think that was 7th or 8th, it was one out of the money in the section and whilst that is better that my recent run, another 2 or 3 fish would have put me in second place - decision making has cost me, must stop chasing cruisers that aren't feeding!!!

Tony Rixon's Float Only, Round 2, Landsend, Sunday 12th June 2016

This is going to be another brief line or two.....

I drew 32 which ensured plenty of comments about can't moan about that etc etc.  Its a corner and it's the 'right' end of the lake.  I was fairly optimistic and set up 5 topkits, a shallow rig, a full depth pellet rig, a meat rig for 5m and two margin rigs, one to fish shallow and one to fish the only bit of shelf I could find at 9m along the end bank.  The rest of the peg, even tight to the end bank was all within 6" of full depth, not looking good already.

Starting on the meat yielded nothing but a rudd, out to 14m and I had a fish straight away, that took me straight into the undercut end bank and transferred the hook to some dangling roots.  Next 3 of hours I had 7 carp, one at full depth 14m, one shallow, one short on meat, one down the edge and three in three put ins at 16 just up the slight slope to the end bank.  And that was that, not another bite, fishless for 3 hours, whilst I watched Trigger and Tim Clark on 34 and 31 catching one a bung or in Tim's case, hooking one a bung, not necessarily, landing one a bung.....).  The fish were out by the island, in shallow water, no matter what I did, I was unable to entice them into the deeper, open water of my peg.

50lb weighed in, a long, long way behind, I really can't think I did too much wrong, if you don't get a bite for 3 hours, I reckon there aren't many/any fish there.

Here's hoping for better days at Viaduct this Thursday, the Glebe Fri/Sat and back to Viaduct Sunday.

Viaduct Spring league Round 4, Sunday 4th June2015

This won't be overly long......

If it wasn't a league match and if Tony hadn't been coming round for breakfast, I might have cried off, very rarely I get intense headaches and feeling sick, today was one of those days, so that's the excuse in nice and early.

112 came out of the draw tin, it's been a cracking draw and I wasn't disappointed.  To cut a long story short I struggled to catch, whilst Nick Chedzoy on 111 (who predicted he'd be last in section) caught steadily all day.  Nick did mention that the water was moving, well it might have been on 111, but it wasn't on 112.  The aerator was on all day, not sure if that affected my peg or if I was just crap, I certainly felt crap.

It took me nearly 5 hours to think about fishing up towards Nick and once I did, I started catching - doh.... but too little late, at least by the time I packed up, I started feeling a bit better, I weighed a miserable 75lb, but it wasn't last in section, so saved that fate.

Tony Rixon's Float Only League, Round 1, Viaduct, Sunday 29th May 2016

First round of Tony's popular float only league today, Campbell and Cary in, I wasn't too fussed where I drew as a section win was the aim, although the wind was pushing towards the car park bank again, yesterday in Veals we both thought 109 might be a nice draw.

Into the tin and I was somewhat shocked to draw 135, car park bank of Campbell, now this can be a feast or famine peg and I have drawn it before and struggled, but with the wind blowing in to it and a few fish came off it yesterday, surely it should be worth a section win.  Apparently, so I was advised, the fish yesterday were caught short on meat and 11m down the RH edge.

As the fish have been spawning, I did try and give myself some options, so set up a rig to fish meat short, two pellet rigs to fish 14m, one shallow, one full depth, I also set up a paste rig, to try a target bait over the pellet if necessary.  Two margin rigs, one with 3 No8s bulked and one with 3 No11's spread out, as I had a couple of waggler rods in the ready made case, I got them out - they went away again at the end unused.

Bait tray was simple, 6 and 8mm pellets, 8 and 10mm meat and dead maggots, I did have a bag of paste and some worms in the cool bag. Starting short on meat, it was evident that there were some 'shit' fish in the peg, as the float did the dance that signals small fish attacking the meat.  I persevered for 20 minutes and did have two carp on it, but it wasn't going to be a worthwhile line of attack, at least not early on.

I had fed a throwaway line with softened pellets down to the left, it remained thrown away, I didn't see any indication of a fish there all match, I also pinged pellets down to the pallet of 136.  I went out on the 14m line, in line with the aerator, I had a couple of fish and had some liners, I tried the shallow rig and did not get a touch on it.  Persevering with the full depth rig, was best and I upped the feed, I had 3 No11's down the line and I had several fish on the drop, but mainly I caught by sitting and waiting, lifting and dropping didn't work at all.  I kept at this, apart from a a short spell where I did try paste over the feed, but the wind was making it awkward to fish at this length.

Back on the pellet and fish were coming to the net, not at an amazing rate, nor were they a big stamp of fish, but I could see the lake was fishing reasonably hard for some, so stuck at it.  I had been pinging pellets down to 136 all this time and went in there for a look, but nothing, not a bite, this was exactly the same as last time I drew the peg.  I decided to put GB and maggot in to try and draw the fish that were slurping away under the brambles to the left of 110. 3 big pots and back on the long pellet rig until I saw some indication down the edge.

Dropping two worms in over the GB was more successful than pellet and I did manage a few fish from there, but it was never hectic and the fish size wasn't the expected stamp from the edge.  With 3/4 of an hour to go I put a 4th net in, having clicked 50lb on the three I had in, this was the usual kiss of death, putting just three fish in it in the last 45 minutes.  With hindsight I should have gone back on the pellet, but was kept 'interested' in the margin, by the odd bite, signs of fish and I did lose a double figure fish just before the end - frustratingly it was one of the lazy wallowers, which you expect to draw in and scoop straight away, this one managed to wallow himself off the hook and cost me second place......... Still, lake win and section win, so mission accomplished.

1. Dave White - 204lb 10oz - peg 109
2. Nick Ewers - 182lb 3oz - peg 76
3. Chris Fox - 181lb 7oz - peg 135
4. Chris Davis - 165lb 1oz - peg 131
5. Ken Rayner - 161lb 5oz - peg 94
6. Dan White - 144lb 12oz - peg 123

Acorn Costcutter, Tuesday 24th May 2016

A chance to go fishing today, the closest and easiest option was Acorn, not my favourite venue, nothing against the fishery at all, but I do prefer an open water lake to a snake lake and I have a dreadful record here, apart from the first few times I fished it.

Traveled down with Tony Rixon and we walked round the lake at the start with Mark Bartlett to assess the pegging and state of the pallets, the aging ones Mark is going to repair /replace.  The draw tin gave me 33, a bridge peg, which is not to be sniffed at, although they are more bankers in the winter than the summer months.

I had a loan of Tony's brand new shears to trim the far bank grass, which is necessary to get tight to the bank, glad he had been shopping yesterday, as I think without them I wouldn't have got rid of the dense vegetation.  Once the gardening was done, it was onto rigs, one for pellet against the far bank mudline, this was less than 12" deep, the other area I had cleared had grass clumps stopping me getting tight in and this was about 20" deep.  I also set up a rig for the 'second shelf and a paste rig for full depth against the bridge.  Finally a margin rig to fish down to the pallet of 32, this was a decent depth tight in , but sloped off quite quickly.

I started across against the far bank and this gave me a flying start, as I put 45lb on the clicker in the first two hours and I was starting to think I would be on for a decent weight, I was feeding 4mm and a few 6mm pellets with 6mm in the band.  After two hours the wheels fell off, the bites stopped, signs of fish stopped and catching stopped, I spent the next three hours trying paste, I tried short by the bridge, margins, shallow, maggots,  chopped some worms and tried worm slop shallow, all to no avail apart from a couple of squeakers.

Going into the last hour there were a few signs of fish back on the far bank and this did produce a few more fish, but not hectic sport, frustrating really, as I guessed it wouldn't be enough to do any good, I lost a big fish at the net, but apart from that not too much went wrong, apart from the 3 hour virtually blank spell.

I did put 80.03 on the scales, which was enough for 5th and last in the money, I think this is my best weight from this venue, so maybe I won't leave it so long to come back next time.

Viaduct Spring League, Round 3, Sunday 22nd May 2016

Last weekend was spent in Barcelona, at the Spanish GP, a change, but it was good to be back fishing today.  Traveling down with Tony again, we covered a huge range of subjects, one of which was we were both unsure of exactly where we wanted to draw.

I considered changing my drawing, which usually means getting in ASAP, but decided in the end to get near the front and picked up two stuck together - hmm, I always seem to take the wrong one when that happens - so dropped them back in, took another and it was Cary 86.  Not a peg you'd be disappointed to draw, so hopefully in with a chance of some coin today.

Chatting with Dan White before, he offered the advice that they'd come to the pole at 16m, which would be good, as unless it's going round all the time, I'm not a fan of lead chucking.  I set up two wagglers, one full depth, one shallow, two lead rods and 4 topkits, one for down the LH edge, a .3 float, 0.20 line and a 12 Guru XS spade - I have had some lumps from this edge in previous matches....  A Roob on 0.20 with a 0.18 hooklength and a 14 Guru XS for meat short, this just had 4 strung out No 11's down the line, a similar rig, but a heavier float and bulk and finally, a NG power slim to fish pellet at 14.5m at full depth, this again on 0.20 with a 0.18 hooklength with a 16 B960 and a band.

Bait tray was 6, 8 and 11mm pellets, 8 and 10mm meat and dead reds.  Starting on the waggler, it didn't take long to get a 8lb fish in the net and then another a bit bigger, but then the wind got up, R to L and this made the waggler presentation all wrong.  I did have 5 minutes on the lead, but the tip didn't move.  A look on the short meat line saw the float doing the 'shit fish dance' even with 10mm bacon grill on.  Obviously no carp there yet.  I had a spell at 14.5m and put several fish in the net, the action wasn't frantic and I did wonder if paste might have worked as a stand out bait - but I didn't have any.  I upped the feed and this brought a couple more fish and some liners, so off my box and set up a shallow rig.

Had a bite first slap with the shallow rig, but lost the fish just after breaking down to topkit, didn't feel fouled, a 6lb fish followed shortly after, but it was obvious there weren't loads of fish competing for bait, so I abandoned the shallow rig and went for a look in the margin, where I had been feeding meat and pellet.  First two drop ins with meat produced two perch, both over 1lb, one nearer 2lb.  I then decided to go down the GB and maggot route with this and put 3 full cups of GB and 1/4 pot of maggots.

Back onto the meat line and I had a mid double, before the shit fish returned.  I had been feeding 11mm pellets out towards the middle and tried the lead over this again, to no avail, although my patience with it didn't last more than 5 minutes again.
Down the edge with maggots and a 14lber was my reward, followed by a 2lb+ hybrid and then a common which was 20lb, the edge seemed to be devoid of fish after that, I managed one more from the meat line, but the last hour was fairly quiet.

158.12 was enough to win the section by over 50lb and second on the lake, so an upturn in fortune in this league, sadly it's too late to trouble the frame, but a welcome result none the less.

1. Craig Edmunds - 269lb 1oz - peg 115
2. Ben Hagg - 208lb 7oz - peg 110
3. Mike Williams - 191lb - peg 124
4. Leon Hubbard - 190lb 11oz - peg 128
5. Luke Sorokin - 180lb 9oz - peg 53
6. Dick Bull - 176lb 6oz - peg 90
7. Bob Gullick - 174lb 11oz - peg 129
8. Dan White - 172lb 15oz - peg 127
9. Chris Davis - 170lb 5oz - peg 130
10. Chris Fox - 158lb 12oz - peg 86

Viaduct Spring League R2, Sunday 8th May 2016

Traveling down with Tony, we chatted about the effect the wind blowing to the car park end of the lakes would have, as the fish have certainly followed it.

I decided to stick to getting in the draw tin early and wasn't overjoyed to see 123 staring back at me, whilst Tony drew 109, both feast or famine pegs, but with the wind blowing into 109 for a week, it was likely to be one its better days.  123 had not fared too well on the Saturday open, but there is always a chance that the fish have gone into the corner. 

Enough time to set up a lead rod, which once again went away at the end with the line dry, with Gary Ethridge on 121 there was limited scope to fish long, two waggler rods, one full depth, one shallow - I had a cast or two to get my range for the shallow wag and landed it tight to the end bank, float dipped and fish on, a 4lb common took the pellet band.  That is usually the kiss of death and Gary reminded me, Dave Cockayne on 124 offered a landing net, but i had already set mine up.

4 topkits, shallow, full depth pellet plumbed up at 14.5m, meat short and margin for the LH edge down to the corner. It was a slow start, the waggler to the end bank didn't produce a bite, a few casts with no feed, then light feed, all of which was to no avail, the wind was strong and gusty enough to be a nuisance, it was coming almost straight at me, but slightly L to R.  A couple of fish on the short meat line by feeding negatively saw something go in the net, but it was another day of looking up the lake seeing elastic streaming out and landing nets working overtime.

The 14.5m line did not produce as much as a bite, I set up a paste rig and tried some paste at about 7m off at 11 0'clock, this gave up 1 skimmer and one carp.  The carp were a decent size, just few and far between, Gary was suffering the same fate and 119 was similarly suffering, we were all waiting ages for a bite, there just seemed to be a few resident bigger fish this end, with nothing to stir them up and get some competition going.

I didn't go down the edge for 3 hours, trying to leave it to settle, having fed some pellet and meat, I did venture down there at the halfway point and had a 14lber, then a smaller common before it was as dead as the rest of the lines, I had a two hour spell where I didn't have a bite, I couldn't even raise a small skimmer.....

With an hour to go I mixed up some GB and put this down the edge with maggot, I had two more fish on it, but these were the only bites and indications on the float, the peg certainly wasn't rammed with fish.  With hindsight, it might have paid to fish maggot down the edge from the start, meat short and long, just fished really negatively for one fish in the peg at a time, I do find this difficult to do when the pegs in the opposite quarter of the lake are bagging, I guess I tried to force it slightly and that was wrong on the day.  There was no way, no matter what I did, I would have competed with the weights that framed, but I might have eked out a couple more section points, as I only managed to beat Gary on 121, my 108, just trumping his 103. there were a couple of low 120's in the section, but that's it now. apart from 3 section wins and others having disasters, its series over and look at the next matches as 55 peg opens.

1. Andrew Crocker – 309lb 5oz – peg 77
2. Tony Gilbert – 296 2oz – peg 53
3. Callum Craig – 256lb 12oz – peg 135
4. Rob Giles – 247lb 13oz – peg 112
5. Steve Seager – 220lb 10oz – peg 114
6. Gary O’Shea – 205lb 14oz – peg 103

Viaduct Costcutter, Thursday 5th May 2016

Back to Viaduct, this time with Tony driving and a stop off at a new breakfast venue for me, Junction Café, Castle Cary.  I'd go again, not the best breakfast I've ever had, but far from the worst one.


About 40 fishing this one, so there were pegs on Lodge, which I was desperately hoping to avoid and managed it, with 74 on Cary being my home for the day, no great feeling of elation or desperation, as the peg can and does throw up good weights, but can also be a grueller, the good sign today was what wind there was, was pushing down this end of the lake.


With plenty of time to set up, I did set up two wagglers, one full depth, one shallow, also a lead rod, which got stripped down at the end without having been touched. 4 topkits, a margin rig, which would suffice for the RH margin and up to the empty pallet of 75, a shallow/mugging rig, as there were cruisers visible, but they were mainly over the other side in front of the empty 106/107. A meat rig for short, this was plumbed up at 2+2 and I used my new 5/6 section dolly butt, these are a great addition to the pole, well worth the money.  Also a full depth rig to fish banded pellet at 14.5m.


By the all-in I thought the cruisers were going to disappear, but there were still odd ones venturing off the end of the tree and to my left in open water, I managed to mug two, one from each area, before the wind decided to get up and ripple the surface, still nigh on 30lb in the net in 20 minutes - good start. There were odd bubbles on the 2+2 line and that gave me two more carp, before it went quiet. Out on the long line and I had another and there were indications of fish out on that line, but catching them was proving tricky.  Due to the close proximity of the tree to where I was getting bites, it had to be the deep rig, or lowering the shallow rig in, which didn't work, as I never had a bite on it.  The deep rig brought another fish on 8mm pellet and a couple of lost foulers, before it went quiet as well.


As the wind was blowing into the tree, I cast the depth waggler past the tree, let the wind bow the line round and then wound the waggler into position under the tree, this resulted in one fish and two missed bites, before the wind decided to stop and that was the end of getting the waggler into the fed area.  The middle of the match was a bit barren, there seemed to be no skimmers to be had, the carp had backed away between 107 and 109 where hey were topping and generally crashing about, right royally taking the piss.........


A bubble or two back on the meat line had me reaching for that rig and a bite was soon forthcoming, but it was an immaculate 2lb hybrid, rather than the mid double carp I wanted - still at this point of the match a run of these would be nice.  It wasn't to be, he seemed like a lone muncher, until I added one small skimmer to the net.  By now I had fed the margins left and right, with pellet and meat, but they too were unproductive. I didn't feel it was right for groundbait, but started putting some maggots in the margins and had a carp straight away, then a 2lb+ perch and his smaller brother.  The LH edge produced one absolutely crazy common, nigh on double figures, but fought like one a lot bigger.  A couple more carp from the RH edge, but it was feed and wait for a bite, margins were certainly not full of feeding fish.


With 15 minutes to go, the bubbles came back on the meat line and another decent carp was hooked, just managed to get him netted and back in the water before the all-out, typically, the short line had several bubbles coming up all time time I was packing up, they had moved in just too late to make an assault on the match winners weight.    An enjoyable day, but I am still trying to work out a way (unsuccessfully it would seem) to get the odd fish during those quiet spells, but I am not alone in that.  Anyway, my fish went 142lb, which was enough to win the lake, but only 5th in the match behind 4 weights from Cary.  Tony managed a silvers frame as well, so two slim brown envelopes in the van.


1. Ben Ludwell 184.02 peg 111
2. Ash Tompkins 157.08  peg 119
3. Scott Russell 155.07 peg 124
4. Ian Dunlop 153.02 peg 126
5. Chris Fox 142.13 peg 74
6. Les Gardener 128.00 peg 81


Silvers


1. Scott Russell 45.01 peg 124
2. Tony Rixon 25.03 peg 102

Bank Holiday Open, Viaduct, Monday 2nd May 2016

After 7 long days at work and some stuff going on at home, I wasn't feeling bright and breezy at the draw, but the prospect of a day snaring Cary lumps ensured I turned up.  Once I opened the swimcard, I wished I hadn't, bloody Lodge car park bank again, 55 staring back at me.


I really didn't fancy it for a match win, didn't fancy sitting there for 6 hours and was of an inclination to jump in the van and go home, such was the black cloud that descended over me.  I changed my mind and whilst I couldn't bring myself to walk to that peg, I did go round to the Match lake and fish peg 42 to try out my new elastics and method of attaching rigs. These were yellow, black, green and red hollow from Keepnets Direct and attached as per the description in Paul Holland's youtube video.


I had a great days fishing, shame about the bloody torrential downpour, but carp to 8lb, F1's, big hybrids and skimmers were all falling to either meat short or pellet shallow and deep at 14.5m. 88lb on the clicker for carp/F1's and over 30lb of big hybrids and skimmers.  I was impressed with both the elastics and the method of attaching and now look forward to giving them a bit more of a try out.


As expected the match was won from Cary, so I felt a little vindicated in my decision, even though it was made through frustration and temper.

Viaduct Spring League 2016, 1st Round. Sunday 24th April.

Nice to get a ride down with Tony (Rixon), surely whatever angling demon has been sabotaging my matches since I went over in the net in the Viaduct Winter League, will have relinquished its hold and moved onto a new victim!!


It seems not, just in front of me in the draw queue the fancied pegs were coming out thick and fast, Mark Poppleton on 115, Tony Rixon on 116, along with various others heading to big weight pegs that they grace with alarming regularity,  For me, as you might expect, Lodge, at least it wasn't the hotly discussed car park bank, 68, which can be a decent draw, so hopeful in the section.


I did set up a lead rod and a depth waggler, a rig to fish hard pellet at 14m to try and 'catch all' - ie skimmers and carp. A meat rig short and a margin rig for going down to the pallet of 67.  I started at 14m after cupping in a few 4mm pellets and it wasn't long before I was latched into a lump, after a long tussle I felt that the next lift of the topkit would see it surface in front of the keepnet where I could net it (too big to scoop, it was one that had to guided and shuffled into the net).


I lifted the topkit and had the heart wrenching moment when you realise the elastic has snapped, in slow motion the elastic (which had snapped about 1/3 up from the puller bead) slipped from the topkit and coiled on the water. Then ensued that fruitless trying to twizzle the elastic around the topkit, whilst it slipped slowly and serenely away.  Next that scrabble to dump the topkit and get the lead rod out, that too was a frustratingly pointless act as the arc of casts failed to come back with even a dead leaf, let alone my rig and precious fish.  That was at least 18lb, so not a good start.


Back onto that line and I did have a couple of fish over the next 90 minutes, which was good on the lake, apart from Ben on 66 and Leon on 64 who were catching best of all.  The cold seemed to have been a signal for the skimmers to shut up shop, as there were very few caught, even when I switched to 4mm pellet, the remained conspicuous by their absence.  Meat was no better as a bait, with everyone struggling still.  The sun came out from behind the clouds and the wind dropped, all of a sudden the carp were visible, cruising round 6-12" below the surface, so into the rod bag and out with the shallow waggler, this brought a near instant response by casting to a visible fish.  Sadly the sun and the wind contrived to make spotting fish a very hit or miss affair, in very brief spells and the waggler only accounted for one more fish.


Todays first mistake was not bringing some bread, that popped up 12" below the surface may well have snared a fish or two as they cruised round. Second mistake may have been feeding the short meat line too soon, as it produced nothing for me, at the end I had to rely on the margin.  That would have been OK, but I had been feeding half a section short of the platform and could not get a bite there, I had to flick the bait under the platform of 67 to get a bite and that ended up a miserable:  Me 3 v Carp 7, with for the first time ever, a straightened Guru XS size 14 along the way.


That saw me chip shopped as Ben won the section from peg 66, as his peg got stronger and stronger towards the end, whilst Phil Cardwell on 69 managed a couple from his short line, a couple of popped up bread and even a couple from the margin between us to take second in section.  A fourth in section was how I wanted to start the series, but surely it can't be too much longer before that bloody monkey climbs off my back.  It must be a coincidence, but the downturn in my results since that net disqualification and resulting losing out on winning the match, has been dragging on a little too long now.


Travelling companion for the day Tony did the business from 116 and put over 200lb in the net, so well done to him, I just hope some of that mojo has worked its way onto my kit for this week, which will see me at Viaduct bank holiday Monday, the Thursday Costcutter and then back for round 2 of the spring league on Sunday 8th - need to put things right for that one.


I have also had a week of stripping elastic out of my poles, I have been using Sensas Magic Latex, but as it broke (3 weeks old) so easily and the piece I had left was snapping like cotton, I have junked it all and re-elasticated with hollows, so a couple of matches to get used to it before the next league. I have also gone over to the Paul Holland way of doing it with a bead, I have never had confidence in putting line straight onto elastic, but many people have told me they use this method without problem now, so in with two feet.  Not content with that, I have put some Preston pulla rollers in 5 topkits, I was reluctant to drill a 10mm hole in a Daiwa topkit, but again, plenty seem to do it without issue.  As a balance I have a couple with MAP inserts and several with Frenzee, I'll see which ones suit me best over the next few weeks.

Bait Tech Festival 2016

Going into a festival on the back of a poor run isn't ideal, but it's also an opportunity to turn things around.


This year as usual the Lodge comprised of myself, Paul Faiers and Glenn Calvert, we usually have Paul's Father-in-Law along with us, Chips, but his health took a turn for the worse and he couldn't come this year, so best wishes to Chips and hope he is improving.


We went down early Saturday, as Glenn wanted to watch the football, but clean living folk like me and Faiersy weren't having any of that, so we went onto Python for the afternoon and I had a great afternoon, 80-90lb of F1's, skimmers, perch and roach, whilst Paul had at least 50lb.  That was the first time I had fished it, but was warned not to get too carried away, as that sort of weight wouldn't come out in a match.


A couple of beers in the evening, just to be sociable and meet up with old friends, led to a couple more and it was nearly 09.00 Sunday before any of us rose.  We had a day on Pollawyn, it wasn't hectic, until towards the end when I caught well short on meat, including a Barbel that wasn't far off 6lb.

A much quieter night and up Monday for the draw, I managed peg 38 on Bolingey, not a bad draw, so I was hopeful of catching a few.

I had Steve Nadin opposite, so if it was to be tough at least a familiar face to share the moans with.....


I set up a shallow waggler to fish down to the end bank, a lead rod and several topkits, to cover the margin, short meat, long meat and as there were odd fish showing themselves, a shallow rig, I think if the sun had come out, it might have been a mugging day, but it wasn't quite warm and sunny enough.


Baits were meat, corn and dead maggots, I had a double figure fish straight away on the waggler/meat cast down to the first overhanging bush, before I fed anything, shortly after another, but that was it until much later in the match when I had one more from this line.


It was a struggle, one of those days when catching a fish would spook the others from that line and I worked away swapping lines and ended the day with 86lb, which was 4lb shy of winning the section, but at least a second in section wasn't a disastrous start.


Day two, Pollawyn, a lake I have had reasonable section results on, so fairly confident, out of the draw tin comes 36 another end peg, but not a corner.  For some reason I didn't take anymore pictures, so just words from here on in.  I had a basic plan, but just before the start Paul walked down from Jenny's wanting to borrow a bait tub, he pointed out all the carp basking at the end of the lake, 3 pegs away, but at Whiteacres you can fish halfway to the next angler, regardless of distance, so I spent 20 minutes trying to avoid tress and cast to the fish - pointless and it had thrown me.


I got it completely wrong, peg 34 has a ledge and rushes, which were shaking with fish movement, he was catching carp on the bomb and bread, it narrows up at 36 so I could reach my shelfless, rushless far bank with the pole.  The wind was also funnelling into the peg making things difficult.  I could also see those on the high bank catching well and I persisted trying to catch carp - why?? the high bank isn't in my section!!  Towards the end I made up some groundbait and chopped some worms, that brought me 18lb skimmers in an hour, last in the section and realisation that 32lb was second in section,, 5 hours of worm fishing would have seen me do that, I'm convinced - no excuses, totally blew it.


Day three and it was Twin Oaks / Trelawny, I fancied Twin Oaks and managed to secure a peg on there, trouble is the wind and the fish were ending up towards peg 1, I drew 18 which had been last the day before.  It was looking likely that I was going to join that result, as with 3 and 1/4 hours gone I hadn't had a bite, not a single indication that there was a fish in the peg.  Then at 3.15 I had a carp on the bomb, then next cast another, that was it, not another bite on it.  A cast with the shallow waggler to search the water a bit more saw the float bury and a spirited 3lb tench was netted, then a 4oz roach, which was the last bite on that.  I did manage some big skimmers, F1's and a couple of carp down the edge in the last 3/4 of an hour which saw me beat peg 16 and peg 8 (I think) saving the shame of coming last two days in a row, but that was festival over.


Day four, Trewaters/Jenny's, I tried the PMA to get me a draw on Jenny's as Trewaters is a bit of a bogie water for me, but it wasn't to be and I got Trewaters, but a decent draw, 37- although it had been last the day before, see the pattern emerging!!!  You can just reach the island with 16m, or at least you could if it wasn't so windy that it made it a fairly pointless exercise for most of the match.  Also there are a couple of yellow bushes at 16m down the LH edge, these often produce, again the wind was making it tricky, as it was pushing the 16m of pole into the bank.  (Is that enough excuses??)


I had Dan White to my right and he stuck to a couple of short lines, we were fairly neck and neck until the last 90 minutes when I went chasing fish down the edge and Dan slaughtered them on his 5m line, taking the section with 100lb to my low 70's.  A couple of other weights from the other end of the lake pushed down to a miserable mid section position and I am heading for my worst ever Bait Tech festival result.


Day 5 and just the lake and a bit of pride to fish for, out comes 13 on Acorn, a lake I've never fished, it had been 4th in section the day before. Chatting to Alan Scotthorne before the start (he was on Canal) and he advised me that very frugal feeding was the way to go.  I set up a deep and shallow waggler, a lead rod and several topkits, a margin rig, a long meat rig, a short meat rig and a shallow rig.  Word was that even with 8mm meat on previous days anglers were getting 'roached' out, especially if feeding heavily.


I started on the waggler tight to the island and was soon several fish behind peg 15, where an old boy was catching well on popped up bread into the wides (peg 15 is half as wide again as 13).  A swap to meat short kindering 3 cubes in saw me take 3 fish in the first hour, the guy on 15 obviously hadn't taken advice from Alan S and was throwing handfuls of meat in, he went over it and was soon getting one a bung, whilst most of the rest of us on the lake sat looking on, somewhat bemused.  In response I did start a really positive line at 11m towards peg 15 and that did give me one bite which was a fouler that got away.  A dismal day to round off the festival, wet, grey, very difficult fishing at least I wasn't the only one struggling as 15, won the lake, Rob Wotton was 2nd, 17 had a few and the rest of us all weighed 40lb or less.


So, that was my worst ever finish, must go back and put that right, the result aside, it was as ever, a good week, in good company, even if I wimped out of going out on Thursday night and stayed in the lodge watching fishing DVD's ( I wasn' t the only one).

Landsend Open, Saturday 9th April 2016

It was good to get an opportunity to get back to the peace and tranquility of Landsend, no traffic noise, just birds and sounds of nature.  I usually take a few casters along to fish for silvers, but decided that today my bait tray would consist of pellets and meat, but I couldn't resist adding a few dead maggots for down the edge.

Into the draw tin and out pops 11, I would rather have been on the opposite bank, but it seems as far away as the dark side of the moon, unattainable for me. Made my way to the peg and had a chat with Rod Wootten who was making his way round to 13.  I decided on 4 topkits, one for banded pellet across to the island, a rig to fish soft pellet at 13 and 5m, a meat rig for 5m the other side and a margin rig.

Plumbing up to find decent areas to fish proved tricky, the peg is up and down, hardly any flat areas, I guess the aerator is the cause of that. Finally found enough flat spots to settle on and on the all-in fed some micros and 4mm at 13m and 5m, as well as pinging 4mm pellets to the island.  A few cubes of meat into the 5m line and shipped out.  Little dink first put in was a good sign......... or so I thought!!
Seconds later, the float buried and nigh on 2lb skimmer was safely netted, that was a false dawn, as two small roach were the only other fish taken from that line all day.

After 25 minutes I had to go out to the island and in the next 35 minutes put 27lb on my clicker, great, on for a big weight here....... then the wheels came off, no more bites, no liners, no indications at all. Rod over on 13 had suffered the same fate, the fish had vacated our end of the lake, indeed, I could see them frolicking with carefree abandon in the vacant peg 9.  The large gap between me and Nicky Ewers on peg 7 gave the fish a great area to back off into.

A switch to the meat line and first put in the float settled and then dipped, a skimmer nearly 3lb, would this be the kickstart to a good day on the silvers? No is the short answer, one more bite from the meat line and that was a plump 12oz perch.  The middle four hours of the match were dire, a real struggle, I added one more perch, a rudd and a F1.  Then with an hour to go, fish started coming up the lake, Rod could see them, I managed two more from the island and the had 3 from the RH margin, although they were small, frustratingly I lost a fish I estimated to be 16 or 17lb, it ws reluctant to surface and tried to get under the pallet, I put enough pressure on it to stop that happening, but the hook pulled for whatever reason, the dead maggots weren't much use, 8mm pellets seemed to be the best bait down the edge today.

Too little, too late, both myself and Rod started catching, although Rod had a nightmare as his landing net split, depositing a big fish back in the lake.  I guess it was just one of those days, as I won my bank and managed 4th overall, but just couldn't compete with the 3 pegs on the opposite bank that threw up fish a bit more consistently.  I might even leave the casters at home next time as well!!

Viaduct Costcutter, Thursday 7th April 2016

Just typing the title of this blog has made me think, where has the first quarter of the year gone, time seems to go by so quickly now, but I digress, onto the days sport.

After a prolonged spell at work I was itching to get out and fish a match, so, those who know the venue can imagine my disappointment at seeing peg 56 in my hand after delving into the coffee tin of dreams (or nightmares in my case...).  Pretty much no chance of winning from this peg, framing would take a miracle, but lets give it a go and see what happens was my approach. 44 fishing today, so Campbell, Cary and Lodge all in.

The water is still quite clear, so I wasn't convinced the fish would come too close, also I think that the fish shy away from the pegs in front of the shop when there is a match on, especially in the clear conditions of winter / early spring.  I had put a couple of slices of bread in my bait bag, so set up a lead to start on bread, also from the made up rodcase came a waggler rod, although the wind wasn't too friendly, being left to right and putting a chop, rather than a ripple on the lake.

3 topkits, a NG Gimp to fish banded pellet at 14.5m, this had a 0.14 hooklength and a 16 LWG hook, a Malman Roob to fish 6mm meat at 7 sections and a margin rig which would suffice for either side, as the depths were the same.

Bait tray was simple, 6mm meat, 4 & 6mm pellets and some dead maggots for down the edge - they gave their lives in vain, as neither margin produced as much as a quiver of the float, let alone a convincing bite - nothing more to say about them.

On the all-in I fed the 14.5m line with some 4mm pellet and then started on the bread, 12 minutes of a motionless tip was my limit and up the bank it went, destined to stay there for the rest of the 6 hours.  next out was the waggler, Steve had told me that some carp had been caught fishing to the right of the peg, the waggler was resolutely determined to stay afloat and it joined the lead up the bank after 15 biteless minutes.

The pole line was fed with 4mm pellets as a means to be a catch-all day, and it took 10 minutes to get a bite, but then I had a couple of 6oz skimmers, by now the wind had increased and was inducing tourette like outbursts from myself, how bloody frustrating, wait ages to get to Viaduct after reading all the reports of huge weights, draw an unfavoured peg and even have that ruined by the wind.

I did manage a couple of bigger skimmers before it went quiet, the next bite revealed the reason, a 10lb carp.  I had been feeding two lines at 7 sections, the LH side with just meat, the RH side with meat and pellet,  A look in the LH side, trying to take respite from the wind, gave me a small hybrid, then a bigger skimmer, a jumper, the only one of the day.  The RH side have up 2 better skimmers, then a perch, before it too went quiet.

Back onto the 14.5m line, this is where the fish were, I would have liked to put the 16m section on, but 14.5m was a fight and the presentation was poor, except for when there was a brief and infrequent lull in the gusting wind - no matter how much you curse and swear at it, it doesn't bloody ease up!!  I persevered with the 14.5m line and took occasional skimmers and 3 more double figure carp, I had to drop back on the 7 section line and even into the margins at one point, as it was impossible to hold the pole still.  I did try the waggler over the 14.5m line, but it was pulling through to fast, even with line and a 6mm pellet on the bottom.  With hindsight, a cage feeder with a few pellets in might have been better, but as it was the first outing for my new pole I wanted to give it a good test and the wind certainly showed it had no flaws in it.

I managed to put 22lb of skimmers on the scales and 41.04 of carp, I think that had I been able to go out to 16m or even fish a waggler, that could have been significantly more of skimmers, but it was, apart from the wind,  a pleasant day and I even managed to get back more than the entry fee by picking up 4th in the silvers.

Next up, Landsend Saturday, then the Bait Tech Festival

Results blatantly copy and pasted from Viaducts Facebook page.

Overall
1. Andy Neal - 176lb 2oz - peg 115
2. Nick Jones - 126lb 6oz - peg 77
3. Kev Newman - 120lb 1oz - peg 90
4. Mike Walker - 119lb 7oz - peg 97
5. Steve Rolfe - 112lb 10oz - peg 126
6. Dave Chidzoy - 111lb 8oz - peg 100
7. Chris Boulton - 105lb - peg 59
8. Dave White - 100lb 9oz - peg 88
9. Jamie Parkhouse - 91lb 9oz - peg 99
10. Zac Newton - 91lb 3oz - peg 130
11. Darren Kempson - 90lb 11oz - peg 112
12. Scott Russell - 85lb 6oz - peg 68
13. Paul Homewood - 73lb 1oz - peg 80
14. Paul Reynolds - 72lb 2oz - peg 73
15. Gordon Cannings - 71lb 2oz - peg 110
16. Chris Fox - 63lb 4oz - peg 56
17. Chris Rolfe - 60lb 8oz - peg 64

Silvers
1. Scott Russell - 85lb 6oz - peg 68
2. Jonny Gray - 30lb 12oz - peg 127
3. Ziggy Slowinski - 22lb 11oz - peg 129
4. Chris Fox - 22lb - peg 56
5. Martin Shipston - 21lb 10oz - peg 123
6. Phil Denslow - 19lb 12oz - peg 70

Landsend Winter League, Sunday 27th March 2015

As I am working all of Easter, it was good to get on a local match on the Sunday, before I had to drive to Worcester for a nightshift.

This was my first visit to Landsend for ages, not a conscious decision, just too much work and other matches taking precedence.  Since I was here last, the empty portacabin has been turned into a homely little cafe and I was quite happy with the quality and cost of the breakfast, fortunate timing in opening the fishery cafe for Mike and Diane I think, as the cafe at Shipham was closed when I drove past at 07.36. I was standing in for the absent Roland Lucas and it was to be Specimen lake for me today, I went into the draw tub and was a little disappointed to draw 38, I had spent all the previous day picturing 31,32, 33 or 34 being revealed when I opened the swimcard, but it wasn't to be.

Off to my peg and with ages to set up, had a chat or two on the way, before setting up 4 topkits, one to fish banded pellet just off the island, not sure if it wasn't a little too deep, there was a little flat area just off the island, but it was about 3' deep.  Another rig for caster or soft pellet, I intended to fish one line down the track at 10 o'clock and the other at 2 o'clock, feeding softened 4mm's on one line and caster on the other, a rig to fish meat at 5m and finally, one for the RH and LH margin.

The plan was scuppered when I opened my bait bag and realised that my casters were still in the fridge at home.... Doh, great start.  Also I was buggering about trying to get my pole rollers in a decent position to get up the bank behind me.  I needed a higher roller, I did have a V roller in the van, but have shied away from using V rollers having broken a couple of sections when the roller has blown over and with the wind forecast today, I was going to be content with breaking down the pole.

Venue owner Mike Duckett was chatting as I was doing this and kindly offered me the use of his brand new Preston roller, which certainly towered over my Matrix rollers.  Top man Mike!!  He even revealed some plans for the fishery, I hope he manages to pull them off, as it's a great place, just a shame I don't ever catch many carp here........

Not only did he lend me his shiny new roller, he also brought me down a pint of caster, which I must rather red facedly admit, that I forgot to pay him for in my haste to get home and have an hours kip before work.  If you read this Mike, you know I won't forget and will pay my dues.

Onto the match, on peg 36 to my left, I had Rod Wootten and to my right, Octbox display merchant and genial chappie, Adrian Jefferies on 40.  I had a chat with Rod before and he said I'd catch over early, then the fish would disappear - would you like to pick my lottery numbers next weekend Rod?

I fed the 10 0'clock line with some pellet and the 2 o'clock with caster, before picking up the catapult and pingng a few 4mm's to the island, first dob-in with a 6mm pellet, the float buried, fish on, but it was a 6oz roach.  Next put in a 4lb carp, then a liner and with 20 minutes gone I had another carp and a roach, before any signs of activity stopped.

I'd love to wax lyrical about the rest of the match,  but there isn't much to say. We had a rainstorm, I struggled to get bites on any of my lines, nothing in the RH margin where I had been feeding meat, nothing in the LH margin (down by the pallet of 37) where I fed 6mm pellet and dead maggot.  One sole, solitary bite on the short meat line - a 6oz roach, these were also present on the pellet line - although it was a long, long wait for a bite and I didn't have a bite over the 2 o'clock caster line. I did managed two other carp from the pellet line by the island, I did set up a shallow rig and tried that up tight to the island, but that too remained biteless.

At the end I wasn't too disappointed to have the all-out called, as it was one of those days where there seemed to a lack of fish in the peg create any competition for feed.  As I was guesting for someone not needing league points, I did try and force the peg more than I would have, had I been after section points and it didn't work, my handful of decent roach went 5lb odd and the carp just over 26lb for a fairly dismal 32lb odd.

My result aside, it was good to get back to the peace of Landsend, hopefully it won't be too long before I get back there.

Sedges Mad March Pairs, Saturday 19th March 2016

Back to Sedges today to see if we could somehow get two section wins and scrape into the overall, no point in messing about, so no gossamer silvers rigs, no pinkies, not even any live maggots in my bait bag.

It was my turn to draw, my faulty drawing arm has had a few malfunctions this year and put me on a few pegs that have produced fish, it has also resolutely lived up to it's reputation on a couple of other occasions.  Today it gave us 27 and 19, so once again, no corner, but Ken was one off a corner, as he was last week - although looking at last weeks result sheets did little to cheer him up as 19 was last in section.  27 had won the section last week, the lowest weight section, but at least there had been fish in the area.

Getting to my peg, I find that I have some good company and banter to my left, with Mosella backed Tom Mangnell on 28 and the silvers legend Bob Gullick on 29, with 30 the corner not drawn.  I though we had drawn the short straw weather wise, as we had the bitterly cold easterly wind blowing at us, whereas those on the opposite bank had nice calm water and it off their backs.  By the time the draw was done and we got to the pegs, that left an hour to set up, an hour usually means I'm not ready, but learning the lesson from last week, I took waggler and lead rods pre set up, I usually make lead rods up on the bank, after a few expensive, broken quiver ips in the ready rod bag.

Two lead rods, both the same, Daiwa Tounament Pro 10', both with 8lb reel line, Daiwa TDR on the straight lead rig and Shimano Technium on the method, this also had a 10' shock leader of 10lb fluorocarbon, to try and keep it pinned on the deck.  The straight lead was set up as usual, a sliding bomb, although as it's allowed here, I did put a float stop behind it.  A 2" twizzled loop, this has another float stop behind it, to allow  lengthening the distance from bomb to hook, a 12" 0.20 hooklength with a 14 QM1 finishes this rig off.  The method was a Guru hybrid, which can be used elasticated here, so that was clipped onto a loop and a 4" hooklength of 0.20 to a 18 MWG hook.

The wind looked to have scuppered any thoughts of catching on the waggler, but in case it dropped, out of the bag came a pellet waggler,  this was set up with a 12' Titan 2000, 4lb reel line and a 0.18 hooklength, with a PR36 size 16 hook.  Initially set to 3' deep.

I didn't have a lot of faith in the pole today, given that feezing wind blowing at us, so two rigs, just in case, a 0.75g Hillbilly Dweezil, lovely floats for fishing long in deep water and windy conditions, that was on 0.20 line, a 0.16 hooklength and a 16LWG and a No10 solid elastic.  That was plumbed up at 14m, where I intended to fish pellet.  The other rig was a Roob on 0.20, with a 0.18 hooklength and a 16 Guru super strong hook, that was plumbed up to fish 7 sections, just up the slope, where I would feed 6mm meat.

Bait tray was bread, 4,6 and 8mm pellets and 6mm meat.  On the all-in I started on the bomb and bread, whilst everyone else was feeding their pole lines, I feel that this can often bring an instant response before a barrage of leads hit the water.  It didn't take long for the tip to wrap right round and for me to strike at thin air - a liner, it looked like a bite!! Another cast and a few twitches, so there were fish out there, but as yet nothing. After 10 minutes I fed both pole lines and went back on the bread, this time a near double figure fish was my reward, a couple more followed before the bites and liners stopped.  Tom had had a couple of fish as well, but they were smaller than mine, he also stopped getting liners.  3 fish for 30lb on my clicker in the first hour.

I had a cast with the method, but after 5 minutes of that tip remaining motionless, it went up the bank, I was fairly sure the fish were out in the open water, near the dividing rope that runs down the middle of the lake, so I started to feed a few pellets, I would have liked to feed 6mm, but would have had no chance of getting them out there, so 8mm it had to be.  I did have a look on the pole line at 14m, I had three bites and 3 skimmers, which weighed exactly 1lb, I wasn't at all confident that the carp would move in, so up the bank with the pole and out with the waggler.

First cast with the waggler the float landed settled and disappeared, after a spirited battle a 9lb fish was in the net and a somewhat bemused Tom was seen scrambling off his box and hastily assembling a waggler rod.  I had another smaller fish, taken by casting towards the island to my right, but the wind was really spoiling it, yet I was getting tiny indications and just had the feeling that the waggler, if it wasn't so bloody windy. would have seen me catch well.  Trouble is these wise old fish aren't likely to be fooled by a pellet whizzing through the peg.

Back on the bomb and another fish on bread, I tried punched meat where I had been pinging the 8mm pellet, to no avail.  Bread by the island accounted for the next fish, that was so fat, I thought it might be near the 15lb weigh limit, so off to the scales with it, but as usual, my guesstimating skills were well adrift, as it went 12.12.  A lull in the wind saw me pick up the waggler and take another fish on 6mm pellet, before the wind decided that it wasn't going to let me enjoy a days waggler fishing.  With an hour to go I gave the meat line 5 minutes, but had no indication, nor any feeling that I would, so binned that.

Hoping the fish would be looking for some feed in the last hour, I picked up the method rod and fished that, micros in the feeder and a 6mm pellet hidden amongst them. This produced three more fish in the last hour and I was confident of having won the section, I thought I had between 80 and 90lb and wasn't too far out with 86lb, which took the section and fourth on the day, albeit jointly with Tom Thick who weighed the same from Brick lake.  Sadly Ken's peg fished to similar form as last week and we didn't get in the frame overall.

It was an enjoyable series, some confusion over the scoring which, once it was explained I thought was an innovative way to do it.  (Pairs scores added together and the given points for placing, kept it open with something to fish for in the second match).  Not sure if most fishing realised how it was being scored until the end.  One other observation, it would be a good idea for there to be 3 or 4 spare keepnets put by each set of scales, as although I didn't need them, the disadvantage if I did, from say, peg 20 fetching one, could be one or two fish.

It's a fishery I'd like to get back to a bit more this year, hopefully I'll get the opportunity and if this is run again next year, I'll be back for another attempt.

On the day:

1: Dan White 125.08 peg 32
2: James Parkhouse 99.09 peg 37
3: Nigel Garrett 92.13 peg 9
4: Chris Fox 86.00 peg 27
4: Tom Thick 86.00 peg 17
6: Nick Chedzoy 80.07 peg 7

Overall the pairs winners were:

1: James Parkhouse and Nigel Garratt
2: Dan White and Scott Puddy
3: Dave Romain and Dave White

PS.  If anyone wants advice on method feeder fishing, then don't ask Bobby G, I think he must use 0.09 hooklengths, as the fish kept stealing them.......

Acorn Costcutter, Tuesday 15th March 2016

Sometimes, a bright idea acted on in haste, turns out to be something of mistake, today was one of those.....  I thought it might be a good idea to get out and banish Sundays horrors to the shadows of history.  Acorn, not to far, reading Ray's (Bazeley) facebook reports it seems to be waking up and a few fish coming out and Tony (Rixon) was going and offered a lift.

All the above seemed to outweigh my usual reasons for avoidance of snake lakes and after I donned my chef's hat and rustled up a full English for Tony, off we set.  The sunshine had brought a few out, although it was the fact I had a day off, not the weather, for me and I managed to pull one of the favoured bridge pegs out of the ping pong ball bag, No22.  It was never the best of the bridge pegs, but my knowledge of the venue is somewhat rusty, as I haven't been here since 10th March last year.

I set up a Hillbilly Chump to fish at full depth, this was OK for all over the peg as the depth varied by only 6" all over the peg.  A MW Pear to fish up the shelf, another to fish shallower, for bread or maggot dobbed along the far bank grasses.  Finally a margin rig to fish down to the pallet of 23.

Bait tray consisted of maggots, casters, soft pellet and micros.  Staring at depth it took 20 minutes to get a bite, this was a fat little 4oz Perch.  A look up the shelf, just cupping in half a dozen maggots and it took until 50 minutes in to get a carp, a lively 4lber.  I then hooked and lost one, landed another about 1lb.  This line died off, so along the bank away from the bridge and a 2oz carp was my reward, then a roach and another perch.  That was it until 2pm, when I had a 3lb carp over a line I had fed a few micros, no other bites, I kept a couple of the lines frugally fed, I fed another with a catapult and potted a few in by the bridge, none of which resulted in a bite.

Eddie Wynne was on peg 21 the other side of the bridge and he had 3 or 4 fish against the bridge just short of halfway, so I cupped 15 maggots my side and tried to encourage the fish to come my side - they didn't, but they also buggered off from Eddies peg as well.

One odd thing about the peg, was that the bridge is in the water from my bank until about halfway across and then clear of the water from halfway to the far bank.  There was a stiff breeze blowing straight down the lake into the bridge, if I fished the nearside the float presented perfectly, from halfway over to the far bank it was pulling hard from R-L.  I tried a 0.8g wire stemmed float and that was still being tilted by the strength of the tow, I would have needed a flat float to hold it there steadily!!

So, another DNW for me, as my 8 or 9lb was nowhere, but again I wasn't alone as a few were packing up early and drying their nets out. Unbelievable that I go there, draw a bridge peg and not one bridge peg in the frame!!!!!

1st  Dave Stephenson  peg 38  48.13
2nd Mike Owens peg 18  39.07
3rd D Chidzoy  peg 5 36.06
4th K Jefferies peg 27  35.06
5th Dave Wride peg 25  31.04
6th Tony Rixon peg 30 28.09

Ivy House All-Winners Final 2016. Sunday 13th March 2016

Several no shows for this meant that there were 18 fishing, given what I'd seen on the winter league, I fancied peg 19 to win it, 1-3 and 21, 44.  I managed to draw 37, a peg I have won from and would run to it if the weather was warmer, but it was an area devoid of carp in the last couple of league matches.

The weather was cold, freezing, a damp chilly mist hung over Wiltshire and a north easterly wind was right in my face, one of the coldest days I have fished this winter, even once the mist burnt off and the sun came out, which was nearly 1pm.

Peg 37 has an end bank to fish to, the peg slopes from the end bank for about 15m until it levels out at the full depth of the lake, so I set up to rigs to fish up the slope in a3.5' of water and a rig about 2' deep to try closer to the bank, it would also suffice for dobbing bread or maggots along the bank. Two open water rigs, one to fish up the shelf slightly, about 6" shallower than full depth and a rig that would cover two more lines at full depth. These were fed with micros and 4mm pellets in the line furthest most to my left, a positive throwaway line, a line with a few micros and dead maggots and the line that was just up the slope with maggots only.

The only line I had bites on was the 6" up the slope line and this was small roach, if I had got up and set up a roach rig and light elastic, I could have caught a few, but there was no point, I persevered trying for carp in the hope that the weak sun would encourage them up the shelf, but it wasn't to be, no one in around me had a carp and we joined the big list of DNW's.  The match was won from the peg I fancied, 19, Des Shipp the fortunate drawer of it, who was pleased to go home £500 better off.

Not sure what the future holds for Ivy House, Andy and Karen will be gone soon and the new owners in place, they have said they will continue it as a fishery, but we will have to wait and see how that pans out.

Sedges Mad March Pairs, Saturday 12th March 2016

It was good to get an opportunity to fish Sedges again, a venue I like, it's well run, without loads of OTT rules and is usually a decent days fishing.  Steady drive down and met with with pairs partner Ken Rayner, not much to discuss in the way of tactics, the only decision to make was which lake to fish and in the end we did that on the toss of a coin - me ending up on Brick this week and Tile next.

Ken did the draw and put himself on 32 and me on 4. In my section I had a couple of guys who's names I didn't know and Dan White on peg 1, he was lucky enough to have peg 2 not drawn, so it was likely that he was the one to beat.

I was confident that 4 would produce a few, given that Dan had pleasure fished peg 5 in the week and had 94lb of skimmers, I set up a full depth waggler, a straight lead and a small Guru hybrid feeder, which Jamie allows to be used elasticated.  3 topkits, a double bulk rig for skimmers, 0.10 hooklength and a 18 6313 hook. A rig to fish pellet at 14m and I was trying out for the first time today Malman Roobs, one of which I set up to fish meat at 7 sections.

It was a slow start, two hours in and I had a rudd, that was it, the guy to my left had a big skimmer on a cage feeder and Keith to my right had a carp on the pellet waggler, he had that fish or second chuck on it - had me worried, as my pellet wagglers were at home in the garage, hadn't considered that an option for March, he'd also had a couple on the bomb..... Dan had a few on the waggler up on peg 1 and I could see Bob Gullick on 9 catching, Tom Mangnell on 11 was also catching well.

I had a look on the meat line and it was as dead as the rest of the peg, I decided to give it 5 more minutes when the float disappeared, lifting into the bite, it was obviously a decent fish, it tested the 0.18 Stroft and the No12 elastic to their limits and when I finally saw it, I knew it would be a 'weigher'. (Fish over 15lb have to be weighed and put straight back).  I had no idea how heavy it was, continuing my being hopeless at guesstimating fish weights and was surprised when the scales registered 25lb 8oz, a new PB for me.

There appeared to be a total lack of skimmers in the peg, then I had one about 1.08 and thought they might show up, but it was a false dawn and it was frustrating as those of us in the middle of the lake were struggling, whilst the ends were catching steadily.

The last half an hour I decided to stick with the waggler at full depth, nothing down the line and a banded 6mm pellet, this gave me two more carp and Nicky Ewers opposite who had been struggling as well managed a couple of late fish, so maybe the match finished too early!!

That gave me a total of 48.12 and second in section behind Dan who had 86lb.  Unfortunately Ken had a, in his own words, 'a bit of a nightmare' and was last in his section, not sure if two section wins next week could put us in the frame.

Bait Tech Viaduct Winter League Final Round, Sunday 6th March 2016

Back to Viaduct today for the final round of the teams of 5 winter league, my turn on Cary, which in winter is the last choice lake for me, as it is nearly always a lead job to get good points on here.  But, that said, the right draw could see me in with a chance of the individual frame, as at the start of the day I was sat in 6th place.  The team looking good for a framing place as well, as we go into this match in second place, 5 points behind leaders Viaduct Select.

Down to the venue nice and early to get the pools paid and continuing the format we have used so far with a different member of the team drawing each round, it was Paul's turn today and when he came back with the team draw sheet, we were somewhat gobsmacked to see the same pegs as last week on it.  Surely we would have to have a disaster to drop out of the frame now, Fred was absolutely over the moon at drawing 113, as he was leading the individual table.  I had the worst draw in the selection of five, with 79 - I did go with positive thoughts, but knew deep down that unless something unusual happened, that was the end of my challenge for the individual places, Mike on 73, Paul on 43 and Glenn on 5.

Got to my peg to find long time angling friend Nick Collins on the next peg (80), so at least there would be some conversation and banter to pass the time and Frenzee star Adam Mitchell on 78.  I set up two lead rods, two waggler rods and then had an hour or so to kill, I went for a walk, as if I had stayed at my peg I would have been tempted into setting up a pole, which was highly unlikely to do me any good.

On the all in I started on popped up bread, gave that 30 minutes with 3 casts into different parts of my peg, all to no avail, the tip remained resolutely motionless.  A switch to meat, that too was met with total disdain from the fish, if there were any in the peg, after about an hour, the tip did flick, but i think that was just a roach liner, as I was feeding my casters in at about 18-20m.  Nicky was getting liners and had a fish, whilst my tip was as still as if I were observing a photograph.

After two and a half hours I decided that I should put something in the net, so had a dabble over the caster feed with a light waggler and put about 7 or 8oz of roach, hybrid and tiny skimmer in the net. Nick had another carp and most people on the lake had one, except me and Adam.  so back on the lead, red meat, plain meat, polony, corn, all tried, all resulted in the same motionless tip, except for two consecutive casts with about three and a half hours gone, when I had two big liners.

With three quarters of an hour to go, I started pinging corn out as far as I could - the wind coming from behind helped - and then fished the waggler over it, a 1lb skimmer came my way first cast, then next chuck another, slightly bigger, came off at the net, it really was one of those days, but I didn't think it would make any difference, as I needed carp.  Back on the lead for the last 30 minutes and at ten past three, the tip curled round and I was finally attached to a carp, it kited to the right heading for the aerator and went under Adams line, sportingly he lifted it clear and I got the fish back under control - or so I thought - I tightened the clutch down to stop the fish disrupting Adam's peg again and then it turned, ran and snapped the 0.20 hooklength - bloody distraught, but it must have been foul hooked.

So feeling pretty miserable at the end, as Adam had 2 fish in the last half hour, a repeat virtually of the last match, as Mike had told me that 78 had 4 fish in the last half hour in the previous round, that left me last on the lake, I did manage 2 points, but only because someone didn't show up.  Torrid, torrid day personally, but more importantly, how had we done?

I watched the Cary bank of Campbell being weighed in and Fred had won the lake and the match with 133lb, he managed not to go over in his net, although he had 51lb on his clicker and there was 60lb in the net - these bloody Campbell fish grow in the net......

So, as I thought I had 1 point at this time, that gave us 20 points, I took my gear back to the van and then went and found the others, Mike had got 15 points from peg 73 (and joint second in the silvers, top fishing mate), so 35 points, Paul thought he had beaten 6 or 7, so credited him with 8 points and Glenn  had 16 points we were on 58 we thought, Paul had actually managed 10 points and my 2, gave us a total of 62 and fourth on the day, crucially that was enough to take the title of Viaduct Winter League Champions 2016. My relief at last weeks mistake not costing us was pretty immense.

Team from left to right, Mike Walker, Paul Faiers, Fred Roberts, Chris Fox and Glenn Calvert.  Well done to Fred for scooping the individual title for a second time.

Big thanks to Steve, Helen, Matt, those who weighed in and to Bait Tech for sponsoring the league, I will need to grow into the EX L shirt, but am proud to wear it.  I hope the lads will resist all the lucrative sponsorship deals that will come flooding in............. and stay together for a title defence next year.

Overall Teams:
1. 2nd Time Lucky - 305
2. PI Thatchers Gold - 297
3. Frenzee Orange - 293
4. Premier Angling - 291
5. Viaduct All Stars - 286
6. Frenzee Black - 282
7. Thatchers Vets - 275
8. South West Nomads - 268
9. Team Viaduct - 268
10. Somerset Angling - 256
11. Avon Angling - 252
12. Maver - 241
13. Moaning Maggots - 229
14. Thatchers Welsh Wizards - 226
15. Keyford - 224
16. Silverfox - 223
17. Amigos - 206
18. Garbolino BVMG - 170
19. Viaduct Select - 165

Next up for me will be Saturday  at Sedges in the pairs match and Sunday will see me at Ivy House in the all-winners final.