Looking for a good team draw today, to push us up the league, left that with the normally solid drawing arm of Fred, sadly he must have brushed against me on the way to the draw and managed to pick a not particulary good draw and mine was probably the worst of the bunch., 47 on match lake, no island chuck and with the temperature and clarity of the water, the margin was unlikely to feature. Glenn had 126, Fred put himself on 94 and Paul on 15.
I set up two wagglers, one with a hi viz top Preston peacock insert - these are great floats for visibility, one for closer in with a Drennan Glow Tip waggler, again, very visible, but much thinner. Both on Microlight rods with a 0.10 hooklength on one and a 0.08 on the other.
I did set up a dobbing rig for down the edge, athough I was very sceptical about it working and that scepticism proved right, no bites down the edge. A couple of rigs to fish out in front at 14m and 9m, the 9m rig was not much used as I didn't have a bite on that line.
Put 4 balls of GB at 14m at the start, didn't think there was too much point in being overly negative on a renouned poor peg. Started on the bread, on the lead chucked round the peg - nothing. Down the edge, nothing, then I saw a lone bubble over the GB. I decided to go over it earlier than planned as the lake seemed to be fishing hard except 43/44 who were both catching to the island.
Rather than put the pole over their heads in the shallow, clear water I dropped the light waggler in and had a couple of roch and a small skimmer before getting a better fish about 1lb or so. Then another decent skimmer, next up a 4lb carp and I was suddenly hopeful of a better day. Then the angler on 45 picked up his catapult and started feeding level with my skimmer line and I didn't have another bite for 3 1/2 hours. I ended the match by fishing as far powards the island as I dare, without breaching the limits of my peg, this brought a run of roach up to 3oz, better than nothing, but was't going to see me catching those who'd had a better stmp of fish to the islands.
I ended up with 9.09 and 7 points, I certainly didn't expect more from the peg as it usually is in the bottom 4 in section.
Team wise, it was a bit of a disaster, finishing last but one - we seem to have caught whatever afflicted Leicester after their success in the Premier league last year..... We'll need three good draws to even finish halfway at this rate.
Monday, 30 January 2017
Viaduct Silvers, Wednesday 25th January 2015
Another go at the silvers on Spring today, it started badly and didn't improve much, I got as far as Pensford when I realised I had forgetten my ice breaker, the nose to tail commuter traffic heading towards Bristol meant there was no chance of turning back to get it.
Arriving at the fishery, an inspection of the lakes revealed a fairly thick lid, so borrowing an ice breker was imperative. Getting my kit out of the van I went to the front set and picked up my flask, it felt strangely light, then I realised the lid hadn't been on properly and the entire contents were now soaked into the passenger seat..... maybe that should have been an omen to forget it for the day.
Peg 4 was my home for the day, with once again on the next peg, Andy Power on 5 and Scott Puddy on 3. Andy kindly cut out my peg, as I have a knackerd shoulder and chucking the ice breaker isn't easy. Cupped a couple of alls of GB on the all in and started just short on caster, spent about 20 minutes without a bite before swapping to a Chianti set 6" off bottom, this brought bites, but only from small roach. This set the scene for the rest of the day, I kept looking back on the deck for better skimmers, but as soon as I dropped back on the deck, the bites dried up.
Scott to my right had a few skimmers, but Andy was in the same boat as me, so maybe there weren't any skimmers in the area. Ended up chucking back 6 or 7lb roach, shame I didn't have 20lb of skimmers to go with them......
1: Des Shipp 29.05 peg 25
2: Scott Russell 18.09 peg 10
3: Scott Puddy 17.09 peg 3
4: Callum Dicks 17.07 peg16
Arriving at the fishery, an inspection of the lakes revealed a fairly thick lid, so borrowing an ice breker was imperative. Getting my kit out of the van I went to the front set and picked up my flask, it felt strangely light, then I realised the lid hadn't been on properly and the entire contents were now soaked into the passenger seat..... maybe that should have been an omen to forget it for the day.
Peg 4 was my home for the day, with once again on the next peg, Andy Power on 5 and Scott Puddy on 3. Andy kindly cut out my peg, as I have a knackerd shoulder and chucking the ice breaker isn't easy. Cupped a couple of alls of GB on the all in and started just short on caster, spent about 20 minutes without a bite before swapping to a Chianti set 6" off bottom, this brought bites, but only from small roach. This set the scene for the rest of the day, I kept looking back on the deck for better skimmers, but as soon as I dropped back on the deck, the bites dried up.
Scott to my right had a few skimmers, but Andy was in the same boat as me, so maybe there weren't any skimmers in the area. Ended up chucking back 6 or 7lb roach, shame I didn't have 20lb of skimmers to go with them......
1: Des Shipp 29.05 peg 25
2: Scott Russell 18.09 peg 10
3: Scott Puddy 17.09 peg 3
4: Callum Dicks 17.07 peg16
Acorn Costcutter Tuesday 17th January 2015
Chilly day today, traveled down with Tony Rixon and had a decent breakfast in the Bridge Inn, the scene of many fishing team meetings yeatrs ago, they usually descended into a drunken party.......
The lake was frozen, but top man Mark Bartlett was going round breaking the pegs out, into the tin and out comes 24, with Tony on 27, but before we got out the door, it transpired there was a ping pong ball short in the bag, so a redraw was in order, this time we ended up next to each other again, this time either side of a bridge 33 and 34.
Being next to a bridge made tidying up the ice Mark had cut out easy, so that done it was time to set up a couple of rigs, one for the second shelf, one for the track and then a dobbing rig. Bait tray was simple, maggots dead and alive. Opposite we could see the pegs either side of the other bridge into early action, whilst it remained quiet our side. After 15 minutes I did get a 3-4lber on bread and not too long after another, but this one was lucky if he weighed a pound.
A long quiet spell then as I rotated round the lines, to no avail, Tony had a couple of fish, but it was quiet for everyone except peg 21. Out of the blue I had a bite to the right of the peg against the ice and a 8lber put up a spirited fight on 0.10 before finally giving up.
Anoher look on bread saw a small F1 netted before the end and my one and only bite by the bridge saw a good fish hooked, but it kited under the bridge and snagged on something, I could feel the fish, but everything was solid, in the end the hooklength parted and that was my action for the day. Frustrating as Tony had 3 or 4 fish from the bridge, whereas I had just the one bite, don't think I did much wrong and the North side of the 3 briges top the top three places.
1: Lee Waller 50.09 peg 6
2: Phil Cooper 39.04 peg 21
3: Tony Rixon 26.04 p34
4: Andy Gard 21.08 peg 22
5: Adge 20.08 peg 5
6: Chris Fox 15.15 peg 33
The lake was frozen, but top man Mark Bartlett was going round breaking the pegs out, into the tin and out comes 24, with Tony on 27, but before we got out the door, it transpired there was a ping pong ball short in the bag, so a redraw was in order, this time we ended up next to each other again, this time either side of a bridge 33 and 34.
Being next to a bridge made tidying up the ice Mark had cut out easy, so that done it was time to set up a couple of rigs, one for the second shelf, one for the track and then a dobbing rig. Bait tray was simple, maggots dead and alive. Opposite we could see the pegs either side of the other bridge into early action, whilst it remained quiet our side. After 15 minutes I did get a 3-4lber on bread and not too long after another, but this one was lucky if he weighed a pound.
A long quiet spell then as I rotated round the lines, to no avail, Tony had a couple of fish, but it was quiet for everyone except peg 21. Out of the blue I had a bite to the right of the peg against the ice and a 8lber put up a spirited fight on 0.10 before finally giving up.
Anoher look on bread saw a small F1 netted before the end and my one and only bite by the bridge saw a good fish hooked, but it kited under the bridge and snagged on something, I could feel the fish, but everything was solid, in the end the hooklength parted and that was my action for the day. Frustrating as Tony had 3 or 4 fish from the bridge, whereas I had just the one bite, don't think I did much wrong and the North side of the 3 briges top the top three places.
1: Lee Waller 50.09 peg 6
2: Phil Cooper 39.04 peg 21
3: Tony Rixon 26.04 p34
4: Andy Gard 21.08 peg 22
5: Adge 20.08 peg 5
6: Chris Fox 15.15 peg 33
Viaduct Silvers, Wednesdy 18th January 2015
Really looking forward to this, as some nice skimmers reside in Spring lake and it's the deepest lake at Viaduct, so was hopeful of a few. Not so hopeful when peg 12 stuck to my drawing hand, but maybe they will have moved round. Next to Andy Power on 11 and Steve Kedge on 16, so some quaility to test myself against.
I set up a waggler and several pole rigs, a double bulk - but I haven't had much success with that for a long time now - a rig to try and catch perch down to the pallet and rushes of 13.
Groundbait in at the start, 14m and a shorter line with just caster. Starting off on the caster line, there were roach to be caught, but too small, too slow and too far out. A switch to the waggler was the same, as was the GB line. The sun was the worst I have ever fished in for visibility, the ripple was making any colour of size of float impossible to see. I could see Andy's float and after I asked what he was using, a Preston peacock wih a hi viz insert, he kindly gave me one to try.
The edge seemed devoid of perch and the peg devoid of skimmers, as I could only catch roach on every line. Andy did have some shade from the island and caught a few skimmers on corn and waggler, but we were well off the pace of the top spots st the end which came from further up the lake. The fish just don't want to be the river end of the lakes at the moment.
That man Des winning from Middle lake.
1: Des Shipp 25.13 peg 32
2: Chris Davis 22.08 peg 3
3: Vince Brown 22.01 peg 4
3: Matt Parsons 22.01 peg 10
I set up a waggler and several pole rigs, a double bulk - but I haven't had much success with that for a long time now - a rig to try and catch perch down to the pallet and rushes of 13.
Groundbait in at the start, 14m and a shorter line with just caster. Starting off on the caster line, there were roach to be caught, but too small, too slow and too far out. A switch to the waggler was the same, as was the GB line. The sun was the worst I have ever fished in for visibility, the ripple was making any colour of size of float impossible to see. I could see Andy's float and after I asked what he was using, a Preston peacock wih a hi viz insert, he kindly gave me one to try.
The edge seemed devoid of perch and the peg devoid of skimmers, as I could only catch roach on every line. Andy did have some shade from the island and caught a few skimmers on corn and waggler, but we were well off the pace of the top spots st the end which came from further up the lake. The fish just don't want to be the river end of the lakes at the moment.
That man Des winning from Middle lake.
1: Des Shipp 25.13 peg 32
2: Chris Davis 22.08 peg 3
3: Vince Brown 22.01 peg 4
3: Matt Parsons 22.01 peg 10
Viaduct Winter League 1st Round Sunday 15th January 2015
After last years dizzy heights of winning the league and having the individual champion in the team, we had a lot to live up to. I drew for the team, Fred on 127, Mark on 96, myself on 64, Paul on 47 and Glenn on 16.
So, the famous, or is it the infamous monk peg for me, the wind was all wrong for the peg, especially as Lodge is float only. I set up a waggler to fish to the end bank, pole rig for dobbing bread up the edge and a couple of rigs to catch skimmers on in the open water.
I'm going to struggle to fill in much more detail or pad it out, as I sat and watched Ken catching on 66 and could see fish coming out with regularity in the opposite corner, pegs 53/73. None of my floats moved, even a line fed with squatt did not give me a bite. I kept giving each line - the waggler to the end bank, the bread/maggots/prawn dobbed up the edge and the skimmer line - 20 minutes each and had not so much as a tremor on any of the floats.
The last 20 minutes were spent on the waggler and I wa staring 0 points and a blank in the face, when at 15.26, 4 minutes before the all out, the waggler dipped and after the most nervy battle ever, a 6.5lb common was netted 2 minutes after the whistle and took me from 0 to 8 points.
We ended up aout halfway and considering we had several pegs at the wrong end of the lakes, we at least have somehing to build on.
So, the famous, or is it the infamous monk peg for me, the wind was all wrong for the peg, especially as Lodge is float only. I set up a waggler to fish to the end bank, pole rig for dobbing bread up the edge and a couple of rigs to catch skimmers on in the open water.
I'm going to struggle to fill in much more detail or pad it out, as I sat and watched Ken catching on 66 and could see fish coming out with regularity in the opposite corner, pegs 53/73. None of my floats moved, even a line fed with squatt did not give me a bite. I kept giving each line - the waggler to the end bank, the bread/maggots/prawn dobbed up the edge and the skimmer line - 20 minutes each and had not so much as a tremor on any of the floats.
The last 20 minutes were spent on the waggler and I wa staring 0 points and a blank in the face, when at 15.26, 4 minutes before the all out, the waggler dipped and after the most nervy battle ever, a 6.5lb common was netted 2 minutes after the whistle and took me from 0 to 8 points.
We ended up aout halfway and considering we had several pegs at the wrong end of the lakes, we at least have somehing to build on.
Landsend Open Saturday 14th January 2014
First match of 2015, 8 fishing so more of a knock up really, but it was a reasonable day and when I drew peg 5 I thoght I might catch a few silvers. Given the clarity of the water I didn't bother with a rig for up the shelf, but did set up one for down the shelf, down the track and to fish to the pallets of 4 and 6.
I fed a few micros at 13m off to my left and began on the cater at the bottom of the shelf, the expected silvers didn't show, but I did put 3 carp in the net, the pellet line was completely non productive all day and the only bite by either pallet was a tiny perch.
I concentrated on fishing caster across and started a new line, but that too was fruitless, a look back on the original line saw 2 decent skimmers, a few roach and a decent perch netted towards the end, giving me 9.00 of silvers, to go with the initial 3 carp which went 16.08. A tough day, but enjoyable.
1: Dave Westcott 30.15 peg 19
2: Chris Fox 25.08 peg 5
3: Rod Wootton 18.13 peg 17
4: Russ Peck 13.03 peg 11
Silvers
1: Chris Fox 9.00
I fed a few micros at 13m off to my left and began on the cater at the bottom of the shelf, the expected silvers didn't show, but I did put 3 carp in the net, the pellet line was completely non productive all day and the only bite by either pallet was a tiny perch.
I concentrated on fishing caster across and started a new line, but that too was fruitless, a look back on the original line saw 2 decent skimmers, a few roach and a decent perch netted towards the end, giving me 9.00 of silvers, to go with the initial 3 carp which went 16.08. A tough day, but enjoyable.
1: Dave Westcott 30.15 peg 19
2: Chris Fox 25.08 peg 5
3: Rod Wootton 18.13 peg 17
4: Russ Peck 13.03 peg 11
Silvers
1: Chris Fox 9.00
Sunday, 1 January 2017
Viaduct Two Dayer - Sept 2017
I have booked Viaduct, Cary Friday 1st Sept and Campbell Saturday 2nd Sept.
£13 peg fee (sooner you pay, sooner you are confirmed as fishing), £50 pools. - that gives £1000 to payout with 20 fishing. 4 sections of 5 and points then weight will decide the overall.
Friday will be anything goes within Viaduct rules, Saturday is pole only.
Only 4 places left, so you need to get in quick not to miss it.
£13 peg fee (sooner you pay, sooner you are confirmed as fishing), £50 pools. - that gives £1000 to payout with 20 fishing. 4 sections of 5 and points then weight will decide the overall.
Friday will be anything goes within Viaduct rules, Saturday is pole only.
Only 4 places left, so you need to get in quick not to miss it.
Viaduct Open, New Years Eve, 2016
A couple of weeks off to get over the poor result at Todber and the general downturn in my fishing this year, can't put my finger on it, the wheels fell off after my faux pas at Viaduct in the winter league, losing the match win by going over in my net. The wheels seem to be still rolling away and gathering pace, hopefully 2017 will see an up turn in fortune.
28 fishing this one, so Campbell and Cary in, I bought a pint of casters, intending to fish for silvers if I drew a suitable peg, I was slightly down hearted when I opened up the ticket and saw 123, a peg any silvers angler would have run to a few years back, but not now. Best bet I thought would be to target the few resident carp, that surely must be down in the corner and along the end bank.
Arriving at my peg the first thing that struck me was the clarity of the water, gin clear. If it had not been a corner peg, the pole would have stayed in the holdall, but I did set it up, with a rig to fish down into the corner, a long line between pole tip and float due to the clarity of the water. Two waggler rods, one with 2.5lb Maxima and a 0.10 hooklength, I was also trying out some new (to me) hooks - Guru F1 maggot, in size 20, a nice light gauge wire. The other rod had 4lb line and a 0.12 hooklength and a 18LWG hook.
Two lead rods, one for popped up bread, the other for meat, corn etc. Bait tray was simple, caster, maggot, meat, corn and bread, with a few frozen prawns although I am yet to catch a fish on a prawn at Viaduct.
Starting on the lead / bread, I searched around the peg, open water and along the end bank, but without so much as a liner, I wasn't confident that there were even any resident carp in the area, walking to the peg, the carp were very much giving their location away, sat in a big ball up by the aerator.
A switch to the waggler and corn was equally unproductive and 2 hours in I was fishless, I had been feeding a line slightly to my right at a bout 20m with caster and a switch to this brought 4 good perch in the next hour to double caster and a skimmer. Peg 125 was catching skimmers on the waggler and I couldn't seem to draw them down to me, another typical winter day. I managed one more skimmer and 3 roach on the waggler, a look round the peg with a prawn produced nothing, with the perch being between 1.5 and 2lb, my net went 10.10 which was 4th in the silvers and one out of the money, maybe I should have fished for silvers the whole match....
The match was won by a huge margin from 130, Martin Lenaghan weighing 264lb, although that was knocked back to 180lb as he was the latest to fall foul of the net limits.
I have joined the 'ramp club' having had one for Xmas, certainly easier than lifting a loaded trolley in and out of the van.
28 fishing this one, so Campbell and Cary in, I bought a pint of casters, intending to fish for silvers if I drew a suitable peg, I was slightly down hearted when I opened up the ticket and saw 123, a peg any silvers angler would have run to a few years back, but not now. Best bet I thought would be to target the few resident carp, that surely must be down in the corner and along the end bank.
Arriving at my peg the first thing that struck me was the clarity of the water, gin clear. If it had not been a corner peg, the pole would have stayed in the holdall, but I did set it up, with a rig to fish down into the corner, a long line between pole tip and float due to the clarity of the water. Two waggler rods, one with 2.5lb Maxima and a 0.10 hooklength, I was also trying out some new (to me) hooks - Guru F1 maggot, in size 20, a nice light gauge wire. The other rod had 4lb line and a 0.12 hooklength and a 18LWG hook.
Two lead rods, one for popped up bread, the other for meat, corn etc. Bait tray was simple, caster, maggot, meat, corn and bread, with a few frozen prawns although I am yet to catch a fish on a prawn at Viaduct.
Starting on the lead / bread, I searched around the peg, open water and along the end bank, but without so much as a liner, I wasn't confident that there were even any resident carp in the area, walking to the peg, the carp were very much giving their location away, sat in a big ball up by the aerator.
A switch to the waggler and corn was equally unproductive and 2 hours in I was fishless, I had been feeding a line slightly to my right at a bout 20m with caster and a switch to this brought 4 good perch in the next hour to double caster and a skimmer. Peg 125 was catching skimmers on the waggler and I couldn't seem to draw them down to me, another typical winter day. I managed one more skimmer and 3 roach on the waggler, a look round the peg with a prawn produced nothing, with the perch being between 1.5 and 2lb, my net went 10.10 which was 4th in the silvers and one out of the money, maybe I should have fished for silvers the whole match....
The match was won by a huge margin from 130, Martin Lenaghan weighing 264lb, although that was knocked back to 180lb as he was the latest to fall foul of the net limits.
I have joined the 'ramp club' having had one for Xmas, certainly easier than lifting a loaded trolley in and out of the van.
Todber Pairs, Last Round, Sunday 18th December 2016
Traveled down with partner Mike Walker for this one, stopped off at Cannards Well for breakfast, not been in there for a while and it was not too bad, much better than my last visit.
With us lying in 4th place going into todays match, a couple of section wins should see us into the money, well, that was the plan....... Mike drew a decent peg and I managed to draw 41, which several people promptly told me was shit, apparently, it has come last or last but one in section everytime!! Not to worry, I have manged a few fish each match on hard pellet and was confident of doing so in this one. To cut a long and boring 5 hours short, I didn't have a bite on pellet all day, I was reduced to fishing 0.09 flourocarbon and a 22 gamma green with a single dead maggot to get the occasional bite, mainly from the tiny tench that reside in this lake. The island looked like it should produce a few fish, but apart from a couple of roach, it was to all intents, barren.
I put about 9lb of fish on the scales for probably last in the match, a dismal result given that Mike won his section, that pushed us down the final order to about 6th or 7th I think, which was disappointing, but that seems to be the story of 2016 for me.
With us lying in 4th place going into todays match, a couple of section wins should see us into the money, well, that was the plan....... Mike drew a decent peg and I managed to draw 41, which several people promptly told me was shit, apparently, it has come last or last but one in section everytime!! Not to worry, I have manged a few fish each match on hard pellet and was confident of doing so in this one. To cut a long and boring 5 hours short, I didn't have a bite on pellet all day, I was reduced to fishing 0.09 flourocarbon and a 22 gamma green with a single dead maggot to get the occasional bite, mainly from the tiny tench that reside in this lake. The island looked like it should produce a few fish, but apart from a couple of roach, it was to all intents, barren.
I put about 9lb of fish on the scales for probably last in the match, a dismal result given that Mike won his section, that pushed us down the final order to about 6th or 7th I think, which was disappointing, but that seems to be the story of 2016 for me.
Viaduct Xmas Match Saturday 17th December 2016
I managed to pluck peg 100 from the draw tin for this match, that made up my mind to concentrate on the carp and set up a waggler to fish corn and a lead to try bread/corn/meat. Walking to the peg, it was amazing to see the ball of carp in front of 105, which had been drawn by Dan White, the consensus was that Dan would win easily, as there were so many fish in front of him.
I also set up a pole, to feed a line with caster, meat and corn, just in case the fish would come within pole range, but as I could see evidence of fish moving right over by the end of the spit, I wasn't convinced they would.
I managed one carp all match, a small one for Cary, just over 7lb, on the waggler and corn. There were a few small skimmers on the pole line, maybe I should have fished for silvers, but I don't think I would have competed with the weight from Campbell.
1. Jamie Bowden - 109lb 11oz - peg 110
2. Tony Mackett - 91lb 7oz - peg 132
3. Roland Lucas - 49lb 7oz - peg 99
4. Dom Sullivan - 40lb 1oz - peg 128
I also set up a pole, to feed a line with caster, meat and corn, just in case the fish would come within pole range, but as I could see evidence of fish moving right over by the end of the spit, I wasn't convinced they would.
I managed one carp all match, a small one for Cary, just over 7lb, on the waggler and corn. There were a few small skimmers on the pole line, maybe I should have fished for silvers, but I don't think I would have competed with the weight from Campbell.
1. Jamie Bowden - 109lb 11oz - peg 110
2. Tony Mackett - 91lb 7oz - peg 132
3. Roland Lucas - 49lb 7oz - peg 99
4. Dom Sullivan - 40lb 1oz - peg 128
Silvers
1. Matt Parsons - 28lb 3oz - peg 126
1. Matt Parsons - 28lb 3oz - peg 126
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
Acorn Costcutter, Tuesday 6th December 2016
This will short and sweet.
Traveled down with Tony and had breakfast in the Bridge Inn, it wasn't too bad, shame about the bloody lifesize Santa Claus by the bar, that some little brat kept triggering and it then went through a repertoire of Xmas songs, thankfully my sanity was saved when a staff member switched it off.
A dozen hardy souls braving the foggy day, the air temperature had certainly risen, but the water was clear and very cold. Peg 33 was my reward for delving into the ping pong ball bag, a bridge peg, so should hopefully produce a fish or two. Peg 34 other side of the bridge not in as the platform has collapsed, not sure that was a good thing, as the fish had a area I couldn't get to, to back off into.
My view for the day was traveling companion Mr Rixon
4 topkits, a rig to dob bread across, another for down on the 2nd shelf about 3' deep and two rigs to fish full depth. Started dobbing bread and that was totally fruitless, tried all along the 2nd shelf, from just touching bottom, to mid depth. Once that had proved to be a non starter, I fed a few micros and maggots by the bridge at full depth and a few up on the 2nd shelf, the a line in open water, finally a few casters short by the bridge.
Not long after dropping in on the full depth line by the bridge I had a fish on, but not for too long, I wasn't convinced it was fouled, but hard to tell. Shortly after, another hooked and lost, this did feel foul hooked, A look round the other lines produced nothing, back by the bridge at depth and a missed bite, I was hopeful of a few fish, as there was at least some indications. Next drop in a 5lber fell for double maggot, next drop in a small F1 and that was it, not another bite from this line the rest of the day. About an hour later I had a bite out of the blue on the 2nd shelf and a chunky F1 joined the other 2 fish in the net.
Sadly the only action after that was watching the chickens eating my bait that the fish resolutely refused to touch.....
As I had no further indications, I can only assume the fish did back off under the bridge, I tried down to the pallet of 32, again nothing. A tough day, not too surprising given the water clarity and I tipped my 3 fish back to save the scalesman a job.
Traveled down with Tony and had breakfast in the Bridge Inn, it wasn't too bad, shame about the bloody lifesize Santa Claus by the bar, that some little brat kept triggering and it then went through a repertoire of Xmas songs, thankfully my sanity was saved when a staff member switched it off.
A dozen hardy souls braving the foggy day, the air temperature had certainly risen, but the water was clear and very cold. Peg 33 was my reward for delving into the ping pong ball bag, a bridge peg, so should hopefully produce a fish or two. Peg 34 other side of the bridge not in as the platform has collapsed, not sure that was a good thing, as the fish had a area I couldn't get to, to back off into.
My view for the day was traveling companion Mr Rixon
4 topkits, a rig to dob bread across, another for down on the 2nd shelf about 3' deep and two rigs to fish full depth. Started dobbing bread and that was totally fruitless, tried all along the 2nd shelf, from just touching bottom, to mid depth. Once that had proved to be a non starter, I fed a few micros and maggots by the bridge at full depth and a few up on the 2nd shelf, the a line in open water, finally a few casters short by the bridge.
Not long after dropping in on the full depth line by the bridge I had a fish on, but not for too long, I wasn't convinced it was fouled, but hard to tell. Shortly after, another hooked and lost, this did feel foul hooked, A look round the other lines produced nothing, back by the bridge at depth and a missed bite, I was hopeful of a few fish, as there was at least some indications. Next drop in a 5lber fell for double maggot, next drop in a small F1 and that was it, not another bite from this line the rest of the day. About an hour later I had a bite out of the blue on the 2nd shelf and a chunky F1 joined the other 2 fish in the net.
Sadly the only action after that was watching the chickens eating my bait that the fish resolutely refused to touch.....
As I had no further indications, I can only assume the fish did back off under the bridge, I tried down to the pallet of 32, again nothing. A tough day, not too surprising given the water clarity and I tipped my 3 fish back to save the scalesman a job.
Avalon Silvers, Final Round, Saturday 3rd December 2016
Last round of this enjoyable league, still possible with a decent draw to win it, or take second place from my third place going into this match, as the weights weren't more than about 6 or 7lb difference. Also had to defend the attack from Ken Rayner in 4th place and last in the money.
I couldn't believe my bad luck when I drew peg 12 again, for the second match in a row, no island gap and a peg either side, I would have my work cut out to hang onto 3rd place here, let alone make in roads into the top two, unless the big skimmers had moved into the area since the last round.
I couldn't believe my bad luck when I drew peg 12 again, for the second match in a row, no island gap and a peg either side, I would have my work cut out to hang onto 3rd place here, let alone make in roads into the top two, unless the big skimmers had moved into the area since the last round.
The wind was making a waggler pointless, but I did set one up just in case it dropped, I also set up a small cage feeder, but felt it wouldn't have a part to play, 3 topkits, a 1g AS3 with a 1.3 fluorocarbon hooklength and a 18 gamma green hook, a 0.6g version of the same float with a 0.08 hooklength and a 18 6313 and finally a homemade diamond float with a carbon stem, 0.5g this with a 1.3 fluorocarbon hooklength and a 20 gamma green - i was expecting a tough day!!
Two lines fed at 14m, one with two large balls of GB with a few dead maggots casters and squatt in, the LH line fed with one small ball of GB with just casters in. I also fed a line at 11m with micros and a little GB. 10 minutes on the feeder at about 3/4 the way across without an indication was enough and I switched to the pole. The rest of the day was spent rotating round the 3 lines, taking 3 or 4 fish over the micros and it looked like that was going to be a decent line, but that was it, nothing else from there. The RH positive fed line produced a couple of small skimmers and a few roach, the LH negative line just a few skimmers. I didn't have a fish over 4oz and the squats seemed to pull in the roach. The 1.0g rig was by far the most productive, the trip that was there was with the wind, so far from ideal skimmer fishing conditions.
At the all out I knew I hadn't been able to make up any ground on the top two when the scales got to me, Ken had weighed 3lb odd and my 4.13 ensured I kept 3rd place overall and a welcome pick up.
Thanks to Mosella boss Vic Bush for running the league and work permitting I'll fish next years, but one plea, can everyone have an empty peg to one side, as the weigh sheet shows, having a bit of space was essential today and last match in the colder conditions.
Congratulations to Vic and John for holding onto their respective 1st and 2nd places and to Ken for pushing me right to the end.
Thursday, 1 December 2016
Todber Pairs, Round Three, Sunday 20th November 2016
My turn on Ash lake today, usual partner Mike couldn't make it, so had a very able stand in, in Alan Oram.
I drew 62, which had the wind blowing straight down the lake into it, hmm, didn't really fancy it because of that, but who knows, its a developing fishery, so maybe they will surprise me. A method feeder was set up and a straight lead. I could see most others on the lake setting up wagglers, well I wasn't as I had purposely left it at home, imagining the wind would be too bad. 3 Topkits, one to fish banded pellet at the bottom of the end bank shelf at 14m. Another for soft pellet/corn at 14m to the right and a rig to fish about 2-3m out from the edge halfway down the slope.
By 12.30 I had 4 fish, 3 small carp and 1 skimmer, a long way behind Steve Tucker on the next peg (64) and even further behind peg 67. I went to the shop and bought some white semi bouyant band um's to try in desperation, when I got back the wind had dropped. The band ums did catch me a couple of fish, but the 14m line at the bottom of the shelf came to life with the wind dropping and I caught fairly steadily on 6mm banded pellet to the end, the very slow first 2 and a half hours cost me. Stand in partner Alan won his section and second in match, well done and thanks!!
I did consider at 12.30 that I would be last in the match, thankfully my late run put me 5th, but only good enough for 3rd in section, frustrating.
1st - 90-12 - Nick White - p67 (ash)
2nd - 76- 8 - Allan Oram - p45 (hillview)
3rd - 69- 0 - Steve Tucker - p64 (ash)
4th - 64-14 - Fred Roberts - p60 (hillview)
5th - 63-12 - Chris Fox - p62 (ash)
6th - 55- 9 - Ash Tompkins - p37 (hillview)
I drew 62, which had the wind blowing straight down the lake into it, hmm, didn't really fancy it because of that, but who knows, its a developing fishery, so maybe they will surprise me. A method feeder was set up and a straight lead. I could see most others on the lake setting up wagglers, well I wasn't as I had purposely left it at home, imagining the wind would be too bad. 3 Topkits, one to fish banded pellet at the bottom of the end bank shelf at 14m. Another for soft pellet/corn at 14m to the right and a rig to fish about 2-3m out from the edge halfway down the slope.
By 12.30 I had 4 fish, 3 small carp and 1 skimmer, a long way behind Steve Tucker on the next peg (64) and even further behind peg 67. I went to the shop and bought some white semi bouyant band um's to try in desperation, when I got back the wind had dropped. The band ums did catch me a couple of fish, but the 14m line at the bottom of the shelf came to life with the wind dropping and I caught fairly steadily on 6mm banded pellet to the end, the very slow first 2 and a half hours cost me. Stand in partner Alan won his section and second in match, well done and thanks!!
I did consider at 12.30 that I would be last in the match, thankfully my late run put me 5th, but only good enough for 3rd in section, frustrating.
1st - 90-12 - Nick White - p67 (ash)
2nd - 76- 8 - Allan Oram - p45 (hillview)
3rd - 69- 0 - Steve Tucker - p64 (ash)
4th - 64-14 - Fred Roberts - p60 (hillview)
5th - 63-12 - Chris Fox - p62 (ash)
6th - 55- 9 - Ash Tompkins - p37 (hillview)
Avalon Silvers League, Penultimate Round, Saturday 19th November 2016
Penultimate round and with it being fairly tight at the top, I needed to end the day within a couple of pounds of the others who were in and around the frame placings. Into the bag and out comes disc 12, not so good, no gap and an angler either side, one of whom on peg 11 was league leader Vic Bush.
Mixing up the groundbait, the water didn't feel anywhere near as cold as the air temperature, that night have lulled me into a false sense of security...........
No whip today, the colder weather seems to have pushed the smaller fish out from the bank, not sure why, its certainly not because the of the depth or the clarity, as the water still retained some colour. I set up a small cage feeder, but didn't really expect much from it, as it seems to be better in the gaps. 3 topkits, a 0.6g AS float with a 0.10 and a 18 6313, a bulk rig same hooklength and a 16 6313 and a 0.3g AS float with a 0.08 hooklength and a 20 gamma green.
Usual GB mix, two lines at 14m, one to the left with a few micros in the mix, no micros in the RH line. Also a line shorter at 10mish which I just fed micros'.
The rest of the blog will be short and sweet, rotating round the lines, got me an odd fish from the two long lines, nothing from the 10m line, I set up a waggler rod half way through just to try and get a few bites, I did but they were tiny roach and rudd, most fell off winding back in.
No matter what I did I couldn't get more than a very odd bite and roach or small skimmer, ending up with 6lb, Vic only fared slightly better on the next peg, beating me by 12oz, there really didn't seem to be many fish in the area.
Mixing up the groundbait, the water didn't feel anywhere near as cold as the air temperature, that night have lulled me into a false sense of security...........
No whip today, the colder weather seems to have pushed the smaller fish out from the bank, not sure why, its certainly not because the of the depth or the clarity, as the water still retained some colour. I set up a small cage feeder, but didn't really expect much from it, as it seems to be better in the gaps. 3 topkits, a 0.6g AS float with a 0.10 and a 18 6313, a bulk rig same hooklength and a 16 6313 and a 0.3g AS float with a 0.08 hooklength and a 20 gamma green.
Usual GB mix, two lines at 14m, one to the left with a few micros in the mix, no micros in the RH line. Also a line shorter at 10mish which I just fed micros'.
The rest of the blog will be short and sweet, rotating round the lines, got me an odd fish from the two long lines, nothing from the 10m line, I set up a waggler rod half way through just to try and get a few bites, I did but they were tiny roach and rudd, most fell off winding back in.
No matter what I did I couldn't get more than a very odd bite and roach or small skimmer, ending up with 6lb, Vic only fared slightly better on the next peg, beating me by 12oz, there really didn't seem to be many fish in the area.
Friday, 18 November 2016
Viaduct Costcutter, Thursday 17th November 2016
The weather was promising us a soaking today and it was certainly wet loading up the van and driving down, but the rain had stopped by the time I got to Viaduct. 19 fishing today, a reasonable turnout given the forecast, I was second into the draw tin and wasn't exactly jumping for joy when I plucked out 129. Having drawn it a few Sundays ago and watched 114 catch all day, I was hoping it wasn't a case of groundhog day.
I had brought meat and corn to fish for carp and had some caster and dead maggot in case I drew a decent silvers peg, I decided to fish for carp, as there were plenty of silvers anglers in attendance and on better silvers pegs. I set up a lead rod, a waggler and 3 topkits, one for up to the spit, another for open water for meat and a rig for dead maggot/caster at 14m.
On the all-in I had a gentle breeze pushing in at me, it was pushing all of the floating leaves in towards me, making things tricky. I did feed to GB and caster at 14m as Clint had been pestered with carp on 128 during Sundays silver match. Had a couple of chucks around the peg with bread, but not so much as a liner. After 20 minutes I picked up the waggler and chucked towards 113, after a couple of minutes, the float disappeared and I was into a good fish. After a spirited fight, I netted a double figure fish, not a bad start, next cast I had nothing, by now the wind was swinging round and pushing down the lake.
3rd cast and another carp netted, smaller this time, 4lb or so, I was now thinking it would be a good day, but apart from a missed bite, that was the end of the action for a while, I then had a couple of decent skimmers on the wag and corn. I had fed a few cubes of meat out to the aerator, I had caught on the wag casting to the aerator last time I drew here, today, the only bite was a 1lb+ perch on meat.
131 was drawn, but the angler declined to fish it, his choice but I don't think it helped me, as there were fish showing between 131 and 132, they appeared to move up into all the space, so being the only peg between the spit and the end wasn't such an advantage.
At one point the wind and rain got up, it blew so hard that I half considered putting my pole away, but it didn't last too long and the rain held off for the rest of the match. With half an hour to go I knew I was too far behind to catch up with carp, so out of sheer boredom, I took the 0.12 hooklength (with a 16 hook) off the pole rig and replaced it with a 0.10 and a 18, fishing at 14m I had a few handsize skimmers, but was getting indications and liners from them. I ended up with 9lb odd of silvers and just over 12lb won the silvers, I am pretty convinced had I fished for them for the whole match I would have bettered that (and had a more enjoyable day).
I didn't get the full results sheet, but this is as reported on Viaduct FB.
Overall
1. Adrian Jeffery - 81lb 11oz - peg 123
2. Peter Bailey - 55lb 4oz - peg 110
3. Chris Rolfe - 51lb 8oz - peg 74
4. Brian Chivers - 48lb 14oz - peg 125
Silvers
1. Mike Jones - 12lb 5oz - peg 127
2. Andy Guard - 12lb 3oz - peg 119
I had brought meat and corn to fish for carp and had some caster and dead maggot in case I drew a decent silvers peg, I decided to fish for carp, as there were plenty of silvers anglers in attendance and on better silvers pegs. I set up a lead rod, a waggler and 3 topkits, one for up to the spit, another for open water for meat and a rig for dead maggot/caster at 14m.
On the all-in I had a gentle breeze pushing in at me, it was pushing all of the floating leaves in towards me, making things tricky. I did feed to GB and caster at 14m as Clint had been pestered with carp on 128 during Sundays silver match. Had a couple of chucks around the peg with bread, but not so much as a liner. After 20 minutes I picked up the waggler and chucked towards 113, after a couple of minutes, the float disappeared and I was into a good fish. After a spirited fight, I netted a double figure fish, not a bad start, next cast I had nothing, by now the wind was swinging round and pushing down the lake.
3rd cast and another carp netted, smaller this time, 4lb or so, I was now thinking it would be a good day, but apart from a missed bite, that was the end of the action for a while, I then had a couple of decent skimmers on the wag and corn. I had fed a few cubes of meat out to the aerator, I had caught on the wag casting to the aerator last time I drew here, today, the only bite was a 1lb+ perch on meat.
131 was drawn, but the angler declined to fish it, his choice but I don't think it helped me, as there were fish showing between 131 and 132, they appeared to move up into all the space, so being the only peg between the spit and the end wasn't such an advantage.
At one point the wind and rain got up, it blew so hard that I half considered putting my pole away, but it didn't last too long and the rain held off for the rest of the match. With half an hour to go I knew I was too far behind to catch up with carp, so out of sheer boredom, I took the 0.12 hooklength (with a 16 hook) off the pole rig and replaced it with a 0.10 and a 18, fishing at 14m I had a few handsize skimmers, but was getting indications and liners from them. I ended up with 9lb odd of silvers and just over 12lb won the silvers, I am pretty convinced had I fished for them for the whole match I would have bettered that (and had a more enjoyable day).
I didn't get the full results sheet, but this is as reported on Viaduct FB.
Overall
1. Adrian Jeffery - 81lb 11oz - peg 123
2. Peter Bailey - 55lb 4oz - peg 110
3. Chris Rolfe - 51lb 8oz - peg 74
4. Brian Chivers - 48lb 14oz - peg 125
Silvers
1. Mike Jones - 12lb 5oz - peg 127
2. Andy Guard - 12lb 3oz - peg 119
Sunday, 13 November 2016
Viaduct Silvers League, Sunday 13th November 2016
I was disappointed to have to miss this series due to work, but I managed to get a place standing in for Clive Barrow in this match. Lovely drive down, only saw three or four cars the whole journey, why can't driving always be like that!!
Into the tin and out comes 126, can't complain too much about that, might have preferred 69 or 70, but 126 gives a decent chance for a section win and depending how the other lakes fish, a win or frame.
Four topkits and a waggler rod out of the bag, first topkit had a 0.3 Gimp on 0.15 with a 0.10 hooklength and a 18 6313. Next a 0.3 Hillbilly float with a double bulk, 0.10 again this time with a 16 6313. A 0.3g float to fish caster at topkit + 2 again with 0.10 and a 6313 and finally a kit with a 0.1g float to fish either side. The waggler was on 2.5lb maxima with a 0.10 hooklength and again, a trusty 6313 in 18.
Bait is nice and simple, casters, maggots - dead and alive - pinkies and groundbait. On the all in two lines fed with GB, both at 14m one with a pinch of worm in, one without. That was left and I started on the short line, a couple of small roach fell to caster, a couple to maggot but it wasn't exactly frantic sport.
There is nothing else to say about the sort line or the edge lines, as they didn't produce another fish.
I did try the waggler, but only over the 14m lines as I didn't want to feed further out and frustratingly bumped a good fish when the rod hit the tree to my left on the strike. A couple of small roach after that before I binned it and went back on the pole.
Spent the rest of the match alternating between the two 14m lines, topping with GB as necessary and took skimmers on worm, caster and dead maggot - which was the best bait - to put together 20.01 of skimmers which was good enough for a section win and 4th overall.
Into the tin and out comes 126, can't complain too much about that, might have preferred 69 or 70, but 126 gives a decent chance for a section win and depending how the other lakes fish, a win or frame.
Four topkits and a waggler rod out of the bag, first topkit had a 0.3 Gimp on 0.15 with a 0.10 hooklength and a 18 6313. Next a 0.3 Hillbilly float with a double bulk, 0.10 again this time with a 16 6313. A 0.3g float to fish caster at topkit + 2 again with 0.10 and a 6313 and finally a kit with a 0.1g float to fish either side. The waggler was on 2.5lb maxima with a 0.10 hooklength and again, a trusty 6313 in 18.
Bait is nice and simple, casters, maggots - dead and alive - pinkies and groundbait. On the all in two lines fed with GB, both at 14m one with a pinch of worm in, one without. That was left and I started on the short line, a couple of small roach fell to caster, a couple to maggot but it wasn't exactly frantic sport.
There is nothing else to say about the sort line or the edge lines, as they didn't produce another fish.
I did try the waggler, but only over the 14m lines as I didn't want to feed further out and frustratingly bumped a good fish when the rod hit the tree to my left on the strike. A couple of small roach after that before I binned it and went back on the pole.
Spent the rest of the match alternating between the two 14m lines, topping with GB as necessary and took skimmers on worm, caster and dead maggot - which was the best bait - to put together 20.01 of skimmers which was good enough for a section win and 4th overall.
Wednesday, 9 November 2016
Todber Manor Pairs R2, Sunday 6th November 2016
Traveled down with pairs partner Mike Walker, a minor drama before we set off got my van all loaded up and it then wouldn't start, no warnings on the dash, I didn't have time to get the fault code reader out, although it seemed more like a fuel problem than an engimne management issue.
We were working out if we could fit the myriad of kit kit into Mike's Audi after emptying the van out and we had some stuff in, but it wasn't looking good. I tried the van once again and it started, so we loaded it all back in and set off.
Uneventful run down to Todber and I once again avoided the temptation to explore the well stocked shop. I drew peg 52 which wasn't the best peg last time round, I was next to Scott Russell for the second match running, he was on 53 which had won the section in the previous round. When we got to the pegs, which are down an arm on the lake, we weren't too confident as the cold wind was blowing in there. I set up a method rod and three topkits, one 0.8g AS float on 0.14 with a 0.12 hooklength with a LWG 18 and a band. A 0.6g AS with the same line and hook, but without a band and a 0.3g HB Chump to fish meat/corn in about 3' of water.
Not too much more to say, nothing on meat or corn in the 3' of water line, a few carp and micro tench at 13m on banded 6mm pellet and a few decent roach short on caster. Scott was biteless after 2.5 hours and went for a walk, I wandered back to the van to get another fleece, as the wind was bloody cold. Scott did nick a couple of better fish on the feeder at the end, but I managed to pip him, but it was all to no avail, as we were last and last but one in section. I put 27lb on the scale to Scott's 22lb and the section was won with 55lbish.
The only hindsight I can apply to today was draw a better peg, given the weather conditions, really not sure that there were too many fish at the end of the arm and we both suffered for it. That's the end of the series for us as a pair now I should imagine, so fishing the last two rounds as an open for me and Mike.
We were working out if we could fit the myriad of kit kit into Mike's Audi after emptying the van out and we had some stuff in, but it wasn't looking good. I tried the van once again and it started, so we loaded it all back in and set off.
Uneventful run down to Todber and I once again avoided the temptation to explore the well stocked shop. I drew peg 52 which wasn't the best peg last time round, I was next to Scott Russell for the second match running, he was on 53 which had won the section in the previous round. When we got to the pegs, which are down an arm on the lake, we weren't too confident as the cold wind was blowing in there. I set up a method rod and three topkits, one 0.8g AS float on 0.14 with a 0.12 hooklength with a LWG 18 and a band. A 0.6g AS with the same line and hook, but without a band and a 0.3g HB Chump to fish meat/corn in about 3' of water.
Not too much more to say, nothing on meat or corn in the 3' of water line, a few carp and micro tench at 13m on banded 6mm pellet and a few decent roach short on caster. Scott was biteless after 2.5 hours and went for a walk, I wandered back to the van to get another fleece, as the wind was bloody cold. Scott did nick a couple of better fish on the feeder at the end, but I managed to pip him, but it was all to no avail, as we were last and last but one in section. I put 27lb on the scale to Scott's 22lb and the section was won with 55lbish.
The only hindsight I can apply to today was draw a better peg, given the weather conditions, really not sure that there were too many fish at the end of the arm and we both suffered for it. That's the end of the series for us as a pair now I should imagine, so fishing the last two rounds as an open for me and Mike.
Avalon Silvers League R4, Saturday 5th November 2016
Nice lazy breakfast at home before setting off, only to find the draw had been put back to 08.30, so ended up being 10 minutes late. A couple of pegs left in the bag and I plucked out 18, 19 was the end peg and not drawn - yet.
I thought I might have an end peg advantage, but another latecomer turned up on 19, at least I had some open water, so started by setting up a cage feeder, then a waggler rod, before setting up 3 pole rigs, a double bulk rig that remained unused and two rigs with AS floats, one 0.6g and one 0.4g. As the weather had taken a turn towards winter, I had 0.10 and a 18 6313 on the 0.6g rig and 1.3lb fluorocarbon with a 18 Gamma Green on the light rig.
Bait tray comprised a few micros, caster maggots and pinkies, also a very small amount of worms, I pumped a few devils spawn and mixed some groundbait. Two lines at 14m, one with a pinch of worms, one without. A line at 8m and a short caster line, starting on the short caster line I had one roach, but that was to it from there. The 8m pellet line produced one roach all day, so no more about that. The two 14m lines produced the fish, albeit slowly, but I did have 5 decent skimmers, one on devils spawn, one on worm and 3 on caster, as well as a few smaller skimmers and the odd roach.
With hindsight (as usual) I would have fed one line differently, instead if topping with small jaffas and fishing it out, I should have tried feeding less more often, which isn't usually the way to fish for winter skimmers, but I felt at the end it might have been better. The heavier rig produced more fish and after losing a carp I had converted that to a fluorocarbon hooklength and a 16 Gamma Green, although I don't think it was a major influence on the catch rate.
My fish went 18.04 which was only good enough for 4th in section, but that was 4th in the match and keeps me in touch with Vic who is leading the series with myself in second place.
I thought I might have an end peg advantage, but another latecomer turned up on 19, at least I had some open water, so started by setting up a cage feeder, then a waggler rod, before setting up 3 pole rigs, a double bulk rig that remained unused and two rigs with AS floats, one 0.6g and one 0.4g. As the weather had taken a turn towards winter, I had 0.10 and a 18 6313 on the 0.6g rig and 1.3lb fluorocarbon with a 18 Gamma Green on the light rig.
Bait tray comprised a few micros, caster maggots and pinkies, also a very small amount of worms, I pumped a few devils spawn and mixed some groundbait. Two lines at 14m, one with a pinch of worms, one without. A line at 8m and a short caster line, starting on the short caster line I had one roach, but that was to it from there. The 8m pellet line produced one roach all day, so no more about that. The two 14m lines produced the fish, albeit slowly, but I did have 5 decent skimmers, one on devils spawn, one on worm and 3 on caster, as well as a few smaller skimmers and the odd roach.
With hindsight (as usual) I would have fed one line differently, instead if topping with small jaffas and fishing it out, I should have tried feeding less more often, which isn't usually the way to fish for winter skimmers, but I felt at the end it might have been better. The heavier rig produced more fish and after losing a carp I had converted that to a fluorocarbon hooklength and a 16 Gamma Green, although I don't think it was a major influence on the catch rate.
My fish went 18.04 which was only good enough for 4th in section, but that was 4th in the match and keeps me in touch with Vic who is leading the series with myself in second place.
Tuesday, 25 October 2016
Acorn Tuesday Tenner, Tuesday 25th October 2016
Traveled down with Tony Rixon today, I must say I was disappointed
that after taking him in, like a child refugee (looks about the same age
as some of them....) and feeding him, slaking his thirst with orange
juice and my best filter coffee, he then drew the current form peg on
the lake (5) and proceeded to empty it. I had the misfortune to be sat
behind on 40 which several years ago would have had anyone drawing it
running to it, but it hasn't fared well in recent months. The Tuesday tenner was thirteen quid today, as it was the usual £12 + a quid poppy tax.
Still, it was a dry day, out in the fresh air and maybe the fish would have moved. Trying to cover most options I set up 4 topkits, one for right across, to fish in about 15" of water, banded hooklength of 0.12 and a 18LWG on that one. Next rig was a Chianti, to fish in about 2' 6" 0f water on the second shelf. this had a spade end 118 LWG on 0.12 to start with, my thought was to fish micros, devils spawn and maggot on this line. A rig for down the track and next to the bridge in the deepest water, again a 18 LWG on 0.12. Finally a margin rig, I found a flattish area just this side of the empty 39 and by the bridge, both about 3' deep, decided to target this depth to start with.
Starting across on the shelf, I did have a fish after 10 minutes and the story of the day started, no matter what I tried I could not break the cycle of having to move lines, sometimes 2 or 3 times before I got another bite. To cut a long and fairly monotonous story short, I had two F1's short by the bridge, nothing in the RH margin, one fish down the track and the others either up the shelf or tight to the bridge - the float had to be touching the bridge to get a bite, a real pain as the tow was pushing the float and rig away from the bridge. I would rotate round the lines, then get a bite out of the blue, what never happened, was getting two bites or fish consecutively from the same line.
I did keep myself amused during one particularly barren spell, by feeding caster and pellets to my new friends...... That was by far and away the most frantic feeding in the vicinity of my peg.
Even more frustratingly, my fish were half the size of those that I could see Tony catching, as well as peg 37 and 6. One of those days when I leave the peg having tried lots of options, being negative, trying a positive line, persisting with one line, trying pellets and maggots, then left feeling slightly bemused as to what I could have done to challenge the framers.
At least I wasn't the latest victim of the strict net limit at this venue, Mike Owens was the unfortunate transgressor this time, his 71lb in a net costing him 3rd place......
Still, it was a dry day, out in the fresh air and maybe the fish would have moved. Trying to cover most options I set up 4 topkits, one for right across, to fish in about 15" of water, banded hooklength of 0.12 and a 18LWG on that one. Next rig was a Chianti, to fish in about 2' 6" 0f water on the second shelf. this had a spade end 118 LWG on 0.12 to start with, my thought was to fish micros, devils spawn and maggot on this line. A rig for down the track and next to the bridge in the deepest water, again a 18 LWG on 0.12. Finally a margin rig, I found a flattish area just this side of the empty 39 and by the bridge, both about 3' deep, decided to target this depth to start with.
Starting across on the shelf, I did have a fish after 10 minutes and the story of the day started, no matter what I tried I could not break the cycle of having to move lines, sometimes 2 or 3 times before I got another bite. To cut a long and fairly monotonous story short, I had two F1's short by the bridge, nothing in the RH margin, one fish down the track and the others either up the shelf or tight to the bridge - the float had to be touching the bridge to get a bite, a real pain as the tow was pushing the float and rig away from the bridge. I would rotate round the lines, then get a bite out of the blue, what never happened, was getting two bites or fish consecutively from the same line.
I did keep myself amused during one particularly barren spell, by feeding caster and pellets to my new friends...... That was by far and away the most frantic feeding in the vicinity of my peg.
Even more frustratingly, my fish were half the size of those that I could see Tony catching, as well as peg 37 and 6. One of those days when I leave the peg having tried lots of options, being negative, trying a positive line, persisting with one line, trying pellets and maggots, then left feeling slightly bemused as to what I could have done to challenge the framers.
At least I wasn't the latest victim of the strict net limit at this venue, Mike Owens was the unfortunate transgressor this time, his 71lb in a net costing him 3rd place......
Monday, 24 October 2016
Viaduct Open Sunday 23rd October 2016
Had several options today, but chose Viaduct and I took bait to fish for carp and silvers, although I would chose which when I drew, as I felt it was not going to be viable to fish for both. Only 15 for this one, must be winter, as any summer Sunday match on Campbell would be sold out.
For the second day running I drew a peg I wouldn't have chosen, 129, but there was plenty of space as I only had the amiable Mr Roberts on 131 for company between me and the end bank. The wind was ripping up the lake and was going to make pole and waggler fishing difficult, but ever hopeful that the wind would abate at some point, I set up a waggler and 3 pole rigs. A meat rig, one to fish pellet at 14m and a rig to fish to the spit, which had a depth of nearly 2' and I did think that there might be a fish or two to be had from there.
Starting on the lead, I gave it 20 minutes before the brain fade set in and I had to look at a float, the pole was equally ineffective and the wind was making waggler fishing tricky, but but putting an 8mm pellet 4" overdepth it would hold still. After 3/4 of an hour I had a bite and landed a near 4lb carp, Fred had one at exactly the same time. I had a couple of liners at the time, but that was it until just before 14.00 when I had a 3lb tench on the waggler. 14.00 was the half way point and Steve Hutter walked up and Fred walked down to my peg, as we were all struggling, whilst 123, 114 and 118 were catching.
Fred and I decided that a halftime coffee and pasty would be good and provide some fresh impetus for the second half of the match, so a stroll up the shop was in order, we weren't alone, we were soon joined by John Bradford and Sean Clayton, both were equally struggling, with Sean being especially frustrated, being next to 114 who was sacking, whilst he struggled.
The second half if the match started well, before I had finished my coffee, the waggler dipped and a beautifully conditioned 10lb common was netted after a spirited tussle, the fish might have been cold and going into winter mode, but still fighting like summer fish. The spit produced nothing, I had fed maggots sparingly and a couple of cubes of meat, but I don't think there was anything there.
I had fed a meat line at 7m all day and did catch a perch and one carp from it, but the most indications were on the waggler, cast close to the aerator. I lost two foulers and had a few indications, but these came in spells, the fish seemed to be moving through the peg in small groups and I had 3 more carp during these spells of activity. I'm not sure if it was a small shoal of carp circling round or if it was carp moving from the shallow water at this end of the lake moving towards the deeper water.
Ended up with 46.05 and was a long, long way from the top 3, not really sure that I could have done much more, maybe fishing the waggler all day, but the wind was making feeding 8mm pellets tricky.
For the second day running I drew a peg I wouldn't have chosen, 129, but there was plenty of space as I only had the amiable Mr Roberts on 131 for company between me and the end bank. The wind was ripping up the lake and was going to make pole and waggler fishing difficult, but ever hopeful that the wind would abate at some point, I set up a waggler and 3 pole rigs. A meat rig, one to fish pellet at 14m and a rig to fish to the spit, which had a depth of nearly 2' and I did think that there might be a fish or two to be had from there.
Starting on the lead, I gave it 20 minutes before the brain fade set in and I had to look at a float, the pole was equally ineffective and the wind was making waggler fishing tricky, but but putting an 8mm pellet 4" overdepth it would hold still. After 3/4 of an hour I had a bite and landed a near 4lb carp, Fred had one at exactly the same time. I had a couple of liners at the time, but that was it until just before 14.00 when I had a 3lb tench on the waggler. 14.00 was the half way point and Steve Hutter walked up and Fred walked down to my peg, as we were all struggling, whilst 123, 114 and 118 were catching.
Fred and I decided that a halftime coffee and pasty would be good and provide some fresh impetus for the second half of the match, so a stroll up the shop was in order, we weren't alone, we were soon joined by John Bradford and Sean Clayton, both were equally struggling, with Sean being especially frustrated, being next to 114 who was sacking, whilst he struggled.
The second half if the match started well, before I had finished my coffee, the waggler dipped and a beautifully conditioned 10lb common was netted after a spirited tussle, the fish might have been cold and going into winter mode, but still fighting like summer fish. The spit produced nothing, I had fed maggots sparingly and a couple of cubes of meat, but I don't think there was anything there.
I had fed a meat line at 7m all day and did catch a perch and one carp from it, but the most indications were on the waggler, cast close to the aerator. I lost two foulers and had a few indications, but these came in spells, the fish seemed to be moving through the peg in small groups and I had 3 more carp during these spells of activity. I'm not sure if it was a small shoal of carp circling round or if it was carp moving from the shallow water at this end of the lake moving towards the deeper water.
Ended up with 46.05 and was a long, long way from the top 3, not really sure that I could have done much more, maybe fishing the waggler all day, but the wind was making feeding 8mm pellets tricky.
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