Avon Angling Float Only League, Round One, Viaduct. Sunday 18th May 2014

Third day on the trot at Viaduct for me, which isn't a problem as I enjoy fishing it in the spring, summer and autumn.  Having abstained from the cafe for the last two days (a fry up every day can't be good for the waistline!!) I made up for it today with the usual at Shipham.

Cary and Campbell in today, my main hope was not to draw the diagonal bank on Cary, which was achieved by pulling 135 from the tin.  A new experience for me as I have never drawn one of the end banks on Campbell before.  There were a few odd cruisers, but they were pairing up, with the warm weather of the last few days they seem to be on the verge of spawning.

I set up a waggler rod, but it got taken down and put back in the bag at the end, without seeing water, so no more to say about that then.  Four pole rigs set up, a shallow/mugging rig, I have been trying a NG XT Inline Ghandi for this and I have been very impressed.

NG XT Inline Ghandi

A MW slim power for meat short, another for pellet at 14.5m and a Hillbilly Mini Margin for down the edge.

Starting on the mugging rig, I did manage to mug one before the fish disappeared and this was a portent of things to come.  I managed one on the pellet at full depth, but bites were hard to come by, not surprising, given the bright conditions, the imminent spawning and that the fishery had been match fished for five consecutive days.  I ended up going down the margin towards the corner, much, much earlier than I would have liked, feeding 8mm pellet and fishing 8mm pellet on the hook, I had a couple of fish, before that too went quiet. 

I managed one fish from the pallet of 134 and that was the only bite of the match down that side, usually the fish are visible topping and swirling in this area of the lake, but they were conspicuous by their absence. I went back over the 14.5 m line and whilst there was some fizzing there, it was tough going to get bites and I managed another three fish up to the last hour when I was banking on the margin.  I had fed the margin down by the pallet of 136 and dropped in there with five maggots on the hook, a 7lb carp was the first to take it, this was the biggest fish I had all day, the bigger stamp that often show late hadn't ventured into the 'shallow end'.

Maggot was then useless, as even six dead ones were being taken by tiny roach, a switch to double corn brought another couple of fish before the line went dead again.  Refeeding saw another two fish taken and I was just thinking that I might make some inroads in Bob Gullick on 129 for section points, the margin died again and refeeding didn't provoke the revival needed.

It was a tough day, but for the third day running I weighed in over a ton, sadly my 108lb was only good enough for 3rd in section, beaten by 3lb for second and 25lb behind 'Bridge Troll Bob'.

Work and nurse maiding a poorly puppy sees me unlikely to get out before next Sunday, which is Round Five of the Pole Only Series at Acorn,which looking at the open results, is seeing the winning and back up weights climbing up.

Overall:

1. Tony Rixon 187-0-0 peg 88
2. Joe McMahon 167-05-0 peg 85
3. Gary O’Shea 151-07-0 peg 128
4. Craig Edmonds 146-08-0 peg 79
5. Steve Segar 138-07-0 peg 118
6. Bob Gullick 137-09-0 peg 129

  Silvers:

1. Scott Russell 46-10-0 peg 94
2. Tim Clarke 43-06-0 peg 123