Plantation Open, Sunday 29th December 2019

Last match of 2019 and a rare trip to Plantation, a venue that doesn't have many matches on and does offer some great fishing.
I dipped into the bowl of pegs and pulled out 12 - not over impressed to be fair, its not got a lot of form, it's in a bay and if the fish aren't in there then it can be lean times.  I had plenty of caster left over from the silvers pairs, so had the option of fishing for carp or silvers.  I decided that a day on the hard pellet would be the way forward, so mainly set out a stall to fish that a t 14.5m.

The peg does have a margin down to the left hand side, limited by a overhanging tree.  So a rig to fish at about 10m down to the left.

Started on 6mm banded pellet and fed two lines, one straight out in front and one off about 11 o'clock, fed the one straight in front with micros and 4mm's, the 11 o'clock line with just hard 4's and a few 6's.  The line in front had a few skimmers show, the 11 o'clock line produced 2 carp and a few skimmers - this was all in the first couple of hours, it died off then and I had two small carp down the edge in the last hour.  I think the fish moved out of the bay and that was it, still I managed 5th and it was more than I thought I'd get from the peg.

Happy New Year to all and next up is Acorn Winter League and the Todber Winter League.

Viaduct Silvers Pairs, Day Two, Saturday 28th December 2019

Looking for a couple of decent draws for myself and Paul today, his didn't seem to bad, peg 4, mine I wasn't enamoured with, 128 on Campbell, but I still expected to put a few fish together.

Conditions were pretty flat and a little brighter than yesterday so I didn't set up the feeder I'd brought, I did set up two wagglers, one for corn and one for caster, as well as the usual skimmer rigs and a rig to fish to the spit that separates 128 and 129, finally one for caster through the water.

All those plans were pretty much dashed, I did have a couple of 3-4oz hybrids against the spit, but unfortunately they were the biggest fish I hooked all day, roach of less than 1oz being about the only fish I could catch.  Frustratingly, the longer lines didn't give up one single skimmer of any size.

I had to swap about between the waggler and long pole lines to keep those tiny roach coming, there was no bigger fish amongst them, no matter what I tried.

What a huge difference between the two days, from 2nd on the lake to last on the lake, Paul had a bit of a grueller to and we weren't far off last....

Viaduct Silvers Pairs, Day One, Friday 27th December 2019

Work had meant I hadn't had a chance to fish this the last few years, so was looking forward to this year, fishing with Paul Faiers, against some tough opposition.

I drew peg 38, not a bad draw if the skimmers were still sat there, I had Matt Parsons on 37, just the two of us on Middle, the rest of our section on Spring and Paul on the Campbell section, where I'd be tomorrow.  126 for Paul, probably not the the best draw on current form, but if it fishes hard, Paul can usually wheedle out a few roach.

My last visit to this peg ended in what I think is my only ever blank at Viaduct, a frozen lake in a winter league, gin clear water under the broken ice and I joined about half the field that DNW that day.  Surely it would be better than that!

I set up a waggler to fish corn, a couple of skimmer rigs, one 0.3g and one 0.5g - just to see which was best, I also fancied catching short, as the depth is good and it was very overcast.  So a Chianti with strung 11's for caster at 2+2.

Fed the two skimmer lines at 14m with GB/caster/dead maggot and started short, I caught straight away, roach and a couple of small hybrids, whilst keeping an eye on Matt who started on the waggler and corn.  I kept catching roach, so stuck with it for 30 minutes, I did then switch to the skimmer line and it was pretty slow going, I did have the odd fish, getting fish around the 1lb mark.  Matt was getting an odd decent skimmer on the waggler, but my efforts on it were only rewarded with roach and one small hybrid.

I had a decision to make, sit it out and wait and see if the skimmers rocked up, as they can go 2-3lb or carry on putting fish in the net short - by now I could catch on a topkit just over the dead reeds down to my right - decent roach, the odd hybrid and a perch.  I did lose two decent fish in the reeds - elastic was too soft, suspect it was a hybrid and a perch, but could have been two perch.

It was the right decision I think, the skimmers didn't really show up in any numbers and it was a lovely days caster fishing for 24.04, second on the lake, second in section and 5th overall.  Un fortunately, Paul's draw hadn't fished and we were midway after the first day.

Viaduct Christmas Match, Saturday 21st December 2019

With just under 70 anglers fishing this one, a draw was important and the top end of Campbell was on virtually everyone's Xmas list....

Nice and early into the tin, Colin Dyer in front of me pulled 131 - nice, me 15 on Spring, a peg I have yet to catch a carp from this peg and I was informed the tree that overhung the margin down to the right has been taken out. 

Got to the peg and there was some branches in the water, looked more like a fallen branch (and huge snag) than a feature, but I felt it was the only option for carp, as 15 is somewhat hemmed in, as peg 12 stops you fishing more than 16m in front, whilst 16 next door has an island chuck.  I must admit, I was a bit fed up that the peg had been put in when there was only one peg on the other end bank, drawn by Trigger - 24.

The peg decided my options, a rig to dob bread down to the sunken branch, the rest of the gear was just aimed at silvers - my best bet at a pick up, three topkits, one with a HB Frostie and some spread 11's to fish caster at 5/6m and two rigs, a 0.3g and a 0.5g,  Frostie and Gimp, respectively, for 14m.  I did set up a waggler, but it could only be fished on the pole line, so no more about that.

With a couple of good anglers on 11 and 12 (Nick Chedzoy and Dave Brittain) also looking like they were targeting silvers, I was grateful when peg 16 set up two lead rods and nothing else.  I started down the edge dobbing bread, after feeding the 14m line with GB and dead maggot/caster, not a sign of a bite and I switched to the short caster line, that was not much better, one roach in 15 minutes.

30 minutes gone and out to 14m, this saw a few roach, hybrids and small skimmers come to the net, but I was behind Dave on 12, 16 had a carp early on the lead, but I ignored that, as I was 100% concentrated on silvers. By topping the line with a tangerine sized ball of GB I kept the odd fish coming, including a couple of better skimmers approaching a pound. This line did slow up, as did Dave's, I tried fishing past the GB, and either side, but it was if the fish had vanished.

Luckily, the 5m line came to life and I had a run of dumpy roach, including one about 12oz and a skimmer just over a lb as well a s some 4oz hybrids, this pulled me ahead of Dave and I ended with 18.02, more than I thought.  That was enough for 3rd in the silvers overall (and 3rd on the lake)  and a brown envelope.  Enjoyable days fishing, some good banter with Dave and Chedz.

Thanks to Steve, Helen & Matt at Viaduct for a good match, great prizes, mince pies and beer and all they have done through the year.

As expected the winners came from the top of Campbell and Trigger used all that space to take the silvers hamper.

Looking forward to the two day silvers pairs at Viaduct on 27th/28th now.  Happy Xmas to anyone who has been stalwart enough to read this far.....

Overall
1. Stu White - 93lb 10oz - peg 132
2. Dick Bull - 70lb 4oz - peg 110
3. Roland Lucas - 60lb 10oz - peg 70
4. Mark Hayman - 59lb 5oz - peg 129
5. Colin Dyer - 51lb 8oz - peg 131

Silvers
1. Craig Edmunds - 20lb 7oz - peg 24
2. Rob Eagle - 19lb 2oz - peg 102
3. Chris Fox - 18lb 2oz - peg 15
4. Robert Parker - 17lb 8oz - peg 61
5. Pete Ziemniak - 16lb 3oz - peg 85

Vidauct Silvers League, Final Round, Sunday 15th December 2019

I did wonder if I could resurrect a bit of pride from this league, I have had some draws that certainly don't stand out as silvers pegs.  Nice breakfast in the Cross Keys at Lydford-on-the Fosse and we were at Viaduct in plenty of time for Tony to choose a parking space near the shop.

Not sure if that parking was an omen, as we both drew Lodge, Tony 64 ( I did feel for him, I had it and it certainly isn't a good section peg) myself 59, which should be good for a few fish.

I set up two wagglers, one for caster, one for corn, the caster rod had a Drennan glowtip and the corn rig, a Preston peacock insert with a hi vis tip, both 0.10 hooklengths with a 20 and 18 hook respectively.

3 topkits, one with a HB float with strung out No11's, this for caster on a short line and the same float in 0.3g for a line at 14.5m.  Also a 0.5g chimp style float in case the wind got up, as the peg is quite deep, the aerator obviously scours the bottom out.

Fed some GB, caster and dead maggot on one line at 14.5m at the start and had a look on the caster line at 2+3.  nothing doing there, so after 20 minutes, onto the GB line, that was pretty slow as well, just a couple of small roach.  Switched to fishing the waggler over the GB with a single caster, but that was slow as well.

Next couple of hours were spent on the heavier waggler fishing corn to where there were branches caught round the aerator rope that stretches across the lake, there were fish moving there, a couple of carp, but also skimmers.  I had some indications, some bites and 5 skimmers on the corn, before the wind and tow made it difficult, putting an S in the line and pulling the float away from the area where the fish had been sat.  I think the moved anyway, as to my left they had a couple of skimmers on the wag after I stopped catching.

I did have one skimmer over the GB line after that, but it was a lonesome soul and I finished up having a couple of hybrids and some stocky little roach from the caster line.  My 13.11 being enough to win the section (and lake), also 5th on the day, my weight bettered by 4 on Campbell.

Overall, I was joint 10th on points, dropping to 11th with a worst dropper, I can't really complain about that from the draws  I had and I was happy with the way I fished all the pegs, which really were some you don;t want in a silvers league.

Well done on Viaduct Winter League team mate Richard Aherne taking out the league and unlucky to Tony, drawing one of 'my pegs' (64) which saw him come second.

Todber Manor Xmas Match, Saturday 14th December 2019

A rare Saturday off for Tony, so travelled down with him, paid up the optional pool and after a bit of social chat and some banter it was down to the serious business of drawing, with 86 fishing, it was going to important to draw well.

Tony had 58 on Hill View, whilst I plucked 8 on Whitepost Top Lake for myself, so had to take Tony's van up there after he got his kit out, a new one for me, I have never fished White post before, so wasn't quite sure what to expect.Once everyone was in off the road, I made my (short walk) way to peg 8. 

The wind was blowing straight down the lake right to left, so it was likely to be a short chuck with a lead/feeder to the far side, I set up two lead rods, one with a bomb on, for bread and the other was a maggot feeder.  A 0.18 hooklength with a 14 QM1 on the bread rod and a 0.16 with a 16 LWG on the maggot feeder rig.

I did consider not setting up a pole because of the wind, but did settle on just getting a margin pole out and setting that up at its full length, one rig would do, a 4x14 on 0.16 with a 0.14 hooklength and a 20 Kaizen hook.  Just before the start the sky went very grey and we were subjected to a tempest, I had Steve Denmead on peg 7 next door and the wind blew his flat roller over and smashed his No6 section, this led him to look up the price of a new one and gave myself and Dave Bruton on peg 9 some fodder to wind Steve up, all in good fun and we had some good banter during the match.

I started on bread and had an almost instant bite, which I then lost, so probably a fouler. Landed 3 and lost a couple more in the first hour, it looked pretty slow for most.  I switched to the maggot feeder after an look on the pole, this brought fish at intervals through the match, including 4/5 F1's that I clicked at 2lb, but they were probably over 3lb with hindsight.

I tried the pole line a couple more times during that spell, but nothing doing, until I saw Steve hook a carp on the pole with about 40 minutes to go, the wind was dropping and I soon hooked one after looking in over the micro/maggot feed, a decent fish just over double figures and then another around 4lb, the wind had died off and I could see the odd bubble and indication that there were fish feeding.  A few others also had fish on the pole in the last 30 minutes - time of day or that wind dropping, not sure but it was a welcome change from struggling for bites.

Jack Stamp had been catching steadily on the end peg and the end but one peg had also had a few and thats how the lake panned out, Jack winning the lake from 12, with 95.00, peg 11 had 82 somthing and my clicked 55lb was somewhat more, how much more than 55lb I'll never know as the scales bottom out at 66lb and that's the net limit.  That was enough for 3rd on the lake, a decnt prize and some pools money.

A enjoyable match, not quite sure how I got the net weight so wrong, just underestimated the fish I guess, still it didn't cost me, as it wasn't 95lb and certainly not enough to trouble winner Gary O'Shea from the bottom lake at Whitepost, which threw up 3 ton+ weights.

Awesome weights for that many anglers fishing in December, looking forward to the winter league on there now.

Tony's Open, Todber Manor, Sunday 8th December 2019

Well, this will be short and sweet.  Tony booked Todber to run an open and given the results from the venue lately, I was looking forward to it.  Travelled down with Tony, via the Riverside Cafe, not too bad a breakfast, the day did go downhill from there...

Into the draw bag and 19 came out, it then turns out it was 61.  Didn't mean much to me, on arrival at the peg, it looked OK, a bit of room to the right and a island chuck.

I started on a method to the island, that was slow, a couple of fish in the first half hour, a switch to the pole feeding maggots was not much better and I had two fish on that.  I could see Bela two pegs to my left, chucking a bomb and bred into open water and getting a fish a chuck, Trigger between us was catching and those to the left of Bela were also catching.

The pole line was so dire, I decided to have the rest of the match fishing the method, to try and make it work, try a few tweaks and learn something.  Then a freak storm, with torrential rain and high winds swept through the fishery, I got off my box and put my pole away, seeing some others losing net bags and various other gear into the lake.

I stuck out the method until 30 minutes from the end and then packed up tipping back about 30lb, Tony fared no better, also packing up before the end and not weighing - I can't recall him doing that before!

Well done to Bela, fished the bomb and bread start to finish and won with 160lb+

Xmas match at Todber up next - just hope the draw bag is kind.

Acorn Winter League, Round 3, Saturday 7th December 2019

Got there a bit early and ended up playing with the fishery dog - still they are better company than many people...

After two decidedly average rounds, I was looking forward to being in the best section for this one, I did want to avoid pegs 1 and 3, so wasn't disappointed to draw 11, for a change, a decent draw.

A simple approach for this one, I'd forgotten to stop at the shop and get some bread, so pellets and maggots were the order of the day, plumbing round the peg I found plenty of places that had the same depth, so plenty of option with one rig.  Next was to plumb up on the second shelf across, found enough areas to give some options and finally a rig for the margin down towards the tree.

I did have a method rod set up in the van, so I put that on the roost, it went back in the van unused at the end, not sure why I waste the fuel transporting it...

Started across and I did have a skimmer after about 10 minutes, but it looked like a slow start all round, I switched to a two+2 line just off to my left and had a couple of carp from there on maggots over nuggets of GB with maggots in.  A 20 Kaizen hook to 0.12 was the favoured end tackle and a home made diamond bodied float, with a carbon stem, I find these very stable in windy conditions.

A couple of skimmers from that line and then it died off, I did try across again, but I wasn't getting any indications.  I ventured down to the tree at 13m, fishing just off the outside of it, started feeding a few micros and an expander on the hook, I had one carp on this, but a switch to maggot was more successful and a succession of carp followed.

The last 3/4 of an hour slowed up, the fish had backed off a little, I persevered thinking they'd come back, but I had to give in and put another section on the get another one.

My 82.15 was enough to win by a reasonable margin, so some slim chance of salvaging something from this league, a random draw next match, before rotating again.

Viaduct Silvers League R5, Sunday 1st December 2019

Travelled down to this one with Tony, layered up with more clothing than yesterday, but it turned out there was no need, as the wind was much less cold today.

Having bemoaned my draws so far on this league, it was a shock to see 130 on the card when I opened it,  peg that has produced some decent silvers weights recently.

With loads of time, I set up a 3 square feeder, a waggler and 3 topkits, one for roach/anything at 6m where I'd do a caster line and two rigs for 14m, one a double bulk and one with a bulk and one dropper, all with 0.10 and a 18 F1 hook.

Two lines at 14m, one at 11 o'clock and one at two o'clock, because that's where the light was decent to see the float and the depth was within a couple of inches.  Started by feeding the RH line fairly negatively, with one small ball of GB, without much feed in and the LH line with 2 balls, bit more feed in them.

20 minutes on the caster line and mo bite, that got binned and I went over the negative line and had a couple of small skimmers, then a couple off the positive line, topped up and had a couple of slightly bigger fish, but Ricky on 131 was getting bigger fish, fishing up to his right towards the unoccupied 132.  Topped up again as the bites tailed off, had one more small skimmer and that was it for over an hour, not even a liner.

I did give the feeder and the waggler a go, but only hooked carp on both, there were plenty moving around past the pole line, so it wasn't much of a surprise.

Decided the way to compete (as it was fishing hard from what I could see) was to stick it out on the pole lines, I had another little spell in the middle of catching a few small skimmers and then an hour with none, at 15:10 (twenty minutes from the end) I had a 10 minute spell of getting one a chuck, again small skimmers, nowhere near the size that Ricky was getting, the at 15:20 that was it and no more bites for the rest of the match.

Didn't have a bite on caster all match, dead maggot or dead pinkie being the best bait, I'm sure they just backed off, but following them out was impossible, due to the carp taking the bait first.  Thankfully the carp didn't come in on the pole line, I think I only hooked two all day.  My 12lb odd was enough for I believe 7th overall, 2nd in section, but with Ricky's 20lb winning I did sneak the section money by default, so thanks Ricky....

Acorn Winter League, R2, Saturday 30th November 2019

No rain for this round, but a cold easterly wind, so wasn't expecting great things, drew 34, a couple or more years ago you'd have skipped to this peg, but the bridges aren't dominant like they used to be.  The other disadvantage id the close proximity of 33, it didn't seem to matter when the bridges were the place to draw, they are by far the tightest pegs on the venue and the lack of space may well be a disadvantage.

It is what it is and I did expect to catch from the peg, but I wasn't quite ready for how tough it was, I'm not going to witter on, I didn't catch across and caught 4 skimmers and 3 small carp don the track next to the bridge on dead maggot, I was bloody frozen and was at one time shivering and shaking, struggling to hold the pole still.

I beat the pegs either side, but not 31 and 38, so well done Lewy and Russ, the weights as expected came from the 'house' bank section and I don't think I could have got near the frame if I'd have fished the peg for a week.  Kev made no mistake from peg 5.

Its amazing that a venue with so many fish in switches off so drastically in winter, apart from a handful of pegs - I guess I should have known that when I signed up to the league.

It was interesting to see the pigs come charging over when you went near their pen, obviously looking for food, I hadn't seen them before, not sure if they are pets or future bacon sandwiches.....

Trinty Waters Open, Sunday 24th November 2019

It was nice to get back to what is one of my favourite venues, don't get down here often enough.  Travelled down with Tony and stopped at new cafe for me, Wooden Spoon in Weston-Super-Mare, very nice too.

Match fishing can be a cruel sport and I fear it dealt me another blow today, I waited for the last peg in the box and was more than happy with peg 7, that would be an end peg and one I was confident of catching a few fish from and with Tony on 9, a nice little head to head.  The dreaded call went up.... redraw, I did the same and took the last in the tub again, this time 16, a peg (and bank) I don't like, its too deep in the edges and whilst I have had some decent results here, I have never troubled the frame from this end bank.  Tony somehow managed to pluck out 9 again.

Peg 16 has plenty of room and options, I am yet to be convinced that too much room is always a good thing, but we'd see.
Waggler set up, just in case they were moving around, 4 topkits, one with a banded B960 16, another rig the same HillBilly Chump with a 18 LWG on 0.14.  A rig for down the edge and another to fish in front of the pallet of peg 15.

It took 30 minutes to get a bite, that was a welcome 8lb common, on maggot, as I'd given hard pellet 20 minutes with no indications. The next couple of hours saw 4 more carp landed and 22lb on the clicker.  I did expect to catch down the edge and for them to have a feed towards the end, but that was before I then went from 13:15 until 15:30 without a bite on any line, at 15:30 I had one last carp, and a couple of skimmers and a decent roach, before the all out at 15:45.

Not much else to write about, as when you cannot get a bite, no matter what you try, it gets a bit wearing trying to consider something to say.

Well when the scales got to me, my 32lb was a about 3lb more than I thought, but it was nowhere near enough to trouble the top 3 who came from pegs 7, 9 & 11, I knew that redraw would cost me, surely my persistently shite drawing must come to an end soon!!

Nice little pick up for the winner, as the golden peg was No11.

Viaduct Silvers League, R4, Sunday 17th November 2019

Travelled down to this one with Tony, I didn't realise at the time, but the eat what you want breakfast in a local pub was the highlight of the day.

I knew after yesterday that today was going to be tough for many, but I was happy with that, I don't mind a days hard work for silvers.  It was interesting before the draw, Trigger had written the 10 best pegs on a piece of paper and bet Tony that Paul Elms and Andrew Cranston would be on one of them, well he was right, how do some people consistently draw good pegs.

Myself, I drew peg 64, had I had my own transport, I may well have not even bothered going to it, its never going to compete with the pegs further down the lake.  Pretty despondent with the way I am drawing lately, this series has been a disaster.  Still, seeing as I was going to the peg, I'd give it my best shot.

Opposite on 66 was Nick Chedzoy, Chedz was also bemoaning his draw - I am of the opinion that 64 shouldn't be in, as you are limited for room and hemmed into the corner with 66 blocking you off.  I don't think this is such an issue when the water is coloured and warmer, but once the colour drops out, its at a huge disadvantage.

I did get a waggler out of the bag, but there was little point, as I could reach the reasonable limits of my peg with the pole.  4 topkits, set up, 2 for open water, one 0.3g bulk and one dropper and a 0.2g with strung shot.  A Chianti for roach at 2+2 and a Chimp style float for down the edge and down to the monk, looking for a perch or tench.

Fed two lines at the all in, one down in front of peg 63 out as far as I could get with 14m and 14m straight across to the tree. Little bit of chopped worm in the line to 63, just dead maggot out to the tree.  Started on the 2+2 for roach and had one soon after the all-in, that was not the signal to start bagging, as bites were hard to come by.  After 30 minutes I had 3 or 4 roach, so switched to the 14m lines and after about an hour had a skimmer just over a lb from out to the tree.  These lines were painfully slow and my mood wasn't improved by seeing pegs 68 & 69 catching decent skimmers.

I did start to get some indications on caster, but couldn't hook whatever it was, same with maggot and I then put a pinkie on, that did the trick and a microscopic little fish was landed, I'm not sure if it was a rudd or a motherless minnow, whichever t was, it wasn't worth catching.  On one rig I dropped to a 24 Gamma Green and 12oz hooklength, it made no difference at all.


It clouded over and with the reduced light I did start to catch roach on the 2+2 line, but far too slowly to make any in roads on the skimmers being caught further down the lake.  Chedz was having the odd better fish, as he could fish further down the lake in front of 67.  With about 40 minutes to go I had a hybrid nudging a lb and a with 20 minutes to go, hooked a decent fish, which I thought was a tench, it then ran straight into a snag and I couldn't get it out - not happy.  10 minutes later, I hooked another, this time I saw it, a tench about 2lb, smaller than the other,  it then dived straight into the same snag and was gone.

That was it, I lost the plot a bit, started packing up with 10 minutes to go and chucked back about 6lb, fed up with the draw and then losing two fish in an unseen snag.  Those two tench (and possibly a couple more roach might have seen me 3rd in the section, as Chedz took those honours and the section money by double default.  3rd was no good, I needed a section win to salvage anything from the league and that was never going to happen from that peg.

Well done to Paddy on the win, I would say it was nice to watch, but I'd be lying, I was pissed right off watching him catching decent fish when I was struggling to get a bite.

Angling Trust Silvers Qualifier, Viaduct, Saturday 16th November 2019

Nice idea to run a silvers national competition along the lines of Fishomania.  With there being a local round at Viaduct, it would have been a shame not to enter.  Fellow silvers enthusiast and long time angling mate Paul Faiers also entered and we had a chat about which pegs we did and didn't fancy before the draw.

Well, into that draw tub and I pulled out 116, not one I would have chosen, as the skimmers have been at the top end of Campbell for  few weeks now and I didn't think the rain, snow and cold weather this week would have persuaded them to move.  Paul drew peg 1 (Spring Lake) one we had on our not desirable list, but with the windless day and it was brightening up, I did say to him that he would be in with a shout if it turned into a roach match.

With two hours to set up, I was ready ages before the start, having set up a waggler, 3lb Preston sinking mono, a great waggler line for silver fishing, a 0.10 hooklength and a 20 red carp maggot hook.  A 3 square cage feeder, on the Cadence 10' wand, 4;b sinking mono and a 0.10 hooklength with a 20 F1 hook. Four topkits, one for down the edge looking for a perch or tench - never had a bite on it. so no more about that, two rigs to fish at 14m for, hopefully, skimmers, both HB Frosties one 2g and the other 4g both with 0.08 hooklengths and a 20 F1 hook.  Finally a Chianti with the same hooklength and hook, to fish at 2 + 2.

On the all-in just one line at 14m fed, there was an area at 14m with a slight drop off and slope to the right, so I fed just at the top of the slope, so I could draw the bait just onto it.  Then started on the 2+2 line loose feeding caster, this did produce a few roach, but wasn't hectic, then a bigger fish gave me a hastening heart rate, a tench 2lb or so, safely netted after giving me the run round on purple Middy elastic.
This line slowed up so I went out on the 14m line, a couple of roach from here, but no quicker, I re-fed and dropped straight on it, two quick roach and then a better fish, a bream about 3lb, that gave me hope and also probably cost me money.  I stuck it out looking for skimmers but no more were forthcoming.  I had a look on the waggler and could catch roach on that, but it was still slow.  I re-fed the 14m line and looked again, it was the same each time, I got a couple of quick roach, then nothing.

This made me pick up the feeder and give this a go, one bite one skimmer in 20 minutes, I thought the roach would be worth going for, so switched to the waggler, feeding caster and I was soon getting a bite a chuck from roach from 1-3oz, as typical with fishing for roach this size, I hit and landed 4 in a row, then missed as many, busy fishing.

I couldn't help stopping now and again, especially the last 45 minutes, to pick up the pole and try for skimmers, this has ultimately cost me second in section and the section money by default, as the skimmers were either not there or would not feed.  The section (and match) was won from the peg most fancied, but well done to Stu White, as you still have to catch them, 36lb, but 15.12 was second and I put 14.02 on the scales, I am sure sticking with the roach on the waggler would have seen me catch at least the 2lb needed.  Experience would suggest that the way to catch up at the end would be to stick it out and wait for skimmers, maybe the earlier finish should have made me think otherwise.

Well done to Paul winning his section from peg 1 and making the final at Hallcroft, with mainly roach.

Matt Culpin's Snake Lake League, Landsend, Sunday 10th November 2019

Last round of Matt's league, the first one I had fished, I was standing in for someone (no idea who), it's been a popular league, but not for me, as I prefer 'proper' lakes, the odd trip to a snake, especially in winter is OK.  Whilst Landsend isn't in the truest sake, a snake lake, it does involve a lot of fishing to the islands.

I fancied a draw on the match lake, but as is the norm when I come to Landsend (such a shame the lakes aren't a bit bigger... as I love the tranquillity of the place) I ended up on lake 3, peg 70.  Peg 70 used to be a good peg for F1's but thy have either moved or gone to the big lake in the sky. 

It is an end peg, with a spit that is within easy reach at 14m, you expect to catch across to the spit, the end bank had eroded and has roots and trees exposed, always looks a little too treacherous for me and given that I could see the bottom a fair way out, I decided that I would leave that alone.   There is a weed bed to the right, its a fair size and at this time of year dies back and is under water, but with the water being very clear, it was easy to see where it started and ended, peg 68 can fish to the other side of it.

No rods (and that may well have been a mistake), so a simple tackle up, with a kit for across, another for off the end of the spit into the open water - would also do for a short line towards the weed bed.  Two rigs for off the end of the weed bed, similar, just one with 0.12 and the other with 0.14 hooklengths.

Started across, but with no sign, I then saw a small ghostie swim into the bay, turn and follow the bank along, towards my float before it buried and the light coloured common of about 3lb was safely netted.  That was the only fish from there all day, the sun didn't get in there and it looked cold and gloomy, I wouldn't have been in there if I was a fish....

The best line was off the end of the weedbed at 13m, feeding a few micros, caster and dead maggots, to try and catch all - it worked to some extent, I had 4 perch and a couple of roach, decent perch, best a touch over 2lb, smallest 1lb and 3 or 4 small carp.  The sun moved round and I could see fish up in the water and swimming over the sunken weedbed, so off the box and a shallow swinging rig set up, I was sure I'd tempt a carp or two, but they weren't having any of it.

I did try meat short to the weedbed and did have a couple of carp from there, the sun put paid to at least 2 hours fishing on the line where the fish were feeding on the maggots, I just could not see the float and in trying ended up with a headache from the sun reflecting off the water.  If I had brought a small lead rod, I could have carried on fishing the same line - missed a trick there, one to bank in the missed opportunity column.

I walked round the lake with the scales and two anglers in the middle of the lake (one on each bank) had 43/44lb, I knew I did't have that so I managed 3rd on lake,  2nd in section for whoever it was I was fishing for.  Some consolation as I had a nice little unexpected pick up for top silvers weight, would have expected more than 8lb as the match was spread over 3 lakes.

As expected the top weights came from the match lake, I didn't get the pictures of the other weigh sheets, so can't remember the exact finishing order, I think Steve Seager won from peg 19.

Next up the AT Silvers qualifier at Viaduct on Saturday, followed by the silvers league the next day.

Acorn Winter League R1, Saturday 9th November 2109

I sometimes think I should have snappy, tempting or comedic titles for the blogs, today's would undoubtedly involve the cold and wet......

Frost on the van, ice on buckets of water at the fishery and the promise of rain, not sure why I had committed to this, but committed I had and I turned up, paid my dues and then drew peg 17 - the straight, which was good..... once upon a time.....

I drove round to the peg, leaving as much gear in the van as I could, as the rain was starting, no wind, so umbrella up and try to stay dry, as wet isn't too bad, cold isn't too bad, but both is bloody miserable.  I did have a method rod in the van, ready made up, I did put it on the roost and then put it away again at the end, here endeth the tale of method fishing.  Topkits comprised of a rig to fish close to the far bank, as the fish still come up there even in the cold, two rigs to fish down the track, one with 0.10 hooklength and the other the same, but with 0.14 - just in case.  A rig to fish down the far and near shelves as well.

Started over on 6mm pellet, had a bite and lost a fish, probably foul hooked, first put in and then had a 3lber next put in, that was as exciting as it got for an hour or so, I fed two lines down the track, one with micros and one with little balls of GB with some dead maggots.  I had one carp over the micros, a couple of skimmers and carp on dead maggots and then 2.5 hours without a bite, hard work with no reward, I did manage one more small carp over and with 10 minutes to go one about 6lb down to the pallet of 16.

Just over 17lb for bang average in section, beat 3, beaten by 3, so an unspectacular start to the league and it would be nice to have that one as the dropper.  I hope the weather is better for the next round.

Well done to Paul Faiers on winning from favoured peg 11 with 80lb+.

Viaduct Silver league R3, Sunday 3rd November 2019

Somehow I ended up first into the draw tin, so all the good 'uns (and bad 'uns) in there.  I was not over impressed with the peg I drew, 113 on Campbell.  I knew there was scant chance of framing from there and it's not a good section peg, so another match of attrition, where every bite would be vital to try and keep from being last in section.

As 113 is set back from the others along that bank, I set up a waggler and a small 3 square cage feeder.  Topkits were assembled for along the edges, hoping for a perch or tench, but suspecting the water was now too cold and too clear for it to work.  A Chianti with strung out 11's for roach and two skimmer rigs, a bulk and single dropper and a double bulk rig.

Started on the roach rig after feeding two lines at 14m one with GB and casters, the other with GB and dead maggots. The roach line did give up 3 small roach in 20 minutes, but it was painfully slow and it wasn't going to give the weight I'd need.  A switch to fishing caster over the GB saw a couple of small skimmers come to the net and a switch to the dead maggot line saw a couple more landed.

I had 8 or 9 small skimmers in the first couple of hours, then spent 2 hours 30 minutes without a bite from anywhere in the peg - apart from carp on the waggler or feeder, single caster, double caster, same with maggot, it didn't take long to get one and I had them from 3lb to low doubles.

I gave up in the end and came back in on the pole line and two better skimmers, one with 40 minutes to go and one with 20 minutes left.  I had been absolutely battered off the next peg by Martin Rayet who paralysed the section from 112 with 27lb odd, 112 is about 5m further into the lake than 113, so not sure why he wasn't carped out, be well done. Second in section was 111 with 11lb odd and my 9lb took an unexpected third in section - luckily Martin framed so I picked up 2nd in section money be default...

Tough day, frustrating with the carp, doubt I'll catch that many again this winter......

Viaduct Silvers All Winners Final, Saturday 26th October 2019

Always nice to turn up for these finals and have the chance to walk away with a decent payday and the prestige of beating some good anglers.

Campbell, Cary and Spring in today, I must admit I fancied Cary or Spring, had some usual banter with Des Shipp before the start and then pulled out Campbell 111 - a great carp peg!!  Des had 102 on Cary, good peg, very good angler had to be a hot favourite.

I set up a small cage feeder, a waggler and 3 topkits, a rig for caster - a Chianti with strung out No11 stotz and two rigs, one 0.2 and another 0.4 for skimmers at 11m.

It stared very slowly, Dan White on 112 started on the feeder and only had a carp to show for it, Alvin on 110 was getting fish down to his left. It took ages to get going and going into the last 2 1/2 hours the skimmers did start to feed, but so did the carp, maggot, single, double or triple, same with caster, short or 11m (and I didn't try the waggler, as the carp were rolling on that line).  Spent much of the last two hours playing carp and retuning them or replacing bust hooklengths, as did Dan on 112.

Alvin to my left on 110 won the section with 29lb, tench, perch and skimmers, I put a touch under 17lb on the scales and the bookies would have been quids in, as Des had over 50lb for the win from his peg on Cary.  Might have been a different tale had there not been so many carp in the area, but they seem to be resident at that end of Campbell at the moment.

Viaduct Silver League, R2, Sunday 20th October 2019

Round 2 of the silvers league, week off last week due to a long weekend in France with the dogs.

Travelled down with Tony again, it makes the journey go by quicker having someone to talk to and bounce a few ideas off.

This isn't going to be a long drawn out blog, I drew 119 and knew it would be a hard job to gain anything from this, with it being a corner and not usually home to the much needed skimmers.  That said, I drew it in my two dayer and it came up trumps, so there is always a bit of hope and in this peg that would hopefully be in the shape of bonus perch and tench.

As 121 on the end bank is in, the feeder rod was left in the van, the waggler rod did come along, as I wasn't intending on getting more than 14.5m out of the bag.  The waggler was set up first, followed by a topkit for down the edge, hoping for perch and tench, this had 0.12 hooklength, a Chianti with spread out 11's for roach and a couple of skimmer rigs of varying weight, to fish at 14m.

There is no pattern to report, no great revelation during the day, just hard work and continually switching lines, staring new ones and nicking the odd fish from all of them.  Small roach and perch made up the numbers and 3 better skimmers, one on the waggler and two on the pole at 14m made up my 11lb odd, which surprisingly was 2nd in section, to 125 who had 20lb.  The weights were better at the other end and I would have gladly taken 2nd from there after the draw.

Next up Silvers All Winners Final

Viaduct Silvers League R1, Sunday 6th October 2019

After missing this popular league last year due to work, it was good to get a place back and see what I could do.

Travelled down with Tony, after a breakfast locally, where we had to wait 20 minutes for them to cook eggs, as they didn't have a gas lighter.....

Three lakes in for this series, Campbell, Cary and Lodge and I wasn't too fussed which I drew, as they can all throw up a decent weight, there are obviously favoured silvers pegs and some you'd like to avoid.  I was into the draw tin early and drew 90 on Cary, not a brilliant skimmer peg usually, but it does hold a mixture of fish, so at least there should be bites to be had.

Bit of a blow on today and it was pushing right into the corner, I've never drawn this peg when the wind has been hacking in here and there were a few signs of carp - not so good.  The video was taken at the end, when the wind had dropped and the blinding sun had finally moved round......

If the wind stayed as it was, I would not be holding the pole at more than 7 or 8m, so set up a feeder to fish at 18/20m, I got a waggler out of the bag, but it went away unused. as the wind didn't die down until the end of the match.

Topkits, a simple Chianti to fish for roach and what ever else wanted to feed up in the water, a homemade 0.5g diamond to fish at 8m, nice stable float in the wind, a double bulk rig to put 6" of line on the deck if necessary.
Two rigs to fish down the edge, similar rigs, but one with 0.12 and one with 0.14 hooklengths.

Well, it turned out to be an eventful day, I had about 30 hooklengths tied up to 0.10 and by the end, they were all gone and I was a good way into the 0.12 hooklengths, the carp really had pushed up into the corner and had a liking for casters, I fed two lines at 8m, one with chocolate orange micros and 4mm feed pellets and one with Burts Expander/Silver Sensation mixed 50/50.

The carp loved the pellets, they weren't too fussed about the worms and GB, but then neither were the skimmers.  I did spend 30 minutes fishing the feeder, ended up with a 2' tail and a single maggot, nothing, never had a bite on it.

The edge did give up a couple of perch, but the wind hacking into it and turning the water over, was causing a big undertow back against the wind, I just don't think the fish wanted to sit there.

I ended up with a mixture of mainly roach and perch, a couple of better roach and a decent hybrid, a small tench and finally, 2 skimmers, 21.13 and third in section, I think that 30 minutes on the feeder and looking for skimmers cost me, but the time spent renewing hooklengths, playing (and landing some) carp was as much to blame.  Shame it was a silvers match....

Well done to my old Team Mate Nick Ewers on winning from peg 105.

Next up, tying loads of hooks and wondering if I will ever draw 90 with the wind into on a normal open....

Paddy's Silvers Open, Viaduct, Saturday 28th September 2019

A nice opportunity to fish an early autumnal silvers match on Spring Lake and a natural bait one at that, so nice and simple, casters, worms maggots and corn, along with some Burts Baits GB, a 50/50 mix of Expander and Silver Sensation.

Peg 2, can't complain about that - well not at the start.  I thought it would be a skimmer match. so set up a waggler to fish corn, a line at 14m and another at 7m, both fed with GB and casters, the long line with some chopped worm as well, finally a short line topkit or topkit +1.Fed the GB lines at the start and then had a go on the short line, a Chianti with a string of No11's, plenty of bites, small roach, so not adding much weight, but it was fine whilst the long lines settled.

I would like to be writing a tale of how the skimmers moved in and I had a great day, but I only had two skimmers and no other indications on the long lines, probably wasted far too long trying for them and feeding corn and looking over it on the waggler - never even had an indication on that!

Quite frustratingly, peg 3 was catching skimmers and I couldn't get an indication on any bait, trying on the deck, off the deck, a bulk rig and putting the strung out rig over it, all to no avail.

So, I ended up sticking it out for roach and putting 21lb on the scales, which was a long way behind the winners, the skimmers just wouldn't come over the feed, not sure why, peg 2 is a fair bit deeper than the ones around it because of the aerator, maybe, after the rain, the fish didn't want to be in the water.

Onto the next one.

Foxy's Two Dayer, Viaduct, Friday/Saturdat 20th/21st September 2019

Well it soon comes around, it doesn't seem a year ago that I was running this match, ended up with 29 booked on, a few late dropouts and a couple that could only fish on the Saturday at late notice, that said it was a nice number to spread over the lakes.

Last year the weather wasn't too clever and I promised to try and organise better weather this time around

Usual format, one day on Campbell, one on Cary, with Campbell being pole only.  I had Jon Darby draw for me on day one and he put me on 102 Cary, maybe not the peg you'd chose, but it isn't the worst peg on the lake.

A waggler to fish at depth was soon assembled, followed by a lead rod, then 3 topkits, one to fish meat short, one for pellet long and a strung out  rig, that would do for either, fishing through the water, I did also set up a margin rig, but it never got used.

Bait tray was as simple as it gets, Burt Baits Polony pellets ( I will admit to being a bit sceptical about flavourings and colours, but these pellets have caught me fish, I have some confidence in them working.)

I started short on meat, but had nothing to show for that, so switched to the lead and 8mm Polony pellets, I had a liner, but that was it for the lead, so onto the waggler, again a 8mm Polony pellet under the waggler.  I had a few indications, but no bites, so I switched to 6mm Polony pellets on the pole at 14.5mm, this brought a burst of action, 3 carp and  few skimmers, but it was fairly short lived, this was 13.15, 2 hours into the match, I reckon both carp and silvers went 30lb.

 My next bite was at 16.15, one hour to go, this was on meat short, it was followed by more bites, skimmers and carp, I tried toss potting the meat, but throwing 15-20 pieces by hand was much more effective. I ended up with 103.14, for second in section and one out of the superpool money.

Day 1 Top 12


1. Rob Street - 132lb 10oz - peg 115
2. Phil Morris - 131lb 9oz - peg 112
3. Clayton Hudson - 123lb 1oz - peg 81
4. Jon Newton - 105lb 7oz - peg 114
5. Chris Fox - 103lb 14oz - peg 102
6. Darren Coates - 101lb - peg 110
7. Steve Hutter - 100lb 5oz - peg 85
8. Roland Lucas - 94lb 5oz - peg 132
9. Matt Chapman - 93lb 14oz - peg 129
10. Martin Rogers - 92lb 14oz - peg 116
11. James Evans - 91lb 11oz - peg 80
12. Keith Deaner - 85lb 15oz - peg 94

Onto day two, the weather still set fair and my turn on Campbell, the separate draws were done and I took the last ticket in the tin, it wasn't what I'd have wanted, 119, but I was determined to give it a go.

Even simpler today, as it was pole only, so 4 topkits set up, the same Roob on 0.20, with a 14 LWG and a 0.18 hooklength for meat short, another Roob for pellet long and a MW float whose name eludes me for a strung out rig.  A HillBilly Grizzly on 0.22 for the edge, as I suspected I'd have to go to the willow tree and Adrian who was on the peg yesterday told me he'd lost a few in there.

Bait tray was simple, 6 & 8mm Polony pellets and 8mm meat, in reserve I had some maggots and worms, but never used them, so no more to say about them.  Cap and skimmers both love these pellets and I have used them to effect to eke out meat where there are meat limits.

On the all-in I started at 2+2 with meat and first drop in had a 13lber - nice, then a skimmer, but that was it nothing else from there, so out long - 14.5m and pinging 6mm pellets over it, a couple of skimmers, but no carp.

I decided to look up the edge into the corner, toss potting 8mm pellets, I had a nice run of 5 or 6 fish averaging about 8lb, before this went quiet, so a switch back to the long line and I then started catching well, at 14:15 I reckon I had a ton, at 15:15 getting on  for 140lb with the skimmers, Jon Darby on 118 said "You're having a bit of a red letter day Foxy", well not sure how words could affect fish, as Jon started catching and I stopped.

 I'd said to Adrian Jeffery before the start, "I need 200lb of here today to win this" and I thought I was on the cards for it, but the last hour and three quarters, I had 4 more carp and a few skimmers, by switching between the long line and short meat line.  I had a bite on the meat line at 2 minutes to 17:00 (the all-out) and that was a 10lb common, that fish was the won that edged me past Phil Morris to take the overall win.  Great feeling to win my own mini-festival after some middle of the road results in it.

On the day results for day 2:

1. Andy Lloyd - 205lb 7oz - peg 132
2. Lewis Ray - 183lb 15oz - peg 110
3. Chris Fox - 179lb 2oz - peg 119
4. Steve Hutter - 172lb 12oz - peg 130
5. Gary O’Shea - 170lb 9oz - peg 116
6. Gareth Lennox - 163lb 13oz - peg 128
7. Matt Chapman - 160lb 14oz - peg 80
8. Phil Morris - 141lb 13oz - peg 81
9. Adrian Jeffery - 109lb 10oz - peg 85
10. Clayton Hudson - 94lb 8oz - peg 114

Below is the overall top 20, it was close at the top and a fish or two could have easily seen places changed round, special mention for Gareth Lennox, at late couldn't fish Friday, but fished Saturday and managed 9th place, also Andy Lloyd, was third from bottom on the first day and ended up last in the money overall, Gary O'Shea was also close in pulling back a huge deficit.  Andy and Gary were on 74 and 105 the first day, pegs that had been throwing up weights all week, but just switched off for this match.  It just goes to prove that a bit of belief and perseverance can pay off.

A big thanks to Steve, Helen & Matt at Viaduct for their help and advice and to all those who fished and make the match what I hope it is and stays, a friendly mini-festival, with the chance to win some decent money.

Next year is booked, 4th and 5th of September, Friday and Saturday, same format, contact me to book on and £20 (non refundable) deposit secures place.

Viaduct Open, Saturday 14th September 2019

This match was planned for Campbell lake, but Campbell was given a rest and the match moved to Lodge.

I had come prepared for carp, so was a bit stumped when I drew a good silvers peg in the shape of 69. I had only brought 6/8mm Burt Baits polony pellets and meat, so an attack on the skimmers was not really on the cards.

I set up a waggler, and 3 topkits, one to fish meat short, and one for pellet at 8m and 14m and an edge rig.  The Carp were reluctant to feed, cruising round in the mid September sunlight, I won't go into the boring details, but I managed 6 for about 60lb, not enough to bother the top two who came from the peags at the river end of the lake.

It was a lovely day and regardless of the result, I enjoyed sitting there in the sun, listening to the Test Match on the radio and making the most of the T shirts weather, as ot won't be long before the windstoppers and thermals come out.

1. Dave Cockayne - 100lb 14oz - peg 66
2. Steve Denmead - 94lb 9oz - peg 64
3. Adam Mitchell - 92lb 2oz - peg 59

Viaduct Open, Sunday 1st September 2019

To Follow

Ivy House Open, Saturday 31st August 2019

To Follow

Ivy House Open, Monday 26th August 2019

To Follow

Tony Rixon's Float Only, Viaduct, Sunday 25th August 2019

To Follow

Ivy House Open, Sunday 18th August 2019

Travelled up to this one with Tony Rixon, so that meant having breakfast in the fishery café, very nice it was too.

I fancied a draw on the old and true to form, drew on the new canal, peg 25, one peg away from where I had struggled a couple of weeks ago, although that was a very hot and sunny day, so different conditions.

Decided on a simple day, a rig for hard pellet across, found a nice flat shelf which I thought would be perfect to catch carp on, this shelved fairly slowly down to full depth, so I set up a second rig to fish down this slope.

Two rigs set up for down the track, one a homemade 0.4g diamond, with a 0.14 hooklength and a 18 Kaizen hook, with a double bulk, second rig a Hillbilly chump, this with a 0.10 hooklength and a 18 F1 hook, this with a standard bulk and two droppers.  I also set up a margin rig, but apart from plumbing up, it never saw the water.

The peg looks nice and calm in the picture, but that was taken before I tackled up and the wind started!!  On the all-in I potted a few pellets onto the shelf and dropped in, had a couple of small carp straight away, but then the wind was making it just far too difficult.  I switched to plan two, which was feed two lines down the track at 8m, GB and maggots on one line, micros and 4mm pellet on the other.  Also maggots short just in front of my keepnets.

Fishery pellets only here, but you can use your own hookers and GB, I had a 50/50 mix of Burts Exander and Silver Sensation GB (this mixes up lovely and skimmers love it), and some F1 hookers.

I was getting odd small carp and roach, over the GB and I had to keep topping up to get bites, the short maggot line was no good, but sometimes it can take a while to get going.  The wind dropped a bit and I went back over, had one on the deeper rig, but the wind soon got up again.  Whilst it had dropped, I saw a few pin prick bubbles over the GB, so went in on the double bulk rig with a piece of worm, I had a couple of skimmers around the pound mark, so chopped up a few worms and fed them in the next GB top up,  I had two bream on worms, but it was slow going, a switch back to maggot saw three or four bream come to the net and frustratingly, a decent fish around the 4lb mark slipped the hook - that proved costly....

The bream went as quickly as they came, not sure if I didn't feed enough GB, but some small carp moved in after the bream vacated the peg.  I also had a few small carp, roach and a lone perch from the short line and a lively carp around the 4lb mark.  I even had a eel, haven't caught one of those for a long time,

Enjoyable days fishing, the lost fish cost me winning the silvers, but I did sneak the section, with second on the lake.  My prediction of the old canal (Kingfisher) being much better than the new canal (Moorhen) was a bit out today, but it was a good match and its not all about catching huge weights.

Norms Bagging Open, Acorn, Saturday 17th August 2019

With the weather forecast set reasonably fair, I was hopeful of a good day at Acorn, Norm's opens have an optional silvers superpool, but I declined that and had come to focus on carp.

Can't complain about my draw, peg 11, it did have the wind pushing fairly hard from right to left, but it's not a long reach across, so it should be OK.  The downside of this peg in the summer, is the depth of both margins, but I was sure I'd catch across, shallow and short, sadly my optimism (yes, optimism) was not to be bourn out.

Plumbing across, where there is a nice shelf, fish were obviously present and I started over there, pinging plain 6mm feed pellets and same in the band.  Two fish for 7lb in the first two put in's and I was thinking it could be a good day.  Well that's optimism for you, I'll be ditching it and going back to my usual pessimistic state, as I never had  another bite for 75 minutes.

Finally had a couple shallow, fishing to the corner of the island, but that was that, another 2 hours passed without a bite, before I finally put 4 or 5 fish together, pinging 6mm Polony pellets down to the tree and slapping over the feed.  This was a short burst of fish and apart from one more which hung itself on a white wafter, when I chucked the method out - in desperation - that was it.

I hooked one fish in the margin down to my left, and before I could react, it was into the tree and snagged solid, disappointing day and around 3 o'clock I did wonder if the day might be better spent, but I did stick it out and ended up with 44lb on my clicker, which went 46.07 on the scales for a resounding nowhere.

Rail Sport National, Makins Fishery, Wednesday 14th August 2019

The Rail Sport National, is unsurprisingly, a national for those employed in the rail industry, it can be entered as a team or as an individual, as a life long Billy-No-Mates, I was one of the lonesome individuals entered.

If I am honest, I am not sure how they work out the draw, as there are two queues, individual and team, there never seems to be many draw cards in the individual tub.  Last time I fished this match, I drew Phase Two, won my lake, but not my section, as that extended to another lake with much higher weights all round.

So hoping to avoid the same this year, I pulled out Phase Three, Avon peg 2, meant nothing to me, so spoke to the guy in the bait shop and he advised fish 6mm pellet across and worms down the RH edge.  Its fishery or green swim stim Dynamite pellets only here, so my Burts choice was limited to Tigernut GB for down the edge.

Fishing this match as an individual, not much point in going too cautious, the guy in the bait shop mentioned throwing a method towards the bridge and I had brought one, but it really would be last resort.  Tackling up I was surprised how shallow it was, 2'6"- 3' anywhere in the peg.  Tackling up it was getting greyer and greyer, I got the method rod set up (it laid in the grass and was packed away unused at the end) and 4 topkits, before the rain started and I fetched an umbrella from the van.  I never used to use an umbrella, but must be getting old, as I now am happy to sit under it when the heavens open.

It was 13.5m across to the far side, I set up two rigs to fish across there, a 4x12 Roob, that takes 3 No 11which were spaced a couple of inches apart, 6" above the hook. This had a 18 LWG on 0.14 with a band.  Next rig was a homemade float, a touch heavier and a 0.16 hooklength to a 16 B960.

A rig for down the track and a margin rig, completed the roost. Started across with the Roob, pinging 6mm pellets with a catapult, had a 5oz skimmer first drop in, then had 40 minutes catching a couple of skimmers, a roach, a feisty little Gudgeon on the banded 6mm pellet, before having a couple of carp.  It seemed like a decent start, but for some 'unknown' reason (the inverted commas will become plain....)

After 40 minutes, the bites dried up, I persevered, fishing two lines across at 10 and 2 O'clock, for over an hour this remained barren and I did try coming closer, down the track over some micro's with a soft pellet, but this was equally barren.  I had a spell of missing bites across, but still no fish, then I started to catch odd fish including a 9lber (most were 2lb).

I committed the ultimate match sin, whilst it wasn't hectic, I came off feeding fish and looked down the edge, where the guy in the shop had said fish.  First drop in with worm over GB, a 4lber, that cost me precious time as I stayed down the edge and ignored the far bank.

Finally sense prevailed and I went back over and picked a couple more fish off, too little too late.

I had 48lb on my clicker and told the scalesman I had 2lb of silvers, after he told me I had 100lb, the scales backed me up and 48.02 of carp and 2.0 of silvers for 50.02.  I could and should have won the lake - that's frustrating, but at least I am now feeling I knew where I'd gone wrong, earlier this year, I was struggling a lot and had no answers at all.  Today wasn't much about feeding, it was more about decision making, I can live with making the wrong call, it helps to learn.  I could and should have won the lake, someone confident and on a roll would have....

Not sure on the overall match result, but I am sure Phase one would have thrown the winner, so I didn't go back for the results as the two hour trip home was a bigger attraction.

No names on the sheet, but that's me on the top, peg 2

Tony Rixons Short Pole Series, Todber Manor, Sunday 11th August 2019

Guested as a stand-in for the final round of Tony's popular short pole series, the round being on Hillview lake, at Todber.  No stress involved in driving down, fastest I have done it so far, bang on an hour.

Fair bit of time to kill before the start, so a look round the well stocked shop, a bit of socialising and the usual discussion of who wanted to draw where - I wasn't too fussed, as I don't know it that well, so when 52 showed itself on the drawcard, I was indifferent.

Being as it's a short pole series, (topkit +3) a nice simple approach, a rig to fish hard pellet at 2+2, this was a homemade diamond 0.5g, with as it was windy and a strong tow back against the wind.  A 4x16 Roob to fish meat at 2+1 1 and a rig to fish down the edge.

Started on 6mm plain feed pellets and was soon into fish 2-3lb, but this didn't last long, after about 20 minutes the bites dried up, I decided to come short on meat and this was steady, but not hectic and I stayed on this until the midway point, when I thought I had 120lb, I then fed the LH edge with GB and it didn't take long for the fish to rock up, I dropped in the edge, but wasted 10 minutes not catching anything, I think it was too soon and they weren't settled.

Back on to the meat line, by now I had switched to feeding 50/50 8mm meat and 8mm Burts Polony Pellets, this saw me have a good 90 minutes and I had to go back to the van to get a couple more nets. I had been feeding the RH edge with pellets and there was no sign of fish, the LH edge where I fed GB and maggots was full of fish and I switched to it, I had a good run of bigger fish, up to 10lb on worms, but the last 15 minutes I kept at it too long, I should have had a look back on the 2+1 meat line, as I only put one fish in the net and that was the smallest from the edge.

Disappointed when the all out was called, this was an enjoyable days fishing, which flew by, I was admitting to 240lb, so when the scales came round and my nets added up to 258lb, I couldn't really be disappointed, but I was, as I was 30lb from winning it, as Martin Rayet had 288lb, the peg was probably worth that and more, but I was a bit rusty on catching that much.  So third on the day and could have done better.

Special mention to Fred on peg 51, Clint Wojtyla's young lad, Clint coached him through, but he was told to go away and leave Fred alone at one point, Fred has weighed 153lb an awesome weight for a youngster and I was impressed with his concentration and perseverance.

Next up, Makins on Wednesday for the Rail Sport National.