Pole Only Series R3, Acorn, Sunday 14th April 2013

First thing of note today, was the good feeling of waving the ice breaker cheerio as it stayed in the garage. With temperatures now into double figures °C I had considered making today a pellet only attack, but its tricky to go fishing without any casters, so a pint of Tony's freshly turned caster and 1/2 a pint of maggot also graced my bait bag.

After his recent run, Bob Gullick has now earned the name Bob 'The Bridge' Gullick, (or The Troll) as his run of drawing bridge pegs continues, this time the sheltered side of the far bridge, peg 21. Another drawing arm to note is that of series newcomer Pete Bartlett, who has now drawn peg 9, 8 and 12 (10 and 11 aren't in).

As this was one of the rotation rounds, we drew one section at a time, I waited and took the last peg in C section and wasn't too happy to see peg 18, not the favoured 12 or one of the two bridge pegs in the section.  C section was the only section where all the pegs offered no respite from the gusting wind, which necessitated pegging down my pole rollers to stop them blowing away. It was fairly obvious that I wasn't going to be able to fish the far shelf, but in the hope that at some time I could get over there I set up a MW Slim that takes 4x10 stotz on 0.14 with a 16 63.13 hook. The same rig would do for the near margin, down to the pallet of 17.

The main line of attack would have to be down the track at about 8m, as that was all I could hold and hope to achieve any sort of presentation. A .8 MW Diamond with a 0.12 hooklength and 18 Silverfish match hook was put on the top kit and with some line on the bottom and two back shot, I could get it to sit still, but a much heavier float than I'd usually use in these depths.  I also set one up with a band on a hair rig, just in case they went mad, that rig never got used.

A 4x18 Jolly to fish at the bottom of the near shelf completed the set up, by the time I sorted out my bait and had a chat with Bob 'The Bridge' - who kindly gave me the groundbait he'd prepared, as he was going to catch so many carp on the bridge, he wouldn't need it - before it was time for the all in.

Very difficult to present a static bait and get the float dotted down to see finicky bites, but I did have a bite first drop in and that resulted in a perch which probably weighed about double the maggot it took.  I then lost a couple of small fish, as the wind buffeted the pole, before a couple more of the micro perch joined their mate in the net. A switch to the 2+1 line at the bottom of the near shelf, with caster, resulted in a twitch of the float and a 6oz roach joined the perch, next drop in a 6oz skimmer and next a small carp, again on caster, that was to be it, not another bite from that line.

I was struggling to get a bite anywhere in the peg and in desperation, went across the far shelf, but it was physically impossible to hold the pole at that length, so back down the track, where I had fed two lines, one with Bob's groundbait and one with a few micro's - I never had a bite on pellet on any line, so a good job I hadn't gambled on it being a pellet dominated match.

I managed a couple of skimmers and another roach from the groundbait line, a small carp from the margin and with nearly 4 hours gone I must have been last or last but one in the section with not even 3lb in the net.  Thankfully, the wind dropped and I quickly put the sections on to get the MW Slim to the far shelf, feeding caster, with a couple of maggots in and double maggot on the hook saw me start to get a few bites. For the second match running I had Ken Rayner for company on the next peg and he had snuck out a couple of skimmers before landing a decent tench, he followed this with another tench and a few carp and was thinking of silvers money.

Initially going over to the far shelf brought me a rudd, a couple of roach and a skimmer, before a tench and a 2lb perch boosted my own silvers, I also managed a few carp on the maggot over caster, all up the shelf and this turned my dire weight with 4 hours gone into a section second and second silvers section, with 9.13 of silvers and 27.12 of carp for 37.09, Ken did manage his silvers money, by triple default with 9.03.  An enjoyable last 2 hours, just a shame the first four were ruined by the wind.

1) Mike Owens 83.08 peg 7
2) Pete Bartlett 75.14 peg 12
3) Lewis Jones 70.12 peg 8
4) Tim Ford 60.01 peg 30
=5) Tom Thick 54.03 peg 40
=5) Andy France 54.03 peg 9

Silvers

1) John Bradford 16.12 peg A6
2) Lance Tucker 14.15 peg A3
3) Mark Broomsgrove 12.14 peg 36

A section:

1) Joe McMahon 36.06 peg A4
2) Mike Nicholls 22.00 peg A8
Silvers: John Bradford 16.12 peg A6

B Section:

1) Mike Owens 83.08 peg 7
2) Lewis Jones 70.12 peg 8
Silvers: Mike Owens 5.03 peg 8

C Section:

1) Pete Bartlett 75.14 peg 12
2) Chris Fox 37.09 peg 18
Silvers: Pete Bartlett 10.08 peg 12

D Section:

1) Tim Ford 60.01 peg 30
2) John Osborne 53.09 peg 38
Silvers: Mark Broomsgrove 12.14 peg 36

Pole Only 2013 Overall Table
After Three Matches
Name			Points		Weight
1	Pete Bartlett		24		209	4
2	Mike Nicholls		22		76	4
3	Lance Tucker		21		67	13
4	Tim Ford		20		93	12
5	Chris Fox		19		106	8
6	Bob Gullick		19		104	8
7	Lewis Jones		17		157	5
8	Mike Owens		17		150	0
9	Tom Thick		17		106	1
10	Paul Faiers		17		94	1
11	Dave Wride		16		47	8
12	Bela Bakos		15		91	6
13	Tony Rixon		15		55	8
14	Nigel Vigus		15		44	1
15	John Osborne		14		84	10
16	Matt Tomes		14		72	13
17	Joe McMahon		14		54	8
18	Mark Broomsgrove		13		74	9
19	Andy France		11		87	5
20	Glenn Calvert		11		40	1
21	R Peck		10		69	9
22	Kev Perry		10		41	2
23	John Bradford		10		34	14
24	Paul Lasson		9		33	13
25	Eddie Wynne		8		66	15
26	Glenn Bailey		8		62	0
27	Brian Slipper		8		56	9
28	Gordon Canning		8		33	1
29	Dave Poole		8		18	6
30	Nick Harvey		7		14	6
31	Ken Rayner		6		51	7
32	Phil Harding		4		44	11

Pole Only 2013 Silvers Table
After Three Matches
Name			Points		Weight
1	Mark Broomsgrove		24		31	6
2	Glenn Calvert		20		14	5
3	Nigel Vigus		19		25	0
4	Kev Perry		18		18	8
5	Pete Bartlett		18		15	2
6	Tony Rixon		17		10	14
7	R Peck		16		13	4
8	Dave Wride		16		11	11
9	Andy France		15		24	14
10	John Bradford		15		23	12
11	Chris Fox		15		14	1
12	Mike Owens		14		7	4
13	Eddie Wynne		14		7	0
14	Tom Thick		13		45	10
15	Glenn Bailey		13		38	0
16	Lance Tucker		13		23	15
17	Paul Faiers		13		15	4
18	Joe McMahon		13		8	8
19	Dave Poole		12		15	15
20	Tim Ford		12		14	13
21	Matt Tomes		12		11	6
22	Ken Rayner		11		14	15
23	Paul Lasson		11		12	2
24	Brian Slipper		11		8	13
25	Phil Harding		9		9	3
26	Bob Gullick		9		3	11
27	Mike Nicholls		8		11	10
28	John Osborne		7		4	11
29	Bela Bakos		6		7	2
30	Gordon Canning		5		2	6
31	Lewis Jones		5		1	11
32	Nick Harvey		2		2	4

Pole Only Series 2013, Acorn. Sunday 31st March 3013

The car temperature display proudly showed -5deg C this morning, so an important bit of kit to put in was the ice breaker.  I am now pretty fed up of this weather, I don't mind a bit of winter fishing, but it seems to have gone on for far too long.

Thankfully everyone (or their nominated reserve) turned up, some pegs had quite a bit of ice breaking, so the start time was put back until 10.30.  I had Mike Owens draw for me this time, as Trigger was standing in for Mike Nicholls who drew me a decent peg last match.  He handed me peg 7, which hasn't been a bad draw, Ken Rayner was on 6 and with a beaming smile informed me that 6 and 7 had been 1st and 2nd the day before - I am not so keen on drawing pegs in these winter conditions that have produced the day before.

Both me and Ken had a fair bit of ice breaking to do, once we'd started cutting out the channels, I realised that with the wind getting up, the large area of ice between 7 and 8 would break loose and drift through mine and Ken's peg. So I broke the margins and pushed the whole section into Ken's peg and helped him to clear it.

The only ice worry left was the area on the edge of peg 5 and sure enough, half an hour after the start that broke off and came through my peg into Ken's.  So he had to stop fishing and clear the ice again.

I had set up three rigs, one to fish full depth, one to fish up the shelf and another with strung out No11's just in case the fish were sitting up in the water.

I got off to a flying start, a bite first put in, a fish second and third.  Within half an hour I had 5 carp, lost 4 and had an indication every put in, Ken had several fish and Garbolino reject Bobby Gee on peg 40 was getting the odd fish.  Then the ice came through and that was the end of the bites, indications and fouling, I am convinced the fish moved. There was a tow in the opposite direction to the wind (which was blowing L to R into peg 6), I suspect that that had brought the cold water from the ice melt back through pegs 6 and 7.

For the rest of the match, I struggled to get bites, only managing one F1 up the shelf, I ended with 8 carp, so only three more in 51/2 hours!!  Ken similarly struggled on 6, whilst Bobby Gee was gloating as he managed to keep a few coming from under the bridge.  Peg 8 was catching up the shelf in the calm water, whist most others were struggling.

I can't say I was too upset to call the all-out at 16.30, especially as pegs 1,3 and 4 had started catching in the last half an hour and would have beaten my meagre 24.07, but luckily they didn't and I managed 5 points.

The match lake fished well, with two 30lb+ weights of skimmers. Pegs with A before them are match lake pegs.

Overall Results:

1) Pete Bartlett 65.04 peg 8
2) Paul Faiers 52.12 peg A4
3) Tom Thick 39.10 peg A2
4) Bela Bakos 39.04 peg A5
5) Bob Gullick 38.07 peg 40
6) Eddie Wynne 36.14 peg A8

Silvers:

1) Tom Thick 37.02 peg A2
2) Glenn Bailey 36.02 peg A3
3) Andy France 20.10 peg A1
4) Mark Broomsgrove 10.12 peg16

Tables So Far:

Pole Only 2013 Overall Table


After Two Matches

Name Points Weight

1 Paul Bartlett  16  133 6

2 Lance Tucker  16  48 6

3 Mike Nicholls  15   54 4

4 Dave Wride  15  39 8

5 Paul Faiers  14  68 6

6 Bob Gullick 13 69 9

7 Nigel Vigus 13 33 15

8 Chris Fox 12 68 15

9 Matt Tomes 12 57 7

10 Tim Ford 12 33 11

11 Bela Bakos 11 54 4

12 Tom Thick 11 51 14

13 Lewis Jones 10 86 9

14 Tony Rixon 10 18 3

15 Mike Owens 9 66 8

16 Eddie Wynne 7 51 6

17 R Peck 7 46 1

18 John Osborne 7 31 1

19 Kev Perry 7 29 2

20 Mark Brooomsgrove 7 25 14

21 Gordon Canning 7 25 3

22 Glenn Calvert 7 16 2

23 Nick Harvey 7 14 6

24 Glenn Bailey 6 38 4

25 Joe McMahon 6 18 2

26 Paul Lasson 6 12 2

27 Andy France 5 33 2

28 John Bradford 4 14 12

29 Dave Poole 4 3 14

30 Brian Slipper 3 22 14

31 Ken Rayner 2 23 12

32 Phil Harding 2 20 15


Pole Only 2013 Silvers Table


After Two Matches

Name Points Weight

1 Mark Brooomsgrove 16 18 8

2 Nigel Vigus 16 17 6

3 Tom Thick 13 45 10

4 Glenn Calvert 13 9 0

5 Joe McMahon 13 8 8

6 Kev Perry 13 6 8

7 R Peck 12 11 8

8 Paul Lasson 11 12 2

9 Dave Wride 11 7 7

10 Tony Rixon 11 6 5

11 Tim Ford 10 13 6

12 Paul Bartlett 10 4 10

13 Glenn Bailey 9 37 8

14 Andy France 9 21 10

15 Matt Tomes 9 8 13

16 Eddie Wynne 9 4 4

17 Chris Fox 8 4 4

18 Phil Harding 7 8 3

19 John Bradford 7 7 0

20 Paul Faiers 6 10 2

21 Lance Tucker 6 9 0

22 Bela Bakos 6 7 2

23 Brian Slipper 6 6 5

24 Dave Poole 6 3 14

25 Mike Owens 6 2 1

26 Bob Gullick 6 2 7

27 Ken Rayner 5 5 12

28 Lewis Jones 5 1 11

29 Gordon Canning 4 2 2

30 Mike Nicholls 4 1 12

31 John Osborne 3 1 12

32 Nick Harvey 2 2 4

Bait Tech Festival 2013

The last year seems to have flown by, even with the awful weather we now seem to endure for much of the year. A uneventful drive down saw me arrive at the Whiteacres complex at the same time as the sleet, then snow and hail, a bit different from last year, when the on site shop sold out of sun tan lotion.  I called in and picked up the caravan keys and they offered an upgrade to a lodge for £100, we did that and were so grateful for the extra room for preparation and trying to get clothing and tackle dry overnight.

The weather did not inspire us to practice on the Saturday and with Glenn (Calvert) being a big egg chasing fan we settled into the lodge and then headed to the bar to watch Wales v England, the Welsh contingent got pretty rowdy as they celebrated their victory and seeing what we assumed was soiled bed linen outside of their lodge the next morning, I guess they celebrated to excess!!

The weather had perked up a bit by Sunday morning and we decided to practice on Pollawyn, we all had a few fish, Paul (Faiers) and me catching skimmers on the groundbait feeder, Glenn had a few on the pole using meat. After, we adjourned to the bar to discuss the next day and our prospects, although as I was on Porth, I wasn't likely to be boosting my weight on the first day.

First morning draw saw me on Porth 40, end peg, but with the cold weather I and most others thought it would be the wrong end. I had stripped down my gear to the bare essentials, but added a platform and waders, which as 40 is stuck out into the water, I didn't need.  Some top quality company on the next few pegs, Rob Wotton on 39, Pemb Wrighting on 38 and Tom Scholey on 37. I'd write an in depth analysis, but it wouldn't be any more instructive than a few brief lines as the fishing was poor, I had 7 bites, one of which was a 2lb skimmer on the waggler.  The most entertaining bit of the day was whilst setting up, somehow Tom Scholey's rear box leg gave way and dumped him straight into the lake, not a good day to be totally immersed in the reservoir.

I managed to weigh in 3.04, Rob Wotton pipped me by 2oz, Pemb had 2oz less than me and Tom barely scraped a pound. The weights were slightly better further down the lake, but 6lb odd was top weight from the 36 anglers. A poor start, not good having your 'dropper' on the first day.

Peg 40 produced the following weights for the five days:  3.04  0.05  2.11  0.05  0.06  so you can see how poorly Porth fished, the best weight of the week was on the last day, from the 70's, Mark Harper had 19.15, I think that was one of two double figure weights all week and there were a few blanks.  Glenn drew 40 on the last day and Paul had 83 with Callum Dicks on the next peg, they managed 3 and 2 ounces respectively, Paul was savouring beating off the next peg, Callum by 50% more weight.......

Clint had a vote, Porth yes or Porth no for the festivals next year and will do so on the next couple of festivals as well, given how hard it fished, it was surprising to see it come up Porth yes by 3:1.

Day two saw me on Bolingey, couldn't be more different than Porth, but there was a chance of struggling for bites, as the carp are still in winter mode and resident in areas. Peg 43 was to be my home for the 5 hours, Paul had a second in section from 44 the previous day with 84lb, with Callum winning the section from 31 with 111.10 .  43 is opposite peg 31, which was drawn by Pemb Wrighting, who had 10 fish before I and most of the others on the lake had a bite.

Meat was the plan, but I did feed some caster down the RH edge, as there was a flat shelf in front of a little gorse bush, although I'd have been happier if it had been more than 4m along the bank. I started at 7m as that is where Paul caught the day before, but with no indication after 30 mins I had a drop in the margin and hooked a carp on meat over the caster feed, I lost that and discovered the curly pig tail of a shoddy hook whipping, bugger.  Out to 13m and at last, my first fish, not a big one and it had me puzzled at first, but it turned out to be a small grass carp, the first one I've ever caught.

The switch to 13m saw the fish come at a reasonably steady rate, 8mm meat over 6mm meat feed doing the trick, a slow 4th hour happened for everyone on the lake, before the fish came late on the 7m line. I did have a couple of looks over the caster and took two fish from there, but there were very few fish caught from the margins.  As expected, Pemb won the section with 145.02, I had clicked 53 and 38 for my two nets, the actually went 51 and 42, I guess the fish I clicked at 10lb was 13lb.  93.04 being the total,which gave me 3rd in section, as Paul Holland had 99lb from peg 41. All those who caught decent weights fed very little.

Peg 43 produced these weights for the week.  56.00  93.04  18.06  42.10  46.02

Day 3 saw me headed for Pollawyn peg 16, Andy Neil had won the section from here the day before with 117lb of carp on the waggler, shallow, but that was overshadowed by Pete Wilde's 261.14 from peg 27.  I am reasonably happy with my waggler fishing so was looking forward to catching a few over, I also set up a straight lead and a pole, that had a rig for meat at 11m.  I gave the waggler and bomb 55 mins with one skimmer on popped up bread, before feeling that it wouldn't work. First drop in on the 11m line I had a 4lb carp, then a couple of skimmers, before another carp about 6lb. I then had two barbel which weren't far off 3lb each, then a few skimmers up to 2lb.  The carp didn't show in any numbers after their battering the day before, the guys either side of me had persevered for them and didn't get enough to beat my mixed bag, that weighed 33.14 for second in section , being beaten by peg 22, where Ricky Salmon weighed 45.03.

The weights I have for peg 16 are:  ??:??  117.15  33.14  55.14  50.09

Day 4 saw me needing a good draw, the weather this day was horrendous, strong and gusting winds and torrential rain, it stayed all day.  I drew 25 on Trewaters, deep joy, totally exposed and with the cold wind blowing straight down the lake into the peg, to cap it off it managed last in section the day before. As an omen for the day, when I got to the peg, on the footpath was a 3lb carp with its gills eaten out, I assume otter or mink.

The wind lashing down the lake ensured the first thing I set up was a straight lead, I also set up a waggler as I wasn't convinced I wanted to risk the pole, but I did set up two topkits and 3 sections.  Starting on the lead, the tip remained motionless, I had clipped up tight to the island and tried that, as well as dropping short, all to no avail. Finally the tip did go round and a small carp saved the blank. Two more followed in quick succession after a swop to worm on the hook and I thought I had worked it out, but no that was the end of the straight lead action. I had searched up and down the island, the open water and along the end bank, all without any indication.

Switching to the pole saw a couple of micro perch, before I foul hooked a big carp that gave me the run round and then straightened out the hook - landing that would have given me 2 or 3 more points. I managed to get 3 or 4 decent skimmers on the pole and weighed in a paltry 14.10 for 5th in the section, which was won with 28.15 from peg 35 which was the only peg with the wind from behind.  A miserable day and any chance of sneaking into the top 20 gone.

Weights from peg 25:  ??.??  ??.??  9.16  14.10  2.06

Day 5 Trelawny and Twin Oaks, I came out of the draw bag with 25 on Trelawny, it had produced a section win on the first day and peg 26 had won the section for the previous 2 days, so a decent draw.  The information was that carp right across to the island on the lead  and meat. I duly set up the lead rod and clipped up tight to the island. I also set up 3 rigs, but only got 9m of pole out as the wind was gusting again and the forecasters were promising 4" of rain!!  One rig to fish just touching bottom and a diamond shape float with 5" of line on the bottom to try and achieve some sort of presentation in the windy conditions. I also set up a margin rig, but no more to said about that.

On the all in a volley of leads with meat went out and for the most part they were non productive, I fed a line at 9m with 6mm meat, as the lead once again looked to be a non starter, I did have a very small F1 on the lead and then bumped one, that was the last bite on it and it went up the bank where it belongs.

I had a couple of small F1's on the meat at 9m, but it was slow going, so I chopped up some worm, that and some caster went in on a new line in a tangerine sized ball of sieved lake and gimps gold. A whole dendra with the tail nipped off brought a decent run of F1's and skimmers up to 2lb, it was essential to keep a nugget of groundbait going in at least every other fish.  A lovely days fishing, not a vermin in sight and the weather forecasters got it wrong, the wind dropped and the rain mainly stayed away.  My net of fish went 35.02 to win the section by 5lb, a decent result to end on, sadly it was the lowest weight section of the 4 that make up the lake (even though its 2 lakes!), so only a section payout.

Peg 25 weights: 54.01  ??.??  ??.??  30.02 35.02

It would be good if Whiteacres put some money into creating decent paths round the lakes, I guess 80% are using shuttles and the wheels sink into the mud or the thin layer of chippings they have put down. My one other gripe was the restaurant, I felt the service and food quality was poor.

It was a good  festival, shame Porth was poor, but Trewaters also fished hard, but didn't get so much stick, it was cold, the wind and rain didn't help and there were some good weights, but often not two days running from the same pegs.  Last year I felt like a fish out of water, this year I fed sparingly and didn't get sidetracked by the bait limits, a couple of decent draws helped, but you'll never compete from bad draws.

Paul took the £5 side bet off Glenn and myself, but it was close, our final positions were:

Paul Faiers 29th  30 points  177.06
Chris Fox  46th   29 points  176.06
Glenn Calvert 59th  27 points 156.00