Tony Rixon's Float Only, Landsend, Sunday 2nd August 2020

 Another float only match, in what should have been Tony's league, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Landsend, I love the peace and quiet of it, no roads nearby, no people walking round, its idyllic as I do like some peace and quiet whilst fishing.  The hate side (and hate isn't really the word, its more frustration) is that I don't feel its managed as well as it could be, the vegetation needs cutting back, so you can fish to islands and to enable getting in close enough in the margins and the fish stocks (particularly silvers) aren't what they once were.

Maybe the new owner, Darts player Gary Anderson will get the gardening done, I hear tales of fish coming in the autumn (and its certainly not the time of year to be stocking) and hopefully it will get back to the fishery it was. 

I drew 36 on Specimen lake I though it might be hard, especially with 35 and 37 in, although, on all the lakes here having too much space can be a hindrance as the fish back off into the gaps.  I was in danger of feeling a bit wobbly on my platform, as I 'don't do heights' and the picture shows that with the water levels low, I was a fair way off the water.

Didn't have more than a couple of water anywhere in the peg, so set up to fish pellet across, expanders and micros 2/3 across and meat short.

Started on meat, but nothing, it took me nigh on three hours to get a fish over, then on the next peg the anglers pole came apart and a fish was towing his top 5 around, managed to hook his elastic and get it out for him - well it was more exciting than the fishing...

I did have 3 carp in twenty minutes across, and then the guy on 37 went home (don't blame him, the pub was tempting me!!) the fish then did what they do and backed off into the vacant peg, I never had another over, I did get 2 F1's and a carp on meat, but by the end my heart and soul wasn't in it.....

Ivy House Open, Saturday 1st August 2020

Back to Ivy house for this open on the canals,  fancied a day fishing for silvers, but it would depend on the draw.  43, I'd have preferred a lower number for skimmers, but there is always a chance of some.

My approach doesn't alter much, two lines down the track, one fed with GB/dead maggots, one with 4mm and micro pellets, a line tight across, a line at the bottom of the near shelf and an edge line.  Fed the lines down the track and the short line, before venturing across at 16m, this was as most pegs, deeper than I'd like and there wasn't much action across.

Some blows on the GB line and switching between this and the short line I managed a few skimmers, but it was slow and I was sure I wasn't catching at a rate fast enough to trouble to silvers payout.  I had been pinging a few pellets across and could see some carp moving around, now the minimum depth has been dropped from 12" to 6" I shallowed up to 6" and went across, had a several fish doing this. before hooking a root and losing the rig, set another rig up, but the moment was lost and I couldn't get the fish back.

I could see to my left that there were some fish being caught at 2+2 on paste, I didn't have any, so with an hour to go stated a line there feeding and fishing 6mm pellet, this was a good move and I should have done it 5 minutes sooner, as I ended up one out of the money and missed out on a lake win by 1.07, shame, but I was happy with the way I fished, just a slight matter of timing.

Looking forward to coming back here, its really enjoyable fishing, Andy and Karen are making Ivy House a fishery that is in my top three to want to visit.

England Ladies Fundraiser, Barston Lakes, Tuesday 28th July 2020

The annual fund raiser organised by Julie Abbott for the England Ladies team, usually a good match with a raffle and a beer after, but the current situation meant there was no raffle.

Travelled up with Tony, first time travelling since the lockdown started, bit of a palaver in the restaurant at Barston, had to download an app to order breakfast, it was easy enough once the app downloaded and a decent breakfast.

Draw saw me on 101, not many good vibes about it, I had come pretty much prepared to fish for skimmers and this just reinforced the decision.  Got a text asking what peg I was on and then promptly got a reply....

I set up a method feeder and a cage feeder and a couple of pole rigs, one to fish banded pellet and one for corn, soft pellet or worm.  The tow was pretty strong, I had a 0.5g rig on, but was going to step up too 0.8g if required.  I fed the skimmer lines at 13m, didn't go further as the wind was forecast to get heavier.  I chucked a method a bout 60 yards for 10 minutes whist the skimmer lines settled, not even a liner.

Started on the pellet line and it was worryingly inactive, switched to the corn line and had a couple of fish, but they weren't queuing up for it.  I wondered about the presentation and tried the cage feeder with corn/micros and a little bit of GB at 25m.  3 quick skimmers - not big ones and then nothing, that was  pattern emerging.....

I swapped round between the pellet line and the corn, but I was really struggling, with 90 minutes to go, I decided to try and get some bites,  I fed a line at 8m with GB and maggots, it was a like switching a switch on, I had a palm sized skimmer every put in, had I done this earlier, I may well have troubled the section, but it was the right decision, just far too late in the match.

Lets hope the matches can be back to normal next year, with a return to a bigger entry, the raffle and a beer afterwards.

Tony's 13M Limit Pole match, Trinity Waters, Sunday 26th July

This should have been one of Tony's short pole series, but as it was now an open, he decided to up the pole limit to 13m.  I was slightly sceptical about how it would fish with 26 on, but someone has to win...

I drew peg 9, I would have rather had one of the corners, but it wasn't to be, so best just get on with it.  I set up a rig to fish paste, as this can work well on this venue.  A hard pellet rig, one of the edge and a soft pellet rig, which could double up for worms, if I fished for skimmers.

Not much to say really, the skimmers weren't playing ball, we all seemed to be struggling along our bank, I stuck it out fishing for skimmers.

To be honest I wasn't overly disappointed when the match finished, 3 carp and a dozen skimmers in 6 hours isn't my idea of fun.

Monday Evening Open, Acorn, Monday 20th July 2020

These evening matches are enjoyable, you can't set too much up, so a pretty simplistic approach is either successful or not.

The draw was done and I was handed 36, its not a popular peg, but I wasn't too bothered, it can throw up a weight.  My one uncertainty was the 'flow' going through the peg from the aerator, which was staying on.

Lat week I had really struggled to catch on pellets which was all I took - apart from some putrifying worms, which I caught on.  This week, I had pellets, micros,corn, maggots and worms, as well as caster left over from the weekend.  I only had the pellets on the side tray, as it was warm and sunny so hopefully it would be better than last week, I did have the worms close to hand and some GB.

Not many signs of fish, so a cautious start, just cupping a few pellets across on a little shelf that was about 20" deep, just about perfect, not too deep to get liners, not to shallow to have the fish spooking.  It took 10 minutes to get a bite, whilst peg 1 had had two fish in that time, but I put 20lb in the net after 35 minutes and was thinking a good weight was on the cards.  The fish had other ideas and they were now out in the flow of the aerator, porpoising and rolling, with no intention of eating.

I was reluctant to feed there, as I had no idea where it would end up, so I did put some micros across into a shallower gap and went over them with a worm, this was ineffective, I hadn't fed the margins yet, so I fed to the left, but short because of rushes and the turmoil from the aerator.  I fed two RH margins one at 5m and one by the pallet of 35.  GB in short RH margin, micros and corn in the LH and 8mm pellets by the pallet of 35.

Well, it was an absolute nightmare, the fish came in over the feed, the GB first, then the micros and finally the pellet line.  I am not convinced they were all feeding, it was nigh on impossible to get a bite, yet there were fish there - this is one of the most frustrating venues for margin fishing, you think you have it sussed one week and the next you can't catch them again - I wasn't alone, everyone was saying the same at the end.  

In the end I switched the LH edge to 8mm pellets as well and I did get a couple from the pallet of 35 and a couple from the LH edge, but it was a matter of sitting there being patient - difficult to do in a 3 hour match.

Come the end I knew I hadn't done enough and so it proved, with 31 (out of sight around the corner) putting 90lb+ on the scales for the win, i was one decent fish away from second, so frustrating to end up 6th, it may well have been a case of being more patient to get one, maybe should have started both edges on 8mm pellets.

Float Only Open, Shiplate Farm, 19th July 2020

Nice to get back to this tidy fishery, this should have been one of Tony's float only league matches, but now run as opens.  I was hoping for a draw on the main lake, but sadly, I managed to pull my self out 15 on Hawthorn, apparently, so I was informed by more than one person, its a feast or famine peg.

It looks nice, I fully expected to have a days fishing, I spent ages plumbing round the peg and settled on two rigs for fishing across, both with a banded hooklength - two rigs as the depths were too different to use one.  A meat rig to fish short, a rig to fish the LH margin, but it was over 3' deep, so wasn't sure what to expect.

Bait tray was simple, pellets and 8mm meat.  Started on meat and in the first 35 minutes I had two carp for about 12lb and 5 decent skimmers and a chub for nigh on 10lb.  I thought it was going to be OK, the meat line went quiet, I went across, toss potting some 4mm pellets and fishing a 6mm in the band.  I managed one 4oz skimmer on that, it was the only bite.

I fished diligently for a couple of hours, then set up a new rig and started a micro/soft pellet line, I had a couple of small skimmers but it looked to be going nowhere.  At 13:35 I had one down the edge on 8mm pellet and I had 2 in quick succession at 14:50 on the short mat line and that was it, nothing more to say about the day, a disaster, I don't feel I did a lot wrong, there just weren't many fish in the area.

Well done to Russ Peck on taking it out from the main lake and there was an 80lb+ weight of skimmers from there as well.

Ivy House Open, Saturday 18th July 2020

Trying to keep a bit of sanity in my fishing, so back to Ivy House, I had just taken my pole, as I was expecting the match to be on the canals, but there was an overflow section onto the old match lake, so I should have put some rods in - just in case, lesson learnt for next time.  As it turned out, Andy drew me 47 on the Kingfisher, so no need for rods.

Plenty of time to set up, so I had a topkit to fish across on the shallowest shelf I could find, that was 3', which is too deep, but I left the rig set up.  A shallow rig,  a 4x14 Preston maggot float to fish worms down the track, a 4x12 version of the same float to fish short - at the bottom of the near slope, a rig for banded pellet and a margin rig.

Bait tray was caster, maggot, worms and pellets.  I expected to catch some carp across on hard pellet, skimmers short and down the track, with an odd carp mixed in and then some carp down the edge.  It turns out I was end peg, with 48 and 49 not pegged.  Not sure its always a benefit, as the fish can back off, but it does give an area to draw from.

Started across and had a couple of  small carp, but they soon moved off.  I had fed two lines for skimmers, one with GB and chopped worm, one with micros and 4mm pellets.  The worm line was best, not hectic, but a few skimmers, it needed regular topping up, I did think I may get a decent weight of them, but the sun came out and they disappeared.

I had been pinging pellets across and had some fish on the mudline, I went in tight with the shallow rig and had several fish, but with the rules (as I thought) that you had to fish at least 12" deep, I was under the fish. I gave it up and came back on the line over the micros, had a couple of small skimmers and a carp, but that was getting me nowhere,

With a couple of hours to go I fed a margin line either side, one with GB and maggots, one with pellets and corn, I expected the LH edge (maggots) to be best, as that was the side with no one pegged past me, but the RH edge was by far the best, the first of the last two hours was best and it tailed off in the last hour.  Another enjoyable day at Ivy House, I suspect the peg was worth a lake win, but I was pipped by Vince on peg 37 by 4lb.

 When Andy came to weigh in I commented that had I been able to fish 4 or 6" deep on the mudline I'd have caught a few more - he then told me he'd changed the rules last week and you could now fish 6" deep - shame I never knew before.  So my fish went 84.02, which was joint 4th and I sneaked a default section win - bout time, been a miserable run since lockdown ended.

Acorn Evening Open, Monday 13th July 2020

First evening match of the year for me, these three hour matches generally need a simple approach and one or two lines to catch on.

Peg 17 drawn for me, I did have enough time to set up 3 topkits, one for the edge, one for across and one for the bottom of the near shelf - hoping that only two would be needed at the most.  I had pellets and more pellets, that was the bait on the side tray - this proved to be a mistake tonight, but has been right in matches past.

Started across on the shelf, nothing, not even a liner - that  is unusual for this venue, I tried a line at the bottom of the first shelf and had a couple of small fish, I'd carried on pinging pellets across, but there was no signs of fish.  I started feeding the margins, just pellets one side and a nugget of GB and pellets the other.

Back across, I guess I couldn't believe that I wasn't getting any bites over there, I did get a couple of fish, but it was slow and painful going, it was fairly obvious that 4/6mm pellets weren't the bait.  I did find some nearly dead worms in the van and feed a bit more GB down the LH edge, I had one fish from the RH edge on pellet, but I did have several on the poorly worms down the LH edge, but it wasn't enough to keep up with Matt on peg 15 fishing caster shallow, I could also see Trigger on 9 catching, I'd seen him get off his box and fetch some different bait from his car, I had backed myself into a corner not having a change bait.

It was a miserable night rained most of the match, quite a few tipped back and I was one of them, knowing my 45lb wasn't troubling the frame...

Next week I will be bringing a couple of different baits!!

11st Craig Edmunds 138.9lb peg 9 2nd gabe Skarba 100.1lb peg 31 3rd Matt Culpin 85.12 lb peg 15 4th Jack Jones 62.12lb peg 3 5th Martin Rayet 56.9lb peg 34 6th Paul Lasson 52.10 peg 13

Landsend Open, Sunday 12th July 2020

Tony Rixon had put this one on and its a while since I've been and the first time since its changed hands, with Gary Anderson of Darting fame now owning the fishery.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the place, it's one of the most peaceful venues I go to and I really enjoy that side of it, personally I'd like to see some of the trees and bushes removed or at least seriously pruned and it could do wit a bit of a re-stock to freshen it up.  Apparently Gary is going to do this, so lets hope it gives a new lease of life.

I was unusually last to draw and was handed 22, it used to be a good skimmer peg, but the silvers fishing isn't what it was, so I'd come to fish for carp.  A rig for over in about 15" of water, one for down the far shelf, about 2' 6" deep.  Shallow rig, meat rig for a short line and a margin rig to fish down to the pallet of 23, where I could get close in in shallower water - the rest of the margins either side were too over grown to get in tight.

I started across, but nothing doing, so left it and hoped they come there later on, the short meat saw me hook one fish, but it came off well before I even saw it, didn't feel foul hooked, but who knows.... I went back a cross and had a carp, but the action was pretty slow, I ended up coming onto the rig that was a bit deeper and fishing down the shelf, I picked off odd fish for a couple of hours but it was slow going and that dried up and I went the best part of two hours without a fish, it never felt like there were many there.

I switched to the margin, where I'd been feeding 8mm pellets and had a double figure fish, 10 minutes later one nudging 8lb and with 40 minutes to go I thought I may have a chance of geting a decent weight, but that was it, no more fish, couldn't tempt one from anywhere and still didn't feel they were in the peg in any number.

So a nice day, in pleasant surroundings and good company, but an also ran place.

Phil's Open, Viaduct, Saturday 11th July 2020

Didn't have anything booked in for today, so when Phil Hardwick messaged, did I want to fish an open he was running at Viaduct, I booked straight in.

Got there before the draw, just to get a parking place, its manic with pleasure anglers, but I got parked up, unloaded and then went to draw - well be drawn for, Matt drew me 113, I wasn't too enamoured, but it can be OK, so off to give my best shot.

With 113 set back from the other pegs, I decided there wasn't much advantage in chasing fish out to 16m, so 14m was the limit, I expected to catch a few short and down the edges, although given the depth of the edges approaching 3', I did wonder if the barometer pressure rise would see the fish preferring shallower water.

I set two lead rods up, one with an inline lead to fish T bags and one normal straight running lead, no wagglers as the wind was blowing at me and slightly from L to R.  With that and being between the two aerators ( Campbell has an extra aerator now) I just felt the waggler wouldn't be right.

A rig to fish banded pellet at 14m, but plumbing up I found the bottom was very flat, so came back a section and settled on 13m, I wonder if the new aerator is moving the silt and flattening the bottom out.

A rig to fish meat short, a shallow pellet rig and a couple of rigs for down the edges, left and right, one with a band, one without,  Simple bait tray, 6 & 8mm pellets and a little bit of 8mm meat.

Started on meat at 5m, hooked a carp 2nd put in, it came in all docile and then decided to wake up and dive under the pallet, trying to stop it saw the hook pull and the rig end up in the tree........ great start.  Luckily the rig came out of the tree in one piece, so back in on that line and all to show for 20 minutes on it was 4 skimmers.

A switch to the 13m line, toss potting 6mm pellets saw more skimmers come to the net, but no sign of a carp, Jack on 114 was fishing the lead and had had a couple of carp, whilst I had a few skimmers.  The time had come, I picked up the lead rod and a T bag with 6mm pellets in, 6mm on the hook.  First cast the tip went round and instead of the expect and desired carp, another skimmer came to the net.  Several more casts with nothing to show for it, so up the bank it went, I have no confidence in it.

I'd been dripping a few 8mm pellets down the LH edge, so whilst it was early, I did look over them, without a bite, so back on the 13m line and a couple more skimmers, but it was over 2 hours in and I'd not had a carp.  I decided to ping a few 8mm pellets in the middle and then had my first carp on the 13m line, but it wasn't followed by any of his mates.

Onto the straight lead and 8mm pellet, I had one about 8lb first chuck and then nothing.  Back on the 13m line and finally the carp showed up, I started to put a run of fish together, not hectic, but steady, with an hour to go I lost two fish at the net, whilst people were walking about, hardly social distancing at the time, whilst I was trying to move my pole (113 is the peg with the least room behind it) this pissed me off and I let it get to me and put me off my rhythm, I messed up the feeding and started to get foulers.

I put the shallow rig over the top and only had one on it, I had to go back on the deck and sit it out waiting for bites, that resulted in a slower last hour than I was expecting, with a look in the margins and short line only producing one perch.

My 119lb was only enough for a bang average half way, but I did enjoy the challenge and I feel the negative approach enabled me to beat the two pegs to my left, bu was hammered to my immediate right, as Jack had fished the lead all day to weigh 192lb - I will have to go to a couple of Costcutters and just take lead rods to try and work it out...... or maybe not!!

Another good weight by Sam, he's unstoppable at the moment.

1. Sam Powell - 357lb 14oz - peg 135

2. Ben Hagg - 227lb 7oz - peg 116

3. Jason Hales - 198lb 10oz - peg 123

4. Jack Stamp - 192lb 3oz - peg 114

5. Dan White - 153lb 11oz - peg 129

6. Martin Rogers - 151lb 2oz - peg 125

7. Greg Welsby - 140lb - peg 119

8. Phil Hardwick - 137lb 11oz - peg 110

9. Toby Burrell - 136lb 14oz - peg 131

10. Dick Bull - 125lb 8oz - peg 116

11. Chris Fox - 119lb 13oz - peg 113

12. Tim Davies - 113lb 1oz - peg 127

13. Clive Barrow - 108lb 6oz - peg 128

14. Dave White - 102lb 1oz - peg 112

Ivy House Open, Sunday 5th July 2020

Back to Ivy House today, I hadn't realised that you could choose between a match on the canals and a match on Heron, I was booked into Heron and it was too late to change - oh well, I should at least get a few bites.

With gusts of up to 40mph forecast, I had chucked a couple of feeder rods in the van and when I drew peg 9, Allan Oram said I should get plenty of bites on the feeder into the bay....

Plenty of time to set up so I set up both feeder rods, one with a method and one with a pellet feeder partly because I've never caught a fish on a pellet feeder, so maybe time for a first!

Pole rigs were simple, a 4x12 to fish banded pellet short, a another to fish it longer (not too long, given the forecast) and  0.5g in case it was needed.  A shallow rig and one for close into the boards.

Bait tray was simple, 4 and 6mm hard pellets, I did have a few dead maggots and some caster left over from yesterday, but they would be left in the bag.  Started on the feeder and didn't have a bite in 4 casts. that was enough for me, so switched to the short pole, feeding 4mm, fishing 6mm banded pellets.

Was catching reasonably well on that, but it was small fish, so stopped feeding 4mm and switched to 6mm.  That didn't really increase the size of the fish and they would come and go, I did get the maggots out of the bag and feed them in nuggets of GB down the edge, this was not ideal as it was too deep really, as I had a few foulers, but they did settle in the end.

Decided I had to try and push things, so started fishing casters shallow, I really expected to see some fish come to this and it proved to be a waste of time, as I didn't have a bite on it.

Finished off trying to make the short pellet line work, it was odd, upping the feed would see the bites increase for a short spell and then dry up, steady feeding didn't keep them coming any faster, so a strange day.  Just can't seem to get the feeding tight in the last few matches.

Put 86lb on the scales for a resounding halfway finish.

Ivy House Open, Saturday 4th July 2020

First trip to Ivy House for a while, match on the canals today, which I enjoy as its a bit of variety and a  mixture of silvers and carp.

Andy has been busy and put up some fences that have added to the appearance of the lakes and shielded the car park from the New Canal.

Peg 43 plucked out for me, I had no up to date info, but was happy enough with the area.  With the keepnets and landing nets supplied, it was a novelty to see them already in the water and sat in a wooden bar - great idea.

Just a pole to set up, 4x12 to fish at the bottom of the near shelf, another 4x12 to fish down the track and a 0.5g in case the wind got up.  A margin rig and a rig for across the far side, which was easily in reach with 14m and the dolly butt.  Couldn't find any shallow shelf across, so had to settle for the first shelf which was nearly 3'.

Plan was to start across for carp, then two lines down the track 10 o'clock line fed with a few micros and a couple of 4mm pellets - quite a negative line and a more positive line at 2 o'clock fed with GB, dead maggots and casters.  Also a short line at the bottom of the near shelf, finally margin line to the left in about 18" of water.

Started across and was surprised not to get a bite, not even a liner, gave it 15 minutes before coming off it and feeding the positive line with GB, then dropping in on the negative line with an expander on the hook. Had a couple of small carp, but it wasn't wild, finally had a skimmer on it, but there wasn't much sign of activity.  The positive line was even slower, one skimmer on dead maggot, not a bite on a piece of worm.

The short line has always been a banker for me on this lake, but not today, maggots saw me wait ages for a bite and the reward was a micro perch, this happened several times, so I wasn't at all convinced the fish would come in on that line.

I ended up fishing the negative line for another hour or so, putting an odd fish in the net, a look back across say a few carp in the 2lb bracket come to the net, the margin remained fishless and I was never convinced there were many fish there.

I put 44lb on the scales which beat the peg to my left (just, by ounces) but I didn't stay and get the results, so unfortunately have no idea of the winning weights, suffice to say, mine wouldn't have been one of them.   Enjoyable day though.

Float Only Open, Avalon, Sunday 21st June 2020

This should have been one of the rounds of Tony's popular float only league, so it was run as a float only open.  When I got there and found there were 46 booked on (48 peg lake), I thought it would be a hard day, that's a lot of pressure for a lake that isn't match fished at that intensity often, but hard or not, someone still has to win.

I'd brought my waggler rods, fancying a day's waggler fishing, the shallow waggler to the island being a successful method on this lake.  That went out of the window when lake owner and Mosella UK boss Vic Bush drew me peg 48, the last peg on the far bank, a corner and a short walk from the car park - but no island....

The consensus was fish down into the corner and hang on, some of the lakes bigger fish reside there, so I duly had a plumb around - Vic told me there would be a shallow ledge, it shallows up nicely into the corner and the bottom turns from soft and slightly silty to gravel - perfect.  I couldn't plumb up properly to start with, so many twigs, brambles and branches had obviously blown in there over the spring and sunk....  A good clear out and I settled on two rigs, one set at 18" and another at 2'6".

I st a rig to fish expanders for skimmers at 14m - a rig to go over that with banded pellet if they got big or the carp showed up and a paste rig to fish paste short.

Well, I am not going to try and spin this out, there is very little to say, I started on paste, wasn't convinced I'd catch when there was absolutely no blows or signs over the feed.  Had a look down into the corner - where I'd been strict with myself and had potted just a few pellets in.  Nothing to show for that.  The skimmer line next, I'd fed a nugget of GB with micros in, really negative, nothing....

It took two hours to get a bite, a 4lber on 8mm pellet on the 2'6" rig against the far bank. Ten minutes later, a 9lber graced the net, I thought the corner was going to produce, but no, that was it, another hour without so much as a liner.

Back on the skimmer rig, I did have one bite on it, a small skimmer and that was it, no more.  At 15:15 I had a 7lber on the deeper edge rig, again on pellet and that was it, 3 carp and a skimmer for 20lb in 6 hours, I won't deny at times I was bored, as nothing I tried worked.  Two bouts of rain as well, so all in all it could have been a better day.  I even put a big pot of GB in the edge and tried worms over it, I had one little unidentified fish on it that fell off.

Bit of a shit run really, but upwards and onwards, next weekend could be better - Sunday at Todber, a short pole match, so not much to focus on.

Just to round off the expensive weekend, after the pole section ended up in Barston yesterday, got home and found the boiler leaking into my float making material.... the float making materials survived, but the boiler cost a few quid to repair.....

Barston Bowl Saturday 20th June 2020

Barston today for the Barston Bowl, not fished this before and I didn't realise the format when I bought the ticket, its 3 hours on the feeder, three hours on the pole, no catapults.  So in for a penny....

Good drive up, the M42 was a joy..... and how often can you say that!!!

Pools paid and peg 13 was drawn for me, no idea if it was good or not, but a couple of locals passed on their wisdom as the trundled their laden trolleys past me and most of it was less than positive, but you never know...

Three feeders set up, one at 30 turns, one at 55 turns and another at 80 turns, all methods of varying description, setting up I dropped a brand new Guru hydrid feeder behind my box and it bounced straight into the lake, no change of getting back at the bottom in front of the peg is rocky.

Some GB and micro pellets prepared and then the pole to set up, in all my years of fishing the pole, I have never lost a section in the lake, to day was a first, the No6 section slid out, into the lake and disappeared, a prod round with my longest landing net handle and couldn't feel it, I carry a spare pole, so took the No6 out of there - an expensive day and the whistle was still best part of an hour away..... 

Three topkits, a shallow rig, one with a band and an identical rig with a plain hook for corn.

Started on the 55 turn feeder and in an hour had one liner and a skimmer, next hour out at 80 turns, with nothing to show for it, a couple of carp caught by peg 12, not on the feeder, he was fishing a bomb and T bag, the guy on 15 also had a carp on that - I couldn't follow suit, I had no T bags or PVA to make any.

Last hour I tried something different, bit the method off the short rod an set up a cage to fish GB/micros and corn on the hook to see if the skimmers were likely to com to the pole line. I had 12lb in the last hour - I should have fished it all three as 38lb won the section.

Onto the pole, 45 minutes before the pole match started I fed the 13m line ( I decided to just fish one line for the three hours) with GB/micros and corn, two rock hard balls so it wouldn't break up immediately.

On the start, I topped it up with a small ball of the same and dropped over it, I was getting indications and a couple of foulers, then I had a couple of decent skimmers and it went quiet, I topped up again and then had 5 decent skimmers in 5 put ins, whilst unhooking the last fish I saw a Crested Grebe diving over my bait, that seemed to put the skimmers off and I struggled to get them back.  I should have probably gone out to 16m, but it was getting windy and I wasn't sure I could.

I had a few small F1's and that was it, I heard there was a 20lb as the scales came up, knew I only had  about 15/16lb so tipped them back.  As it looks I would have improved on my 6th in section on the feeder, to 2nd on the pole, but it didn't matter, as the Bowl winner came from my section, so well done to Graham Wall.

A tough day, the weather treated us to extremes of a chilly wind, clouds, rain and a spell where the apricity was most welcome,  I enjoyed it - apart from the No6 sinking quicker than the titanic.

Viaduct Open Sunday 14th June 2020

Back again for the second of two days at the scenic Viaduct fishery.  I thought I'd learnt a bit from yesterday, but maybe not.....

The draw put me on 129, not a peg you'd complain about, so off I went, reasonably confident of catching a few.  With Trigger on 128 the other side of the spit, Steve Hutter opposite on 112 and Andy Power on 114, there was some stiff competition and that was just those I could see.

Another chat with the 'magic pellet' duo from yesterday... well a bit of banter really and I was setting up, simple really, a rig for the spit, where I really fancied to catch a few, long and short pellet rigs for depth, a shallow rig and I did set a rig for meat short, although it was more in hope than expectation, pellets were, I thought, going to be the bait for the day.

I did also get a waggler out of the bag and a lead rod, seeing as they'd come for the ride, I 'didn't expect to catch on the waggler, as the wind and water movement from the aerator were in the same direction.  The lead rod went away at the end unused....

Determined not to blow it at the start by being ebullient with the bait, I got some pole pots out of my bag <shakes head sadly, they should be reserved for winter> and started on meat short, cupping in 4 cubes.  This saw a couple of decent skimmers and one carp in the net, but it soon died off. I went long with pellets and had another fish, but a small one (4lb or so).  There were a few swirls, so I picked up the shallow rig and had three on that in 30 minutes, but it was hard work for little reward, they soon backed off.  I think where they are spread out a bit, they have soon realised they are being fished for again.

I had a look in the corner and the end of the spit, I had a decent mirror on meat and a tench, then a perch not far off 2lb, as well as smaller perch and roach - a sign there aren't too many carp there.  I was till confident the spit would come good and switched from nurturing my pellet lines gently, to trying to coax them a bit more - it works with Chub.....

Well, the coaxing didn't work, I didn't have a single bite from the end of the spit and I eked a few out of the corner, but nowhere near enough. I never felt there was an amount of fish in the peg.

I kept up my statement that there is at least 100lb off of every peg on Campbell in the summer, with 115lb odd,  but as time goes on, this is with fewer fish, when I first started fishing it the net limit was 80lb and that was 16 fish to a net..... put 16 in a net now and you could have nearly 200lb......

Another display by the fishing machine that is Andy Power, not sure if the fact that the angler on 113 packed up and went after 2 hours, helped out, but he probably didn't need that little bit of luck anyway.

Overall

1. Andy Power - 266lb 1oz - peg 114

2. John Gray - 245lb 13oz - peg 116

3. Martin Rogers - 227lb 14oz - peg 118

4. Dick Bull - 218lb 5oz - peg 121

5. Phil Hardwick - 197lb 12oz - peg 115

6. Paddy Curry - 193lb - peg 135

7. Craig Edmunds - 175lb 13oz - peg 128

8. Martin Preston - 169lb 11oz - peg 132

9. Steve Chant - 156lb 15oz - peg 123

10. Steve Hutter - 134lb 6oz - peg 112

11. Clive Barrow - 119lb 13oz - peg 119

Silvers

1. Nick Chedzoy - 44lb 14oz - peg 125

2. Kev Newman - 37lb 2oz - peg 124

3. Nick Ewers - 33lb 11oz - peg 127

4. Rich Studley - 32lb 14oz - peg 126

5. Steve Hutter - 31lb 2oz - peg 112

Viaduct Open, Saturday 13th June 2020

Got here just after 09:00 and most of the pegs gone, some people certainly are arriving early!!  Anyway handed over the money and was drawn 16 by Matt, 21 fishing today.  It's not had any form for a while - until the last two matches where it has framed, although the midweek matches do attract a few silvers anglers, so sometimes the results are slightly skewed as to what pegs might have done better overall.

Simple approach today, 6 and 8mm pellets, 8mm meat, a line at 5m, one at 14m and a lead rod and a waggler - just in case. Also a margin rig to fish both edges, although in this peg the RH margin is certainly the one that most often produces, there is a nice little shelf and a drop off to deeper water.  It was more consistent when the tree was in the water, but that low slung branch was removed last year.

I was interested talking to a couple of guys I haveeknown a long time, it transpired they are both using one of the pellet 'brands' that seem to be catching a lot of fish.  I'm not sure I am convinced of the effectiveness of flavourings and pellets that cost 3 times the standard pellet, but lately I have seen plenty of fish come out on them, maybe I'll have to give them a go.

Started on meat short and had two perch, a big skimmer, a roach and an rare (for Campbell) F1.  Switched to the long line to no avail, Nick Chedzoy on 115 was catching, but he is 2m further out, because of the bank/platform.  A switch to the waggler, set at dead depth brought a fish 1st and 3rd chucks, sussed it...... well not exactly, never had another bite on it.

Another go on the long pole, again not even a bite, by now I was a long way behind, I had regular looks in the margin, nothing to show for them, I'd switched the short line to pellets and did get a couple of fish from there, but it was little reward and I was expecting to be well down the pecking order.

Finally, with an hour and ten minutes to go, the margin switched on and I had a run of fish to about 16lb, too little too late, to claw my back on those who'd caught consistently and nowhere near troubling Sam who fell just 5lb short of breaking the venue record.

 Overall

1. Sam Powell - 455lb 1oz - peg 119

2. Nikki Miller - 253lb 13oz - peg 112

3. Dan White - 227lb 8oz - peg 128

4. Nick Chedzoy - 221lb 11oz - peg 115

5. Phil Hardwick - 219lb 10oz - peg 114

6. Martin Rayet - 205lb 2oz - peg 129

7. Chris Fox - 164lb 10oz - peg 116

8. Dave Bruton - 157lb 13oz - peg 132

9. Steve Denmead - 148lb 5oz - peg 127

10. Lee Massey - 143lb 13oz - peg 111

11. Ryan Morgan - 117lb 5oz - peg 126

12. Terry Leney - 102lb 2oz - peg 118

Silvers

1. Ryan Morgan - 33lb 7oz - peg 126

2. James Guy - 28lb 7oz - peg 125

3. John Fuidge - 20lb 7oz - peg 130

Acorn Open, Saturday 8th June 2020

Back to this popular fishery, I popped into Cadbury Angling and bought a couple of new keepnets before the start, two of my Drennan nets have broken rings and they are poking into the net, so no good for the fish, time for the bin....

I was surprised by how chilly it felt and was rather hopeful of a draw with the wind off my back, but no, peg 19 with it smack in the kisser, at least with Faiersy on 17 I would have someone to talk to.... or shout at with the wind and motorway noise.  Quite coincidentally, these were the two pegs we sat on two Saturdays ago when I had my first trip out after the lockdown, we both clicked 200lb that day, I wasn't convinced we'd be catching that today.

I'd spoken to Paul on the phone the afternoon before and he was watching Walshy catching plenty of fish on corn, so instead of sticking to pellets and worms, I also had corn.  I even set up a method rod in case the wind got too bad (and Fairsey had one set up, so just in case he started catching on it).

By the all in, I was feeling pretty cold and was wondering why I hadn't brought my winter clothing, but starting across, I had a fish about 5lb first put in, then a couple more, whilst many were potting bait or not going across, I can't resist the catapult, well that brought the ducks, not just one or two, as I don't mind a pair of ducks in amongst the bait, I think the fish are confident if the ducks are there.  This was 4 adults and 8 large ducklings.... 

Well I lost the plot a bit trying to get rid of them and by the time they'd gone the bites had dried up, I was cold and starting to wonder why I was sat in the tooth of that wind, not getting bites.  I tried to force the peg, across, short lines margin, all of them buggered up and I just wasn't enjoying it, I went through the motions, without any conviction. 

I could see Bob Gullick catching over on 34, I saw him swap a hooklength and I was sure he'd be down on 0.12 and a 20 hook, Fairsey got off his box and set up another rig, he started catching down the edge on 0.11, it was a day where my profligacy and pure apathy were to cost me, but I was cold, my back hurt and I wasn't fussed.

I packed up slowly and tidily with 30 minutes to go, no need to bother the scalesman, I have a got a load of 6mm Coppen pellets that were floating, I'm wondering if something has happened to them, as they never used to float!  Maybe they don't age too well.

Results below, well done Bob, a bit of finesse paid off - I must learn some restraint.  I picked up a kebab on the way home, plenty of chilli sauce and that was the best bit of the day, I was still cold and with a wind burnt face and a combination of glad it was over and pissed off to have got it so badly wrong.  

Sunday I was disappointed not to have an opportunity to fish a match, I wanted to get back down there ASAP and put things right, but that'll have to wait, not sure when I am next down there.  Viaduct Sat & Sun next weekend, so some 6mm pellets that don't float to get and lets hope the weather is more June-like!!!

Viaduct Open, Sunday 31st May 2020

A 21 pegger on Viaducts Campbell lake for today;s match, limited numbers due to the weighing in situation for now.  It was a rolling draw, so I arrived just before the usual 09:30 draw time to find that all but three pegs had gone, some proper early birds about....

Steve drew peg 111 for me, sandwiched between Steve Tucker on 110 and Trigger on 112, so no easy ride today.  I suspected Trig would be fishing long and shallow, I didn't expect to compete with him doing that, but just in case went to my pocket for my Tramadol (can't fish long for 6 hours with out it) and it wasn't there, still on the breakfast bar at home..... no long fishing today then!

I think that started the rot, I had brought too many baits, 4,6 & 8mm pellets, paste, meat and some worms/GB - no idea why I did that, should have just had pellets really.  A light wind off my back, making the chance to fish the waggler, so a depth and shallow wag set up, a bomb rod - just in case, in case of what I'm not sure really....

Topkits for meat short, two margin rigs, one with a band, one without, a rig for pellet long and a shallow rig, neither of these got used.  On the all-in I started short on meat and had a 12lber first put in, then a few big skimmers, but it didn't last long and Trig had a great start down his RH edge towards 113.

I switched to a pellet line at 5m off to the tree overhanging to the left, it started fizzing and I had a run of carp and skimmers, before it slowed up.  By now Trig was catching a few long, but it wasn't going mad, Tucks had come to his RH edge and started catching big fish.  I had been feeding 8mm pellets in my edge and sat there with a motionless float, whilst Tucks kept catching.

I tried GB down the RH edge, paste over the pellets and generally lost my way, so switched back to the 5m line with pellets and fished that out, proper battering both sides for me and given the weights, with Steve and Matt doing all the weighing, I decided to tip the carp back I reckon I had 150lb of carp, I thought I had nearly 40lb silvers, then heard of several admitting to 50lb, so they went back as well.

Bit of a disaster really, I thought I'd left the confusion of too many baits behind and I know that when I am back the weekend after next, I won't be having so many baits or rigs.  Not sure what got into my head, I do know I have put some pain killers in the glovebox of the van, so I don't forget them again.

Well done to Tucks on an amazing weight, the weights were awesome, what I chucked back would be a PB for many.

Overall 1. Steve Tucker - 369lb - peg 110 2. Craig Edmunds - 311lb 4oz - peg 112 3. Nick Ewers - 292lb 13oz - peg 130 4. Phil Hardwick - 277lb 15oz - peg 135 5. Martin Preston - 260lb 15oz - peg 114 6. John Gray - 226lb 1oz - peg 131 7. Steve Chant - 221lb 10oz - peg 132 8. Martin Rogers - 191lb 2oz - peg 125 9. Jiri Sarboch - 174lb 1oz - peg 128 10. Dan Squire - 172lb 11oz - peg 118 11. Nick Chedzoy - 163lb 9oz - peg 126 12. Michael Hall - 160lb 13oz - peg 129 13. Scott Russell - 159lb 7oz - peg 119 14. Dick Bull - 155lb 14oz - peg 123 Silvers 1. Nick Chedzoy - 59lb 13oz - peg 126 2. Scott Russell - 59lb 1oz - peg 119 3. Nigel Easton - 56lb 15oz - peg 124 4. Steve Denmead - 35lb 11oz - peg 116 5. Martin Rogers - 30lb 12oz - peg 125

Acorn Open, Saturday 30th May 2020

I hope everyone is OK and coping with the current situation, it's nice to be back fishing, especially matches, as pleasure fishing just doesn't do it for me.  Last weekend I ventured down to Acorn with Paul Faiers and had a few hours, not difficult fishing, although it was windy, mainly fished paste and pellet short, we both ended up with around 200lb on our clickers

Last Monday I ventured down to Viaduct, it was like a winter league or fisho, the car park was rammed and I went and checked if there were actually any pegs left, it was good to be back there and see the Long family, there were a couple of pegs, so I decided to find one. I had a walk round and found 82 empty, so sat there, some of the pegs look empty as you walk round, but then you find a pair of rods on them.  For some reason the carpers seem to sit off the pallets, away from their rods - odd behaviour if you ask me....

Anyway, I had a nice day, the sun shone, I caught a few carp on the waggler, some decent skimmers and a 4lb bream on the pole and a 20lber down the edge, I also sat watching and listening with some amazement at the size of the leads and PVA bags some of the 'carpers' were casting in, like Howitzers going through the air and boshing into the lake, with every carp for 3 pegs around bow waving off in all directions.  The leads must be burying themselves in the silt and taking the bait with it.  I didn't see any of the Howitzer brigade catch anything at all and they gradually packed up and left by 3pm.

Anyway, enough of that, onto today's match, this should have been one of the summer league dates, but with three matches already fallen to the lockdown, the rest of the dates are being run as opens. Peg fee paid to the fishery on the day, pools paid online earlier in the week, so it was rock up and have a peg drawn for you, can't say I was over the moon with peg 26 when it was called - I still have  dodgy drawing arm even when I'm 10m from the drawbag........

Still it was the first match back and the pegs at this end of the lake do occasionally come good, but they are far from consistent, that said, I was going to give it a good shot.  Topkits for paste down the edge, pellet shallow, pellet on the deck and pellets across - last week paste had been the best bait.

On the all-in I fed some 4mm pellets short and then went across to the bare bank opposite and expected to catch, I did have a couple of small fish, but it was slow going.  The depth rig down the track was barren, not even a liner.  I saw a couple of fish over the pellets I'd been flicking in the margin and dropped in there with the paste rig, second put in I had a 9lber and I thought I'd cracked it, but as fish do, they had other ideas and I had no more bites on paste.

I did manage to get a brief run of fish across, on 6mm pellet, but they eventually moved off, the fish were coming to the noise of bait, but weren't in a feeding frenzy, there were long spells of inactivity, but it was beautiful day and at least we were fishing a match

I switched the margin line to GB and dead maggots, fishing double worm over it, this brought a run of fish, not frantic by any means.  The fish  were giving themselves away by tail waving, if I saw one tail, I didn't get a bite, see two tails maybe a bite and three tails definitely a bite, they needed that bit of competition to grab the worms.  I saw a big back out of the water 12-14lb I estimated, it tipped down right on top of the worms and the float buried, trouble is I was attached to 4lber that must have nipped in a grabbed the worms first.

I clicked 97lb, but I do find it tricky at Acorn to get as accurate as I tend to be a Viaduct, I think its the variation in size of fish and the variation in shape, I was happy to put 109.06 on the scales for a section win, but do feel that I could have done better, fishing paste cost me, last weeks experience should have stayed in the past....

Well done Kev on the win and Faiersy - a section win by triple default.... I'd feel too guilty to take it 😀

Viaduct tomorrow, another nice day in the offing.

Trinty Waters Open, Sunday 22nd March 2020

So, the feeling was should I go fishing today, the weekend was supposed to be spent prepping for the Frenzee festival, which has gone the way of all sporting events.
I had arranged to travel down with Tony, but on the morning we thought it would be best to travel separately and I had a feeling that this would be the last match for some time.

Misha did a good job at the draw, she'd asked everyone to bring the right money and put a bucket for it to go in, she spread the swimcards on the floor and retreated a safe distance, calling up each angler one at a time to pay and draw.

Peg 12 for me, not disappointed, its an area where there are usually a few fish to be caught.  I set up a waggler to fish banded pellet and a feeder rod with a hybrid feeder on.  Two topkits, one for banded pellet and one for soft pellet, finally one for down the edge, this lake has deep edges and can throw up fish all year round.

Well, I am going to skip most of the first 5 hours, I had one 2lb skimmer after about 10-15 minutes, I didn't have another bite until an hour and 5 minutes to go, I knew I had to do something to try and turn this around, so fed a 1/4 of a pot of micros and dead maggots down the edge.  In an enjoyable 30 minute spell I had 3 carp, a skimmer, a roach and a tench, all on 4 dead maggots.

 I then lost a big angry common, which quietened things down, before I had one more carp.  I could see a fair bit of the lake and thought I may have done enough to frame, I knew a peg on the opposite bank had beaten me.  Not too disappointed to be second for two Sundays running, sadly no chance of keeping that embryonic run going, as that is fishing done and dusted for a few weeks.

I wonder how the commercials will react to a 'close season' I don't think it will do any harm as long as the owners can afford to manage them and where necessary feed the fish.  Fingers crossed it won't be too long and we all come through this and get back to normal life (whatever that will look like afterwards) sooner rather than later.

Todber Whitepost Open, Sunday 15th March 2020

Back to Todber today for an open organised by Mark Poppleton.  On Whitepost, so a simple affair, pellets and maggots on the bait tray, waggler rods left in the van and just the battle through the axle deep mud to get to my peg, which was 25.

I set up a lead rod to fish pellet on a bomb and another rod with a pellet feeder.  A topkit to fish banded pellet, one for soft pellet, another for meat short and one for down the edge.

The weather didn't disappoint, the usual pissing down rain and wind for at least the first half of the match, so huddled into the Goretex I stared across on the feeder.  I was getting odd fish, but not as many as Joe McMahon on 23, who could reach the far side with a pole, I couldn't.

I switched to the pole at 14m feeding pellet with banded pellet on the hook, again, I was getting bites, but not at the rate Joe was catching., So I got off my box and got another section out, going out to 16m, that was better, a fish first put in, then one took me into the reeds opposite and took the hook length.  I put another on and was catching but still not fast enough.

I had been feeding a line at 2+2 with 7mm meat and left it until an hour and 15 minutes from the end to go in there, I was pleased I did, they were queued up and I started catching at rate that was clawing back ground on Joe and on peg 27 who'd had a run of fish from the end bank.  I had to feed 12-15 pieces every fish, if not it took longer to get bites, great to be able to feed and see fish reacting to it!!

Scales came a long and gave peg 27, 112lb, I had 122lb and Joe had 115lb, that was top three on lake and I was second in the match behind Mark Wynne who had 168lb from peg 11 on the top lake.

Todber Winter League, Final Round, Saturday 14th March 2020

This was a reserve date, so I was hoping a week later on than the league should have finished, my turn on the high numbers of Hillview would see a decent days fishing and for us as a team to claw our way into the money.

Well, Barry drew me peg 50, 49 and 50 had been 1st and 2nd in the match last round, so myself and Ricky Mills who was on 49 weren't too upset. These pegs are just into a arm off the main lake.

50 gives you a check to the far bank, open water and a edge down to 51 which is not pegged.  The wind was blowing L to R and would make fishing the long pole either hard work or impossible - it varied.  I set up a bomb rod, a method feeder, a waggler and 4 topkits.  The topkits were one for meat short, one for banded pellet as long as I could go, an similar one for soft pellet and a rig to go down to the pallet of 51, but not too close in, as I didn't think they come into water that shallow.

Started on the method, a perfect cast, hit the clip and a nice little plop into the water, and the next cast, the third one somehow got caught on a frond sticking out from the far bank, that was the end of that feeder... Switched a pellet feeder as I hadn't had a bite and soon had a small fish, and then a couple more, but that was slow going, 6 or 7lb in the first hour, it was slow both to my left and right,so it didn't point to me doing anything drastically wrong.

Ricky started to get the odd better fish as he switched to fishing more to his left into the body of the lake, I was getting an odd fish on the method, but had been pinging pellets to the middle or just past and picked up the waggler.  I had three or 4 on the waggler, all small but it was bites, this died off and I ended the match with a brief run of slightly better fish on meat short in the last 45 minutes to stave off a last in section.  All of us in the arm struggled, Ricky had 62lb, I had 52lb, Chris Martin on 52 has had 42lb and MarkWynne on 53 had 57lb.  Section one and two was 48 and 54 who both fish into the main body of the lake and both weighed around the 110lb mark.

So not the best day and luckily my disaster didn't do too much damage and we moved up into 4th place and managed to pick up some coin, so well done team.

Overall on the day

1st Jon gray 128.10

2nd Martin Rogers 125.09

3rd Mark Poppleton 118.12

Overall league

1st thatchers vets 71pts

2nd sw all-stars 72pts

3rd BAS 76. 5pts

4th one local 79pts

5th parsigns 79.5pts

6th tackle UK 87

7th pi thatchers 87

8th Westerleigh 90

9th cod fathers 90

10th sas 93

11th misfits 100

12th pr floats 125

Todber Manor Winter League, Penultimate Round, Sunday 8th March 2020

This should have been the last round of the winter league, but one round was postponed due to a storm and high winds.

Travelled down with Tony and he must have had a funny turn as he waned me to draw for the team, I did advise it wasn't a good idea and he paid the price when I drew him 16, Mark Poppleton went off looking for Prozac after he saw his draw....

My prize was peg 34, the 'poor' section of Hillview, I was advised that there were no fish to be caught on the pole, so I set up a waggler - it was windy, but it was from behind me, so no problems fishing the waggler.  Two lead rods, one for bread and one with a maggot feeder on.

I did set up a couple of topkits, didn't bother with the margin, just two for out in front, one with a Kaizen hook, one with a eyed LWG and a band for hard pellet.

Started on the bread, but didn't give it too long, as no liners or bites were forthcoming.  It was slow in the section, with no one catching.  I could get maggots out to the island with a catapult because of the wind, so fully expected to catch, I did, but it was a small skimmer and a roach.  Troed the maggot feeder, nothing - I was going nowhere fast.

I picked up the pole and fed two lines, one at 14m off to 11 0'clock with micros, 4 and 6mm hard pellets, the other at 9m off at 2 o'clock, fed with the same pellets and a few dead maggots.  I had a carp after about 5 minutes on maggot over the short line, switched to the long line and soft 4mm pellet, this brought another fish after 20 minutes.

I caught odd fish on 4mm soft pellet switching between the two lines, feeding after every fish, I did have an hour spell without a bite and retried the waggler, that was the same as before, one skimmer.

I had a couple of small tench and another skimmer, with the odd carp until the all out was called, I thought I might have finished 3rd in section behind Ben Hagg on 38 who caught on the lead and Steve Tucker on 37, but luckily my 43lb odd just beat Tucks to take second behind Ben's 60+lb.  That was nowhere in the match with plenty of ton + weights - but not in my section....

Teamwise we did no good, but Tony was warned....

Final round is now next Saturday, so fingers crossed for one of the flyers - no, 5 of the flyers for the team..

Individual
1st Ryan Shipp 175lb
2nd Nick Ewers 152-06
3rd Tony Picton 152.00
4th Glen Picton 142lb.00
5th Paul elms 130lb

Silvers
1st Paul Greenwood 25lb
2nd Chris Davis 22lb
3rd lee Woodhouse 18lb.

Winning team
Codfathers 11pts

Overall
Thatchers vets 55
Bac 58.5
Parsigns 61.5
Sw all stars 62
One local 67
Westerleigh 69
Pi thatchers 71
Tackle UK 71
Sas 73
Cod fathers 73
Misfits 81
Pr floats 98

Viaduct Winter League Final Round, Sunday 1st March 2020

With the team having an outside chance of sneaking into the frame with a good performance and the stars aligning, I was looking forward to my turn on match lake, usually good for a few bites.  Paul's turn to draw and he used an unusual style, not taking the pegs from the lake draw tins in order, as every other team does.  Well it seemed to work, 130, 85, 66, 51 and 16, not one draw you could reasonably complain about there.

51 for me and it had the wind pushing from L to R and occasionally swinging round a little to more face on, this was likely to make the waggler a non starter, but I did set one up just in case.  Two lead rods, one with a little cage feeder and one with a bomb, for bread.  Topkits, it was a pretty even depth, so no need for loads of rigs, a Malman Roob for meat short and long and a NG slimpattern whose name eludes me for caster.

Starting on the bread across, I was fully expecting bites, Clayton on 52 had an early fish (first cast) and I was expecting it to go round, well it didn't, I tried at various places along the island, tight in and short.  Trigger on 50 was also in the same boat.  I switched to the pole, having fed GB and caster at 9m and 6mm meat at 14m, nothing over the meat, but a few bites from skimmers roach and perch over the GB and caster.

I was aware of odd carp being caught and the fact I had a couple of better skimmers made me think if I could keep them coming, I'd be in with a chance of beating anyone with 2 or even 3 carp.  I had the occasional look back to the island on the bomb, Trigger had a fish from across there, a 10lber, my first bite saw a real savage pull round turn out to be a 3oz hybrid..... the thought it wasn't to be my day set in there and then...

I was getting some liners over the GB and foul hooked a skimmer, the water was pretty clear and only 2.5' deep, so they seemed to spook off and I was waiting too long between bites, I tried to force it a bit with some more bait and get them down, that was a mistake, it killed it off.  I wasn't convinced that starting a new line would be worth it, the longer meat line was dead, I had one bite, one roach.

I did go back on the lead, but my hearts not in it, I haven't got the patience or the confidence in it and I don't enjoy that style of fishing, where you feed nothing and sit watching a tip...   That showed in the result and what had been a good day on Saturday declined into a bit of a disaster on Sunday.  I did have one F1 that was over 4lb on the bomb and meat, but it was nowhere near enough, as the skimmers had disappeared far too early in the match.

The venue fished harder than I expected, the draw we had should on paper have been a real flyer, but we failed to capitalise and slipped a couple of places, rather than gaining as we'd hoped.

Time for some reflection for me on this for next year, its a big match, its a good atmosphere and plenty of banter, but I only enjoyed one match from 5, this sitting on the lead waiting for a bite an hour isn't really for me, no kneejerk reaction, but I will be giving it some thought, there are a couple of other leagues, including a silvers league that could be fished in place of this one.

Well done to the framers and to those who have the patience, confidence and ability to sit on that lead and know its going to go round.....

On the day:

Overall
1. Gary Coton - 99lb 7oz - peg 131
2. Andy Power - 94lb 5oz - peg 111
3. Ivan Oakey - 77lb 8oz - peg 59
4. Steve Nadin - 74lb 2oz - peg 2
5. Matt Culpin - 72lb 15oz - peg 132
Silvers
1. Vince Brown - 22lb 9oz - peg 112
2. Rob Jones - 20lb 12oz - peg 1
3. Shaun Townsend - 19lb 1oz - peg 10

Teams overall:

1. PI Thatchers - 308
2. Thatchers Vets - 275
3. Team Keyford - 251
4. Trig’s Team - 243
4. Guru Viaduct - 243
6. Garbolino - 238
7. Parsigns - 238
8. Sensus 88 - 233
9. Future Networks - 233
10. 2nd Time Lucky - 231
11. Moaning Maggots - 231
12. Fishing Tackle Warehouse - 223
13. Silverfox - 199
14. Wyvern Anglers - 194
15. Team Amigos - 175
16. PR Floats - 159
17. Viaduct All Stars - 156