Ivy House Festival, 7th - 11th June 2021

 5 days of fishing at Ivy House, I'd not had a chance to get up there so wasn't fully au fait with the current trends and what the latest developments Andy has done, as he's always tweaking something.  I decided that most lakes would be either a pellet or maggot approach, so that was my mainstay baits.

Its just under an hours drive - as long as I leave before the Bristol rush hour traffic, so an early start every day, the rotation was drawn before, so I knew which lakes on which days, Kingfisher - Heron - Willow - Heron - Old Match Lake.

Happy to start on Kingfisher, its been OK to me in the past, its a canal type lake, but it doesn't have a shelf across, so its tricky to catch over there without getting foul hookers, I tend to start over there and come off it when it dies off or the foul hookers start.  It has a decent number of skimmers in and they can be very much needed to make up the weight.  As I was so early arriving, I walked the lake and noted that 37 and 39 had plenty of signs of fish blowing, 41 and 42 are decent draws, whilst there wasn't so much activity in the higher numbers.

I drew 45, not my favourite area and I thought it would be tough to compete with Ryan on 41, as well as 37 and 39.  I started across on 6mm pellet and had a couple, but it was slow, so I switched to maggots short, this brought a run of skimmers and small carp, but was never going to last, it does come and go, like many canal lakes where you need to switch lines to keep fish coming.  I tried pellets down the middle and that was pretty much a waste of time, having just the one fish on it.

I had to go back across and I was catching odd fish, but Steve Hutter on 48 was now catching on caster, as was Ryan on 41 - problem was I didn't have any caster, I am sure if I had some and fished it shallow, I could have pushed for more than the 91.00 and 5 points I achieved.  Disappointing start and I could and should have done better, by at least a couple of points.

Tuesday and the first of 2 sections on Heron, which is the newest lake at Ivy and has a head of small carp and F1's - its a busy lake and probably the lake I'd consider my weakest, I'm not overly keen on these fish race lakes, especially when there are no lumps to drag you back in it, if fallen behind,  towards the end.

The info was you need to catch the F1's as they are a better stamp of fish, but they do live up to their reputation of pellet lickers, being the frustrating source of many, many  missed bites.  Peg 24 for me and a bit of space to my left, I set up rigs to fish pellets shallow and maggots short.  I started on the maggots short and had a run of fish on this, when it slowed up I tried for 75 minutes to make the shallow pellets work, but the bites were few and far between and I only hit 1/10.  I switched back to maggots short and putting some nuggets of GB in increased the number of bites and come the weigh-in  I was cursing the decision to spend that 75 minutes where I only put 9lb in the net, ended up with 103.04 which was equal 4th beaten by two fishing caster shallow and two fishing paste, I could/should have had more points had I not be tempted to try the shallow line.

Wednesday - Willow, this one I was looking forward to, proper fishing for bigger carp, the consensus was there were a couple of pegs you didn't want and 33 was one of them, 33 was where I ended up.  I was disappointed to find there was nigh on 4' in the margins and the bankside foliage meant that was only a topkit either side (if I had a say in it, the edges would be trimmed back to allow good access to the margins on all pegs).  The island point was within easy chuck of a feeder, bomb or waggler.

To cut a boring tale short, I managed on on the feeder and one down the edge after an hour or so, then went 3 1/2 hours without a bite and it really felt like I wouldn't get one.  Really couldn't see the point in sitting there when I could see Dave on 23 having one a bung down his edge and I knew my two 8lbers wouldn't be costing anyone any position in the section if I slipped them back and headed home 45 minutes early.  Found several cans of Double Punk (8.2%) in the fridge and polished them off.  Resounding last in section and maybe I could have fished 16m shallow all day and hoped something swimming past grabbed the bait, but that really isn't for me.

Thursday - Heron again!!  So after the caster thrashing on Tuesday, I purchased 4 pints of 'shells' and intended to empty the peg (9) of the pellet licking sods.  Peg 9 is one of the widest pegs on the lake, but I felt that only the pole would be quick enough, so rods left in the van.

Started short on maggots whilst I primed the shallow line, left it nearly an hour before going out shallow, had a F1, a couple of missed bites and then the fish backed off and were swirling just beyond the feed, added pole sections and chased them out, in the end, after a couple more fish and some wasted time, they backed off well past the 16m pole limit, so I binned it and went back on the short line fishing maggots.  Beaten again by two fishing shallow and a paste angler, although this time the shallow anglers had caught on pellets - I really didn't get this right bait wise and I either need to bin going to F1 lakes or learn how to catch them..... 100.08 for 5 points ( the sheet below is wrong...)

Friday - Old Match Lake

Peg 12, next to Venue owner Andy who was on 10.  

I suspect that as there was a breeze blowing towards the far bank, that I would have to fish to the island to catch.  I set up a waggler, a method and a straight lead, as well as a rig to fish towards the right hand corner of the island, but at 16m that was a metre or so off it.

I started short on 8mm pellets hoping for a quick fish, but all that produced was a skimmer.  Tried the waggler, feeder and lead to island to no avail, decided I needed to get as close as possible with the pole, so set up another rig and plumbed up in front of the clump of rushes.  

By fishing 16m, leaning forward on my box and holding the pole as far forward as I could manage, I did have a few fish on pellets right in front of the rushes, couldn't catch in the margins, so had to stick at it all day.  I do know I couldn't have done this with my Tournament, the Browning Sphere is a easier to fish at length.

I misjudged the size of the fish and thought I may have had 120lb, but ended up with 108lb odd, once again I cost myself points, as had I fished the same line right from the start, I'm sure I could have taken been second on the lake rather than fourth.

So, a great week for the weather, company and fishing, but not so good for being competitive, felt I was jut off the pace for four of the days and out of the game completely on the Wednesday.

Well done tp Trig for winning and the other framers, full details on Ivy House Facebook page.

Open, Shiplate Farm, Sunday 30th May 2021

 Tony ran this open over both canals, with a continental pay-out, so not too concerned where I drew, Judith did the draw and plucked me out peg 9 on Hawthorns, not fished it loads, so I don't really have entrenched opinions on any of the pegs.

Peg 9 doesn't have any margins as such - at least, nor ones you can reach to fish, by dint of being set back slightly and having an aerator rope across from the lake, I did cut back a few overhanging fronds to get me tight to the bank, but it was only a topkit distance.  Far too deep really, the edge is a steep slope that the plummet tumbles down, so I set up where I could pull it into the slope, at over 3' it was far too deep, but it was all I had.

Plumbing up across, I had no bare bank, so got tight into the rushes, but again, too deep, being over 2'.  I also set up a shallow rig and a mugging rig, as the sun was up and the fish were more interested in cruising and pairing up than was good for fishing.

Started across on the hard pellet, had a couple, but then as was always likely, a flurry of foul hookers, none of which were landed, I tried the shallow rig across, but that was no good.  I tried the meat line I'd been feeding, not so much as a liner, didn't really expect one I suppose.  I tried mugging fish, I couldn't even manage that.

Matt next door was catching on caster shallow - although that knowledge wasn't much use to me, as I had no casters, I did try it with maggots, but never had a bite.  It does create a range of opinion, that Matt brings a gallon of casters with him and often does well - some seem absolutely obsessed with the cost of them - I personally wouldn't spend that on casters for a 20 pegger, but would happily do it for league, team match or big open, but each to his own.  I recall similar moans and groans about bloodworm and joker.

I managed a couple more across on banded pellet and 4 down the edge on maggots, never had a bite on meat.  I also had a chub that was probably 10 or 12oz.

Come the weigh in, I put one net of carp on the scales and with the agreement of the scalesmen, put the chub on top.  Total weight of 73.08.

That ended up third on the lake - so one out of the money in the overall, as the continental payout was top four, not weighing that chub separately cost me 2nd in the silvers, as even though there were two silvers anglers on my lake, they never caught one, the only other silver was a chub caught by Matt on the next peg who battered me (and everyone else) with his casters,

I'd had a feeling all day of something not being quite right and that proved to be true, needed one more fish or to have weighed the bloody chub separately.....

Acorn Winter League, Penultimate Round, Saturday 29th May 2021

 Well, it didn't feel like winter today, so very cloud having a silver lining and all that, I was 4th in the league going into this match and knowing it was a tough section, with the chance of peg 15 or one side of the bride chucking up a weight.  I drew 26, at least the wind was blowing down towards my end, so hopefully a few fish might follow it down.  26 has a long curved edge and with 27 not drawn I did have plenty of room.  I have drawn it once before, almost exactly a year ago and was 5th with 109lb.

Peg 26 circled red

Todays approach was going to be pretty simple, hard pellets and live maggots.  Two identical rigs for across, home made floats wit a 0.13 hooklength and a 18 LWG, one with a band and one without.  A rig for the bottom of the near shelf, which is the deepest part of the peg - a Roob, again with a 0.13 hooklength and a 18 LWG.  A carbon stemmed Roob for halfway down the shelf and a margin rig.

I started across on banded pellet and it wasn't long before I had a 6lb ghostie, but it wasn't a portent of things to come, as the indications usually expected across weren't forthcoming, I stuck at it and had a Carassio and another carp, but that was it and with a couple of hours gone it wasn't looking good, although I couldn't see anyone else catching well in the section.

A switch to the maggot rig and toss potting maggots across, saw a couple more fish in the net and a few silvers, I reckon going into the last hour I had 30lb of carp and 8lb silvers, I started feeding a short line with maggots, at the bottom of the shelf, this gave me 5 carp for another 30lb in the last hour and the all important section win.

That leaves me in second place going into the last match, so all to fish for.

Tony Rixon's Float Only, Sedges, Sunday 23rd May 2021

 Just looked back to see how long since I was last at sedges and it is nearly two years, where does the time go....

I like the venue, well looked after, usually a good days fishing, but it does seem a little dominated by the corners and I expected the same today, especially given the weather forecast which wouldn't have sounded out of place on the shipping forecast, with a very brisk wind and rain.

Well, I wasn't surprised when I didn't draw a corner and even more frustrating was seeing peg 28 on the drawcard, a good feeder peg!  The island is reachable easily with a waggler, but that was going to be a pointless ask today.

I did set up a pellet waggler, in the vain hope the wind would drop or the fish were so desperately hungry they'd grab a pellet as it landed or with it trotting through like the Wye with 8' on.....  Also set up a full depth waggler again to fish pellet.

Topkits were quite simple - a shallow rig that didn't get used, a margin rig, a Roob for meat short and a Roob for banded pellet at 11m - never got more than that out of the bag.

On the all in I did start on the pellet waggler, I could get to the island and get 8mm pellets there, but it was going to as pointless as I thought, even feeding a bow out to try and get the float to sit still for a few seconds didn't help and I soon abandoned it.

Onto the pellet line at 11m, took ages to get a bite and when I did it was a 2lb eel, in fantastic condition, really good to see them thriving in Sedges. I did gat a carp on it, but was finding it tough going.  I tried the meat short and had one leather carp on that, but it was the only bite, so back onto the 11m line, this did start to see some indication's as I upped the feed a little, but the wind was tricky, couple ore fish and as I could find a bit of trip against the wind, I put the waggler over the line and tried a metre past.  

Couple of fish on the waggler and the wind got up even more, that put paid to the trip, so waggler back up the bank and an 11m battle resumed, I am sure if I could have fished a bomb and pellet I'd have been catching quicker.  I gave my body a bit of respite and dropped back onto the 5m line, had three or four skimmers before that died completely.  By now it was all but impossible to fish at 11m and the fish didn't seem to want to come any closer, I managed one that I took to the scales and weighed from the margin (14.08 - you have to weigh fish bigger than 15lb and put them back), but probably spent too long there, I should have tried to persevere with the 11m line, although the pole was continually being blown round.

Anyway, end the day with 92lb second in section, so not the start I wanted, but it could have been worse, the section winner also won the silvers, so a default section pick up coming my way.  The results took ages to get out as the rain destroyed some of the weigh sheets and I don't have all the sheets, as predicted the top four weights were from corners and my 92lb was 7th overall, (40 fishing).

1. J Andre 146.10                                                                                                                                          2. Joe McMahon 140.08                                                                                                                                3. Tom Thick 139.00                                                                                                                                      4. Matt Tomes 132.01                                                                                                                                    5. Aaron Britnell 112.02                                                                                                                                6. Ryan Shipp 109.10                                                                                                                                 

Maesknoll Summer Open, Acorn, Saturday 22nd May 2021

Second of my summer opens at Acorn, 21 fishing, the only downside is that the weather is cocking a snook at the match titles, with summer seeming some way off......

Nice straight forward draw and I ended up on peg 13, these matches are opens, but with a optional series element running alongside - best 4 of 6 results to count and I'd already nailed on one dropper with the last match!!  I was hopeful that the wind would push the fish into the corner, although I couldn't go to the corner as it was past the pallet of the empty peg 12, I was hoping they'd drop down to 12 for a feed.

As the wind was pretty much straight at me, no issue holding the pole across, so set up two identical rigs, some homemade floats on 0.19, with a 18LWG tied to 0.13, one with a band, one without.  A rig to fish down the far shelf, same lines and strengths, but a carbon stemmed Malman Roob for this, another rig, this time a wire stemmed RW Dink, to fish the near shelf bottom and finally a Hill Billy AK47 to fish up to the pallet of 12, again on 0.19, but a Kaizen 16 on 0.13 for this rig, I like the wider gape for bunches of maggots and meat (although not today, meat banned at Acorn).

Started across tapping in a few 4mm pellets with a 6mm in the band, as seems normal now on this venue, had a couple of indications, a fish, a fouler and then nothing, they just won't settle in that shallower water at the moment, but they don't seem to want to feed in deeper water either....  Switched to micros and soft pellet, had a carrusio and a carp on this, but it was frustrating getting bites (nuisance fish) and the pellet coming off, how much easier is it fishing a banded pellet.... 😀

As 13 has a bit of room, I fed the edge sooner than I would normally, and started fishing maggots at the bottom of the near shelf of to my right at topkit + 1.  The edge was sadly a waste of time, I had one fish from it, the only bite, by far and away the best line was the short line where I kept live maggots going in.  That saw a few carp, decent roach, little tench and a couple of skimmers grace the net, at one time I thought it was getting stronger, but it died off and never came back, giving me a lean last hour or so.

Ended up putting 84.04 on the scales, pipped by 2oz for 3rd, I guess I could have had some more to push Des, but who knows.....

Its a bit meaningless until we have several more rounds, but the league standings are.

Acorn Winter League R4, Saturday 15th May 2021

 Back to Acorn for round 4 of the rearranged winter league, free draw this week before two rotations to finish the league off. I wanted to draw B section, so my rotation would be B,C & A, but no, I was drawn peg 5 in A section, its a good peg, but I just didn't fancy it today because the wind was off my back., This meant there was little ripple and the wind was pushing into the corner between 11/12.  There was a visible wind line taking the bit and pieces floating on the surface just past me and down to the corner.  Peg 5 is the one over the bridge and 9 is the other I have highlighted, tye corner past 9 is between 11 and 12.

 

I would usually rely on a hard pellet approach here, but maggots have also been catching fish, so I had both and having been beaten by peg 5 in the last match, I also had some paste, although that would be a last resort / throwaway line.

Started across on hard pellet and had a 7lb ghostie first put in, great start, I had 20lb after the first hour, all on hard pellet across and that was alright, the lake was fishing hard, I had 5lb in the next 30 minutes then nothing until 13:00, I switched from the far side top feeding maggots out of my hand off to my left - there is a big, flat shelf to the left of peg 5 and I fish right on the edge where it drops of sharply. 

From 13:00 to 14:00 I had 40lb and I was doing well, I was fairly confident that I'd keep them coming on maggots, but by 14:00 the bites had dried up, oddly, if I fished across, Paul on 9 stopped getting bites over there and got indications if I came short and it was the same for me when he fished short and long - odd as I would have ex[ected the fish to either settle or move between us.

The last 2.5 hours were a disaster, I really struggled and didn't have a carp from 14:00-15:30, last hour I had a couple of small carp and some carassios, I could see the others in the section catching in their edges, I never had a bite to my left hand edge and had to stand up to fish over a big clump of tall grasses to fish to my right in the edge, where I had one bite and one carp less that 3lb, whilst I could see some approaching doubles coming out elsewhere in the section.

I knew come the end that this was a bit of a disaster and would likely be my dropper, frustrating as I wasn't as far behind as I thought, that said, not sure what I could have done to eke out a few more fish in those barren spells, it was if they'd gone from the peg.  Paul on 9 was equally struggling and whilst I was 5th on the day, that was also 5th in section, so I am looking at two very good results the last two rounds to end up in the frame.

1. Glen Calvert 93 -07 p6 2. Bob Gullick 89-07 p1 3. Brian Slipper 87-07 p3 4. Kev Perry 83-04 p11 5. Chris Fox 77-05 p5 6. Darren Vowles 65-03 p22

Tony Rixon's Short Pole Series, R1, Sunday 9th May 2021

 First round of the short pole league today, over two lakes at Todber, Ash and Homeground, wasn't too fussed where I drew, but when 83 came out of the tub, I did think it might be the wrong end of the lake. Can't be much simpler than a short pole match, topkit + up to 3 sections allowed.

Topkits set up for margin, which was shallower than I would have liked, as a cold wind was blowing at me, two pellet rigs, one for topkit and one for topkit+3.  Meat rig also set up, to fish at topkit+2.

Started on the topkit with pellet and had a fish first put in, which was a bit of a false dawn, as I only put 20lb in the net in the first hour and even fed the margin early, but to no avail, gradually the topkit+3 line started producing fish, ranging from 3lb - 7lb, I had a couple of looks back in the margin but the wait for a fish was too long and then they were small, so I had 4 fish from the margin throughout the match, whilst the pellet line in open water was much stronger.

I fed through a toss pot, a medium Matrix pot filled up with 6mm Coppens each put in, last 40 minutes I dropped back onto the topkit line, which I'd been feeding by hand and had a decent run of fish, maybe I should have dropped back on it earlier.

Come the weigh in I put 224.14 on the scales, which was enough for 3rd in the match, but only second in section, beaten by Martin on 82.  

Main Lake Open, Shiplate Farm, Monday 3rd May 2021

Just for a change... (not) I drew as far away from where the winners come from - peg 8.  I decided straight away that fishing for silvers would be my best bet to pick up.  It was a windy day, so I decided not to venture past 11m, with a line at 6m, and a rig to fish casters very short down the LH edge.

Feeding GB laced with dead maggots and casters, it was soon apparent by the rig that the water was towing hard from R to L, the peg had a bit of 'fizz' but it was coming up about 4' from where I was feeding, suggesting the tow was spreading the bait along the bottom.

I found a light 4x12 strung out rig best, as the fish weren't keen on picking up a bait static on the deck, I had started in a cage feeder, but felt it wasn't right, the light rig was picking up fish myuch better than a bulk rig and I stuck with it throughout.

The caster line short was only giving up small fish, the 6m line did produce a couple of fish, but the 11m line was by far and away the best.  I had fed a line at 11m off to the right, with micros, I tried expander and corn over it, only two skimmers from that, but two carp, hopefully it was keeping the carp off the skimmer line.

Picked up two tench near the end and a bream of 5.05, giving me a total of 44.05, with travelling partner Tony taking second in silvers with 29.09, so a happy van on the way home.

Jon Darby's Open, Todber Manor, Sunday 2nd May 2021

One of Darby's opens on Todber Hillview, not being a regular visitor the draw of 55 didn't mean too much to me, travelling partner Tony on 54 and Mark Wynne the other side on 57.

I did set up a straight lead, but never picked it up, so the pole was my only approach, I struggled to get a regular run of fish on the pellet in front and meat wasn't much better.  I kept at it and probably took too long to go up the LH margin, where I fed Gb and maggots, that was a mistake, the fish were coming off the bottom and giving me liners, I switched to meat, which I was also feeding short in my RH margin, this was also resulting in liners and missed 'bites'

I opened a can of corn and that seemed to settle things down, catching reasonably steadily, before having a run of fish in the RH edge on my topkit.  Took me too long to sort it out and that cost me a pickup, coming 5th overall and one out of the money, being beaten for the section.

Acorn Winter League, R3, Saturday 1st May 2021

 This delayed winter league is definitely more of a spring league now, but with the frosts every night in April, the fish are still stuck in limbo, between winter mode and spring on many venues.

My turn to be in the section that runs from peg 1 -13, I was not too bothered where I drew, although in that section I would rather not have peg 6, so what do I have drawn for me, yep, 6. Which is top left corner on the satellite picture below, with a video view from today.

Acorn Paddock Fishery

Simple bait tray, pellets and maggots,  I would usually only take hard pellets, but given the water temp I had micros and expanders with me...

Set up two identical rigs, homemade (assembled) floats to fish across into the cut out in the grass I trimmed up with shears before the start, one with a band and one without,  A shallow rig, a full depth rig to fish against the bridge and a rig for down the edge, with that I found 3 areas the same depth - across to the right. very short to my left and down to the pallet of 7.

Started across on soft pellet, potting in a few micros, this usually brings an instant response, but not today,  A switch to maggots on the hook and potting them in did at least see a decent fish around 6lb netted.  It was slow going and I added a couple more fish, the depth rig by the bridge was used as a rotation and I fed a small ball of GB there, it was fizzing, but bites we few and far between, small tench and a couple of skimmers along with the smallest carp of the day (1lb or so). 

The right margin only gave up one fish, the short margin nothing, but I did have a run of fish from the pallet of 7, again on maggots, the only bait I could catch on. 

At the all out I had 71lb on the clicker and thought I had 6lb or so of silvers, I was pretty bang on with the carp, but the biggest tench must have been near 5lb as the silvers went 10lb.  Unfortunately not enough, as Kev on peg 5 pipped my by 2lb for the section.... catching on paste, in a winter league match!!!!

I think that leaves me second in the league with 3 to fish, open draw next round before the rotation starts again, 

Shiplate Open, Sunday 25th April 2021

 Ever forgotten something - well not even forgotten, just not had it when you've arrived at your peg, well today was that day, no rig roost, thought I'd gone mad a checked the peg at least 4 times.  Travelled down with Tony, so went and got his van keys to check in the van, not there, so two options, it had gone missing at Viaduct or was in my van, I sat stewing on its whereabouts all day.

Both canals in again as last week, this week a draw on Hawthorns for me peg 10 next to another blogger in the shape of Mike Nicholls.  This would give me plenty of space across, as Mike wouldn't be trouble the residents of the far bank.

I fully expected to catch on hard pellets, so s rig for them across, a mugging rig, a rig for meat short and a margin rig,  The mugging did get picked up, but it was never going to wok, the fish I could see were too deep and moving around too fast.  I just couldn't get the fish to settle across, so gave the meat short a try, never had a bite on it.  

I had found a nice shelf down to my right and fed a few maggots and a nugget of GB and some maggots, as the sun came round onto the margin I had a nice run of fish from it, before the bankside foliage cast its shadow and the fish departed.  I think I tried it to make the margin work for too long after it went quiet, as I did go back across and shallowed up, pulling a pellet up the far bank shelf.  That produced a couple more fish, pretty certain that I wouldn't have beaten Matt's 191lb to win, maybe the lack of ripple for the second day running didn't help.

Matt used 6 pints or so of caster, causing a few grumbles, not from me, its an open, if the bait is allowed then its fair game, I can recall the same years ago with bloodworm - cost being the gripes.

I ended up 5th, which isn't the worst result, but the peg was worth a bit more, when I got home the rig roost was in my van, must have fallen off the trolley and I didn't notice in the excitement of picking up an Indian on the way home Saturday.....

Viaduct Open, Saturday 24th April 2021

 Hadn't got a match booked until I heard that a club cancelled their booking at Viaduct and there was an open instead.

Was happy enough with the draw on 116 - at least before the match... fairly standard set up, a lead rod, waggler stayed in the bag as the wind looked a bit iffy. Rigs for the margin, meat short, pellets at 9m and 16m.  Didn't think they want to be down on the deck, so all rigs were spread shotting for a slow fall through the water.

I was a lot tougher than I thought it would be with over an hour gone before I put a fish in the net, that was on the long pellet line, but it was the only one from there. By now the ripple had gone as the wind had come pretty much from behind, so off the box and waggler set up to reach halfway, where there was still some ripple, but nothing.

I did chuck the lead out and had a carp and skimmer in two chucks, but they were the only two bites on it.  Whilst it was out I made up some GB and I did have a coupe, of skimmers and carp on whilst the wind did out some ripple back on my side, but it didn't last long, the ripple or the bites.

Going into the last 40 minutes I thought I was ahead of Lee on 115, he dropped into his margin and had 3 for 42lb, I dropped into mine and had 2 skimmers, roach and a small carp, just about summing the day up, I guess I knew then that it wasn't my day. Lee 'won' our bank and the section, so fair play to him.

Definitely on the wrong bank today, as all the weights came from pegs with the wind blowing into them, oh well, at least it didn't rain.  

Open, Shiplate Farm, Sunday 18th April 2021

 Todays match was an open at Shiplate, on both canal lakes with the payout being top two and silvers on each lake, given the small silvers weights that seem to come from these lakes I do wonder if it wouldn't be better just to pay overall places.

Had the luxury of a ride down with Tony today, he managed a peg on the favoured Hawthorn, whilst I had to settle for peg 6 on Westpool.  3 baits today, pellets, maggots and meat.  Rigs set up for banded pellet across, meat at 5m, margin and a rig to fish maggots or soft pellet through the water.

Started over on the banded pellet and had a liner/fouler that came off straight away and that was it for over 2 hours, the only fish I had was 3oz skimmer of a line at 13m that I fed a nugget of GB and some maggot.

I did see some carp start to move about and did manage to mug 3, but it was a case of waiting until I saw one and then trying the mugging, I think the ratio was something like 30 or more to one and after 3 they seemed to disappear again.   I did manage a brief run of fish by fishing maggots shallow against the far bank and catapulting maggots, that was one a chuck for 5 fish and then they went as soon as they came, I reverted to fishing maggot on the deck across and had a couple more in the last hour.  I was expecting to be beaten by end peg 15 and peg 10 which had the advantage of the angler on 11 going home and not going to his peg.

I was pleasantly surprised to get 2nd on the lake and maybe, I could have found a way to get the extra 3 fish needed to win the lake, there was no chance of competing with the other lake.  Tony was 2nd on his lake, so a fairly content van on the way home.

Maesknoll Open, Acorn, Saturday 17th April 2021

 I am running an open a month at Acorn and have also made it an optional series, 18 fishing the first one of which 12 entered the series.  I tried pegging it with only one peg either side of the bridges, as they haven't been the fliers they once were.

Having done that, I waited until the last ticket was left in the bucket and ended up on 34 next to one of the bridges.  Having caught on hard pellet the week before, I fully expected to catch on it again, so set out my stall to fish banded pellet over and down the shelf.   A rig for maggot down to the pallet of 32 and one for pellet against the bridge.

After an hours without a fish I was regretting the decision to fish pellet and cursing myself, as on Friday I had meant to pick up some bread and forgot, Paul Faiers on peg 31 was catching dobbing bread.  I tried white maggots dobbed over, but not so much as a liner.

I fed some micros and fished soft pellet to the middle of the bridge, this was also a waste of time, I had been feeding maggots to the bridge by hand, so set up a rig to fish maggot at the bottom of the near shelf, a strung out rig with a 20 LWG on 0.11.  This brought bites for the rest of the match and seeing as I couldn't catch anywhere else in the peg, I stuck with it, to weigh 35.02 of silvers, just getting pipped by Des Shipp who had 37.15.

Didn't get a picture of the overall winner, Martin Rayet, so will have to make do of one of me and one of Des.

Thanks to those who fished and the next one is on 22nd May.

Ivy House Open, Sunday 11th April 2021

 First trip back to Ivy House since the lockdown ended, only 10 fishing to day on the match lake, so more of a knock up.

The weather that greeted me as I set up on peg 4 was pretty horrendous, hail/freezing rain and a chill wind, so I set out to fish maggots and expanders on the pole to catch anything and everything, I did set up a waggler to fish banded pellet into the gap in the islands.

To cut out any boring waffle, I never had a bite on the waggler and had to rotate two pole lines at 14.5m and a shorter line at 7 joints, I tried soft pellet on one of these lines, with GB and maggots on the other long line and the short line.  I had one bite and one skimmer on expander and had to switch to pinkies to get bites, this gave me skimmers and a couple of roach for 8.10, which won the silvers, I did have one carp of 4.0 on the skimmer rig.  Tough day, but I do enjoy days like this when you have to work for every fish.

Acorn Winter League, Saturday 10th April 2021

 The delayed winter league started again today, the second round, it was still pretty winter like, so I was going to do my best to keep my paws out of the bait tub and off the catapult.  Only managed a section 3rd last round, so needed to improve on that.  On this league, it really is only the section that matters, as no overall money is paid out, just first and second in each section, which is a fair to do this, as the sections can be wildly different in the depths of winter.

Peg 38 was drawn for me, with three bridge pegs in the section I was wondering if I had my work cut out here to improve on the last round.  It was cold, but I still expected the fish to be in the shallower water, so a rig to fish across to the island shelf, one for the bottom of the shelf, one for down the track and one for the margins.  Bait tray was simple 4 and 6mm hard pellets, 4mm expanders and maggots.

I made sure I couldn't pick up the catapult by not getting one out, so it was a pot on the pole to start, went straight across with banded 6mm pellet and had indications and lost a fouler straight away.  Then had a fish fair and square,  I also tried a lie across with maggots and never had a bite on them... I had to feed to get the fish to come to the bait, but I wasn't convinced they were feeding properly, I swapped between the shelf and the bottom of the shelf to keep off fish coming and then I had a bit more activity on the shelf and was just going to get the catapult out, when the wind turned and the peg went flat calm.

I struggled to get a bite anywhere in the peg, so fed some maggots down to the pallet of 37, this brought 4 fish, nothing too big, but it kept something going in the net, had one more across just as the ripple started again, shortly before the all out.

Managed to put 62.15 on the scales for the much needed section win and that was third overall, with the top two weights coming from A section.

Open, Shiplate Farm, Easter Monday, 5th April 2021

 Nice to see a venue not afraid to have a sensible pool, making this match £30, all three lakes in paying top 3, one in the silvers and £70 every 6 pegs, pools definitely haven't kept up with the cost of living.

Rolling draw from 07:30, with fishing from 10:30 - wow, that's a lot of time to sit at your peg, so we didn't get there and draw until 09:00, shortish walk for me, peg 6 on the main lake, with a cold wind blowing across and at me - great.  I suspected I'd be be pushed to beat the pegs at the 'house' end of the lake and to try would mean sitting on a method or bomb and pellet most of the match.  

I did set up a method, but it went away again at the end, unused.  I decided to fish for silvers, bit of a gamble with just the one payout, I plumbed up at 13m and 6 joints, rigs with a 18 F1 hook on 0.10 fluorocarbon, one with a bulk and two droppers, one with a spread bulk.  Also a feeder rod, cage feeder and a 0.10 hooklength / 18 F1 hook.

Bait was to be GB, pinkie and maggot, with a few micros to put in if it felt right.  Started on the feeder and it was slow, 5 skimmers in the first hour, I'd fed the 6 joints pole line (wind was too strong to fish 13m) and had a look - nothing, back on the feeder and one more skimmer, but it had died right off, I took the clip off and went out seven more turns, but still nothing.

Another look on the 6 joins pole line and the skimmers started to show, I switched to feeding nuggets of GB through a toss pot, this seemed the best way, rather than larger cups,  it wasn't hectic and finding the trip against the wind was essential, as most bites came as the float was just held and the bait lifting in the tow,

Pinkies were by far the best bait, I had fed a some meat at the bottom of the shelf and did have a quick spell trying it, when the bites tailed off, cupping in a bigger ball on that 6 joints line before I  I did.  No indications on the meat, so back over the GB, odd indications and I did bump a couple, I suspect were liners, then with 15 minutes to go, the peg started fizzing, I thought it was a carp, but I had three decent skimmers in tat last 15 minutes, they had got there heads down right at the end.... typical!!

Scales came round and I put 27.04 on the scales, which proved enough to win the silvers, so the right decision, as the payout was more than a section win. it stopped a poor run over the Easter weekend and was far more enjoyable than sat on a method praying fo0r a pull from a carp.  Roll on next week!!

Open, Landsend, Easter Sunday 4th April 2021

 Landsend, polarizes my thoughts, love the tranquility of the place, hate my dismal record fishing it.  So with the new owner stamping his mark on it, I headed back, huge amount of work has been carried out, new paths, new platforms, restocking and much of the rampant foliage and arboreal incursions removed.

Was not thinking of any particular draw, so was fairly ambivalent when I saw 22 looking back at me on the swimcard, with my mate Paul on peg 24.  The venue is pole dominated, so that's all I took, a rig for across on the far shelf, two spots plumbed up at the same depth.  A rig for bottom of the shelf across, one for meat short, an edge rig and a silvers rig.

This is going to be another blog that is difficult to write anything meaningful, I started short on meat, the water was a bit clear, so it was without much conviction and I never had so much a liner there.  Had a look down the track on pellet and that was again, biteless.  Over onto the shelf, biteless and no indications, I got off my box and made up some GB and started a maggot GB/maggot line down the track, this saw a few small tench and crucians netted, but I was going nowhere fast.

The wind was horrendous, but it did drop for a short spell just before 14:00 and I had one carp across then, by now Paul on 24 was fishing for silvers, catching on pinkies, I didn't have any, so spent the last 90 minutes fishing 5 maggots down the edge for 4 more carp, 2 small F1's and 2 perch.  Didn't even bother the scales, not a great start back to match fishing.

Viaduct Open, Saturday 3rd April 2021

 Back to Viaduct today, drew 112, with 11 empty, so absolutely no complaints on that.

Same cold easterly wind as yesterday, similar set ups and had a 6lber second drop in short on meat, so was hopeful it would be a good day.  I then hooked a big fish on the short line, suspect it was in the 'wing' as it took off, jumped out like a skimmer and ran until the elastic bottomed out, I thought the 0.15 hooklength had parted when the elastic came back at a rate of knots, but the whole rig was gone - the elastic had cut through, I have been using the knot and bead method of attaching the line direct to the elastic for ages and never had a problem, I hate losing floats/rigs.

Out on the 11m line with pellets and the light rig, had a couple of skimmers and 3 carp on this in an hour or so, slow but not miles behind, then a foul hooker and to compound the earlier misery, this one took the rig as well the elastic parting, this time at the dacron..... I would have been upset, but by now I was chilled out by the amount of weed smoke I had inhaled from the carpers behind me on Cary....

I struggled for bites, trying the lead, waggler and long pole, but the aromatic herb smell was obviously keeping me mellow, I did have a a desire to get to the shop and buy half a dozen pasties to satisfy the munchies that were coming on.

With an hour and twenty to go I had 3 carp on the short meat line, along with a couple of skimmers and a roach that was at least 1lb.  I then had 40 minutes without a bite and wrapped up with 10 minutes to go, with about 12 or 13lb in the silvers net and 89lb on my clicker, so around 80lb tipped back, as I would be nearly last to weigh and I was sure I hadn't enough to pick up.

The carpers were packing up, so the free high was over, hoping I was OK to drive home, I disappeared before the results were in - wondering if I could drive past the chippy in Shepton as the weed fume induced munchies were still raging.....

Results from the Viaduct Match Fishing FB page and I'm wondering how I might get through a match tomorrow with no weed fog to chill me out....

Campbell / 21 anglers Overall 1. Mark Hayman - 153lb 4oz - peg 114 2. Dave White - 151lb 8oz - peg 135 3. Malcolm Bond - 148lb 11oz - peg 131 4. Phil Hardwick - 119lb 12oz - peg 116 5. Clive Barrow - 110lb 1oz - peg 132 Silvers 1. John Fuidge - 32lb 2oz - peg 123 2. Nigel Bartlett - 27lb 3oz - peg 126 3. Steve Denmead - 17lb 1oz - peg 128

Viaduct Open, Good Friday, 2nd April 2021

 Its a shame, but it going to be difficult to get onto Viaduct matches going forwards, as matches are being restricted to Campbell lake, so 21 peggers,  I got onto a couple over Easter, this one being the first, paid up and Matt drew me 125, I wasn't going to complain, as it can throw up some big carp on the short line and does have a decent history for silvers.

A cold easterly wind was putting a ripple on the water and was likely to make waggler fishing a non starter, so pole and bomb would be the most likely ways to catch.  I set up a rig with a light float, spread 11's (it was given to me by Dave Brittain and I have caught plenty of silvers on it) and 0.11 hooklength and a 18 LWG with a band.  A MW Steady with strung 11's to fish meat short, a Malman Roob for pellets long.

It was a match where I started well, toss potting 4mm pellets , with a 6mm in the band, at 11m, 2.5 hours in I had 5 carp and 20lb of skimmers, then the sub came out and the ripple stopped, Ben on 126 had been pinging pellets at 16m and I think he stole my fish (the carp), I should have changed from the tosspot to the catapult.  I struggled to get a bite in the sunshine and flat calm, whilst Ben had a run of fish chucking his bomb over the pole line.

I decided to sit it out on meat short, had another carp and a another 10lb of skimmers on this, but all to no avail as I ended up halfway in the match and one out of the money in the silvers, obviously a bit ring rusty, as I suspect the difference was the feeding.

 

Todber Manor Open

 First match back after lockdown, was good to be back, well it was until I drew, peg 36,  anywhere the 30's is best drawn in a couple of months time, the fish don't seem to over winter there... if it hadn't bee the first match back, my disappointment at drawing there may well have seen me not bother, but I did manage a grain of optimism.

Not going to waste my time writing about the match in detail, I had 4 fish on the pole, two on meat short and two on pellet at 13m and that was the only bites on the pole.  I did chuck a method over to the island and had a few carp on the method, but they was very little activity, I switched to a maggot feeder and had a couple more, but was never going to trouble the 200lb+ needed to pick up.

Well done to those that did put the weights on the scales.

Results from Todber FB page below.

28 anglers fished today's 5 hour open on Hill View and Homeground. Results:

1st: Dave Willmot 275lb 4oz (Peg 89 HG)

2nd: Ben Hagg 267lb 2oz (Peg 77 HG)

3rd: Simon Stacey 266lb 10oz (Peg 90)(would have won match if had another keepnet)

4th: Andrew Cranston 250lb 4oz (Peg 80 HG)

Section A: Trigger 226lb 8oz (Peg 47 HV)

Section B: Martin Rayet 205lb 12oz (Peg 54 HV)

Section C: Martin Rogers 239lb 10oz (Peg 88 HG) 

Silvers 1st: Birthday Boy Matt Rowe 27lb 8oz (Peg 35 HV)

Silvers 2nd: Chris Albiston 25lb 2oz (Peg 60 HV)

Silvers 3rd: Dwayne Seed 18lb 10oz (Peg 58 HV)

Shiplate Open, Sunday 3rd January 2020

 17 of us on the main lake today, drawn in order of booking on, with me coming out of the hat last or last but one, once all the fancied pegs had gone, peg 9 for me, not a peg I have seen produce much in my previous visits, apparently yesterday it had 1" thick ice on it and today had a lovely NW wind blowing straight into it - I wasn't confident.....

I set up a straight lead and a cage feeder, left the waggler rod in the bag as getting ant feed out would be nigh on impossible with the head on wind.  I did set a rig for down the LG and RH edges (same depth) but I never got used, I set up 2 rigs for 14m, a .4 and a .5 bodied float with a wire stem, one with a 20 and 0.10 fluorocarbon, the other with 0.12FC and a 18, in case it got good.....

I had a chuck round with the lead, no signs, I had the feeling there weren't going to many, if any carp in the coldest peg on the lake, so concentrated on silvers, feeding GB with squatt and pinkies in on one line, micros and maggots on the other, but very negatively.

It was a slow and steady match, I was catching small roach over the squatt and pinkie, but at least it was bites in the cold wind (and rain!) at 12 0'clock I had two skimmers in two put in's, then back to roach, bit odd.  I had one more decent skimmer about 12.30 and that was it, back to the tiny roach again.  The micro line was pretty much dead until the last 40 minutes when I had a small hybrid and then a tench, that gave me 9.06, I was sure walking back past peg 8 weighing in that I heard 11lb something and Dom weighed 15lb odd, so into the van and off home, then it transpires I was second in the silvers, so a second pick up of the weekend, but well away from the carp today.....

1st p13a John Page 115lb 02oz

2nd p4 Shawn Kittridge 109lb 06oz

3rd p11 Paul Lasson 63lb 14oz

1st silvers- p6 Dom Sullivan 15lb 14oz

2nd silvers- p9 Chris Fox 9lb 06oz

Acorn Open, Saturday 2nd January 2021

Decided to run an open on Acorn, as we are still able to match fish - for how long, who knows.

17 fishing, so I tried to spread it out an give the pegs that can be hard in winter some room, but no matter how you peg a match in winter, someone will be sat on a few fish and others will struggle.  I wouldn't usually pay silvers on this venue, but given it was frozen and we'd be ice breaking, I added two silvers payouts, just to give something else to fish for.

I did the draw for everyone, but got Kev Perry to draw mine out, I wasn't upset when he revealed ping pong ball 5 a peg I had never drawn before (at least, I can never remember drawing it).

I broke out a channel across to the far bank and there was some colour in the water on the nearside edge, so I broke out a channel to my left.  Simplicity itself for rigs, a rig for the channel down the left, a dobbing rig for bread across, set 5" off the bottom to start with, a rig for maggot across on the deck and a rig for down the channel at 2+2.

Started off on the bread rig and had a carp and an F1 in the first 15 minutes, another after about 25 minutes.  I did have quick look down the LH channel but since the ice breaking the colour had rapidly dropped out and despite looking down there at intervals during the match, I never had a bite there.

I had a couple more across and the ice started to move to the left, taking my nice clear channel with it, I tried to bring a fish round and through my channel but it had moved to far and the elastic was catching in the ice and the fish came off - frustrating.  Time to recut the channel, this could be done with the pole and pole cup, as the ice was thinning.  That seemed to quieten things down, so I had a look on the 2+2 line with double pinkie and had a small carp almost instantly, but it seemed to be a lone fellow.  Back over to the bread line and another fish, so slow and steady, the a big skimmer on bread.

With a couple of hours to go I picked up the deck rig and toss potted a few maggots over, had an instant response, 3 foul hookers, 3 lost, they were coming to the feed going in, but still swimming off the bottom, bread rig back over the feed and 4th bite over it was a proper bite and fish netted.

Another quiet spell, back to the 2+2 line and had one more from there, again on pinkie, but again, it appeared to be a solo visitor.  Had a couple more persevering with the bread and thought I had about 40lb and it could be close.  Thankfully I put 45lb on the scales to win the match (and the silvers with my one skimmer - but the silvers was paid by default).

Plantation Open, Wednesday 30th December 2020

Another chance at an open on this lake that isn't match fished too often, all prepped to fish for carp, but then was drawn peg 3, an open water peg with no margin to speak of.  I was pretty sure it would be an island or one of the corners with a long margin that would be taking the overall coin.  Silvers it would have to be.

Set up 3 rigs, one for caster short, hoping for some of the lakes big roach, two rigs for 16m (as the peg is set back from peg 4 and even 16m falls short), GB, caster and pinkie fed on one line, some micros on the other.

Slow start, took 30 minutes or so to get a fish, a small roach, kept plugging away, but I feared the still conditions and open water of my peg would prove tricky and the skimmers were very conspicuous by their absence, only small roach and hybrids showing and then in not enough numbers to do damage.

Not much to say about this one, I was going nowhere fast and no matter what I did - changed the initially micros fed line to caster fed, still keeping it negative, compared to the more positive GB line.  Still no sign of the skimmers, I did have an unusual sight, a big perch followed in a 3oz roach and flashed at it just as I brought it to the surface.

I switched back the the previously unproductive short line and had two decent perch and they helped me scrape over the double figure mark, but to no avail, as that was nowhere near enough. Match was absolutely smashed by Des, best peg and a very good angler, unbeatable.....

Viaduct Two Day Silvers, Day Two, Monday 28th December 2020

 Couldn't believe the draw, 111, next to Trigger again, who was on 112, both decent draws on paper.

Not going to say too much about this one, Trigger had a 90 minute sell catching decent skimmers short, I had one and a reasonable perch, that was it, then the cold wind got up and it really knocked our bank on the head, not that that matters when you have nigh on 30lb in 90 minutes to absolutely paralyse the section, as it didn't matter I tipped back 3-4lb and just had absolutely no idea what I could have done differently, never felt there were feeding fish in my peg.  I did spend the last 45 minutes fishing the waggler and corn, as I needed a run of the big skimmers, all I had was several carp.

Well done the winners and framers.

Viaduct Two Say Silvers, Day One, Sunday 27th December 2020

 Two days, two lakes, but an open draw each day so could be on the same lake both days.  Today saw me on Lodge 70, not a bad draw, Trigger on 69, so no easy pickings on the next peg, not that the standard of entrants gave any easy pickings.

Bit of wind forecast, so I did set up a 3 square cage feeder, as well as a waggler to fish corn. 3 pole rigs, one to fish short(ish) strung out 11's to get a slow fall through the water, a heavier rig with some strung out 8's and a rig with a bulk and single dropper.

The sun was out and the visibility was dreadful, shimmering light, flickering between silver and black, no matter what float colour it was all but impossible to see at times.  Before the start Trigger walked down and saw what I had seen, some bubbles and  rolling skimmer off to the right, I started here, just dripping a few casters in, but to no avail.

I had odd roach and small hybrids on the long line, but that visibility was proving a tad frustrating.  I switched to the feeder and had a couple of skimmers on it, the light improved and I switched back to the pole and had another decent skimmer.  The light improved a bit more and I picked up the waggler, had one on corn and then had a bit of a disaster, lost two decent skimmers in two casts, both in the same way, I strike across my body and hit a tree both times with the line getting caught in a branch, allowing the skimmers to make good their escape.

Maybe sticking with the feeder would have been a better idea, but I wasn't convinced ( or was it confident).  Anyway, those two skimmers cost me as I ended up second in section to Trig.

Viaduct Silvers League, Round 6, Sunday December 20th 2020

 Last round and surely I'd get a peg on Cary, but no, it was not to be 129 on Campbell, oh well, that it for this years league, never going to win the match or frame from there, so it was section pride to go for.  This league is like a temptress, she lures you in, makes you believe she is all for you and then wham, next match, there she is, in flagrante with another.....

Anyway, so much for that, it was a nice day, it wasn't raining and I was going to keep things simple, three top kits and a waggler, the waggler would do for corn, a rig for skimmers at 14m, this is a slim pattern float, spread bulk, 0.10 fluorocarbon hooklength and a 20 F1 pellet hook.  A similar rig but 4x10 rather that 4x12 for roach at 6 joints and a rig to fish up the spit that is a feature of this peg - hoping for tench or perch - so a 0.12 FC hooklength and a 16 F1 pellet hook.

Usual GB and caster/maggot on the 14m line on the all in and then drop back on the short line for roach, as seems typical on Campbell lately, a near instant response, a couple of roach, then nothing, they just won't settle at the moment.  I persevered until 30 mins in and then had a look over the GB line, a 2 oz skimmer and a couple of tiny roach was my reward, I left it and refed it.  Back to the short line, a roach and then nothing.

Time to have a look up the spit, where I'd been pinging casters, a small hybrid first put in, then a roach, then a welcome tench, another roach and that was it, how do you get 4 bites in 4 put ins and then nothing.... I guess that's winter for you.  

I had a go on the waggler - nothing, so back out on the long pole lines (fed two) 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock, nothing from the 1 o'clock line but I did have a small hybrid off the 11 o'clock line.  I have struggled to make the two lines work this year, maybe I haven't drawn on many fish for 5 of the rounds and it' splitting them.  I refed the 11 o'clock line, but not the other, then went straight over it, a 3lb skimmer was my reward, but little else, I did have a couple more roach and another hand sized hybrid from the spit, but I wasn't able to compete with Paddy on the end peg 131 who had a few better skimmers and opposite where Trigger and John Fuidge on 11 and 110 respectively caught skimmers whilst many of us went without.

My 8.14 was enough for a consolation second in section envelope, so not the worst finish to the league, but could do better.

We done to the winners, hope we can do it all again next year, as predicted all the framers camr from Cary.

Viaduct Silvers League Round 5, Sunday 13th December 2020

 Back to Viaduct for the re-arranged 5th round and with not too much to fish for league wise unless I could sneak two more section wins, a positive approach was needed to try and get in the frame, Cary has been the place to do that, but with Matt drawing me on Lodge, albeit 68, which can a be a decent draw, I was going there more in hope than expectation.

The weather was shit, rain in my face, I don't like the pegs layout, you are sat down on a platform that a good 2'6" below another platform, meaning when you are a short arse like me, you are shipping awkwardly and with the peg directly behind on Cary being in just making it worse.

I gambled on fishing the waggler and caster virtually all match, not much to say about it, had a couple of carp, some roach and a couple of skimmers, weighed 9.14, beat the pegs to my left in the section, Clint on 69 had 11lb, and the next two pegs had 12.00  and 12.04, not sure if the pole would have got me anymore fish, not really convinced it would as the weights improved at the car park end of the lake and were pretty low at the narrow end.

No weigh sheet, didn't get on with the social distancing and I just wanted to get my wet, sorry self home!

Acorn Winter League, Round 1, Saturday 12th December 2020

 Writing this after the event, I can't start without mentioning the shock and sadness I had when told on the Monday of the death of Lance Tucker, who I have know and fished under as a team Captain and against over many years.  Lance was a character, told it like it was, with a sense of humour, he fished this match and won the Clevedon FWAC Christmas match the next day, before suddenly passing away on the Monday.  RIP Lance and deepest condolences to Craig (his son) and family.

Onto the match, I drew (or should I say, had drawn for me) peg 15, usually a decent peg in the section, but given the results lately, I wasn't unconvinced that the peg the other end of the section wouldn't be better.

Quite a simple approach, rig to dob across - plumbed up at dead depth, so I could decide on the depth to fish the bread at the start, a rig to fish down to the pallet of peg 14 (same float) and two rigs for just up the far slope, one with 0.10 and a Guru F1 hook, one with 0.13 and a Kaizen hook, just in case it got good....

On the all in, I picked up the dobbing rig and took 4" off it, fish first put in and lost it - fouler, then one in the mouth, then a torrid run of foul hookers, 6 or 7 of them and only one more landed, I shallowed up a bit more during this time, before finally realising I'd picked up the edge rig, the edge was deeper than across, so I was probably in the deck with the bread all the time...... what a numpty - I blame not being able to go to the pub, staying home and rocking up to matches sober isn't all some crack it up to be!!!

That probably cost me the section, I struggled thereon in and finally had a tench a couple of silvers and a carp just up the far slope on maggot, but I wasn't confident I'd done enough and so it proved, with Paul taking the section from the peg I fancied and Kev on bridge peg 21 second.  So third place and it was down to my stupidity, lesson learnt, differentiate between rigs........

Silver Open, Plantation Lakes, Thursday 10th December 2020

 A rare chance to fish a silvers match on Plantation main lake, so I booked in and booked a days holiday.

It has some great silvers fishing, roach, perch and skimmers making up the target fish, it is possible to frame with roach or skimmers, if the roach feed short enough.

Peg 4 was drawn for me, the venue had been 'manually' pegged, so the peg numbers don't relate to the permanent pegs, I think my peg was peg 5 permanent.  Really simple approach, two rigs, one for roach short and one for skimmers long, I have been using the Preston Duraslip elastic, in No5 it's perfect for skimmer fishing with small hooks.

I wanted to feed two lines long for skimmers, but going long to my left put me too close to peg 5 (perm 7) so I had to feed this shorter.

I won't say too much about the short line, I had a carp 3rd put in and later I had a roach and a hybrid, it was hardly prolific.

The best line was the 14m off to the right, the position I fed was determined by the light and shadows on the water, it wasn't the best visibility.  I had roach on caster for an hour or so, but then switched to maggot tipped with pinkie and this brought a couple of decent skimmers, I was topping up with a toss pot of GB and pinkies, I had a short lull, hooked a carp that took the hooklength, I then had a decent run of roach and skimmers, alternating between caster, pinkie and double dead red maggot on the hook to keep bites coming.

The last 90 minutes saw things slow right down and I was ruing the lack of the second line, I was also wishing I'd set up a waggler, the conditions were perfect for it and I would have tried fishing a line at 20m or so and am sure that the would have seen some fish come to the catapulted feed - it would also attract carp, so may or may not have been successful.

So probably cost myself the win by not setting up the waggler as my 24.10 was enough for third, but I feel I should have won this one.

Viaduct Silvers League, Round 4, Sunday 6th December 2020

 With the majority of the field praying for a draw on Cary, it was no surprise when I drew Campbell...... I wasn't unhappy with the peg, 127, it should be OK for points in the section, although sometimes 130/131 chuck up weights.

I set up a 3 square cage feeder, that went back into the holdall at the end unused, a waggler to fish corn and two pole rigs, one for roach short and one for skimmers at 14m.  Nice and simple then, F1 pellet hooks size 20 on both and 0.10 fluorocarbon.

Pretty standard tactics at the start, two lines fed with GB, one with caster and one with dead maggot, just to see if there was a difference, then onto the short caster line, this was soon changed to a pinkie line at 7 joints and by toss potting pinkies and GB in I could catch roach, small roach, but at least it was bites.

After about 40 minutes I had a look over the GB lines, nothing doing, I refed the caster line after an hour and went back to the small roach, they weren't queuing up, but it was better than no bites. An hour and 40 minutes I saw a couple of pin prick indications over the GB/caster line, it looked like the GB fizzing, but it was pretty inert, made the day before and had been in 40 minutes.  I picked up the skimmer rig and went out over the GB and it wasn't long before a 3lber was in the net, he was a lonesome soul though, as I gave it another 15 minutes without anymore bites.

I refed and looked over it again, I had another 3lber and a couple of roach, then hooked what I thought was a carp as it ran off, I shipped back rapidly, not concerned if it came off, then as I got down to the topkit, realised it didn't feel like a carp, I was some what relieved that it hadn't come off when  2lb+ perch came into view in the clear water and was even more relieved when it was netted.

A couple of smaller skimmers and roach completed the day and I was happy enough that my 14lb odd was enough to take the section and I think 3rd on the lake.

No weigh sheets, but the top 6 were

1. Greg Welsby - 44lb 4oz - peg 81
2. Des Shipp - 25lb 5oz - peg 97
3. Sam Powell - 22lb 3oz - peg 59
4. Paul Elmes - 21lb 9oz - peg 112
5. Jason King - 19lb 9oz - peg 111
6. Andy Power - 16lb 12oz - peg 103

Open (Knock up) Acorn, Saturday 5th December 2020

 First chance for a match after the 2nd lockdown, I decided to run one at Acorn, only ended up with 8 fishing, so more of a knock up than a match, Bev let me have plenty of space, so going by the usual winter best pegs I pegged 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15, all pegs you'd expect to catch a few from, even with the cold weather.

I ended up on 11, first time I'd seen it since the tree has been taken out, the tree definitely seemed to be a fish holding feature in the winter, so it may not be the flyer it was, we'll have to see.

Set up 3 rigs, one to fish across on the 'second shelf' one for down the track and one down the edge, where the tree used to be.  Started on 18 F1 hooks and 0.10 as I was sure it was going to be fishing for a few bites. 

Started across, toss potted half a dozen maggots in and lowered the rig into position, within 30 seconds the float buried and a decent fish was on, after a slightly nervous tussle, a 9lber was safely in the net, maybe it was going to be OK after all.  Peg 1 had a fish first put in as well.

Well, I'm not going to waste words on the rest of the match, I had a couple more bites, a roach and a perch, I could see everyone else struggling, so kept at it, but I wasn't even getting liners or any sort of indications.

I packed up after the all out and did the weigh in, my first put in fish was enough to win, peg 1 had his two fish in the first couple of put in's and that was the only carp caught.  Brian was a little disappointed to drop a skimmer back in and miss out on a payout because of that (paid top 2).

Chris Fox  9.12 Peg 11
Rich Grundy  7.08 Peg 1
Brian Slipper  7.07 Peg 15
Mark Broomsgrove  4.01 Peg 5