Silverfox Match Angling: Sunday 01/10/2017 - Viaduct Silvers League

Monday 2 October 2017

Sunday 01/10/2017 - Viaduct Silvers League - Campbell, Carey and Lodge Lakes

Today saw the start of the Viaduct Silvers League which is one of mine and Bela’s favourite. Again it was an indifferent Breakfast at Cannards where we sat with a few other travelling Bristol anglers including Tony Rixon but without the Missus.

I was hoping for a draw on Carey but not peg 74! Into the draw Coffee tin and out comes peg 118 on Campbell. Reasonably happy with this one, but it does have better Silvers pegs in the section 123, 125,126, but expected a good days fishing. Bela drew peg 56 on Lodge in front of the shop. I had good company with Joe “Stretch” McMahon on corner peg 119.

Peg 118 platform stands well out in to the lake compared with 119, so won’t have to fish to long. Plenty of options on the peg the trouble most if them mean fishing behind you which is very uncomfortable twisting body and neck.

During yesterdays match I had formulated a plan, which I decided to try. So I set up a 4x12 to fish top set plus four with the fourth section behind me to make reaching the pole roller quicker. Dry running the float I found the tow was significant which puzzled me because there was little to no wind. I should have gone up to 4x14 but didn’t - mistake to fish 6mm meat over loose 4mm meat but because of the tow decided to put the feed meat in some GB to get it to bottom somewhere close to my peg. The next rig was the old faithful Ronnie rig which would serve my well if the Skimmers didn’t feed and they didn’t yesterday. Lastly the rig I was to use most of all a 4x10 Speedy to fish the LH margin in a number of places with caster over caster where I expected to catch some decent Perch. Nick Chedzoy told me to expect a snag down this side which I suspected was under water bramble tails. I fed a small ball of GB laced with mini meat squares and with the 6mm meat on the hook and caught a 6oz Skimmer first try, followed by some small ones, the problem was I was missing lots of bites from them which lead to re-baiting which was too slow for the size of the fish. I decided to switch to a more robust bait and fed some caster which I rested to try the Ronnie rig which was working well catching fish averaging 2-3oz up in the water on single caster. I was happy doing this as all my section was struggling, until Joe starting catching 6oz Skimmers one bung. We both had laugh when he told me how he was catching – 0.16 hook length with banded hard pellet fished over potted hard 4’s – wasn’t that yesterday’s match? Joe had pulled ahead of me so I tried the caster out long and had a 6oz Skimmers first try then pestered again with missed bites and then Carp. So another go on the Ronnie rig which still produced fish plus a bonus Bream. It was time to do the twist and fish my margin. I must say it was a good depth right up to the bank (keeping away from the brambles) and the bottom was nice and clean. The upshot was I caught three decent perch to 2lb a Tench and once the Carp found my Casters I caught three of their Groupies - three more Bream. However, I reckon I lost 10 lb of fish – One Tench which was only 2lb broke my hook length just after landing a 10lb Carp on it, three Perch, I have decided that there’s no hook that can be set in the bone of a Perch mouth and pulled out of another Bream. That’s two matches now that I have lost fish in this way – just unlucky I guess.

I weighed 22lb 11oz for fourth in the section. On reflection I should have gone up a size of float when fishing long for the Skimmers as I think the presentation in the tow wasn’t conducive to these small Skimmers, but the Carp seemed to like it! I said I was unlucky; however, both Joe and I had another laugh when we both picked up section money by double default! Bela did really well coming second on Lodge and second section it was again van double bubble. I was spotted stocking up on the Pinky Ponk.

Some say that he is planning on having a Ginger hair tattoo, all I know it’s the Trig again.

Trig (pictured right) won the match from peg 123 with 39lb 12oz, Trig caught most of his fish in the third quarter fishing 4 metres down his LH margin fishing double caster over potted caster. Most of his catch was made up of quality Skimmers and Bream. Well done matey, me and Joe had you worried for half the match.

Except for Lodge Lake I was amazed how well the venue fished for the Silvers especially after the result from yesterdays match. I guess it helps when the Carp have an off day.

The top Three pictured below.