Tuesday 15/10/2024 - Bitterwell Silvers Open

Geoff Francis joined me today at Bitterwell. It was going to be hard today with the lake still adjusting to the massive amount of rain over the past couple of weeks, close to a complete change of water.

I bought an umbrella some weeks ago and proving to be a good buy as its not got wet yet, as it didn't today. Bloody miracle considering the amount of rain we have had.

Twenty-one fishing today so interesting. Hoping not to be in the 20's, roadside would be my preference. Alas not, peg 28 again. Wasn't over keen on the draw to be honest. Geoff drew peg 9. Found myself between Keith peg 29 and Ricky peg 27. Clive found himself in the corner peg 30 and to be fair did well from it.

Always look for the positive's, the light wind was blowing my way. Would it make a difference? Thought the  waggler would work - but didn't. Caught some Perch up to the reeds on my Tench line plus five Carp. Caught some very small Skimmers at 10 metres on Pinkie fed in small tight balls of GB but for some reason would not increase in size or stay there very long which meant trying other lines with the same number of barrels. It was a right struggle.

Weighed a mere 3 lb 12 oz for 13th. There seems to be a lack of 1 to 3 oz Roach which are always ready to feed in difficult conditions and give bites for most of the day. There must be a Hornets nest nearby as a few of us had them around us - Pictured.

The match was was won by "the Butler in the buff" - Paul Issacs (pictured) with 13 lb 6 z from peg 12. Here's a thing, Ricky Mills said during the match that he thought Paul was catching some better Skimmers so was probably using expanders over micro, and that's exactly how Paul caught. Well done matey.

A shout out to Kai the young lad did very well coming second with 11 lb from peg 7. Maggot and GB at 13 metres apparently.

Back to the Holly Bush for a cider or two to check if I'm still allergic to it - I am - bugger.

Result:

1st Paul Isaacs 13lb 6oz peg 12

2nd Kai Hurley 11lb peg 7

3rd Les Harper 10lb 4oz peg 23

4th Ricky Mills 10lb 2oz peg 27

4th John Smith 10lb 2oz peg 20

6th Marc James Savigar 10lb peg 19

7th Clive Feddery 8lb peg 30

8th Paul Elmes 6lb 12oz peg 2

9th Tony Ponting 6lb 4oz peg 26

10th T-bone 5lb 5oz peg 25

11th Haydn Withers 5lb 4oz peg 3

12th Keith Turner 5lb 2oz peg 29

13th Mike Nicholls 3lb 12oz peg 28

14th Matt Drinkwater 3lb 9oz peg 17

15th Gary Morris 2lb 4oz peg 8

16th Pete Turner 1lb 8oz peg 23

17th Joanna Wingate 1lb 7oz peg 15

18th Marcus Murley 1lb peg 5

Geoff Francis dnw peg 9

Andy Edwards dnw peg 13

Dave Hulcoop dnw peg 21

Thursday 10/10/2024 - Francis and Nicholls - Gone Fishing

Bit concerning when looking at the weather App. Luckily the wind speed was 14950 Kph less than forecast!! In fact the weather was perfect for our day gone fishing.

Day started with a leisurely although later than usual Wetherspoons breakfast. Geoff and me fished a couple of pegs each both catching 80 lb each, mostly averaging 5 lb. The highlight for me was catching the fish of the year, a beautiful 18 lb scale perfect silver plump Common (pictured). It looked as if it never been caught before and took me a while to land.

Back to the Mughal Palace for our dinner and a couple of pints of draft Cobra. Cant think of anything better during the working week that would better such a day "Gone Fishing"

"And Away".

Thursday 03/10/2024 - Harescombe Silvers Cost Cutter Open - Meadow Lake

What a beautiful Autumn morning, cold but with promise of all day sunshine.

Many times have thought about returning to Harescombe. Not been there since June 2021. With only good news from the fishery and them now running silvers matches on Field and Meadow Lakes. I booked in. Although a previous regular on the Match Lake had only fished Field Lake the once, have never fished Meadow Lake and didn't even know its location and luckily that's where todays match was. I love fishing new to me venues/lakes. Nice to meet up with one of the old regulars - Richie Powell - pictured.

Arrived in plenty of time to carefully chew my breakfast after yesterday's tooth extraction - very nice, plus you get another hot drink delivers lunch time to your peg. Joined by Turbo Tone, Phil Morgan and Pete Greenslade.

13 fishing so only a a couple of pegs empty. Into the draw bag and peg 2 it was. Found the lake at the top of the fishery with the road around one way. Nice to be able to park behind my peg. The lake is absolute picturesque and as is the surroundings. No traffic noise. The fishery is obviously very well looked after. Knew it wasn't a silvers only lake verified by some  some large Carp on the surface. Found myself next to Turbo on peg 1.

The sun was directly in the face to start and seemed exceptionally bright, the lake was flat calm. Waggler and two rigs set up. The depth varied from three foot top set and kept going deeper, so settled on top set plus three barrels in 7 foot.

The upshot the GB feed didn't really work so loose feed LR's proved best. Caught small Ronnie's on all rigs and a bonus 8 oz Ronnie. It was fishing very hard and was a question of catch what you can. Wouldn't take a still bait so a lightly strung out waggler helped with this but meant plenty of casting. Did foul hook three Carp landing a 5 lb Common and nearly landing it's twin which broke the ageing no 5 slip elastic.

Weighed 3 lb 3 oz for second. Really enjoyed it, very comfortable platforms. No doubt a very well run fishery. Probably due to the female touch with Kathy running our match (pictured).

The match was won by Tony Price (pictured) with 4 lb 6 oz from peg 10. Think he caught on chopped worm. Well done matey.

Now the very sad news Darren North passed away whilst fishing a festival in Ireland on Wednesday aged 56. Darren was both a friend, neighbour and fellow match angler. Great company, loved his sense of humour. RIP matey.

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 29/09/2024 - Ron Hardiman's All in Match - Westerleigh Shipp's Canal and Taylor's Pool

Weather forecast was awful looked out the window this morning to see a strange pink sky - red sky in morning etc...whats pink? (pictured). Well done to Ron who had the sense to reduced the match by half hour missing the down pour and the worse of the wind.

Into the draw bag feeling around for a blue disc (Shipp's Canal) and found one with peg 5 on it. Happy with this, but comes with a warning on which way the wind has and is blowing. Last match the early pegs struggled whilst my peg had 200 lb. Nonetheless, in for a day's fishing whatever. Found myself next to Mark Cook on peg 4 who DNW'ed as he had to rush off due to a horse standing on his wife's foot - stupid animals!! Our end was flat calm with loads of red colour.

Fished the same rigs as last match. Started on the meat at top set plus two barrels wasn't happy with the meat - not sinking fast enough with some floating? Had about 15 lb and a lost fouler before it died OR the Carp were up in the water waiting for the feed mid water. I'm going to try pumping it next time. Two choices of islands to fish to, the one to the right is overgrown and couldn't get to the shallower water. The island to the right has a nice depth but very stony so careful plumbing required. Could reach both islands with 11.5metres. Went to the right island having fed some 4's and corn with the response was instant catching a few small Carp, plus some foulers. It died far too soon. Had been feeding the RH margin and caught the occasional small Carp and F1's again on corn. Could see the other end bagging up with my end not so much.

Weighed 54 lb 4 oz for nowhere. As per usual enjoy it. Had some maggots and on hindsight should have tried them in the LH margin. Me pictured on the run to my peg. Is that Ron in the background looking stressed.

Our Pool and the match was won by Paul Elms (pictured with some quality fish) with 115 lb 9 oz from peg 1. Paul caught a few over and short but his LH margin was the most productive catching on maggot over maggot. Well done matey.

Bela once again took Taylor's pool from peg 15 catching mostly in his RH margin on meat over meat. Well done matey.

Considering the change in conditions the pools have gone through over the past week or so it fished really well with 50 lbs being par. Great little fishery, all down to Mark Taylor. Roll on the winter league.

Back to the pub with the usual suspects and for once I didn't by a round 😁

Weigh Sheet:

Tuesday 24/09/2024 - Bitterwell Lake - Silvers Open

After a day of heavy rain it was mayhem around the Westerleigh due to flooding. Paul Issacs had been running water off all night the levels were above the bank. Had ran off more than 2 foot before the match. The question was how would it fish - the answer was quite well under the circumstances.

A bit like Windmill I keep drawing in the 20's and today drew peg 27. Plenty of better pegs in the twenties than this one. For company on 28 TBone and Joanna on 25. I have never been keen of fishing pegs with Lilly Pads, unless the lake is full of them!

Same set up as last match. Fed the waggler line with some DR's at 20 metres. Fed some micro at top-set plus three barrels at 1 o clock and fed the two Ronnie rig lines with loose GB and LR's. Strted on the short Ronnie rig - no indications. On to the long Ronnie rig - no indications - cripes. Out on the long line with 4 mm expander and had a 1 lb Skimmer and two small one's, it didn't last long before the line died. Decided to switch the line to GB and Pinkie whilst it settled tried the waggler which accounted for one 1 lb Skimmer. Fished the Pinkie line for most of the match catching the odd small Skimmer - it was hard. Hour to go filled the line if with maggots and foul hooked two Carp. Tried the short Ronnie rig for the last 15 minutes and lost a decent fish in the Lilly's - probably another Carp.

Now here's a thing bought some Red maggots which were reddish when hooked but after a while turned white!! First time for everything.

Weighed a meager 6 lb 12 oz for nowhere. But as per usual enjoyed the day plus the traffic was fine going home.

The match was won by Mills Scaffolding part time photographer Ricky (pictured with his catch) from peg 4. Ricky caught late once he started to big pot maggots at 7 metres. Well done Matey.

Fished well overall considering the conditions. Unfortunately cant make the next match.

Left my Drink home luckily Matt Drinkwater came to the rescue, thanks Matey. 

Result:

1st Ricky Mills 24lb 12oz peg 4

2nd Paul Isaacs 21lb 4oz peg 15

3rd Ali Gibbs18lb 14oz peg 1

4th Kai Hurley 18lb 9oz peg 23

5th Matt Challenger 17lb peg 21

6th Martin McMahon 14lb 6oz peg 12

Weigh Book:

Tuesday 17/09/2024 - Bitterwell Silvers Open

Good to see a full house at Bitterwell today. Competition would be tough with Des Shipp and Vince Brown booked in. Nice to catch up with Clayton Hudson - how time fly's plus a few of our over 55's, great bunch of blokes.

Des went into the draw bag early and pulled peg 8 well known as the worse silvers peg on the lake - well it was!! Most found this amusing and all betting Des wouldn't pick up from the peg. For me not an angler to be underestimated. Peg 21 for me normally would be happy with the peg but was flat calm and bright, the only wind was blowing into peg 8!

Set up all sorts; 6 inch straight Drake waggler, 4x10 and 4 x12 Winter to fish ether two barrels or three to fish up and down, long and short Ronnie rig. Just felt it was going to be hard work so plenty of options needed.

All the rigs caught a Skimmer except the 4x10. It was strange old day, the other four rigs brought a Skimmer either first or second put in, then nothing. The waggler proved best with three Skimmers especially after switching to Pinkie shallow. Later the Carp started to take interest in the Pinkie loose feed on all lines. The Roach haven't really fed for some weeks, hopefully winter will change that. The upshot was it was bloody hard work switching around all lines varying the hook bait with double Pinkie most productive.

Weighed 12 lb 11 oz for 4th so happy with that. I must confess to my liking to hard silvers fishing. Enjoyed to today.

Lots of humble pie eaten today with Des Shipp easily taking out the match doubling the next weight with 32 lb 10 oz of Skimmers and one Tench. Des caught at 13 metres fishing single Pinkie over sloppy Pro Thatchers green and Marine green. Well done matey a class act as usual, only regret was me not taking bets of you not framing 😉. Great ambassador for Preston Innovation. 

Back to the Ringer with the over 55's for a pint, unfortunate no Babs only hard Tiger rolls. However, Lucy was there 😋 

Weigh Book:

Sunday 15/09/2024 - Laurel and Hardiman All In Match - Westerleigh

Geoff and me breakfasted in Wetherspoons, my small breakfast and coffee cost £4.55, now that's good value. We were joined by Willy Willmott who was off to Windmill.

Bela had made up new draw discs very pretty - blue for Shipp's and red for Taylor's 😂. With the match spread over both pools with the £26 pools paying 3 on each.

Eighteen fishing and a great bunch they are too.

Into the woolly hat and found peg 9. Right pond wrong side for a decent margin.

Knew there wasn't any silvers payout so - 4's, corn, micro and 6 mm meat. No GB or natural baits which gave the feeling that I had left something behind.

Set up a 0.3 gram RJ Slim which did the LH margin to fish top set with corn over hard 4's and over at 11.5 metres. However, would start at top set plus two with a 0.4 gram RJ Slim with meat. Had a few small Carp and F1's for about 20 lb before is completely died. Interestingly the silvers were taking a liking to the meat. Quick look in the margin where I had been dripping hard 4's and some corm for one better Carp, felt as if they didn't really want to be there, it's very rocky close in. So spent most of the match long as my neck can testify. Kinder potting 4's and corn with corn on the hook. Found the Morrison's corn very soft, the skin soon peels away making what I think if a more attractive hook bait. Picked off 2-3 decent Carp and the odd F1 before resting in the margin but only ever catching one there at a time.

Finally got weighed as only one set of scales, weighing 84 lb 1 oz for third on Shipp's Canal. Happy with that but my body isn't up to this Carp hauling at long distances. Back to Silvers fishing Tuesday at Bitterwell. 

The match was won by Vince Shipp (pictured) with 180 lb from peg 5. Vince started slapping long around his peg catching regularly on pellet. Later switched to both margins with corn to keep the fish coming. Vince only brought two nets, assumed both were Carp which by my reckoning had more than filled them both after 4 hours. Vince borrowed a net from Chris Fox (who on earth comes to a Westerleigh match with just 2 nets?). Vince soon filling the third net. Vince was in my eye line and my estimate was over 180 lb. Indeed, Vince went over the 60 lb limit in all his two nets and Chris's and could have weighed 202 lb if he had more! Well done Vince nice to watch. Ask Des for some more nets for the winter league.

Back to the pub with the usual suspects for a pint. Nice end to the day.

Weigh Sheets: