Sunday 03/05/2026 - Ron Hardiman's Summer League - Round One - Westerleigh - Taylor's and Shipp's

Round one of Ron's Summer League today. Weather looked reasonable, with hardly any wind which would likely effect the silver fishing. However, on the start on any league it's only sensible to start to catch the heaviest weight and get some good points. So Carp targetted.

Nineteen fishing with one "unavailable".

First round is a random draw following matches swop between the two pools. So you stay fishing with the same ten anglers throughout the league.

Into the draw bag and peg 16 on Taylor's for me. Far from being the best peg. it's been poor for some time usually last on the pool. However, you never know - staying positive. For company on 15 was Shaun T and peg 17 Tony M. Our pool had the full 10 fishing with the absentee being on Shipp's peg 1.

Well had to give the paste a go. I should know this peg well by now, drawn it a few times and fishing any closer than three barrels you are fishing over a rocky bottom and difficult to plumb. Sensibly it's best to fish just short of the bar at 13 metres. So set up a 0.4 gram PC paste float to fish top set plus three barrels. The peg does have a good margin to the left so a 0.3 gram paste float was set up for that. The usual short Ronnie rig in case! Finally set up the waggler to fish on the bar in 30 inches of water.

Fed half a pot of micro on the long paste line and plopped in the paste and had a fouler first attempt, which didn't reach the net. After which the paste was getting pestered by I think were small Tench, too small for the size of paste, so put on a small piece and had a 8 oz Tench, so refed and had a few casts on the waggler with double LR's over loose fed same and once again foul hooked a Carp which broke me. Subsequently got pestered by small Ronnie's. Meanwhile Paul Elmes opposite was catching well short (good short peg). All along our bank was struggling. So on to the Ronnie rig to put something in the net fishing single LR's over loose fed same and caught small Perch and Ronnie's for a couple of hours before trying the long paste line again but with no sign of a fizz it was soon abandoned back to the Ronnie rig. Nick S on 14 was blanking at this time Shaun T had a few F1's long on pellet. So stayed on the Ronnie rig and had three Skimmers and a couple of Tench when the rain started and the line went completely dead. It was either due to the rain or Carp had moved in. Luckily it was the latter had a 5 lb dumpy Carp on the Ronnie rig with single LR. So time to pick up the margin paste rig, so fed some micro and with great expectations as it was plopped in and it just sat there without any indications!! Shaun was now bagging in his margin on meat. So went back on the Ronnie rig and had three more decent Carp and some F1's (well F0.5's as they were so small). Shaun T and me needed another hour as Paul E opposite had stopped catching at the same time we started to catch.

Weighed 40 lb dead with 9 lb 9 oz of silvers enough for the pool silvers win. I would have settled for 6 points off this peg at the start. Very enjoyable day's fishing.

Taylor's was won as expected by Paul Elmes with 87 lb 11 oz from peg 20. Paul caught short on meat and 14.5 metres out to the bar fishing pellet. Well done matey.

That man on fire on this venue Bela Bakos (pictured with the winner on Taylor's pool) easily won Shipp's with 102 lb 8 oz from peg 11. Bela started short with meat and had a few F1's, switching to long over to the end of his right side island with pellet and started to catch better stamp of Carp. He later dropped back short on meat and was rewarded with a beautiful 12 lb Grass Carp (foul hooked apparently). he also manged to properly hook some munters that do come in close to your keep net on this peg late on and are very difficult to hook properly. Well done matey.

Couldn't help noticing a number of anglers now suffering with injuries from fishing very long. Think it's time to introduce a 13 metre limit. Even the best pole you can buy are heavy fished long.

Back to the New Inn for a pint and the usual banter.

Weigh Sheets - Rain effected:

Tuesday 28/04/2026 - Hob Knobs - Harescombe - Match Lake

Back to Harescombe with angler and good friend who needs  no introduction other than looking at his roost - pictured.

The day before the match the temperature was comfortable enough to sit in the garden tying hooks. Looked at the forecast for today and it did say expect the temperature to be 5 degrees colder. Should have considered the wind chill factor as arriving at the fishery there was a very cold NE wind blowing. It was bloody freezing.

Head Hob Knob wasn't available today so Katherine did the honors with the draw etc...

After a nice breakfast, into the draw bag and peg 18 for me. Luckily Glen was next peg 20 so parked behind empty 19. My other next peg was 16 occupied by matey Chris Gay. The fish were attempting to spawn - certainly going through the motions particularly in peg 16. Sat on my box to find the wind blowing it at me at 11 0 clock - bloody freezing.

Glenn and I haven't been here for a good few months so were well out of touch and will be fishing with good bunch of anglers that fish the venue two to three times a week.

Had paste, maggots. micro and GB. I was doubtful about the paste. Fish spawning up edge of the sedges, so didn't bother with a margin rig as thought it would only lead to fouling. So a short Ronnie rig, 4x12 Winter to initially fish top set plus three barrels and a 0.3 gram paste float to also fish long to the left of the Winter rig.

Fed some GB and Maggot on the right Winter line and loose fed some maggots on the Ronnie rig line. Started with a small ball of paste over some micro and had a bite first put put in, well not a bite exactly but a fouler that came off. Never mind gave some enthusiasm for the paste. Well an hour in and having lost seven foulers and nothing in the net except a speared micro Ronnie, so gave it up. Tried double maggot on the Winter line and lost a Skimmer which might have also been foul hooked! Plenty of moaning going on about how cold it was and how poor the fishing was. The wind was a pain long to sulked on to top set plus one and batten down the hatches. Fished double LR's with GB and experimented with different feeding and started to catch some F1's, some skimmers and one decent Roach and was surprised when a Bream (not a Skimmer) flew off the hook, indeed if it was hooked, Learnt a bit about the feeding for next time. The Ronnie rig was left in the roost today due to the poor presentation due to the strong wind.

Weighed 12 lb 12 oz for seventh from bottom, lost 10 foulers - final score 10 - 7 to the Carp -  duh. On hindsight should have set up a margin rig.

The match was won by regular Phil Auger (pictured with his catch) from peg 11 with a great weight on the day of 42 lb 15 oz. Phil caught mainly long over to the island at 14 metres fishing either maggot or caster hook bait fished over loose fed same. Well done matey.

Back to the pub with John S, Pete G and Glenn B for the usual moans.

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 16/04/2026 - Avalon Open - Match Lake

Had a call from Kev Winstone offering a lift to Avalon. Definite yes otherwise I would have spent the day tearing my hair out setting up a new phone. Happy to put that off.

We had breakfast in Lillypool Cafe. It's had a complete refurbish since last there. The breakfast was excellent especially the sausage. Expensive, but only get what you pay for.

Didn't expect the need to give Kev instructions on how to get to Avalon from the cafe. Yep, he took the wrong turning - Duh. Never a dull moment with Kev's driving - very exciting white knuckles come to mind.

Nice to catch up with Vic Bush, Steve Kedge, Incognito and others

Twenty four fishing so every peg in on the far in on the far bank where you can now park behind every peg. I was being over watched by a large Heron, it didn't come down after my flying Ronnie's - pictured

Into the draw bag and peg 40 for me. Arrived at the peg which was on the end of the second island and thought might have a day on the pellet waggler but was deterred by the wind. So silvers it would be.

Set up a 4x16 winter to fish for skimmers at top set plus three, short Ronnie rig (Mutterless rig?) and a 4x12 for tight into the edge which is very deep hopefully for a bonus Perch or two.

Potted a few casters down tight to the RH margin, fed the long line with a ball of hard GB laced with caster, micro and chopped worm. Started down the edge with double caster and had a few small Ronnie's with no sign of Perch went out long with a worm and although the wind was strong presentation was good. However no signs, not even from a Ronnie. Looking around a fair few were fishing for silvers and all struggling early doors, so fed the long line again a kept an eye open for any sign of a blow. Meanwhile started on the Ronnie rig with single caster over loose fed caster. It was a bite a chuck from mainly small Ronnie's and the odd decent Rudd and bloody loads of Mutterless Minnows. Kept trying the long line with worm but no signs and topping up afterwards. The upshot was I don't have the ability to sit 6 hours for 5 bites so with no signs of Skimmers spent the last last couple of hours on the Ronnie rig trying different feeding etc.. to avoid the Minnows.

Had around 300 fish for 12 lb 4 oz. which surprisingly left me one out of the silvers pool.

The match was won by Incognito (pictured with the silvers winner) with 73 lb 5 oz from peg 26. Howard caught on his usual Tea Bag method. Well done matey.

The silvers was taken by Phil Dodds with 21 lb 8 oz from peg 34. Phil caught on the cage feeder with micro and worm feed with worm on the hook. He caught four big Bream and one Perch. Well done matey.

Well done to Kev for second in the silvers with 19 lb 3 oz. Kev got platformed by a foul hooked Bream using knicker elastic.

Back to Wells Spoons for a couple or three pints of Guinness's with the usual lads.

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 12/04/2026 - Bela Bakos Open - Westerleigh - Shipp's and Taylor's

After a short break was looking forward to today's match. Usual twenty pegs and hoping for a peg on the far side of Taylor's. Into the draw bag and peg 4 Shipp's again! This peg can throw up a Carp weight once in a while but not of late, so no need to cut up meat or mix paste today. However, it's an OK silvers peg - so that will do. Nice to have fishery manager next door on peg 3.

Simple set up 4x14 winter to fish two barrels, Short Ronnie rig and a 6" slim bodied drake.

Plan was to initially fish the two barrel line for Skimmers then switch to the Ronnie rig and if things got hard onto the waggler for again Ronnie's. Every time I fish this peg the first 30 minutes is spent catching F1's and can guarantee one first put in. So fed a knub of GB laced with Pinkie and yes the Winter rig hadn't settled and a F1 took the double Pinkie and was soon in the net. Kept topping up every fish and after four F1's had two small Skimmers and a couple of Crucians (which don't count as silvers). Had a couple more Skimmers and some Ronnie's before it was time to test for the Ronnie's on the short rig. Had a good couple of hours regularly catching 1 - 2 oz fish. Thought I would rest it and try the waggler with single LR over lose fed same. First couple of cast was getting indications, then the heavens opened with a barrage of hail stones making the waggler invisible, so abandoned that and went back on the Ronnie rig. Last hour thought I would have an experiment on the two barrel line by dumping a big pot of LR's in. With single LR on the hook and had two instant F1's and foul hooked two decent Carp.  Experiment over - thinking paste might have worked today. Spent the remaining time on the Ronnie rig had slowed but did add two better Skimmers.

F1's weighed 12 lb 4 oz and the Silvers 8 lb 13 oz for the lake silvers win. Mission accomplished.

Shipp's and the match was won by Vince Shipp (pictured) - AGAIN - with 90 lb 1 oz from peg 8. Vince struggled early on fishing soft pellet and micro (thought I heard some moaning) . He later switched to corn hook bait over micro fishing short down his right margin and caught decent Carp. Vince had also had a go with meat which didn't produce much - guessing it was due the highly coloured water. Well done matey.

Taylor's was won by Mike Etheridge (pictured) with 74 lb 10 oz from peg 20. Mike tried catching long which didn't produce switching to both his margins fishing meat in both. Well done matey.

Taylors silver's was won by Matt Tainton with a decent weight of 14 lb 12 oz from peg 25. Matt caught mainly Skimmers on either maggot or worm over chopped worm. Well done matey.

Now here's a thing Ricky Mills was on peg 11 which was on my sight line and his yellow topped float was a right distraction. Then relised Ricky must of borrowed some of Geoff Francis special floats also explaining Geoff's absence.

Well done to Bela for running the match today and thanks for putting peg 4 in 😉

Weigh Sheets:

Thursday 26/03/2026 - Windmill Cost Cutter - Match Lake

Asked one of the senior fishery managers if the access road had been repaired. Told it was, so booked in. WRONG the road was far from decent condition. However, this wasn't going to be the worse part of the day. With 21 fishing expected it was going to be tough fishing, but nowhere near as was to transpire.

Into the draw box and peg 21 for me. Have drawn this peg a few times which is tough most times, especially after high winds. It's a  deep peg as is the margins and over.

The silvers is usually won with one 2 or 3 lb skimmer so might as well fish for Carp with maggot which is as good as any method to catch one of the elusive skimmers.

Set up a 8" drake small bodied waggler to fish over and found the depth 4 foot which was the closest I could get with out hitting the reeds. Set up the maggot feeder - that was it.

Whilst setting up 6 pairs of Canadian Geese flew up from the bottom end and took a fancy to pegs 22 and my peg 21. Not one of my favourite birds, very aggressive. But what got to me was the noise it was like being at a vintage car event where they were trying to beat the record for how long the could blow their air horns. Strange Birds. No doubt they were looking to nest opposite us on the island but couldn't gain access.

Started on the waggler with double LR over the same loose feed. Had indications from small silvers hooked one which fell off, landed one then a 4 lb 9 oz Mirror Carp. So good start. That was it for the next two hours during which I lost one float when the group of Geese decided to have a squabble flying into my line. A hour later lost a hook for the same reason. Went for a Mars Bar walk and I was equal top with one Carp!! Went back and had a micro Perch. Subsequently hooked a large Carp which just wanted to sit in front of me on the bottom going around slowly in a circles. Wise Carp must had some inside information about my inpatients as I pull a bit too hard to get it up and broke the line beneath the waggler probably worn line due to me having been moving the waggler up and down. Spent the last very long 2 hours on the maggot feeder for nothing.

Weighed 4 lb 10 oz for nowhere. The lads each side of me didn't have a bite all match. As there is a Cormorant issue here, suggest they forget stocking silvers, instead stock with 2000 - 2 to 3 lb Carp which is needed in my opinion.

The match was won by A Bright (pictured with the silvers winner) with five Carp for 39 lb 11 oz from peg 4. He caught two on the feeder and later three in his margin all caught on maggot over maggot. Well done matey.

Silvers went to Hughie Evans with the one 3 lb Skimmer caught on the maggot feeder over to the end on the island. As he said - "lucky". Nonetheless, well done matey.

Finally, a big shout out to Stu Barnet on peg 12 who discovered a Roe Deer on disused peg 13 with sever broken leg. He tried to involve various official bodies including the RSPCA all of whom offered nothing. Private help was obtained to humanely put it down. Well done Stu.

The day took a turn for the better with section winner Geoff Francis and me having Gurkha Chicken meal in the White Harte. Recommend this one.

Weigh Sheets:

Result:

1. A. Bright          p4    39lb 11ozs

2. K. Winston      p5    33lb 8ozs

3. H. Evans          p23  31lb 4ozs

4. S. Gilman        p1    28lb 4ozs

5. G. Francis       p11  25lb 1oz

6. S. Fillingham  p8    19lb 5ozs

Silvers

1. H. Evans         p23  3lb

2. S. Gilman       p1     1lb 2ozs

Sections

A. J. Smith         p2    18lb 12ozs

B. G. Francis     p11   25lb  1oz

C. G. Bedford    p16   8lb 11ozs

Sunday 22/03/2026 - Westerleigh Winter League - Final Round 8 - Taylor's and Shipp's

Weather set fair again 😊. It's the best health wise I felt for some time - joyous.

My turn on Shipp's. Into the draw box and "Scull Corner" - peg 8 for me. Umm, can be a very good Carp peg, wind dependant, with very few silvers coming from it. Arrived at the peg and could see pairs a big Carp on the surface. So thinking it might be a Carp day. But first need to test it for silvers.

No chance of pick up in either the pairs with matey Johnny Wintle or the league.

Holstered the Long Ronnie rig, 4x12 Winter to fish two barrels and a 0.3 gram RJ to fish four barrels down to the LH side margin to the tree. The island was 13 metres so out of my physical reach.

Felt if the Carp were to have a go I would catch one very early. Started on the two barrel line feeding some GB with Pinkies and a single LR on the hook and had a Ronnie first put in and started to miss bites so went on the Ronnie rig with single Pinkie. Had a nice couple of hours catching small Skimmers and Ronnie's - no sign of Carp. It started to slow and had two F1's before the peg completely died so thinking oxygen crash. Struggled for the odd small silver. Had a go down the margin with a bunch of LR's on the hook over kindered DR's expecting Carp, just two more Ronnie's. Went on the two barrel line with double Pinkie over GB and had a 8 lb Carp spending the rest of the match on this line had one more decent Carp getting beat up three times.

Silvers weighed 5 lb for the silvers win and the two accidental Carp and two F1's took me to 26 lb 3 oz for 6 points. Really enjoyed the day. Picked up the highest weight silver prize, so mission accomplished.

Our pool was won by Dave Monks (pictured with the silvers winner) from peg 10 with 56 lb 7 oz. Dave initially caught tight over at 14.5 metres fish maggot over loose fed maggot mainly catching small Carp and F1's. Later Dave switch to down his margin catching a better stamp of Carp again on maggot. This also elevated Dave to second overall in the league and a decent pay day. Well done matey well deserved.

Taylor's was won once again by Vince Shipp (pictured). Drawing peg 20 Vince initially fished long, switching later in the match to his RH margin. His all Carp catch came on meat fished over meat. Well done Matey.

Silvers went to Marcus with a lowly 2 lb 3 oz from peg 25. Well deserved.

The individual league was won by inform Vince Shipp with 10 points, also the pairs with Ricky Mills with 604 lb

Thanks to Mark Taylor for the use of his lovely well kept fishery and Brian Shanks for running a well manged league. Already looking forward to the 2026/27 league. Lots of fish caught in some very difficult conditions.

Back to the pub for the presentation and a pint.

Weigh Sheets:

Final League:

Vince 10.   326-12

Dave. 14    309-14

Paul    15.   284-8

Ron.     15.   238-12

Bela.    16.    294-4

Ricky.    16.   278-4

Mike E.  19.   187-4

Brian.     20.   245-10

Mark.      23.   197-8

Steve R.  30.   129-9

Lee.         32.    162-4

Mike N.    32.    156-8

Geoff.       32.    154-5

John W.    33.    106-1

Tony.        33.     104-12

John C.    36.    139-5

Glen.         38.    120-5

Marcus.     45.    78-1

Steve S.      46.   62-8

Andy.          50.    58-2 

Pairs

Rick & Vince 604-0

Dave & Ron.  548-9

Mark & Bela  491- 12

Thursday 19/03/2026 - Over 55's Trial Match at Player's Golf Course - Wide Water

Over 55's have been thinking of giving Player's Widewater a trial match which has 18 pegs. With 17 fishing we left out peg 6 which was unfishable, but being on the point would give peg 5 more space. Lots of talk about the Lake before hand, reality was most of us didn't know what to expect. I love fishing new venues which adds extra excitement.

Into the draw bag and peg 16 for me which put me in B section pegs 11 to 18 which was on the right hand bank - picture looking from my peg looking across to A section pegs 1 to 10 on the left hand side. As can be seen it is a large lake in comparison to some of the ponds we fish these days, looks a bit "natural".

Peg 16 was under a bloody tree which wasn't too much of a nuisance, only caught it twice. It was nice and level with the water though. Pegs 11, 12 and 13 are at least 3 foot above the water - not good - Tom Daley's. For company on peg 17 was Tony Welsby - wish he'd get his hearing sorted! Mick Gale was on end peg 18. The wind was blowing hard straight into our pegs. You wouldn't want to fish this venue in wind and rain.

Three rigs - 4 metre whip with small home made waggler, long Ronnie rig and a 4 x12 Winter to fish top set plus two. 

I plumbed about for ages on two of the lines and got fed up adjusting the depth, could not find a flat spot anywhere. Branches and stones everywhere. With the match about to start settled on fisdhing 6 inches off bottom on the Ronnie rig and would take my chances with the Winter rig.

Fed some GB laced with Pinkie on the Ronnie rig line, starting with it with a single LR. Getting bites straight away, catching a few but also missing bites, so switched to single Pinkie and had a good 2 hours catching a small Ronnie every put in. However, if the wind blew the rig in too close I would loose a hook - in fact lost 4 hooks, plus caught a few branches. It slowed remarkably as the wind dropped and changed direction slightly causing heavy tow. So went out on the Winter over the same feed and had a couple of decent Ronnie's. It didn't last though. But caught a Gudgeon, a Perch, a Hybrid, a Ruffe, and a Rudd!! Brought the 4 metre whip into action which improved the catch rate but loose feeding was impossible do to the wind, so had to loose feed in GB. Most of the fish were anything from micro to 4 oz, but mainly 1-2 oz.

Weighed 11 lb 13 oz for 5th overall and a second in silvers pick up. The weather was really kind to us nice and warm and dry. Spring is here, plus some Global warming hopefully.

The match and the silvers was won by Gary Etheridge (pictured with his catch) with 31 lb 4 oz from point peg 5, Gary initially caught on his top set, later switching to top two to keep the fish coming. Gary caught on either Pinkie of maggot over loose feed - no GB involved. Well done matey nice to see you out with us.

The silvers was picked up by Hughie Evans (pictured with the match winner) with 23 lb 12 oz from peg 3. Well done matey some nice Roach I hear.

Big shout out to Geoff Francis for weighing most of us in on his own. His mastery over the scales certainly impressed me. Plus he had two near misses with golf balls.

I'm not sure it's a going to be a regular venue as the match fishing is a bit patchy with some DNW's (caught but didn't weigh). Only 4 small Carp caught.

Back to the Holly Bush with Geoff for pie, veg and chips - nice pie loads of beef. Couldn't quite eat all mine but luckily had dusty bin with me.

Wife - "hello matchstick head" - bloody wind burn again.

Weigh Sheets: