Thursdays 30/10/08 Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Bridge Pool

The latest News on Colin Golding is that he is now at home and looking much better. I hope Colin takes some time off fishing during these cold winter months to get himself back to his old self . In the mean time he will be missed, especially by the Silver Anglers - Colin is always good competition in this respect - the man to beat.

After two previous consecutive days of heavy frost (the first of the year) a very cold North Easterly welcomed us. Despite this, another good turn out. All the competitors were thinking negatively in terms of winning weights, especially, as most venues have been suffering from water temperature drops and poor weights. However, we need not had worried, as the venue fished exceptionally well. I think this was primarily due to the excellent pegging by Bob Warren and Terry Bruton - these two know the venue better than anyone.

Bob Warren drew my peg and I his. Thanks Bob for the best winter peg on the venue! I drew peg 18 for Bob, which is the best Summer peg!! Terry drew peg 7 which is the peg he had practiced on the Monday and bagged up (you can see how serious these matches can be to some). I only set up one rig which was a 4x16 Jolly with a 16 Tubertini 808 hook. This rig can fish baits from 6mm expander to single maggot and any size in between. I plumbed this up at top set plus two (about five metres). I choose a top set with a soft 6-12 Maver hollow elastic (which I later changed to a stiffer 18 - 22 Middy hollow). I decided that single maggot over maggot and nuggets ground bait was a good start, which resulted in a couple of 1lb Skimmers and one lost foul hooked carp. I then got bitted out by 1oz Ronnies, so switched to 6mm expander and had a run of Skimmers from 4oz to 1lb, with the odd Ronnie. I decided to loose feed maggot to my left with the anticipation that the small Ronnies would follow the "piper", so that I could get back on to the Skimmers with double red. This worked and I netted a few more Skimmer until I latched into my first double figure Carp. I kept a few Skimmers coming in between landing four quality Carp for a Carp weight of 47lb 14oz and a Silvers weight of 13lb 8oz for a total of 61-06-0. This put me first in the Silvers and second overall for a pick up of £25.


The match was won by "the master" - Terry Bruton (practice makes perfect - picture right with part of his catch) with eight carp for 68 4oz from peg 7. Terry fished the waggler at depth - mid lake, with hair rigged hard pellet. Terry fed sparingly through out.

Full Result:

1. Terry Bruton 68-04-0 peg 7
2. Mike Nicholls 61-06-0 peg 31
3. Martin Alexander 39-03-0 peg 23 (good weight from this peg)
4. John Bradford 35-12-0 peg 24
5. Terry Church 28-13-0 peg 30
6. Bob Warren 19-05-0 peg 18

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 13-08-0 peg 31
2. Geoff Stones 12-10-0 peg 16
3. Bill Ferris 10-04-0 peg 4

Sunday 26/10/2008 Carps AC - Wednesday's Silversmania Final - Landsend Fishery

With Thirty Six Anglers qualifying there was not much scope for leaving the worse pegs out. My hope was that I did not have an end (corner) peg. My preference was a mid peg on Specimen Lake. I was delighted therefore, when I drew peg 35 on Specimen (where my good friend Darren Gillman was second from in the Wednesday practice match with 18lb 3oz). Was this my target weight? Darren and I had developed a plan based on ground bait and maggot. So I mixed one pint of Sensas Lake Black with one pint of Gimps Gold. This I fed at 11.5 metres with a little red maggot. I also fed chopped worm and caster at 4 metres for the Perch (and anything else). I also set up two whips one elasticated with a PB14 at 3 metres (caster line) and one at 4.5 metres with one of my home made wagglers. I started over the CW&C line with worm tails on the hook which resulted in two 1 oz Perch and one 4oz Roach - very slow though - so out on the 11.5 metre line over the GB which resulted in being "bitted out" by small Ronnies. So I decide to fish the caster 3 metre whip to see if I could catch quicker. This resulted in no bites! So on to the 4.5 metre whip (I am in effect fishing at 8 metres) using single maggot over loose fed maggot. This resulted in a number of quick Ronnies to 4oz, two Skimmers and one small Crucian. After re-feeding the GB line tried it again, but indications were that Carp had moved in over it (this GB mix produces a very attractive cloud just above bottom). So I spent the rest of the match on the 4.5 metre whip for a weight of 18lb 8oz for first overall and a pick up of £500.

Through the grape vine I had heard that Darren was third overall, which was pleasing news (plan worked then for someone). Alas, Darren was pushed in to fourth place and first out of the money!! Bad luck matey.

Full Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 18-08-0 peg 35 (£500)
2. John Green 17-12-0 peg 27 (£300 - pictured top right)
3. Mike Owens 17-08-0 peg 22 (£200 - Pictured right)

4. Darren Gillman 14-13-0 peg 5
5. Bob Gullick 14-09-0 peg 17
6. Gary Wall 13-06-0 peg 5

Wednesday 22/10/2008 Carps AC - Silvers only Match - Landsend

As most of the Carps AC members know that Colin Golding has been out of sorts recently, picking up a heavy cold during his visit to Stafford Moor. Well, today Colin was emitted to hospital (Bristol - Frenchy Hospital) and is currently under going emergency treatment. Get well soon matey.

In the meantime, during Colin's absence I will run the Bathampton AA over 55's, starting with the match on Bridge Pool on the 30/10/08.

Today's match was targeted as practice for Sunday's Wednesday Carps AC Silversmania. With 25 fishing the pegs were split between Specimen and Match Lake. So it was decided to pay the top three on each lake.I drew Peg 13 (unlucky for some). Again in a corner peg on match lake. I can remember a few years back this was considered a good silvers peg, fishing in to the end margin, but of late has proved a good Carp peg. Due to the trees now in full autumn golden colours made the visibility of the float difficult to see, it was a question of fishing where you could see a particular colour. With an near frost overnight and the colour dropping out the fishing was going to be difficult - as it proved. I weighed 7lb 14oz of small Perch and Roach for fourth on the Lake - one out of the money)! I caught most of my fish on chopped worm over chopped worm and caster.

The Match lake was won by Mike Duckett (pictured right) with 14lb 8oz from peg 6. Mike caught mainly Skimmers on soft pellet. The Specimen lake was won by Tom Thick (pictured top right - less the red high-lights) with 23lb 10oz. Tom was keeping his cards close to his chest on how he caught!
Ten of the Anglers fishing "Did Not Weigh - DNW"

Full Result:

Match lake:

1. Mike Duckett 14-08-0 peg 6 (Qualifies for the Carps AC Wednesday Silversmania)
2. Rich Coles 9-06-0 peg 20
2. Pete Sivell 9-06-0 peg 22
4. Mike Nicholls 7-14-0 peg 13
5. Jess Jordan 7-02-0 peg 5
6. Paul Lock 3-15-0 peg 18
7. Phil Coulam 3-05-0 peg 11
8. Bill Ferris 2-12-0 peg 3

Specimen lake

1. Tom Thick 23 10-0 peg 27
2. Darren Gillman 18-03-0 peg 35
3. John Green 8-0-0 peg 36
4. Ian Dawe 7-10-0 peg 37
5. John Bennett 6-12-0 peg 39
6. Adrian Bishop 4-08-0 peg 40
7. Ryan Potter 3-08-0 peg 29 (Qualifies for the Carps AC Wednesday Silversmania)

Sunday 19/10/08 - Veals Teams of Four Winter League Round 3 - Landsend Fishery

After many years of trying to develop "hind sight" I am still left lacking in this department. Today was such an example. "If only" I knew that 10lb 15 oz of would win the Silvers pool today, with 8lb 10 oz coming fourth!

The team draw put me on peg 32 on Specimen Lake (why can't I draw my own peg!). This is the car park end, far bank, corner peg, (I hate corner pegs when targeting Silvers). Tom Thick gave me a run down on the peg - "Fish sixteen metres shallow to the end margin tree". How nice it must be to be eighteen, sixteen stone and six foot two. I didn't have the heart to tell him I only take two poles both thirteen metres, because I can't see any further! Tom had drawn peg 50 on John's Water (a peg I fancied).

I set up seven rigs (don't tell Kev Dicks). I started by feeding chopped worm and a few caster at 4 metres at 2 o clock. I fed corn and caster at 13 metres into the end margin. I started on the 4mm pellet over my test pot of micro at 10 metres at 11 o clock. This resulted in one five pound Carp. No silvers! Blimey I am in trouble (as was everyone else, as it happened). On to the Ronnie caster rig - no bites - the world is about to end. On to the chopped worm rig and a few small Perch and Ronnies - one lost foul hooked carp. Out on the paste over the test pot at 10 metres - nothing. Fed a new chopped worm and caster line at 10 metres which resulted in a 15lb 8oz Common Carp (Dad was looking down on me whilst I was playing it, I gave it plenty of chances to get free).

I kept rotating all the swims until I decided to stay on 10 metre chopped worm rig to the end, which resulted in a total Silvers weight of 5lb 11oz (see what I mean, if I had stuck with the CW&C I am sure I would have framed in the Silvers. I weighed a total of 26lb 3oz for fifth in the section of fifteen and first in the section of five by double default for a pick up of £40.

Specimen lake fished hard with the likes Paul Garrett weighing 14oz on peg 25 and Bryan Slipper weighing 4oz on peg 36!!

The match was won by Brett Holly (pictured top right - it wasn't that cold) with 80lb 06 oz from peg 31. Brett landed 10 fish averaging 10lb. Runner up was Julian Heaven with 67lb 10 oz from peg 31. Julian lost at least 70lb of foul hooked Carp - how frustrating.
The Silvers was won by Mark Taylor from peg 16 with 10-15oz!!!

Charlie's Angels finished 8th overall (with Charlie getting his usual 1 point). This now puts us in joint 7th overall. I am sure once Charles gets a few points we will start moving up the table!

Westerleigh are currently topping the league table.

Full Result:

Carp:

1. Brett Holly 80-06-0 peg 33
2. Julian Heaven 67-10-0 peg 31
3. Nicky Collier 51-07-0 peg 78
4. Steve Seagar 50-12-0 peg 58

Silvers:

1. Mark Taylor 10-15-0 peg 16
2. Vince Brown 10-04-0 peg 70
3. Vince Shipp 9-06-0 peg 42
4. Dean Malin 8-10-0 peg 21

Thursdays 16/10/08 Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Withy Pool

Another good turn out, the weather remained fine and dry, although once the sun disappeared the North Westerly wind was cold, but seasonal.
It was "fish bank holiday Wednesday", the fish had turned completed off . I could hear all sorts of reason why echoing around the lake - temperature dropped overnight, NW wind blowing, too bright, etc... The answer for me was simple, it was a near full Moon and the fish feed at night/early morning (this also happen yesterday to some extent).
I drew peg 42 for the second time and was happy with this as I caught some good Ronnies and Skimmers on the last visit. So naturally I started after the Ronnies with caster - not a bite. On to the maggot - not a bite!! I decided to focus on the Skimmers with 6mm GOT expander. The bites were extraordinary shy, but managed to put together 4lb 8oz of Skimmers by the close. However, due to the Silvers being so slow I spent 90% of the match on paste, at five metres (this is nearly half way according to Bob Price), which accounted for five Carp in the net and five lost - four were definite foul hookers, swimming about two foot about the deck. The five Carp weighed 34lb 6oz for a total of 38lb 14oz. This put me first overall by 1oz and a pick up of £25! When the matches fish hard, as today, it is usually a close affair.
Geoff Stones was runner up with 38lb 13oz from unfancied peg 72 (let that be a lesson to you Geoff!
The Silvers was won by John Bradford with 11lb 12oz from peg 49. John caught most of his fish in the first two hours - struggling for the rest of the match for 2lb.
Full Result:
1. Mike Nicholls 38-14-0 peg 42
2. Geoff Stones 38-13-0 peg 72
3. Bob "The Bread" Price 36-08-0 peg 55 (on paste)
4. Bob Warren 33-12-0 peg 62 (excellent result form this peg)
5. Bryan Sheppard 28-05-0 peg 43 (I now know where son Bob learnt his fishing - Bryan fished a tidy match)
6. Dave Bacon 27-03-0 peg 50
Top Silvers:
1. John Bradford 11-12-0 peg 49
2. Bill Ferris 11-0-0 peg 69

Wednesday 15/10/2008 Carps AC - Plantation - Main Lake

We were promised rain, which tried to start at the draw, but thankfully it held off all match, until halfway home. I drew peg 1, which I was well pleased with. However, I did have a niggling doubt as, what wind we had, was blowing into pegs 6, 7 & 8 the water was flat calm on my peg. I was expecting to catch Skimmers and some big Crucians (they are big on the venue - averaging 2lb) using maggot over ground bait. I set up two rigs one for Ronnies over caster and the other maggot over the GB. I started over the GB and had two 1oz Ronnies before I had a 1lb 8oz Crucian. I then could not get to the bottom without catching a 1oz Ronnie. Changed to caster on the hook and had two good Ronnies then nothing. I tried a 4mm pellet over the GB and had a 5lb Carp (explains why no bites from the Silvers). I decided to set up the caster whip, which resulted in four Ronnies then the swim died again (bloody Carp). I set up a paste rig to try and sort out the Carp, which I fished over micro pellet. This resulted in three more reasonable Carp and four foul hookers! I got out the pellet waggler from the holdall and gave that a half hearted go, which resulted in one bite. In the last 45 minutes I went back on the caster whip and caught a number of quality Ronald's for a Silvers weight of 10lb 8oz. My four carp weighed 24lb 8oz for a total of 35lb. This gave my fourth in the Silvers and third in the match.

The match was won by team mate Rich Coles (pictured top right - cripes I got to sleep in the same room as him at Stafford Moor) with 68lb 2oz from peg 6. Rich caught his fish on 6mm expander pellet over pellet.

The Silvers was won by Paul Lock (picture inset) with a very good Skimmer catch of 30lb 6oz from peg 5. Paul also caught his fish on 6mm expander pellet.

John "Turkey" Thompson was the only Angler fishing that had not qualified for the Carps Wednesday Silversmania final. His 5lb was just enough to qualify him!!

Full Result:

1. Rich Coles 68-02-0 peg 6

2. Paul Lock 43-01-0 peg 5

3. Mike Nicholls 35-0-0 peg 1

4. Colin Golding 33-15-0 peg 7

5. Roy Short 28-05-0 peg 2
6. John Bennett 18-01-0 peg 8

Top Silvers:

1. Paul Lock 30-06-0 peg 5

2. Rich Coles 13-14-0 peg 6

Sunday 12/10/08 Avon Angling Open - Landsend Fishery

Most anglers fishing today were practicing for the forth coming Veals Teams of Four Winter League. The match was run by Tony Rixon (picture top right). His matches are fondly referred to as "Rixon Rip offs". Tony had 30 fishing and pegged 15 on Specimen Lake and 15 on John's Water (also know as the "Third Lake"). Tony ran the two Lakes as separate matches, paying the top three and one Silver pool on each.

Having walked around before the draw I wanted to draw John's Water (against most other Anglers wishes).

I drew peg 51 on John's and was delighted, because it was the same peg I drew when Darren Gillman and I won the Carps AC pairs match. However, since then a bush had appeared on the far bank giving the peg more "Angler appeal". I decided to set up for the far bank with a 12x10 TBF Cult, Paste rig at 7 metres to fish over my pellet line, which I planned to start with on a 2x10 Jolly and of course my usual caster Ronnie rig.

I started on 4mm pellet and caught F1's, Skimmers and small Crucians for about an hour until the sun broke through and the Carp moved in. Went out on the paste and had two double figure fish straight away. I decided that I needed to focus on the Silvers and went on to my Ronnie rig. I had one Skimmer and two Ronnies before the Carp moved over the caster. Again I landed two doubles on the caster, before trying the pellet line again to no avail. Back on the paste and one more double, before trying corn over on the far bank. I had three bites on the corn all three fish lost due to being extremely small. I then decide with one hour to go to focus on the Ronnie line and by keeping the caster loose feed to the minimum I kept a few 3oz Ronnies going to the end.

I weighed 20lb 8oz of Silvers for first in the silvers (on both lakes) and 45lb 8oz of carp for a total of 66lb and second on the lake (second weight on both lakes) and a pick up of £60. Tony Rixon picked up the Silvers pool by default with 17lb 8oz.

John's lake and the match was won by Jamie Dyte (pictured right - he does smile occasionally) on peg 61 with 114lb 12oz. Jamie fished both at 10 metres and in the margin on paste over 4mm pellet, feeding about four pints over the six hours. Jamie fished a very good match.

The Specimen lake was won by Steve Mayo with 62lb 4oz from peg 31. Steve fished 17 metres with corn over caster.

So I have learnt that I want to draw either of the two furthest lakes i.e. not Match or Specimen!!

Full Result:

John's Water:

1. Jamie Dyte 114-12-0 peg 61

2. Mike Nicholls 66-0-0 peg 51

3. Gary Wall 59-07-0 peg 68

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 20-08-0 peg 51

2. Tony Rixon (by Default) 17-10-0 peg 46

Specimen Lake:

1. Steve Mayo 62-04-0 peg 31 (don't forget my elastic)

2. Andy Palmer 41-12-0 peg 35

3. Andy France 39-03-0 peg 36

Top Silvers:

1. Julian Heaven 19-03-0 peg 38

2. Rich Coles 17-08-0 peg 30 (went home thinking he won the Silvers, "have I got news for you" matey - I picked nothing up for you!!)

Thursdays 09/10/08 Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Bridge Pool

A beautiful crystal clear Autumn day welcomed us. Real clean fresh air. I needed this, as I am still trying to clear a cold (man flu) that I have had for two weeks.

Colin Golding did his usual of putting 24 pegs in the draw for 19 anglers. Guess what, once again three of the best peg were not drawn! As far as I am concerned this does not give the venue the best possible result and hence the best publicity it well deserves.

There aren't many pegs on Bridge that I have not got to grips with yet - except peg 24, which I drew today. The peg is strange - it has many features. It has a deep narrow channel (nine foot deep) between the island and bank, hence if you are trying to catch Skimmers can be susceptible to Carp intrusion. My chosen Ronnie line has a topography like a lunar landscape - up and down, with sharp shelving. Round to the left is a bay which I decided would be my Carp line. The opposite island can be easily reached with 11.5 metres of pole. To the right is also interesting and is also a potential Carp swim.

I started by loose feeding caster for the Ronnies on the top set, whilst feeding wet 4mm coarse pellet into my left carp margin swim. I knew straight away that the bigger Ronnies were not feeding (although later I did had a pounder). I decided that there must be Carp about so tried the paste over the caster, with no avail. Back on the caster and a foul hooked Carp! I decided to go on to the Skimmer line and for about two hours caught 4oz Skimmers regularly. I then hooked and landed a strange looking Carp of about 2 pounds - it looked like a cross between a Grass Carp and a Mirror - um.

I noticed that Bill Ferris and Colin Golding were catching small Ronnies and Skimmers and probably beating me. So in the last hour I went in to my LH Carp swim with paste over 4 mm wet pellet and had two big Carp for about 25lb. I then proceeded to lose three similar sized Carp - one broke 0.18, one pulled out, the other was lightly hooked. At the whistle I was playing my third big Carp which was landed well within the 15 minute rule. I dis try fishing over to the island, and as previous experience, I have yet to catch anyting of note.

I weighed 11lb 4oz of Silvers and 31lb 08 oz of Carp for a total of 42lb 12 oz. This gave me third overall and third in the Silvers. Wouldn't it be nice if you knew what everyone had in their nets at any one time - a bit like "hindsight being a wonderful thing". If I had stayed with the Silvers I would have picked up, if I had started on the Carp earlier I would have picked up!!
Dave Bacon (pictured top right) won the match from peg 17 with six Quality Carp for 48lb. My mate Bob Warren (pictured right - with his catch of Carp) was runner up from peg 30 with 43lb 12oz (delighted to have beaten me by one pound - well done matey). Bob caught his fish on straight lead, waggler and pole.

Full result:
1. Dave Bacon 48-0-0 peg 17
2. Bob Warren 43-12-0 peg 30
3. Mike Nicholls 42-12-0 peg 24
4. Pete "the real" Phillips 31-06-0 peg 10
5. Bob Feltham 23-14-0 peg 3
6. Chris Snow 19-13- 0 peg 7
Top Silvers:
1. Bill "Maggotman" Ferris 15-08-0 peg 25
2. Colin Golding 14-06-0 peg 26
3. Mike Nicholls 11-04-0 peg 24

Sunday 05/10/08 - Veals Teams of Four Winter League Round 2 - Bullocks Farm

This league is run single handed by Ken Rayner (pictured top right). I must say that he does a really good job, his spreadsheets are just brilliant. I also noted that for the second time Ken has won his five peg section (worth £40) - well done!

It was good to see Josh Garrett back fishing after his burns accident.

I had heard that the Carp lake was fishing well for Ronnies with pleasure catches of 40 - 50lb, so was hoping to draw here, a lake I've not fished before. Failing that, I didn't really mind. I drew peg 5 on Rushcombe, the only other lake (snake canal) I had not fished on the complex (ignoring South Pool). I was informed that there were a lot of Gold Fish (4 drms to 8oz) in this section and they were to count as Silvers!! Um, I think it worth clarifying that they are definitely not the Gold Fish, as per in "tank, pond and Fairground". I believe they are a Chinese Koi, a cross breed with a Crucian. These are identical fish that can be found at Sangria la. Where do they come from? Tony Rixon was on also on Rushcombe peg 2, so I was sure of at least two points then! I met Bob Warren having breakfast in the Lilypool Cafe and he told me that paste was worth a try for the bigger Carp (up to 3lb). So set up a paste rig for the margins and a 4x12 Jolly for down the track. I also set up a 4x8 TBF Cult far bank rig in case the fish backed off. I started with the Jolly on the top set with 4mm GOT expander on the hook over loose fed wet micro. I had a few Silvers (sorry Golds), but was missing too many bites. So I changed to a wet micro pellet on the hook and kept the fish coming for about four hours. I did occasionally try the paste, but only caught the same stamp of fish. In the last hour it slowed on the top set, so tried across. In the last hour I added about 4lb using maggot over maggot (you need a very robust bait fishing accross). I weighed 12lb of Carp and 16lb 10oz of Silvers for a total weight of 28lb -10oz. This gave me fourth in the section and first in the "Silverolds" for a pick up of £120. Tony was fifth in the section with 27lb, I'm amazed how many pound side bets Tony collects after the match - haven't they learnt yet!

The team was eighth overall with 32 points. Charlies Angel's are now 6th overall with 21 points. Team captain, Charlie Barnes coming last in section on the Carp lake with 1lb 5oz - No Ronnies then!

The match was won by Ryan Shipp (of the Des Shipp clan - no photo as he left before the result) with 74lb 7oz of Carp from North Pool peg 11.

Full Results:

Carp:

1. Ryan Shipp 74-07-0 peg NP 11

2. Pete Sivell 63-07-0 peg Rush 15

3. Anton Page 44-02-0 peg Carp 11

4. Brian Slipper 36-12-0 NP 1 (must get a photo)

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 16-10-0 peg Rush 5

2. Dean Malin 15-15-0 peg Carp 10

3. Mark Broomsgrove 14-13-0 peg match 3

4. Martin Pettifore 14-0-0 peg match 18