Sunday 28/06/2009 - Avon Angling Open - Sedges Fishery - Tile Lake

The weather is still strange, with high temperatures, low cloud and very little wind, sweltering.

After the week at Whiteacres my back was aching. However, yesterday I lifted a large pot in the garden so that I could mow under it - and wham shooting back pains. After a nights rest the back didn’t feel too bad until ….

At last we have weaned Tony Rixon off of Landsend and Avalon – the only two fisheries he seems to fish these days. So Sedges Fishery – Tile Lake it was to be. A warm welcome and a cup of tea from Denise and a privilege talk through her natural garden and some wonderful examples of Wild Poppy. It was good to see youngsters (relatively speaking that is) Captain George Perkins and Matt Cardwell having also booked in to the match. Have no doubt, theses are good young anglers.

Before the draw Darren and I walked Tile Lake, I decided that peg 24 was the best for me and the Silvers. However, I noticed how clear the water had become. To the draw and guess what Darren draws peg 24…Umm. I drew peg 21 (the picture right shows us before the draw in our Sensas summer Skirts). Normally a Carp Slayers peg!! When I got to the peg I wasn’t convinced that I was going to catch many Carp as the little wind we had was blowing in to the other end margin. However, there were a few blows in the end margin at 10 metres. Whilst tacking up my hook caught in the keep net and whilst bending forward to release it ….. my back suffered a hot searing pain. Bugger! I intended to fish at 13 metres in to the end margin, but due to my discomfort I decided against it and went for the 10 metres line. As I had so much time I set up allsorts:

2 x paste rigs

1x hard pellet rig

1x shallow caster rig

1x deep caster rig

1x 3.5 metre caster whip

I started by potting in some micro and 4mm pellet in to the 10 metre margin. I loose fed some casters out in front and started on the deep caster rig - nothing. On to the whip and first cast a 2lb Skimmer in the net, then after a run of ½ oz Rudd I went in to the margin with the deep paste rig (three foot) and had a run of nine small Carp before the Ronaldo’s moved in. However, by persevering with the paste I caught the odd Carp and a bonus 4lb Tench, but it was very frustrating. To give my back some relief and went and had a chat with Darren. He estimated that he had 7lb of Silvers and had just started to catch some better Eel’s over white maggot. I went back thinking that Darren was probably winning the Silvers and by my reckoning I had 6lb. So I decided to give the caster a try over the pellet. As there were only a few anglers fishing for the Silvers this would also give me some insurance for a pick up. Amazing, I had a good hour catching Perch to 1lb with some better Ronnies. I also had a couple of decent Carp to 8lb. I believe caster can be deadly in clearer water. With ¾ of an hour to go I went back on the paste with the shallow rig (two foot) and had another three Carp – loosing two. I was the first to weigh and my Carp went 35lb 8oz and to my surprise (and Darren’s) my Silvers weighed in at 18lb 4oz for a total weight of 53lb 12oz. This put me third overall and second in the Silvers to Darren who weighed 19lb 14oz! I picked up £40 for overall placing and Darren £40 for his Silvers win.

Jamie the fishery owner manned the scales and is pictured right with one of his better stamp of Eel’s. It was caught by Steve Seagar from peg 29 on paste!! Steve refused to get near the beast again in fear of getting eaten.

The match was won by Tom Magnell (pictured lower right with Tony handing overhis match winnings) from peg 39 with all Carp catch of 91lb 2oz. Tom fished the pellet waggler to his opposite island. Tony was runner up off the next peg 38 with 72lb 12oz. The Master being beaten by the student – Tony said after “that he really “cheesed” off with Tom’s grinning at him all through the match”. Well done Tom, one to remember, even though you will have to find another tackle shop to buy your pellet wagglers!!

Full Result:

1. Tom Magnell 91-02-0 peg 39

2. Tony Rixon 72-12-0 peg 38

3. Mike Nicholls 53-12-0 peg 21

4. Tim Ford 48-04-0 peg 34

5. Julian Cooper 38-03-0 peg 23

6. Stu Foale 35-02-0 peg 40

Top Silvers:

1. Darren Gillman 19-14-0 peg 24!!

2. Mike Nicholls 18-04-0 peg 21