Wednesday - 30/09/2009 - Huntstrete - Bridge Pool

Today I had reluctantly decided to fish Rip Off’s match at Landsend (I am renaming Rip Off - "Lottery Ticket" as he takes so many £1 side bets with a fourteen Million to one chance of beating him) . It’s not the venue that’s an issue for me, but the fishing times - 12 to 6pm which means I don’t get home until 19:30. For a reason only known to her, Brenda does like to sit down to dinner with me spot on 18:00. So having one pint of casters and half a pint of maggots I had enough bait for the Silvers. I also had some soft pellet and paste. I also had plenty of time to have a breakfast at home. However, at 07:30 the phone rings and its Sally wanting a lift to the doctors as one of my twin Granddaughters has Salmonella poisoning (contracted whilst on holiday at Weymouth) which had infected her urine – extremely painful in females. No match for me today. After sorting out everything I could I had five hours before I was needed again, so off to Bridge Pool. I don't usually do pleasure fishing - I find it meaningless.

I thought I would fish one of the Skimmer pegs in the thirties. On arrival I spied Terry Bruton fish peg 26 (practicing for coffin dodgers mugging), so after a quick chat I decided to fish peg 24 to be a bit social! I planned on fishing caster for the Skimmers and Ronnie’s for two of the four remaining hours and the last two hours for Carp. I struggled for a while on the Silvers, primarily due to the water being too clear. I soon sorted out the rig and presentation and started to catch a few Perch and Ronnie’s. After the two hours I reckon that I had a bout 8 lb. So after the Carp in the margin – no paste!! Terry came to the rescue and gave half of his. I must say it was spot on once I had put another gallon of water with it!!! The upshot was that I landed seven big double figure Carp and with my 8lb of Silvers I reckoned I had just made the ton. With Terry having leant me the paste it would not be gentlemanly of me to say I beat him again!!

Sunday 27/09/2009 - Chalie Barnes Open - Bullocks Farm

Driving back I decided to have a look at the traffic on the M5 motorway – as expected the traffic was backed up to Clevedon - Junction 20. It has been like this for weeks, there must be a huge hole in the ozone layer just about above the Avon Bridge. I wonder what this is costing in terms of driver’s time and petrol. Why not wait until February to do these sorts of repairs? Anyway I had a good steady drive home using the A38!!

Charlie as you might expect planned for 21 anglers but ended up with 24! This necessitated using four pegs on the North Pool. Having walked round I fancied pegs 12 (if 13 wasn’t in), 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25 and 26 on the match lake. I drew peg 17 and was well pleased with this. Phil came round and said that 40lb of Skimmers had come off the peg in the week. Umm, lovely jubbly!! Because of this I decided to put in some GB 50/50 Gros Gardons/Gimps Gold. I set up my usual paste margin rig and a maggot margin rig. I started on a 4x12 Jolly at 7 metres with single red maggot and quickly landed a Fantail Crucian. I then had a 1lb Carp – then it went tits up, foul hooking the next four fish. Looking round everyone was struggling to catch Silvers – and anything else. With Nicky Collins struggling on peg 21 and Charlie peg 18 for Silvers. On the half hour mark I made a difficult decision – to go out and out for Carp in the margin – far too early really. The next half hour I spent getting the margin sorted as there are lots of tree roots in the margin. I then had a couple of decent Carp on the paste over 4mm pellet. However, I was still foul hooking a few. I changed to feeding micro pellet and after a few more Carp, still foul hooking a few. I now had a choice - feed caster or maggot. Triggers Barber told me he had caught on maggot in his last match in the peg. So maggot it was. This changed things altogether, with Carp moving straight on to the paste (I did try fishing maggot but because the hook was exposed it was prone to catch the tree roots and foul hooking). I had a good run to the end of the match landing 14 Carp for a total of 58lb 8oz. This put me top on the match lake. However, Gary Bedford weighed 75lb 10oz on North Pool. This put me second overall and a pick up of £85.

It wasn’t a day to win both the Silvers and Carp – so a choice had to be made.

Gary Bedford (pictured right) won the match from peg 12 on North Pool fishing 6 and 8mm pellet at the four extremities of his peg – margin to margin. Gary fed very little – in his words “a handful”.

The Silvers result was interesting with Father and Son taking joint top from pegs 26 and 24 with 12lb 5oz each.

Full Result:

1. Gary Bedford 75-10-0 peg North Pool 12

2. Mike Nicholls 58-08-0 peg 17

3. Adrian Jefferies 50-04-0 peg 19

4. Tom Thick 49-07-0 peg 25

5. Jason Radford 40-06-0 peg 22

6. Paul Fairies 36-02-0 peg North Pool 6

Top Silvers:

1. Glyn Wickems 12-05-0 peg 26

2. Ray Wickems 12-05-0 peg 24

3. Nicky Collins 12-04-0 peg 21

Jason Radford dropped his Diawa Pro Half-Ex in the lake on peg 22 and after the match he stripped off and went in for it. The video bottom shows him feeling around with his toes with help from Colin Dyer. What on earth is happening to the front on the platform? The lake is not as silted and I thought! The picture right shows Jason with his retrieved section. Well done Matey.

Wednesday 23/09/2009 - Carps AC - Cider Farm - Yarlington Mill

There was no where else to be but Cider Farm today. This has to be one of my best days so far this year, with both the overall and Silvers records being beaten and the top six all returning ton plus weights.

I drew peg 25 and was a little concerned as the angler on the peg Sunday DNW’d. However, Mark Gibson came along and assured me that there were plenty of Carp and Skimmers in the peg. He also said it would fish well today due to the overcast and mizzle. Well with the mention of Skimmers that decided me to an out and out Silvers attack, setting up two 3.5 metre whips (one that would handle Carp and the other wouldn’t!). I also set up a 4 x 16 Jolly shotted to fish on the drop. I did set up a margin paste rig just in case. I started on the maggot and carp whip shallow and had a Carp first put in on single maggot. I then had a couple of Rudd, then another Carp. I decide to try on the bottom with the Jolly and started to catch decent Skimmers to 2 ½ lb. Then more Carp. At the half way stage I had worked out a feeding pattern – catch shallow until a Carp is hooked then go deep and then vis versa. I managed to keep the Silvers coming. I had been drip feeding the LH margin all match and after two hours noticed Carp taking the 4mm pellet on the drop!! With 12 minutes to go I had to give the paste a go in the Margin. Well solid or what I landed six and lost one in those twelve minutes!! I weighed in 83lb 2oz of “accidental” Carp and 44lb 7oz of Skimmers (me pictured right with Silvers net). This put me first in the Silvers and third overall with 130lb 9oz and a pick up of £45. On hindsight I should have gone in the margin at half time as I had the Silvers well won by then. I think I would have also won the match if I had.

The match was won by Marks Broomsgrove (pictured right with the Silvers record holder) with a new lake record of 172lb 10oz from peg 54. Mark fish at full depth with corn, feeding about three small tins of corn mixed with some 4mm pellet.

Full Result:

1. Mark Broomsgrove 172-10-0 peg 54 (New Lake Record)

2. Chris Davis 136-13-0 peg 46

3. Mike Nicholls 130-09-0 peg 25

4. Rich Coles 125-13-0 peg 40

5. Mike Owens 118-02-0 peg 41

6. Steve Jefferies 113-04-0 peg 14

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 44-07-0 peg 25 (New Lake Record)

2. Bill Ferris 13-13-0 peg 4

Sunday 20/09/2009 - Cider Farm Open - Yarlington Mill

This year I had planned to fish the Veals Teams of Four again with Charlie’s Angels, which should have started today. However, Ken Rayner, due to personal issues had handed over the running of the league to Dave Downton. A couple of weeks ago Dave rang me for Charlie Barnes’s telephone number to explain to the captain that he was changing the individual pools to:

1 x Top overall

1 x Silvers

£70 per 5 peg section

£200 top team on the day

Last year it was:

4 x Top overall

4 x Silvers

2 per 10 peg section

Dave explained that he was putting the emphasis on team fishing hence the payout. I tried to explain to Dave that 75% of the anglers that fish the league treat it an individual open (all of Charlie’s Angels fall in this category) and he would find that the proposed payouts would result in teams pulling put. I for one was very unhappy with paying out a team prize from individual pools money. Plus you could be second in the match and win nought. Dave could not be dissuaded, so I informed Charlie of my decision not to fish this year. The upshot was because Dave didn’t listen to the majority of the anglers and subsequently cancel the league due to lack of support. Another league that Dave has gotten involved with that has ended up on the scrap heap. We can only hope he doesn’t get involved with any more leagues!! A long time acquaintance of mine is looking to run it next year.

So I needed a match and after a chat with Rod Wootton in Rip Off’s I decided on Cider Farm. Ihad a walk round before the match and noticed how clear the water was – lets hope it’s not too bright today – what did we have a beautiful day with wall to wall sunshine!! I did also take to opportunity to pick some blackberries for Brenda to make one of her famous Blackberry and Apple Tarts.

Before the draw Paul Lock gave me some 6mm pellet in a three pint Marshmallow tub – no wonder he so fat. I drew peg 27. I know peg 25 has had some form recently so wasn’t that disappointed. On arriving at the peg I thought it would suit my track and inside margin fishing. I set up pellet and paste rig for down the track and a paste margin rig. I started by potting in some 4mm with a tiny bit of micro in both swims. I started in the soft pellet down the track at 5 metres and was getting a few liners – so out went the paste and a foul hooked Carp in the tail. I was soon aware that the fish weren’t having it – or more like it was too bright and not enough fish in the swim. After trying hard banded pellet I decided to fish paste in the margin over loose fed 4mm. I had twenty fish steady until the last hour when it went completely dead – I was expecting the swim to get better towards the end. I decide to pot in some corn down the track and fish corn over the top. This resulted in one more Carp. However, I was getting the odd indication. I wish now that I had started on corn. My twenty one Carp weighed 38lb 9oz – for no where. The angler on peg 25 DNW’d.

My section was won by default by Nicky Collins (pictured right - well actually two pictures - can you guess which one Nick is smiling on - wrong - he smiling on both according to him - I think on the first he has eaten too many cider apples) with 58lb 10oz from corner peg 30. Nick caught on Corn over to the bare bank and a few down the margin.

The match was won by Robert Cullip with 116lb from peg 40. I didn’t get to speak to Robert but Bela Bakos said he had fished meat down the track.

Full result:

1. Robert Cullip 116-0-0 peg 40

2. Rod Wootton 84-02-0 peg7

3. John Gray 83-03-0 peg 36

4. Howard Green 32-15-0 peg 46

5. Derek Cullip 73-10-0 peg 51

6. Nicky Collins 58-10-0 peg 30

Finally I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER come home by Motorway again. Traffic was tailed back from the M4 turn off to Junction 20 – M5. I nearly followed home Bib Feltham up the A38 – but thought it would be quicker on the M5!!! So my journey home was M5 to Junction 19 down Failand until the Suspension Bridge turn off – Bridge closed so traffic jammed up down to Cumberland Basin. Tried short cutting through Ashton Park – but dead end – turn back and try going to long Ashton – Traffic backed up to the bottom of Ashton Park – in to Long Ashton and down Yanley Lane on to the A38 then the usual route home one hour longer than normal!

Thursday 17/09/2009 - Bathampton AA Over 55's - Withy Pool

Great, another new blogger. The following is an e-mail from Chris Fox:

"You’ve inspired me to get my blog up to date, thought you might like to read it"

You will find a shortcut to Chris's blog on the right hand side under the heading "My Favourite Websites". It's a great read - there's a lot more drinking goes on down, that there, Clevedon than I thought!

I wanted to fish the Carps AC match at Plantation yesterday but was put on Granddaughter sitting standby until 10 am.

Colin arrived at the draw today in his new Vauhall Vectra Estate - Burgundy one this time. It must be nice to be in the position to buy a new car if your old one breaks down - so remember - the car is Burgundy.

I drew peg 48 which is on the point of the far bank. Bob Warren won off the peg a few weeks ago, so I was expecting to catch a few. Withy lake was flat calm with bright sunshine. Some leaves had fallen in to the lake and the small amount of wind was chasing them around my peg for most of the day. The lake's level was well down and I was concerned about retaining fish in the keepnet on the pegs where the inside line was shallow and stony I therefore suggest that anglers sit in front of the pallet (against Bathampton rules - but the welfare of the fish are my first concern). I didn't expect the Carp to feed today so set up two caster rigs for the Ronnie's, one paste rig and a soft pellet rig for Skimmers and anything else that swims. I also decided to try some ground bait laced with maggot at 6 metres. On the whistle I cupped in two jaffa's at 6 metres and 250ml of 4mm and micro on my Skimmer line at 8 metres (this is just down the shelf on to the clay bottom i.e. not on the stony shelf - so should see any fishing blowing). I started on caster and new instantly that the Ronnie's didn't want to know. I went out on the GB line with double maggot and in ten minutes caught three Ronnie's for 3oz! I now knew I was in trouble, in fact no one was catching much. I decided to stick to my pellet and paste line and two hours later I had a run of six small Skimmers. I decided to feed two big pot fulls of pellet and then stretch my legs. The fishing was pretty slow everywhere with a few blanking. On my return, first put in on 6mm expander I lost a foul hooker, next put in I landed a 3lb 8oz Carp, next put in I foul hooked a 4lb Bream in the dorsal fin, which I lost at the net. Next put in I landed a 3lb Bream - looking good. Next put in I foul hooked and lost another Carp. Well that was it - no more bites for the last hour. I even tried potting in and stretching my legs again - that didn't work either. I weighed 8lb 3oz of Silvers and my 3lb 8oz Carp for a total of 12lb 11oz this put me fourth in the Silvers and bugger all else.

The match was won by Bob "The Bread" Price with 52lb 6oz from peg 43. Bob caught his fish on paste - mostly from the margins.

Runner up was Mel Ansty (pictured right) with 40lb from peg 69. Mel caught on soft pellet at 13 metres. Mel travels the furthest for these matches - Manchester to be precise!

The Silvers was won by Chris Snow from peg 48 with 16lb 12oz. His catch included two big Tench and one big Bream. Chris mimics the Colin Golding plop - plop method, which is loose feeding 6mm expander with 6mm expander on the hook at 7 metres.

Full Result:

1. Bob Price 52-06-0 peg 43

2. Mel Ansty 40-0-0 peg 69

3. Terry Bruton 34-12-0 peg 60

4. Mervyn Howe 32-04-0 peg 67

5. Kev "Doc" Collins 27-12-0 peg 45

6. Chris Snow 27-03-0 peg 47

Top Silvers:

1. Chris Snow 16-12-0 peg 47

2. Pete Bryers 12-02-0 peg 57

Sunday 13/09/2009 - Carps AC - Bullocks Farm - Match Lake

Brenda and I spent the last five days at Bournemouth; we picked a good week for the weather. The hotel Blue Palms was ideally placed for both the town centre and beach – with an excellent breakfast every day. I do a fair bit of walking when at home; however, I was amazed how Brenda kept up with me. We must have done 16 miles over the first four days. Come the end of the week it was me slacking!

England had a bit of bad luck in the Angling World Championships in Holland, coming fifth overall but only by 3 ½ points from top spot, with a couple of England’s anglers losing 3 point fish at the death. However, I couldn’t believe my ears when Marks Downes (joint team manager) explaining that they didn’t take any maggot, caster or pinkie – I would have thought a pint of each per angler would have been essential on a venue that holds big Bream – nothing better than tipping a red maggot with a couple of bloodworm for Bream.

On my walk round the Match Lake I bumped in to Ray Sims and Bob Blackmore fishing South Pool. Ray was fishing Hemp and Tares and Bob trying to get to grips with pellet fishing (only because it’s cheaper than caster). Bob missed three bites whilst I was there. It was nice to see them both on the bank – I have fished in teams with both of these guys over the years and both were hard to beat in their day.

Phil no sign of the Gardener, the rumour is that he's having it off with “Lady Chatterley” (Tom Thick is too young to understand this). As Tim Pallant said taking out the weed bed around pegs 25 and 26 will be the equivalent of restocking, as the fish will have no where to hide.

I drew peg 21 (it’s either this peg or peg 22 I draw these days). I was happy with it until I got to the swim – the sun was blinding and mixed with the varying colours from the surrounding trees etc... It was impossible to see the float, even with my Polaroid’s on! So once again I was forced to fish where I could see my float. I set up a 4x12 Colmic Jolly with a 16 Tubertini 808 hook; this hook is suitable for soft pellet, caster and maggot. I also set up a paste rig. I started by kinder potting in some caster and micro pellet mix and fish 4mm Halibait pellet over the top. This resulted in one 2lb Carp and three Crucians and one Gold fish. My swim slowed, so I switched to caster on the hook but still fed through the kinder pot regularly with caster and micro. I then had a good run of Ronnie’s and Crucian’s and one small Tench. With an hour to go I reckoned I was lying third in the Silvers so decision time. I still had a section place to go for and perhaps an overall placing. So switched to the paste and landed another eight Carp for 30lb 6oz of Carp and 14lb 8oz of Silvers for fourth in the Silvers and second overall with a combined weight of 44lb 14oz and a picked up £40.

The match was won by Tom Thick (pictured right) from peg 18 with 52lb 12oz. Tom caught on maggot fished over a ground bait mix of Gros Gardon and Gimps Gold.

The Silvers was won by John Bradford from peg 15 with 24lb 14oz. John caught a mix of Crucians, Roach and Skimmers on caster and double Pinkie.

I must mention the Silvers runner up Charlie Barnes who weighed 24lb 12oz – 2oz behind John. Well with the crap scales used today (see comments below) I think is would have been fairer to have given the result as a dead heat for first.

Colin Golding’s car broke down so three sets of scales were in his car and with one set of scales in John Bennett’s garage – so no scales for the match! So the Gimp had to borrow a set from a pleasure angler and a large Senses bucket. I was second to weigh and the Gimp was deducting 1lb 6oz for every weigh to allow for the bucket (which would only hold one 5lb Carp without it jumping out). It wasn’t until he got to the next swim that he realised that the scales could be adjusted – Duh - Gump!!

Full Result:

1. Tom Thick 52-12-0 peg 18

2. Mike Nicholls 44-14-0 peg 21

3. Peter Notton 41-14-0 peg 12

4. John Bradford 32-12-0 peg 15

5. Tim Pallant 29-04-0 peg 24

6. John Green 26-12-0 peg 25

Top Silvers:

1. John Bradford 24-14-0 peg 15

2. Charlie Barnes 24-12-0 peg 22

Sunday 07/09/2009 - Carps AC - Rood Ashton

Happy Birthday Steve 36 today. Travel with Mark Tanner again today and he arrived spot on time, but he spoiled it all when he said "What time was I suppose to pick you up" - nothing changes!

I reckoned that this would be the last match this season that the fish would feed on this venue. Due to the depth of water (18 inches) the fish hibernate during the winter months. Judging by the results I was right.

Rod Wootton had an interesting time at the draw. He initially pulled out peg 24 - John Bradford declared there wasn't a peg 24 and Rod should fish a peg - 1A! Every one wanted to draw peg 21 - guess what it wasn't in the draw! Rod's peg 24 should have read peg 21. Rod 24, 1A and 21 are all still classed flyer!! Half way through I thought I saw Rod fishing paste (this is from 120 metres away - I miss nothing) - no couldn't be. After the match I couldn't wait to challenge Rod on this one. After some arm twisting Rod admitted to using paste because he couldn't catch on hard pellet. He also confirmed that he brought the paste with him - I thought the only paste Rod used was to stick paper to the walls - another one out of the closet. By the way you were beat off the next peg by a ten stone weakling fishing hard pellet.

I drew peg 18 which was one above the outfall peg 19. I wasn't that pleased with the peg as it is cut right back with a fallen Willow tree submerged to my right out to 15 metres. I decided to fish for Ronnie's on both the elasticated whip and a top set with a Preston PB14 (the only thing Preston make that is any good). I also set up the usual soft pellet and paste rigs for out at 13 metres and for both left and right hand margins. Second cast on the whip with maggot hook bait resulted in a 3oz Ronnie. Next cast and I lost a complete rig including one of my best home made floats to a big Carp - it must have been foul hooked - I then tried the pellet and had one missed bite. I then decided to set up a light whip rig (0.1 mm G-Line) for the Ronnie's. I subsequently caught well for about an hour before I was bust again, but only the hook length this time. I started to understand the feeding a bit better and could tell when carp came over the maggot and was able to land five decent carp using my PB14 with a 0.14 hook length and 16 lacci. I tried the paste in the LH margin only and had a couple of liners - the carp didn't appear to want the pellet or paste today. I weighed 12lb of Ronnie' and 29 lb of Carp for a total of 41lb. This put me 8th overall and second in the Silvers for a pick up of £40.

The match was won by Gordon Cannings (pictured right with the silvers winner Bill Ferris) from peg 3 with 96lb 12oz. Gordon caught at 13 metres using and feeding 8mm hard pellet.

The Silvers was won by Bill Ferris with 15lb 14oz from peg 13 using maggot close in to his RH margin.

Full Result:

1. Gordon Cannings 96-12-0 peg 2

2. John Baker 82-14-0 peg 20

3. Scott "Eddy"Lovell 63-05-0 peg 5

4. Shaun Townsend 60-08-0 peg 14

5. Rod Wootton 57-08-0 peg 1A

6. Rich Lacey 48-12-0 peg 6

Top Silvers:

1. Bill "Maggot Man" Ferris 15-14-0 peg 13

2. Mike Nicholls 12-0-0 peg 18

Thursday 03/09/2009 - Bathampton Over 55's - Main Lake

As the fishing was so bad yesterday I had reservations as to fish this match or not. So I decided not to set the alarm clock and only go if the sun was shining. Impossible you might think, but I was awake five minutes before the usual alarm call and the bloody sun was shining. So I reluctantly went to the match. I knew the turn out would be bad and it was, the lowest turn out since I started fishing these matches - just eleven anglers. Believe it or not I persuaded Colin to put pegs 5 to 15 in the draw. I drew peg 9, which I was reasonably happy with. I set up a Ronnie whip and a paste rig for the Bream at 9 metres. I started on the whip and caster and didn't have a bite!! The wind was very strong blowing down to the car park and towing very hard in the opposite direction. I switched to maggot over a small balls of GB and had a run of small Ronnie's and Rudd, but was soon pestered by Pike. I tried the paste but no indications - not even a Ronaldo. I had about 3lb in the net when the swim completely died. So I had a walk and the usual pegs 11, 12,13 & 14 had caught Bream with Bob Price owning up to six for 20lb. I decide that the only way to coin would be to try the feeder. I mixed up a little Bream 3000 and fish whole Denra on the hook. I caught 4 Ronnie's before I decided to call it a day with still two hours to go. I was hoping that yesterdays match on Withy was going to be the worse this year - but alas not.

The match was won as expected by Bob "The Bread" Price (pictured right ) -

Happiness is with a feeder rod in your rest - apparently the smile is residual from last nights dose of Viagra) on peg 11 with 18lb 14oz. Bob caught six Bream, four on corn and two on bread.

Full Result:

1. Bob Price 18-14-0 peg 11

2. Martin Alexander 9-04-0 peg 5

3. Tom Coulston 9-0-0 peg 13

4. Ian Sheppard 5-08-0 peg 8

5. Terry Church 4-12-0 peg 15

6. Pete Phillips 4-08-0 peg 6