Thursday 16/02/2012 - Bathampton AA Silvers Championship - Withy Pool - Round 4

What other country does the temperature change by 26 degrees in one week? What a lovely spring like day with the Roe Deer (Capreolus Capreolus) out in force on the Withy pool hillsides. However, we are told to expect a cold snap over the weekend.

On Withy Pool today, arriving early I had a walk round the Lake and quickly came to the conclusion that you needed a peg beginning with a 7, 6 or a 4, definitely not a peg beginning with a 5. But before all that Mike Jones did the draw for the knockout and I was drew with Alan Jones. In to the draw proper, but hang on where’s the usual plastic draw box, instead we were offered a smelly hat full instead of oversized draw tickets. This obviously was a conspiracy, as I pulled peg 54, behind the Island – bugger. The way the section runs, there are three pegs behind the Island and three pegs around the point, 47, 48 and 49, these three pegs are in the top six best Lake Silvers pegs, so  I wasn’t expecting to beat any of them from one of the Lakes three worse pegs, 4 points was the best I was hoping for. On peg 53 I had the Kingswood champion moaner – Paul Haines – he has some mitigation as he has drawn round the back of the Island three times in the last three matches – great moaner though. In peg 56 was Dave Poole (pictured right landing a Carp, his second bite after three hours!)

It was an easy choice of rigs – 1 - 4x16 Jolly to be fished at 7 metres, not the deepest peg on the Lake for sure. On the whistle in went a small ball of Skimmer GB with a few grains of micro and Pinkie. It took 45 minutes before I had my first bite, a ½ oz Ronnie. I then had a run of them, but wasn’t really building any sort of weight. It was strange that I would have bite less spells then a run of fish. I did have a 6oz Perch and a few bottle top Skimmers before I had a couple of decent Skimmers. This decided me to sit it out for the Skimmers over the last hour, increasing the feed, adding some micro. Although I felt there were some more Skimmers to be caught they didn’t agree with me, adding only another two Ronnie’s during this late spell. My mixed net weighed in at 8lb 12oz and as predicted left me with four section points, but only 6oz from gaining another point. I was satisfied to have beaten everyone else in the 50’s, plus beating Alan Jones in the knockout, who I thought would win through being pegged in the 70’s.

My pairs partner held up the team with a section second, cursing his bad luck pulling out of three Skimmers.

The match was won by Harry Muir (pictured right with his catch) with 23lb 3oz from peg 66. Harry caught eight Bream early in to the match using double red hook bait fished over red maggot and micro.

It was that nice man and Harry’s travelling partner Andy Shields (pictured right) who took the Accidental Carp pool with 23lb 5oz. Andy was also runner up in the match with 18lb 10oz of Bream. Andy fished similarly to his mate Harry.

Full Result:

1.      Harry Muir 23-05-0 peg 66

2.      Andy Shields 18-10-0 peg 72

3.      Rich Coles 16-09-0 peg 68

4.      John Smith 15-04-0 peg 49

5.      Paul Barnfield 15-02-0 peg 67

6.      Ray Bazeley 13-0-0 peg 62

Accidental Carp:

1.      Andy Shields 21-04-0 peg 72

2.      Mike Key 10-04-0 peg 47