Sunday 27/05/2012 - Bathampton AA Open - Huntstrete - Bridge Pool

A week ago last Saturday it was off on our holiday to Christchurch, Dorset with son Mark and his wonderful family. Off course we packed for bad weather as we were anticipating days of walking in the rain into the cold North Westerly winds. Arriving Saturday morning it was raining but by the pm it was sunshine and by Monday it was at 29 degrees, the highest temperature recorded in the UK this year, which stayed with us all week. Luckily I took a pair of shorts, which after a few sponging lasted me all week! Our accommodation backed on to the river Stour, so as luck would have it I found a feeder rod in the back pack. Unfortunately I could only manage 30 minutes and fed the swim with dead maggot as if I was on a shed full, which resulted in one missed bite. It was a memorable week for many reasons.

Bela and I booked into the last of Kevin Dicks match on Bridge Pool, Huntstrete. So after a breakfast in the Fountain café it was off to the venue.  I wasn’t surprised to find a low turn out as I suspected that petticoat government ruled and directed some anglers to the beach. So with plenty of room there wasn’t going to be a bad peg in the draw box. Out comes peg 24, about time I was back on this peg.

Having walked the venue I wasn’t sure it was going to fish that well for any species. Although the Carp were spawning on the Main Lake, there were no signs of this on Bridge pool. I suspected that because of the deeper water the temperature hadn’t quite made it to the magical temperature; however sex wasn’t far away as the Carp were up in the water and pairing up.

Peg 24 has been one of the best Silvers peg on the venue, so this was the target species, with CW&C. I set up the preverbal Skimmer rig and a Paste rig for the LH margin. The upshot was that I struggled on the worm, I think because the fish were up in the water and the temperature had increased. I tried soft pellet on another line, which resulted in plenty of fizzing but only a fee ounces. At four hours in I set up a Ronnie rig with caster and managed a few more Silvers, plus one lost foul hooked Carp. To my surprise I weighed in 21lb 12oz for fifth overall and third in the Silvers.

Once again I beat Darren Gillman off the next peg who managed to break his Maver pole twice on Carp – top set shattered and a top four in one place which needed a swim for Darren to recover it with the Carp still on it, but not for long.

The match was won by Terry Bruton (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 31lb 6oz from peg 16. Terry caught two Carp and some quality Skimmers over to the far using 8 mm hair rigged meat over to the island.

The Silvers was won by Mike Jones on peg 10 with 28lb 8oz. Mike caught mainly Roach to 8oz fishing caster over caster fishing 2 foot deep.

Full Result:

1.      Terry Bruton 31-06-0 peg 16

2.      Bela Bakos 30-12-0 peg 7

3.      Mike Jones 28-08-0 peg 10

4.      Kevin Dicks 28-04-0 peg 28

5.      Mike Nicholls 21-12-0 peg 24

6.      Darren Gillman 19-05-0 peg 18

Top Silvers:

1.      Mike Jones 28-08-0 peg 10

2.      Kev Dicks 23-02-0 peg 28

3.      Mike Nicholls 21-12-0 peg 24