Thursday 30/08/2012 - Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Bridge Pool

With the Paralympics starting today its worth noting that match angling has good support from the disabled, as we do for the Coffin Dodger matches. There are of course many levels of disablements, some far worse than others. Bob Tilley (pictured right) is one such angler and finds it difficult at times, especially when landing fish. It is also difficult for him to manoeuvre around his peg which often leads to broken pole sections and has broken plenty in his time (but not as many as Mike Jones). However, Bob always manages to land a few fish as he did today from peg 5 landing 24lb 11oz of Carp and Silver fish, well done matey.

 

After a long night drying out my kit for today’s match it was into the draw bag and out pops peg 26. Happy with this as it is predominately a Silvers peg and I could do with a rest from the Carp critters.

 

However, I was concerned whether it would fish today as we had a lot of rain yesterday filling the Lake to the brim, adding some unusual colouring and also a full overnight moon.

 

Peg 26 is one of the deepest swims on the lake, but a 4x16 jolly just about severs ok, which was set up for the 9 foot of water and the Ronnie rig. I did set up a paste rig for the margin but that didn’t get much of an outing today. I started out in front by feeding a pot of CW&C at 5 metres and with a worm on the hook of the jolly rig started to catch a few small 4oz Skimmers. It was soon clear that the Silvers were going to be a struggle. I kept topping up the CW&C every hour but the fishing gradually got worse to the point I changed to the Ronnie rig with single caster. I had a few more small Skimmers, Ronnie’s and Perch, but often interrupted by Carp, losing four foul hookers and landing two for 19lb 3oz. I persevered with the Silvers with the Ronnie rig fishing single caster of loose fed caster until the end weighing in 14lb 4oz for second in the Silvers, with my total of 33lb 7oz leaving my 7^th overall.

 

The match was won by Ray Bazeley (pictured right with some of his 14 fish haul) with 93lb 3oz, Ray caught on a small pellet feeder fished to the point of the opposite island.

 

The Silvers was won by Andy Smith (pictured lower right with the match winner) with 17lb 5oz from peg 11. Andy caught on waggler with worm hook bait fished over Maracu GB laced with worms and micro pellet.

 

Full Result:

1.      Ray Bazeley 93-03-0 peg 28

2.      Terry Bruton 55-11-0 peg 16

3.      John Smith 45-0-0 peg 12

4.      Chris Rolfe 43-06-0 peg 9

5.      Bob Warren 37-08-0 peg 24

6.      Terry Church 36-06-0 peg 1

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Andy Smith 17-05-0 peg 11

2.      Mike Nicholls 14-04-0 peg 26

3.      John Bradford 13-04-0 peg 8

Wednesday 29/08/2010 - Avon Angling Open - Viaduct Fishery - Campbell

Today was our 42^nd wedding anniversary and the Special One let me out fishing. However, I think the anniversary Gods were against me today.

 

It’s all about making decisions and the first bad one the Gods lead me in to was changing my usual route to the fishery and going through Wells instead of Shepton. I was stuck behind a huge farm vehicle for most of the way.

 

I was then unusually lead in to the middle of the draw queue and drew the one of the two pegs I didn’t want peg 130 (the other is 131). These pegs aren’t especially favourable for pole fishing.

 

Had the Gods finished with me as before the all-in our friendly Coach Driver Martin Lenaghan bought a round of teas – thanks drive!

 

I had decided to go for the Silvers as I felt I wouldn’t win any overall coin from this peg. So I set up a hard pellet rig consisting of a 4x14 jolly with a hair rigged Mosella band and a similar rig set for the soft pellet. Finally, my reliable 0.4 gram paste rig. I intended to fish all the rigs at 9 metres.

 

Starting on paste through the kinder pot with a few hard 4’s I think I was first in the match to hook a Carp, which was soon lost as it was foul hooked breaking the hook length and float. So on with another 0.4 paste float and another Carp hooked, unfortunately the hook pulled free at the net and another float broken! Yet another paste rig connected and out again with paste and a 5 lb Carp was soon in the net. Then in two put in I lost two flying Bream – a pattern forming – the Gods weren’t finished with me yet. I had one more small Carp and decided to come in short to 4 metres with the hard pellet rig, which resulted in a couple of small Skimmers and one more small Carp. I tried the soft pellet over this line which had no impact. So on with the paste (it’s the same depth at 4 metres as it is at 9). I had been steadily feeding hard fours and I had a run of six decent Bream and another small Carp, before the swim died.

 

Then the heavens opened up and it was the worse I have seen in GB. It was very much like the tropical storms we use to get in Barbados, where you can hear it coming five to ten minutes before you feel it. I didn’t have an umbrella, but the old smelly Gortex did its job.

 

With ¾ hour to go I went back out long where I had earlier fed a pot of 4’s, out of desperation than anything else.  It was Carp o clock with one a bung to the end plus one flying Bream. My thirteen accidental Carp weighed in at 68lb 10oz and my seven Skimmers/Bream 16lb 9oz for a total of 85lb 3oz. It was mission accomplished as amazingly enough this put me first in the Silvers.

 

The match was won by Mash (pictured right - being straggled by the Silvers winner) with 165lb 7oz from peg 114. Mash caught all his fish on paste.

 

The anniversary Gods hadn’t quite finished with me, as driving back my usual way I found the roads flooded, but managed to get through even though some were turning around. It was a slow long drive back.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Mash 165-07-0 peg 114

2.      Martin Lenaghan 163-10-0 peg 126

3.      Tom Thick 143-03-0 peg 135

4.      Mike West 120-07-0 peg 125

5.      Tony Rixon 110-0-0 peg 132

6.      Adrian Jeffery 106-6-0 peg 121

7.      Joe McMahon 105-11-0 peg 129

8.      Mark Poppleton 104-11-0 peg 116

9.      Martin Preston 100-14-0 peg 131

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Mike Nicholls 16-0909 peg 130

2.      Dave Roper 11-14-0 peg 111  

Saturday 25/08/2012 - Acorn Sponsored Open - Paddocks

I must admit I left it very late to book me and Bela into this match, with Bela making it in by the skin of his teeth – Friday morning in fact. I know Glenn Bailey was desperate to fish and he was well pissed-off (as was many others) when there was two no shows. I know one of our Coffin Dodgers Tom Newell didn’t make it, but had paid up front. I hope it wasn’t due to ill health.
 

After a Bev special breakfast (pictured right with the free spread she kindly laid on after the match – thanks Bev - nice ham), it was in to the draw bag where we were given a present from Cadbury Garden Centre – a Preston 3 pint bait box. With two ping-pong balls left I pulled peg 19, I wonder what the last one was. I wasn’t enamoured with the draw, as everyone I spoke to turn their nose up. That said it was the peg I drew on the inaugural match of the fishery.

 

Match organiser Mark Bartlett announced that the payout was:

Top three

Top two Silvers

Three sections of ten, paying one overall, one Silver.

 

Arriving at the peg I had decisions to make, looking along the section line I decide there were nine Anglers going for the Carp, which decided me to go for the Silvers for the section payout and if I was lucky enough I might get in to the top two Silvers.

 

I set up a Ronnie rig, a 4x16 jolly for the Skimmers to be fished down the track, a 0.5 gram paste float to be fished over the same line and a 0.3 gram paste float to be fished in the margin.

 

I did have an empty peg to my left, peg 20, however, it was up wind and because the strong wind was blowing in at me at 11 o clock it was going to difficult to fish this margin. After feeding half a pot of casters down the track (where I discovered that 20% were floaters) I started on the Ronnie rig, which accounted for nothing as the wind was buggering the presentation even though I had three back shot the float was moving too quick towards me. So it was out on the single caster where I needed to pimple the float well down to see a bite from the small Skimmers. I kept these coming on and off by kinder potting casters after every two fish, but because the casters wasn’t sinking fast enough the Skimmers were being disrupted by Carp. I stayed with this until the last hour when the swim died, so I potted in some CW&C which unfortunately had the effect of energised the Carp and small Perch. The wind changed completely around 100 degrees, so I switched back to the Ronnie rig with caster over caster and was completely battered by Carp landing twelve in the last 30 minutes.

 

My Silvers weighed in at 26lb 15oz and my Carp 31lb 15oz for a total of 58lb 14oz. As planned I won the section Silvers and as a bonus won the second overall Silvers for a half decent pick-up.

 

The match was won by Bob Gullick (pictured right) with 114lb 12oz from peg 40. Bob initially caught on hard pellet, later switching to soft pellet to keep the Carp coming. Then switched back to hard pellet in the last hour when the Carp switched on.

 

The Silvers was won by Craig Edmonds (pictured lower right) from peg 38 with 29lb 9oz. Craig caught on caster over caster down the track and didn’t have any Carp disruptor's, not netting one of the blighters.

 

I must say it was a well run match with the payouts well thought out – thanks to Mark Bartlett.

 

Finally I have to mention runner up Phil Harding who fell ounces short of winning, unlucky, especially as Phil went over the 70lb limit on one net. I couldn’t help noticing that he had two spare nets on the bank behind him – lesson learnt!

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Bob Gullick 114-12-0 peg 40

2.      Phil Harding 114-09-0 peg 10

3.      Mark Bartlett 111-07-0 peg 12

4.      Tom Mangnel 104-07-0 peg 6

5.      Rich Lovering 101-0-0 peg 4

6.      Rob Wotton 79-06-0 peg 18

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Craig Edmonds 29-09-0 peg 38

2.      Mike Nicholls 26-14-0 peg 19

Thursday 23/08/2012 - Viaduct Cost Saver - Campbell and Carey lakes

Back down for the Viaduct Skivers Match – also know as – The Cost Cutter.

 

Unbelievable, that’s the only description for this fishery with nine anglers breaking the ton and two breaking the double ton and one triple ton.

 

With two draw tickets left in the coffee tin – I pulled peg 132, the last peg was 111. I would have been happy with either peg. Arriving at the peg I was surprised to see how much the peg had changed, due the ever encroaching Willow tree. After cutting off a few of the smaller branches I was able to get in close enough to reach the bottom of the RH margin.

 

I settled for two rigs – both identical 0.4 gram paste floats. One set for the margin and the other 4 inches deeper to be fished at 2 o clock at 9 metres. I also decided to fish left handed, but abandoned that after getting in a bit of a pickle with the landing net and pole!

 

The water was dead calm, the skies bright and little sign of fish, so this decided me on an initial gentle approach with the feed. However, I started by putting a big pot of micro down the margin at 9 metres, but started out front with paste, kindering some micro. The upshot was I had had a very good first hour. However, the next three were very difficult. I did manage three Tench, two Skimmers and two Perch down the margin during this time. The last two hours were very productive adding 19 Carp for a total of 25 – all on paste.

 

My 25 Carp weighed in at 160lb 1oz and my Silvers 14lb for a grand total of 174lb 1oz. I just wished I could have had a similar productive middle three hours of the match – but that’s fishing.

 

The match was won by Jim Baines (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 306lb 15oz from peg 102. Jim caught on his favourite popped up bread fished up 3 foot and 3 ½ foot off bottom. Jim uses 1/9^th of a piece of white bread on a longish hair rig. Jim fed 4 pints of hard 8’s over the top throughout the six hours. Jim has now averaged 270lb over the last 8 matches – very impressive if you like fishing the lead.

 

The Silvers was won by Steve Tanner with 40lb 4oz from peg 127. Steve fished his margin with 8mm hair rigged pellet fished over loose fed hard 6’s. Steve fed about two pints catching Bream to 3lb.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Jim Baines 306-15-0 peg 102

2.      Lewis Greenwood 275-08-0 peg 111

3.      Dan White 200-03-0 peg 124

4.      Mike Nicholls 174-01-0 peg 132

5.      R Hawkins 162-11-0 peg 126

6.      Bob Walters 162-06-0 peg 131

7.      Mike Smith 110-10-0 peg 114

8.      Rich Coles 108-02-0 peg 115

9.      Mr Scribble 105-06-0 peg 128

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Steve Tanner 40-04-0 peg 127

2.      Rich Coles 37-06-0 peg 115

Sunday19/08/2012 - Avon Angling Float Only League - Round Six- Viaduct - Campbell and Carey Lakes

It was back to Viaduct for the last in the Tony Rixon Float Only series. I have missed two matches and so well out of any league coin, so I could take a more relaxed approach to the match. This proved to be convenient as I pull peg 80 on Carey. The Lake everyone (except Bela) wanted to avoid as it is fishing below par at present. I have a bit of history with this peg the last time I fished it I really enjoyed the day so although not a pole peg for Carp I was thinking of an out and out Silvers attack. A way I could get a days fishing – hopefully. I really didn’t expect to pick up coin as there are only two Silvers payouts and pegs 124 and 125 on Campbell have been fishing exceptionally well for Skimmers.

I set up the Ronnie rig, a 4x12 jolly to be fished over to the spit at 11.5 metres, a 4x14 jolly to be fished out in front at 10 metres and finally I set up a paste rig to fish over the out in front line for any Carp or big Skimmers.

On the whistle I fed some CW&C up against the spit and started on the paste over a few micros. I started on paste because it’s a good tester of what’s in the peg. If there were Carp about I would soon know and if not the small fish would be nibbling away at the bait. First put in I hook a carp which fooled me in to thinking it had ran out in to the Lake only to find it was under my pallet -  I eventually lost the fish breaking my float. So on with another paste float to find the nibblers had arrived. So a switch to the soft 6mm pellet with kindered micro which started to produce a few hand size Skimmers, with a smattering of pounders. After an hour the swim started to fade with Ronnie’s arriving to torment me, so the awaited switch to the spit with worm which produced a quick response, but only from 2-3oz Ronnie’s. That it then out with the Ronnie rig for the rest of the match.

With two hours to go a bank walker said that pegs 24 and 25 were catching Skimmers with 20lb estimated as top. Umm, not quite there yet, but within striking distance, so I am now feeling I am in a fishing match, which is what it’s all about for me. I worked hard over the next couple of hours catching Ronnie’s, Hybrids, small Skimmers and Perch. With forty five minutes to go the swim went quite, until I hooked and lost a big Perch which blunted my Middy hook (back to the 808 me thinks). I lost another but smaller one next put in – then I changed my hook! In the last twenty minutes in became difficult because my pint of casters was running low.

I was one of the last to weigh in and I needed to beat 26lb 14oz for coin. I was optimistic, but fell 3oz short weighing 26lb 11oz. Still it was a memorable day, especially as I was third in the section with an all Silvers catch.

The match was won by Tony Rixon (pictured right) with 246lb 13oz from peg 115. Tony caught thrashing around with pellet …see his blog for the intricacies of the method.

The Silvers was won by Steve Evans (pictured lower right) with 30lb 11oz from peg 125. Steve caught Skimmers to 3lb using hair rigged hard pellet fished over hard pellet at 7 metres. I was please for Steve as he is the Gimp (the back room boy) of the league left to work out the points and pounds and ounces - not always fully apprieciated by league anglers, certainly can’t leave anything like that to Tony Rixon. Thanks matey.

Full Result:

1.      Tony Rixon 246-13-0 peg 115

2.      Shaun Townsend 231-06-0 peg 135

3.      Joe McMahon 197-03-0 peg 123

4.      Phil Harding 186-02-0 peg 112

5.      Neil Mercer 175-12-0 peg 111

6.      Tom Thick 136-0-0 peg 76

Top Silvers:

1.      Steve Evans 30-11-0 peg 125

2.      Martin Rich 26-14-0 peg 124

3.      Mike Nicholls 26-11-0 peg 80

Thursday 16/08/2012 - Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Withy Pool

I have missed a few of the matches on Withy Pool due to family commitments. As they say absence makes the heart grow fonder, so I was looking forward to today’s match, especially as a warm dry day was forecast.

Even though we had 24 fishing there were a few regulars missing, including a few of the disabled which meant a greater chance of drawing on one. In to the cloth bag and out comes peg 69 – yep a disabled peg, so a day of physical discomfort was in store. I was joined by Mike Keys on peg 68 and Terry Bruton peg 70.

I set up similar rigs as yesterday, except I planned to fish longer at 11.5 metres (the longest this year) and slightly further out in the RH margin so the paste floats were heavier at 0.5 grams and 0.3 gram for the margin.

I started by feeding a big pot of CW&C with a smidgen of wetted micro out at 11.5 metres and started to lose feed some caster on the Ronnie line whilst fishing a worm on the hook at 11.5 metres. It all started well catching a few small Skimmers and three decent specimens that was until the tiny Perch moved in. It must be the time of year, coinciding with the fry hatch I guess making them more active and hungry. In any case I rather leave for Darren Gillman on the Canal so I came in on the Ronnie line with single caster. It wasn’t until I shallowed up to two foot that I started to catch a few Rudd and then the Perch moved in again. So I decided to mix up some GB and lace with casters and fed four big balls out on the 11.5 metre line. Going over it with worm produced the same small Perch. I tried double caster, but the same again. Out with the paste and I had another decent Skimmer and lost a foul Carp. The wind had picked up making presentation out long frustratingly impossible. So with aching knees due to the restricted room on these platforms I had to get up and have a walk round. A few Skimmers and Carp had been caught around the Lake, back for a banana and more leg torture. This time I decided to pack up the long pole and concentrate the rest of the match in the margin (feeling a bit defeated) because of the ever increasing wind which had blown over the pole roller luckily with no damage. John Smith had the same but broke his number six section. I fished the paste in about three foot of water lightly feeding hard 4’s over the top. I was amazed when the float dipped and I was into my first Carp. I stayed on this for the rest of the match landing another six Carp to 15lb, losing three foul hookers.

My Silvers weighed 13lb 5oz and when combined with my Carp I had a match winning total of 76lb 7oz.

The Silvers was won by Rich Coles (pictured right with the match winner) from peg 42 with 26lb 11oz. Rich caught the majority of his fish on the CW&C fished at 10 metres. This included three Eels that weighed 10lb with one Eel estimated to be pushing the 5lb mark, a PB for Rich – never too old.

Finally, as we are unlikely to hear it from Terry Bruton I have to mention that he was battered both sides today sandwiched between 1^st and Brian Sheppard 5^th and Terry - DNW.

Full Result:

1.      Mike Nicholls 76-07-0 peg 69

2.      Chris Rolfe 59-02-0 peg 54

3.      Ray Bazeley 39-06-0 peg 66

4.      Paul Haines 32-14-0 peg 60

5.      Brian Sheppard 31-0-0 peg 71

6.      Bob Feltham 29-12-0 peg 46

Top Silvers:

1.      Rich Coles 26-11-0 peg 42

2.      John Bradford 15-06-0 peg 48

3.      Dave Gillard 13-06-0 peg 59

4.      Mike Nicholls 13-05-0 peg 69

Wednesday 15/08/2012 - Avon Angling Open - Acorn Fishery - Paddocks

Its family first, work second and then fishing. I have just spent the last eleven days supporting my son Mark in Brighton whilst we welcomed a new member of the family.

It was great to get back out fishing, especially as I had a lift with matey Glenn Bailey. We were dubious about the weather as heavy rain and gale force winds were forecast. On queue the heavens opened and we all got a right old drenching. But interesting enough it stopped as predicted with the sun out and the wind picking up I reckon I got dry quicker than I got wet!

Glenn drew early and was on peg 29, a peg I fancied for the Silvers. I was last to draw and picked out lonely peg 2. Happy with this until I found I had plenty of slayers in my section including the two Humpty’s from Bridgewater. I was fancying the peg for Silvers so set up two rigs for the caster. The Ronnie rig set for the margin and the usual 4x16 jolly for 4 metres out in front. Just in case it turned into Carp slaying match I set up paste rigs to fish over both the same lines.

For the second time now I had left my pole roller home and that nice man from down south on peg 4 – Dave Roper lent me one of his – thanks matey, it didn’t get used much.

After potting in some caster and micro at 4 metres I started on the Ronnie rig with single caster sparingly lose feeding over the top and as previous I was pestered by small Perch. I have come to the conclusion that if these are in the swim then there aren’t any great numbers of Skimmers about. I did double my previous Dace catch catching two. I did have a few Skimmers and f1’s, but it was too slow. So I tried the 4 metre line with caster and caught a Skimmer first put in – happy days – not. It went quite and fancied the kindered caster wasn’t getting to the bottom. So I mixed up some Gimps Gold and Sensas Magic and after adding some caster fed a hard ball. In over it with caster and a Skimmer first put in – happy days – not. The swim just erupted with fizzing and could not get a bite even after trying worn and paste over the top. I decided to feed another ball to see what would happen – the fizzing got even worse. After switching back to the Ronnie rig and catching a few more Silvers – mainly Perch and with four hours to go I decided to switch to Carp slaying in the margin with paste fished over lose fed hard 4’s. I caught Carp to 8lb steady to the end, but found it difficult to present due to the tow back towards me.

On hind sight I should have either fished for Silvers all Match or Carp slayed from the start as I fell between to stools. My Silvers weighed 12lb 11oz for third and one out of the coin. My Carp weighed 94lb 11oz for a combined total of 107lb 6oz for fifth overall two out of the main money and one out from a section win – this is as close you can get with out picking up coin.

The match was won by Paul Lock (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 115lb 13oz from peg 9. Paul caught at 5 metres and in his left hand margin using paste hook bait.

The Silvers was won by Phil Harding from peg 22 with 31lb 5oz. Phil caught on caster down the track.

Glenn Bailey weighed a credible 93lb 5oz from peg 29 (interestingly with no Silvers). Glenn was the highest weight from peg 22 to peg 40 which earned a section win and sixth overall – well done matey.

Full Result:

1.      Paul Lock 115-13-0 peg 9

2.      Mark Bartlett 113-08-0 peg 5

3.      Tony Rixon 111-11-0 peg 15

4.      Adrian Jefferies 111-05-0 peg 12

5.      Mike Nicholls 107-06-0 peg 2

6.      Glenn Bailey 93-05-0 peg 29

Top Silvers:

1.      Phil Harding 31-05-0 peg 22

2.      John Bradford 17-08-0 peg 40

3.      Mike Nicholls 12-11-0 peg 2

Thursday 02/08/2012 - Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Bridge Pool

I have missed a few matches due to holidays. It was good to be back fishing with the Coffin Dodgers on Bridge Pool. It was a good turn out with 30 fishing and to see Mel Ansty down on his annual visit from Manchester.

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 32. One peg down from where I was last match. Last match I felt that I stayed on the Silvers too long and yesterdays match the opposite giving up far too early. Try the compromise today.

I set up three rigs, a 4x16 Jolly for the CW&C to be fished at 6 metres at 12 0 clock. A Ronnie rig with caster over caster and the usual 0.2g paste float for the LH margin.

After feeding a pot of CW&C at 6 metres it was on to the Ronnie rig with single caster. It was soon obvious that the Ronnie’s were having a day off as all I could muster was two plus four tiny Perch (chasing this year’s fry hatch). So out on the worm and I had a decent Skimmer first put in, followed by a few more of the smaller ones. I didn’t have to wait long for a positive bite. I was beginning to think I was on for a great day on the Silvers when it went quite and all I could catch was small Perch. So I re-fed and had another, but shorter run of Skimmers. I then had a liner from a Carp and it was soon clear that the swim was being disrupted by this species. Only half hour gone, too early for the Carp me thinks so re-fed CW&C again and tried the caster up in the water for anything that swims. This produced bugger all. Out again on the worm and two more tiny Skimmers followed by more eager tiny perch. I wasn’t going to waste any more bait on this line. So after an hour it was in for the Carp – far too early.

The upshot was that I fished the paste steady dripping in hard 4’s for five hours catching Fourteen Carp, all Mirrors except one dark coloured Common. I lost three foul hookers and one slipped the hook – no breakages.

With thirty minutes to go the heavens open complete with thunder and lightening. The heavy rain softened the 4’s and I thought feeding these over the paste was a better option which I will try and remember for the next visit.

My Silvers weighed 11lb 8oz; I think I stopped fishing for them too early as only 14lb got in the frame. My fourteen Carp weighed in at 129lb (averaging 9lb). This gave me a match winning total of 140lb 8oz.

It looks as if the Carp have now moved out from between the Islands and occupied their old haunts in the thirties.

The Silvers was won by Bryan Sheppard (pictured right) with 21lb 12oz from peg 10. Bryan caught on worm fished over GB laced with chopped worm. Interestingly Bryan didn’t have any casters. So something to try next time perhaps.

Full Result:

1.      Mike Nicholls 140-08-0 peg 32

2.      Bob Price 92-12-0 peg 29

3.      Martin Alexander 69-04-0 peg 21

4.      Dave Bacon 65-07-0 peg 22

5.      Dave Poole 54-14-0 peg 1

6.      Terry Bruton 47-10-0 peg 13

Top Silvers:

1.      Bryan Sheppard 21-12-0 peg 10

2.      Pail Haines 15-03-0 peg 33

3.      Terry Bruton 14-02-0 peg 13

Wednesday 01/08/2012 - Avon Angling Open - Acorn Fishery - Paddocks

I watched some of the Olympic Swimming last night and thought some of the swimmers were disrespectful to the crowd who were cheering them on whilst some of the USA Swimmers wore their iPod head phones.

It was a nice surprise to see Pete Notton back out fishing. Pete caught 50lb which got him keen to fish again.

In to the draw bucket where there was only two left, one for me and the last one went to Tony Rixon. I pulled peg 15 and Tony peg 4. I think we would have both been happy with either peg.

The wind was blowing down the venue so I was hoping my empty peg would be down wind. Luckily it was.

I set up the usual caster rigs and paste rigs. One of each rig for the margin and one each to be fished at 3 metres. Starting on the margin caster rig I caught a menagerie of Silver fish straight off, unfortunately it only lasted an hour before I lost two big Skimmers (foul hooked me thinks). That seemed to be it as I could only catch small 1oz Perch. I had been feeding hard 4’s at 3 metres so tried the paste over it. There were a few Carp there but due to the wind the tow made presentation difficult with paste. I missed four bites or liners) before hooking my first small Carp. I had to give this line up as it became very frustrating; before I did I tried a worm over the top and missed a few perch tugs. So back on the margin caster and a few more Silvers, but it appeared that the swim was being disrupted by Carp. So on to the margin paste rig switching to feeding hard 4’s instead of caster. I caught the odd Carp, but it wasn’t until the last hour and half that I started to put a Carp weight together, with the last 30 minutes adding ten better Carp.

The tow is usually a lot stronger in the margins as it was today, with it strong enough to pull the paste off before it settled properly. The opposite is true in that the tow is not so strong down the track. It's all to do with the hydraulics and volume/mass of water.

My silvers weighed 11lb 6oz and my Carp 106lb 8oz for a total of 117lb 14oz. This put me fourth overall and a section win.

The match was won by Tony Rixon (pictured right with a polish catch) on peg 4 with 166lb 5oz. Tony caught … see his blog.

The Silvers was won by Craig “Trigger” Edmondson (pictured lower right with his excellent catch of hand size Skimmers) from peg 16. Craig caught down the track using caster over kinder potted caster.

Full Result:

1.      Tony Rixon 166-05-0 peg 4

2.      Adrian Jefferies 132-02-0 peg 10

3.      John Thompson 127-11-0 peg 7

4.      Mike Nicholls 117-14-0 peg 15

5.      Matt Tomes 89-06-0 peg 36

6.      Tom Thick 87-05-0 peg 12

Top Silvers:

1.      Craig Edmonds 41-14-0 peg 16

2.      John Bradford 20-04-0 peg 9

3.      Nick Collier 20-0-0 peg 27