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