Wednesday 28/11/2012 - Bitterwell Cost Cutter Silvers Only Open



“I’m dreaming of a dry Christmas” and that’s what we were promised today by the BBC weather and that’s what we got. However, the temperature had dropped 5 degrees to 5 degrees.

 

Steve Dawson runs this match for the fishery and knows the venue very well and always pegs it well to suit both the fishing and weather conditions. Steve pegged it three times today to get it right.

 

I took some learning from the last match, plus I did a bit of homework by watching the Monday match. Gary Etheridge was catching Ronnie’s on Pinkie, by loose feeding “The Travellers” quite heavily. Gary was the only one apparently catching.

 

Into the draw box and out came peg 1. Yippee, the “Roach Hole”. A peg I have yet to draw and was looking foreword to it. But was wishing it was earlier in the year as it’s the shallowest peg on the venue. However, no one told the Roach or the Skimmers this fact.

 

For company on peg 2 I had consistent angler John Smith who beat me off the next peg last match here. John is great company both on and off the bank.

 

Because of the pegs “badge” I set up the Ronnie rig and a 4x12 Sensas Stainey. I also decided to get the Waggler rod out of the tangle holdall in case the Ronnie’s backed off, that said it didn’t get one thrashing.

 

I started by feeding a decent amount of dead maggot out in front at 9 meters and at the same length at 2 o clock toward the far bank life belt a considerable amount of Pinkie (by my standards). I started on the Ronnie rig with caster which lasted a disappointing 15 minutes without a bite. So out on the Stainey with double red Pinkie and I was soon in to a 4oz Skimmer. I kept the Skimmers coming in the first hour over the same feed. At 11 o clock I fed another pot of Pinkie and again catch a few more Slimmer to 2lb, however, it started to slow. John Smith was also catching Skimmers and was feeding some of the fisheries GB. So I went over a scrounged some form John. After taking out the caster and replacing them with Pinkie I fed a loose pot full. This resulted in am immediate response landing couple of 2 pounders one of which was a flyer. By feeding a bit of JS - GB and potting in loose Pinkie I kept the Skimmers coming until the last 1 ½ hours when I connected with a decent Skimmer which came off. I repeated this for the next two fish before the Skimmers completely disappeared. I did have a couple of Ronnie’s before the whistle blew.

 

I Skimmer catch in the “Roach Hole” weighed 18lb 15oz for first overall, but more importantly a great days fishing – one to remember especially as I had my revenge on John Smith (pictured below next to the match winner).
 

 

It was back to the “Ring O Bells” for a pint – the end of a perfect day.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Mike Nicholls 18-15-0 peg 1

2.      John Smith 14-02-0 peg 2

3.      John Andres 9-14-0 peg 5

4.      Eddie Wynne 7-04-0 peg 12

5.      Steve Dawson 4-14-0 peg 13

6.      Steve Mayberry 4-04-0 peg 9