Thursday 14/03/2013 - Bathampton AA/Veals Silvers Championship - Withy Pool

With a sharp overnight frost I was expecting Withy Pool to be iced over, so the light breaker went in the car. Driving past the Main Lake it was frozen, passing Bridge Pool it was ice free, and arriving at Withy Pool luckily it was also clear of ice - well almost.

 

The draw was made for the knockout; I was hoping to draw Dave Wride because unfortunately he couldn’t make it because he had muddled the dates. Shame Dave couldn’t make it as I like our good humoured tussles. Bill Ferris drew him and just managed to get through. I was drawn against Paul Barnfield who drew next to me on peg 49. I had pulled peg 48.

 

I didn’t really know what to expect as I haven’t fished the Lake since BAA netted the small fish out. I thought these fish would be important today as I thought it too bright for the Skimmers.

 

I do know you need to fish this peg long to get over the rocky bottom. Luckily I had my new invention – a surgical pole brace. I am now able to fish 13 metres but decided on 11.5 metres with the extra up my sleeve if needed.

 

I set up two 4x16 Jolly rigs – one for the maggot over GB at 12 o clock and the other to be fished at 2 o clock over micro and maggot.

 

After feeding both swims I started over the GB line with single maggot expecting a bite from a Ronnie. Instead I had a 1 lb Skimmer first put in. And that was how the day panned out catching Skimmers well for the first hour then slowing but catching the bigger Skimmers. I did have a couple of tries over the micro with triple maggot catching just the one 2lb Skimmer. I did have a very slow middle match, but in the last hour managed a couple of decent fish with one weighing 4lb 9oz to take the Veals £15 voucher. I weighed 30lb 2oz for another section win, second in the match (for the third time) and got through the knockout - a days fishing for me. However, this isn’t the whole story as the weigh sheets bare witness – plenty of good anglers struggled for bites – the small fish are really being missed. I tried to catch a Ronnie and managed just the one.

As for the pairs partner Chris Rolfe drew another difficult peg 56 behind the island. Still we are joint second with only second spot now being a reality - two more matches to go though.

 

The match was won by Mike Owen (pictured right with the accidental carp winner) with 32lb 9oz from peg 62.Mike caught at 13 and 14.5 metres out in front catching big Skimmers and Bream.

 

The accidental Carp was won by Mike Jones with one Carp for 11lb 12oz from peg 45. Mike caught it on the waggler using red maggot hook bait. Mike also managed two accidental Roach!

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Mike Owens 32-09-0 peg 62

2.      Mike Nicholls 30lb 2oz peg 48

3.      Paul Barnfield 13-0-0 peg 49

4.      Terry Bruton 9-04-0 peg 66

5.      Alan Jones 7-06-0 peg 61

6.      Mike Key 7-02-0 peg 60

 

Accidental Carp:

 

1.      Mike Jones 11-12-0 peg 45

 

The full section boards are shown below: