Sunday 28/04/2013 - KP Series - Round Four - Acorn Fishery - Paddocks and Canal

Having had breakfast in Shipham’s Boudoir (back shed) where Bela, only known to Stella had a medium breakfast.

 

It was my turn in B section – the best section of all. I didn’t mind where I drew (this always helps) but peg 9 would have been my choice. Having fought off a couple of Thyers lads I managed to get in to the draw container first. Guess what, out comes peg 9 – yippee.

 

Once again I had Dave Poole on next peg 8 and it wasn’t until peg 12 that I had the next Angler – Tom Thick. Who on earth comes to a match wearing flip flops and shorts when the temperature is 2 degrees – the lad pictured right does – Tom was shivering from tip to toe when he came round to me during the weigh in.

 

I was pleased with the peg because I could fish the far bank with less than 11.5 metres. However, the wind was quite stiff and bloody cold, coming in at me at 1-o-clock. I went for two rigs: 1 - 4x12 Jolly for the fat bank with a 20 – 808 to fish corn, maggot and soft pellet, plus an optimistic 0.3 paste rig. I was ready to start fishing at 9-45 so had to waste time until the all in at 10-30.

 

I started by feeding a few micro at 10 metres out on front and at 2-o-clock where I found a flat shelf. Starting on the 4mm soft pellet resulted in no indications. So switched to the corn and what followed for the next 1½ hours was the most frustrating and baffling time I have had fishing for many a year. I must have had 40 bites missing the lot. I switch back to soft pellet thinking it was liners only for the float to sit there unregistering. The same was for maggot. Back on the frustrating corn and I had a small Skimmer followed by a F1. This was no good. So I picked up the paste rig and caught Carp straight off, landing six in six put in’s. That was it I decided that I would stay on this until the end opening a paste line down to the left on my top set. By switching between the two swim I kept Carp coming regularly to near the end. I wasted the last 15 minutes in the margin because my hands were no playng up knowing that I could catch another Carp or two during this tome fishing over – this cost me a section win as it happened.

 

My few Silvers weighed a generous 4lb which did include a anorexic Tench and my 19 Carp 98lb 10oz. This left me second overall with 102lb 10oz a section second by 1lb 13oz – bugger – why didn’t I go back over – I knew what I should have done at the time – bugger.

 

The match was won by junior Joe McMahon (pictured right with some of hi catch) from peg 40 with a credible 104lb 7oz. Joe caught over, shallow (18 inches) with banded pellet over loose fed hard pellet – well done Joe.

 

The Silvers was again won by Mark Broomsgrove (pictured lower right) with 34lb 6oz from Canal peg 3. Mark caught on maggot over GB.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Joe McMahon 104-07-0 peg 40

2.      Mike Nicholls 102-10-0 peg 9

3.      Tom Thick 68-08-0 peg 12

4.      Matt Tomes 60-06-0 peg Canal 4

5.      Lance Tucker 59-14-0 peg 4

6.      Andy France 54-14-0 peg 13

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Mark Broomsgrove 34-06-0 peg Canal 3

2.      Pete Cassan 24-06-0 peg Canal 5

3.      Glenn Calvert 22-02-0 peg Canal 8

 

Weigh Sheets Follow:

 

 
 
 
 

Thursday 25/04/2013 - Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Bridge Pool

Apparently I have been ignoring the Disabled element of these matches, so 20 Coffin Dodgers and 5 Pill Poppers were on Bridge Pool today.

 

Bob "The Crooner" Price had been to WSM for the weekend and came back sporting a new hat (pictured right). If you look closely you can see where the Donkey ears have been cut out.

 

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 12, not normally in the draw! Mike Jones then realised that he had put the wrong pegs in the draw bag – an age thing I’m guessing. Into the draw bag again and out comes peg 33. Far bank and an end peg. This peg can be good for Ronnie’s and Carp, with Skimmers less likely.

 

I was looking to have a bit of a practice on the paste today with the anticipation that I could read it across to the Acorn KP series match this coming Sunday. So in addition to the Ronnie rig and a Skimmer 4x16 Jolly I set up a LH margin paste rig.

 

Starting on the Skimmer rig at 5 metres with maggot over GB I was surprised to catch Skimmers for the First hour plus one decent Tench putting 9lb 14oz in the net before for some unknown reason the swim completely died which I could not revive even though I kept trying.

 

On to the Ronnie rig with caster over caster and after just the one Ronnie foul hooked a Carp, which wasn’t on long. So this decided me to fish the paste for the remainder of the match. The result was a total of four lost foul hookers and three decent Carp in the net which weighed 27lb 6oz and when totalled with my Silvers took me to 37lb 4oz for 5^th overall and a pick up by default.

 

The match was won by Paul Haines (pictured right with the Silvers winner – I think Paul is just about awake must have had a hard day) with 88lb 12oz from peg 18. Paul Caught on the straight lead with popped up bread over loose fed punched bread. According to Ray Bazeley Paul spent half the match trying to catch Squirrels.

 

The Silvers was won by Mike Key with 15lb 13oz from peg 28. Mike caught on soft pellet over wetted micro at 10 metres.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Paul Haines 88-12-0 peg 18

2.      Martin Alexander 64-12-0 peg 24

3.      Chris Rolfe 53-0-0 peg 26

4.      Charlie Barnes 38-09-0 peg 11

5.      Mike Nicholls 37-04-0 peg 33

6.      Ray Bazeley 35-12-0 peg 21

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Mike Key 15-13-0 peg 28

2.      Alan Jones 14-06-0 peg 7

3.      Charlie Barnes 14-01-0 peg 11

4.      Mike Jones 12-12-0 peg 1 (Still some Ronnie’s still in the Lake then)

Weigh Boards Follow:

 

 

Sunday 21/04/2013 - Avon Angling Open - Plantation - Horseshoe Lake

When it comes to Bela versus Adam Richman there is only one winner – Bela. However, when it comes to Bela versus Stella, again there is only one winner, which left me driving Bela’s van to the match!

 

After a late breakfast at Shipham we were still an hour early for the 10 o clock draw – why so late?

 

In to the draw landing net and out comes peg 8, which is the first peg over the bridge on the right. The next peg being peg 20 on my left – Duh! Jason Radford arrived on this peg. Hence the need to describe the pegs rather than allocated peg numbers – the weigh sheet shown below is not in peg order, the plan of the pre modified Lake shown right helps in this respect.

 

Talking to both locals Paul Faiers and Glen Calvert it looked as if it was carp or nothing – how right they were.

 

Why is it that even though the walks to the pegs are ridiculously short Anglers still have to park as close to their pegs as possible even though they are potentially disturbing other anglers pegs? I thought Shane Casswell was going to try and get his car over the narrow bridge. I was pestered all day with cars and walkers coming along my end bank, which irritated me, probably more than the fish. I suggest next match (if there is one) a car is parked over the Lake entrance - Whinge over.

 

I decide on two rigs a 4x16 Jolly for Silvers with maggot over GB at 10 metres where I had eight foot of water and a 4x12 Jolly for both the inside RH margin and to the end bank at the same depth. On the “all in” I fed a ball of GB laced with a few dead reds at 11 o clock, followed by a few hard 4’s down to the RH margin at 5 metres, finally a mix of wetted micros and dead reds in to the end margin between to stick-ups.

 

Starting on the GB line I could not buy a bite. So I re-fed another dose of GB and tried the end margin with three dead reds. This resulted in three quick biggish Carp all foul hooked losing all of them! Too early for the margin I’m thinking, so it was back over the GB and first put in I had a bite which was a 2lb Skimmer foul hooked which resulted in nothing in the keep net. I fed again and went back to the end margin but this time with single corn and had three good Carp in three put in’s. That was the end of it for the next two hours with the GB line now abandoned in disgust it was time to try the short RH margin again with corn this resulted a missed bite followed by another foul hooked Carp. I spent the rest of the match to the end bank between the two stick ups landing another decent Carp and losing another foul hooked making it Mike 4 Carp 5!

 

My four Carp weighed in at exactly 25lb for 7^th overall in what was a tight match. I wish I could have landed a couple of those foul hooked fish as it may have produced some coin today.

 

The match was won by Trigger (pictured right sporting his new trend setting Polaroid’s) from the RH Island end point with 69lb of Carp.

 

The Silvers was won by Paul Faiers (pictured lower right with his catch) with 8lb of Skimmers. 

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Craig (Trigger) Edmonds 69-0-0 - Top end right Island

2.      Tony Rixon 50-01-0 – Top end outside shoe

3.      Shane Caswell 44-04-0 – Top end inside shoe left Island

4.      Clayton Hudson 37-06-0 – Middle outside shoe

5.      Steve Seager 35-03-0 – Middle far side Island

6.      Mike West 29-08-0 – Middle Island opposite Clayton

7.      Mike Nicholls 25-0-0 – End peg Far side Island

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Paul Faiers 8-0-0 - Next to Clayton

2.      Glen Calvert 4-08-0 – Far side outside shoe top end

 

Weigh Board:

 

 

Sunday 14/04/2013 - KP Pole Only Series - Round Three - Acorn Fishery

My son Mark made me feel proud today by coming 152^nd in the Brighton Marathon where 9000 runners took part. Mark did it in 3 hours 9 minutes which puts him in the elite start for his next marathon; He also raised well over £1,300 for his charity (http://www.justgiving.com/lena-paulsen).

 

Bela wanted to have breakfast at Shipham so did I as I was following him, Adam Richman did well!

 

It was my turn on the Match Lake (aka “The Dog Bone” or “The Canal”). I was looking forward to fishing this pool as I thought it would suit me with plenty of Skimmers and small Carp showing recently. With GB working well for the Skimmers – how things change without notice Glenn Bailey!

 

After being bullied out by the Thyers youngsters I finally reached the draw container and out comes peg 8. Furthest end peg and usually good for Carp. For company I had three Coffin Dodgers Dave Poole on next peg 7 and the Gimp on the first peg below the Bridge. The Thyers lads were about to get their ass kicked by the Pensioners!

 

It the first time I have fished this pool since it was modified. Peg 8 is interesting to say the least as there are too many choices on where to fish. I have a rule never to split the fish by opening too many swims, today was to break this cardinal rule. I set up three rigs all 4x12 Jolly’s with various coloured tips. One rig did the far bank at 12 o clock at 13 metres and up to the tins at 10 metres, The other the inside margin at 5 metres and lastly for at 9 metres at 2 o clock.

 

The 9 metres line was my banker for the Skimmers with dead reds over Pinkie and GB. I spent an hour pissing around with this resulting in one tiny Skimmers and a Rudd! I abandon this tout sweet.

 

Having fed some hard fours into the margin I tried it throughout the match resulting in nothing at all – not even a liner. So I was now left with the two swims – the tins and over. The up shot was that I caught a few Skimmers on both lines and later a few small Carp over at 13 metres using 4 mm expander over wetted micro with a smidgeon of hard 4’s.

 

I was caught wanting today as my 13 metres wasn’t long enough to get over close enough to the far bank. In needed another halt metre or so. Age doesn’t come alone as I realised later that I had a long top set in the rod bag that would have got closer to doing the job – bugger.

 

Never mind I was happy enough to weigh 22lb for a second in the section beaten only by future England Junior Joe McMahon who weighed 36lb 6oz. I would have beaten Joe had his Dad Martin sat with him throughout the match giving his usual advice!

 

The match was won by Mike Owens (pictured right) with 83lb 8oz from peg 7. Mike caught mainly Carp fishing soft pellet over kindered micro fished over to the far bank.

 

The Silvers was won by The Gimp (Pictured right - aka John Bradford). Like me John couldn’t catch over the GB and it wasn’t until he switched to soft pellet that he caught Skimmers to 12oz by switching between two swims.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Mike Owens 83-08-0 peg 7

2.      Pete Bartlett 75-14-0 peg 12
3.      Lewis Jones 70-12-0 peg 8

4.      Tim Ford 60-01-0 peg 30

5.      Andy France 54-03-0 peg 9

5.      Tom Thick 54-03-0 peg 40

7.      John Osborne 53-09-0 peg 38

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      John Bradford 16-12-0 peg 6

2.      Lance Tucker 14-15-0 peg 3

3.      Mark Broomsgrove 12-14-0 peg 36

 

Section Weigh Sheets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 11/04/2013 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's and Disabled - Withy Pool

After picking up Bob Warren and a breakfast at Asda it was off to Withy Pool. Where we welcomed new Dodger Charlie Barnes who is pictured right holding court with three other – last of the Summer Wine Dodgers.

 

In to the new tight fitting purple draw bag and out comes peg 42. All through the winter this peg hasn’t produce much if anything at all, but I was looking forward to reversing this – bit too optimistic as it happens.

 

I initially set up the one rig – 4x16 jolly. Peg 42 is only 13 metres wide with 5 metres easily reaching the deepest part of the swim. I choose to fish here as the water is extremely clear. Starting on the dead maggot over GB resulted in immediate bites from small Ronnie’s. This lasted about an hour before the swim completely died. I decided that the only way to coin was to catch a Carp, so I set up a 4x14 Jolly to ne fished up the far bank in 4 foot of water. I kept some micro and dead maggot going in but alas nothing not even a Ronnie.

 

I sat it out for two hours until one hour to go and as I was on the scales packed up early. My 15 small fish weighed a mere 1lb 13oz. The problem with this peg was the fact the water was so clear with the fish not willing to come close. I now wish I had gone down Viaduct with matey Chris Rolfe.

 

The match was won by Bob “Medium Sliced” Price (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with two Carp weighing 23lb 3oz from peg 59. Bob caught his first Carp first put in and the second one last put in (he must have been bored in between). Bob caught of 6mm expander over soft pellet.

 

The Silvers was won by Bath expat Rich Coles from peg 58. Rich had one 3lb Beam and a good few decent Perch taking his weight to 14lb 5oz. Rich caught on maggot over GB. Most of the top Silvers weights were boosted by Perch.

 

The most exciting part of the day was breaking in to Charlie Barnes Van because he had locked his keys in the back! Just a start of things to come now he’s joined the Dodgers me thinks! On Charlie's first practice visit last week he left his rod and reel on the roof of his van and drove off breaking it to smithereens. 

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Bob Price 23-03-0 peg 59

2.      Rich Coles 14-05-0 peg 58

3.      Pete Phillips 11-03-0 peg 66

4.      Andy Shields 11-02-0 peg 69

5.      Terry Bruton 9-12-0 peg 54

6.      Kevin Collins 8-13-0 peg 73

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Rich Coles 14-05-0 peg 58

2.      Andy Shields 11-02-0 peg 69

3.      Terry Bruton 9-12-0 peg 54

 

Weigh Boards Follow:

 

 

    

Sunday 07/04/2013 - Avon Angling Open - Landsend - All Waters

Bela recently finished his front garden patio (pictured right). There are a number of different sized phallic symbols. I couldn’t quite understand the theme. Then the penny dropped – It’s a burial ground for his past pets – Dog, Cat and three Hamsters!!!

 

Arriving at the fishery after a breakfast at the Lillypool Café it was off to the fishery and Mike Duckett has installed a new access gate. Luckily Mike realised that many of his fishing clients e.g. Trigger would need instructions on how to open and close it (gate sign picture lower right).

 

With all three lakes in I closed my mind as to where I wanted to draw. So I was initially delighted when I pulled peg 11 on Match Lake. The last time I drew it I weighed 45lb of Silvers, however, the peg has declined over the past few months, but there were worse pegs in the draw container. Bela drew peg 17, almost opposite.

 

For company opposite I had Tom Thick, who promised me he would be quite today – I thought it a bridge too far especially as Mike Duckett wasn’t in ear shot. I was right Tom just can’t help himself – amusing though – at times. I was also up against it for the one lake Silvers pool – my target today.

 

I set up three rigs:

1x 0.4 gram caster rig for down to the platform of peg 12 for caster over casters with the target being Perch.

1x 4x16 Jolly to be fished at 10 metres in the deepest part of the swim at 11 0 clock and at 1 0 clock in the shallower part (12 inches difference)

1x4x12 to be fished at 13 metres over to the island, for hopefully a few Ide and Chub.

 

I started by feeding half a pot of casters down to the peg 12 pallet and a few micros and maggot in to the deep swim at 11 o clock. This swim didn’t produce a single indication and came to the rapid conclusion that the fish were not down in the cooler water. So I fed the shallower swim identically, but before trying it went down to the pallet with double caster. I wasn’t long before I netted a 1lb 8ox Perch. Unfortunately next put in I lost won of a similar size. Other than a few small perch, that was it for this swim, especially as the wind had now blown some surface scum around the pallet making it difficult to get the bait in cleanly.

 

Over the 10 metre shallow line produced nothing on either soft pellet of maggot. I was fishing badly for the Silvers.

 

It was over to the island at the full 13 metres with double maggot over kinder potted maggot and micro. This resulted in three foul hooked Carp with just the one 3lb Carp getting in the keep net, but only after I did the keep net shuffle with the top set!

 

Things were desperate. The only option left to me was to try the GB on the 10 mere shallow swim. So in went one balled laced with Pinkie and I was surprised to get a bite and land a decent Skimmer. This one was followed by another three before I hooked the last one which unfortunately I lost because the elastic connector went over the kinder pot so was playing it on the top set – bugger.

 

My four Skimmers and few perch went 12lb 10oz for just 2oz out of picking up the Lake Silvers – bugger.

 

The match and the Silvers were won by Craig Edmonds aka Trigger (pictured right with some of his catch). Trigger started on hard pellet fished on the bottom into peg 21 catching all his Silvers and about 80 lb of Carp until mid match when he switched to fishing shallow using 8mm hard pellet – feeding nothing - mugging Carp adding the rest of his 226lb 3oz. Back to this again – Umm!

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Craig Edmonds 226-03-0 peg 22

2.      Dave Roper 97-12-0 peg 68

3.      Bela Bakos 70-12-0 peg 17

4.      Martin McMahon 65-14-0 peg 58

5.      Paul Elmes 65-07-0 peg 55

6.      Phil Harding 60-05-0 peg 70

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Craig Edmonds 17-08-0 peg 22

2.      Clint Wojtyle 17-02-0 peg 34

3.      Ken Rayner 15-04-0 peg 28

 

Weigh Boards Follow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 04/04/2013 - Bathampton AA/Veals Silvers Championship - Final Round - Withy Pool

I watched a program on channel 4 last night about “Global Weirdness”, which seems to have now replaced “Global Warming” – makes more sense to me! We are all now pissed with the weather.

 

This was the last of this years Silvers Championship matches and I needed a section win to make sure of the overall title. I was also in the knock out final against John Smith, plus there was an outside chance of a full sweep if the pairs came up trumps – second in the pairs was more realistic, after all I had Chris Rolfe to carry!

 

So with the car packed I was ready for the off but the car wasn’t – flat battery. So I rang the AA who wanted an additional £101 because I was park outside my house – something called home start. I told them they were taking the piss as when I was broken down outside the local shop they came without issue.

 

So I called Ray Bazeley who arranged for that nice man Paul Haines to pick me up. It was a bit of a panic transferring the fishing gear, which lead me to leave my camera in the car – bugger. Still I had my camera phone that was until I got home to find the SD card wasn’t working! Although Ray Bazeley leant me his camera I couldn’t down load to my laptop – double bugger – so no immediate pictures today.

 

I must admit I was a tad concerned with travelling with Paul as last match Ray didn’t shut the back doors of the van properly before travelling home from the Dando Arms and Ray’s Boss box fell out of the back of the van. The funny thing was that a following driver accused them of fly tipping!! Anyway I was thankful for the lift.

 

Arriving at the draw Mike Jones announced that he had to take out a peg from each section because of four no shows. So we were in redraw territory. So into the draw bag and out comes peg 69 – blanked last match – but hey, it was redraw again time – lucky me – next, out comes peg 70 – oh no – also blanked last match. John Smith initially drew peg 53 behind the island and was devastated. That was until I told him that he also had to draw again, with only peg 54 and 61 left, John pulls peg 61 – a flyer in comparison. I was expecting John to beat me in the knockout, which is OK for me as John has done his angling Apprenticeship on the local rivers and Canals and has been one of the few anglers that have successfully transferred to the Dark Side (Commercials).

 

After the very short walk to me peg I was delighted to find that the shipping container behind me was sheltering me from the biting easterly wind which was gusting at times. So with flat calmish water in front of me I would be able to present the bait quite well.

 

After a few phone calls, one of which was to the Avon Angling Auto Electrician Tim Clark who as usual was on my battery case. I was now running late so only had time for the ne 4x16 Jolly rig – the same rig as last match at Huntstrete, but I needed to reduce the rig by two feet. Similarly the bait tray consisted of GB, Pinkies and four week dead reds.

On the all in I fed a small ball of GB laced with a few Pinkies at 10 metres. I took 15 minutes to get my first bite a 2lb Skimmer. There appeared to be no small fish around so it was a waiting game. I caught very steady for the first four hours landing eight Skimmers (three pictured right) to 3 ½ lb when the bites dried up, adding only four 2oz Ronnie’s and a similarly sized bottle top.

 

I must say I didn’t expect to catch as well as I did weighing 19lb 8oz for first overall (my first match win in this series). So with the section win I won the overall and with John Struggling off his flyer I also won the knockout. I think we would have won the pairs if Rolfey hadn’t spent most of the match in the margins trying to beat Mike Jones in the Accidental Carp pool!

 

Mike Jones (pictured lower right with the match winner) once again won the Accidental Carp pool with the one Carp weighing 10lb 13oz. Mike caught it on his elasticated whip with maggot hook bait – amazing really.

 

Overall it was a well run and successful league with high double figure weights required to win each match. Now looking forward to the 2014 league

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Mike Nicholls 19-8-0 peg 70

2.      Dave Bacon 12-01-0 peg 48

3.      Paul Staite 10-15-0 peg 49

4.      Dave Wride 8-09-0 peg 66

5.      Rich Coles  8-08-0 peg 59

6.      Mike Jones 7-08-0 peg 43

 

Accidental Carp:

 

1.      Mike Jones 10-13-0 peg 43

2.      Chris Rolfe 7-04-0 peg 62

 

Overall League Results (Top Six pictured below):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weigh Sheets on the day: