Tuesday 28/05/2013 - Acorn Cost Cutter Open - Paddocks

With the Granddaughters off to Spain for half term I had Tuesday off from the school run so decided to go to either Woodlands or Acorn – Acorn won the day as it was closer. The weather forecast wasn’t promising either with rain all day. I was hoping they got it wrong – they didn’t! Because of this I wasn’t sure how many would be there and was surprised to find 15 hardy soles in attendance.

 

The fishery was planning to start putting wooden posts down the straight behind the “teen” pegs so these were left out. The organise Mike decided to select five golden pegs so the fund wouldn’t build up too high. Would I draw one – nope.

 

In to the draw bag and out comes ping-pong 37. 37? Never seen that peg in before, but was happy with it as I had plenty of room.

 

It was going to be an out and out paste attack; setting up two paste rigs both the same one yellow topped the other red. On the whistle I started as usual on the paste close in to the edge and I could believe it no indications what’s so ever – blimey. I was struggling, noticing the water was very clear. Luckily I had half a pint of casters left from Sundays match so I set up the Ronnie rig and had a thrash around with caster for a while catching a few Skimmers, bits and bobs and s few small Carp. I did keep trying the paste in close but it just wasn’t working. I was struggling. I decided the fish wouldn’t come in close because of the clarity. So with two hours to go I set up a paste rig to half depth and plumbed around until I found a purchase. I sat on this for the remainder of the match with the catch rate gradually increasing until the end – a bit like the rain! I felt it I needed another hour to really bag up but felt I saved my day with 15 decent Carp for a total of 80lb 7oz when adding my 7lb 7oz of Silvers. This put me third overall and last in the money.

 

The match was won by Dave Wride (Pictured right with the Silvers winner) from peg 2 (not a Golden peg either) with 116lb 4oz. Dave caught close in fishing paste one side and meat the other.

 

The Silvers was won by Andy Gard with 27lb from peg 31. Andy caught on caster over some strange looking yellow Sonubait GB laced with caster down the track.

 

Full Result (weigh sheet got soaking wet):

 

 

Sunday 26/05/2013 - KP Pole Only Series - Final Round - Acorn Fishery - Paddocks and Canal

After a week away in Devon with the Brighton Half of the family it was eagerly back fishing.

 

As it was the last match the pools were paid and it was a free draw. As I could only gain one more point, so it was more a question of not losing ground on the weight score, so I needed to be on any peg on Paddocks rather than the Canal. In to the draw box and out comes peg 6 on Paddocks, which will do. For company I had travelling partner Bela and Nick Harvey and his Jack Russell on peg 40.

 

It was my first time on this peg and with only a paste attack in mind I set up two paste rigs one for over to the corner of the bridge and the other down the RH margin (Bela had claimed my LH margin). Having plumbed around I fancied the peg may not be that conducive to paste as it has deep flat margins – committed now.

 

Starting in the LH margin I had a run of six quick Carp albeit on the small side. The problem with these fish and paste is that the bites are hard to read as the mess around with it – a bit like Skimmers and soft pellet. Bela was also catching well with banded pellet – that was until he switched to paste and foul hooked a dead mouse (pictured right)!! Both our swims died so I went out long with the paste and found that although I was getting plenty of indications I wasn’t adding much to the net, this due to the flat bottom I was fishing on, adding just another six Carp.

 

Half way through the match it looked as if no one was fishing for the Silvers and with the peg having a recent history of Silvers I thought about fishing for them – but I didn’t, something I wish I now did as I may have collected another £40.

 

And that is how my match went catching a few from each swim until the end. I was expecting to catch well in the last hour but it didn’t, weighing 73lb 2oz for a lowly 4 points. However, I did finish up joint second with Tom Thick, but Tom had a bigger weight than me so I finished the league in third place, making it every match a pick up.
 

 

The match was won by Brian Slipper (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 112lb 15oz from bridge peg 33. Brian caught over shallow with banded pellet.

 

The Silvers was won by Paul Faiers with 39lb 4oz from Canal peg A3. Paul caught on worm or maggot over sloppy GB.

 

For the overall league position see Chris Fox’s blog. However, the picture below shows the top three overall and the top three Silvers overall in the league (with the Silver crew pushing to the front). The overall league was won by Pete Bartlett helped by a second overall on the day, also pictured with today’s catch.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Brian Slipper 112-15-0 peg 33

2.      Pete Bartlett 112-03-0 peg 9

3.      Lewis Jones 108-14-0 peg 23

4.      Tony Rixon 99-15-0 peg 1

5.      Tom Ford 87-12-0 peg 8

5.      Tom Thick 87-12-0 peg 18

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Paul Faiers  39-04-0 peg Canal A3

2.      Glen Calvert 21-04-0 peg 30

2.      Russ Peck 21-04-0 peg Canal A8

 

Weigh Boards:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 15/05/2013 - Ian "Bloke" Pulsford Memorial Match - Bitterwell Lake

Another face from the past – Nick “The Stick” Iles (pictured right where has all that long dark hair gone). Nick is just getting back in to fishing again after a long lay-off limiting himself to pleasure fishing at the moment. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in a match soon.

 

It was a sell out of 20 pegs for today’s Blokes Memorial match. The match was organised by John Andres who had obviously put a lot of effort in getting some sponsorship from Bristol Angling Centre and providing food before and after the match.

 

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 4 on the road side. Happy with this as I would have a bit of cover from the awful weather, as it was only 5 degrees! For company I had fellow Coffin Dodger John Smith on peg 5.

 

I set up the usual Ronnie rig, a 4x14 Jolly for fishing at 10 metres with CW&C and a margin paste rig. I started on the Ronnie rig and caught Ronnie’s well for 15 minutes. The rest of the match was one of the worse struggles this year, just adding the odd small Ronnie and three micro Perch over the CW&C. My few fish weighed in at 5lb 1oz for a surprise third in the Silvers pickup. The Silvers were conspicuous by their absence. The paste was a non starter because on the shallow clear margin.

 

Fittingly the match was won by John Andres (pictured right with some of his catch) with 105lb 8oz from peg 18. John caught on the pellet waggler using banded 6mm hard pellet fished over lose fed 6’s. John caught both up in the water and on the deck where the majority of his catch came from – well done matey and thanks for today’s effort.

 

The Silvers was won by “Two Cars” Etheridge (pictured right with his catch) with 9lb 10oz. Gary as usual caught on various methods initially catching on caster and later switching to Pinkie (who takes Pinkie to a match in May?) to keep the Small Ronnie’s coming.

 

It was nice to see Blokes wife Marge at the match (pictured lower middle in the centre with a bouquet of flowers presented by John) with the motley crew that fished today.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      John Andres 105-08-0 peg 18

2.      Callum Dicks 86-02-0 peg 19

3.      Les Williams 86-0-0 peg 16

4.      Jeff Surmon 42-08-0 peg 17

5.      Paul Haines 37-09-0 peg 11

6.      Steve Dawson 32-0-0 peg 12

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Gary Etheridge 9-10-0 peg 20

2.      Andy Gard 7-9-0 peg 2

3.      Mike Nicholls 5-01-0 peg 4

 

 

Weigh Boards Follow:

 

Sunday 12/05/2013 - KP Pole Only Series - Acorn - Paddocks and Canal

First trip in Bela’s new van, when Bela bought it last week, it was 1400cc and then went to 1300cc and today Bela discovered its 1250cc, by this time next week it will be a tandem!

 

It was man against food again at Shipham. Bela ate three times as me in half the time – bring it on Adam.

 

In C section today – cyanide straight – or can be. I was hoping for a peg at either end or close to these pegs. I wasn’t to be as peg 18 stuck to my hand which is a close to the middle as you can get. For company I had fellow Coffin Dodger Dave Poole on peg 19 and fellow Blogger Joe McMahon on peg 16. At least the weather kept Martin Dad in his car most of the day. For the fourth match running I had the bloody wind in my face – I hate the wind, plus the temperature had fallen such that I was back to my winter clothes.

 

I set up two paste rigs – one 0.4 gram for the down wind RH margin and one for the bottom of the near shelf. I started in the margin with paste over hard 4’s and had six quick Carp before it went quiet. So I tries the paste rig at 4.5 metres again over hard 4’s and hook a carp straight away, unfortunately due to some bad angling - rushing  - the hook pulled. I didn’t have another bite over this line. So it was back in the margin only to find it was still quiet. As the wind was more or less direct at me I reluctantly decided to set up the 13 metre pole to use with the margin paste rig. I landed another six Carp, a small Tench and a Skimmer before I started to fatigue. So far I had pulled out of five Carp – all I can think of is that the fish weren’t taking the paste properly. Back in to the margin and I add another few Carp taking the total to 17 Carp. With ten minutes left I hook another Carp only for me to lose it trying to rush it out in time for another put in – and I didn’t have another bite – lesson to learnt here me thinks.

 

My 17 Carp weighed 65lb 10oz and when adding my two silvers it took my weight to 67lb 2oz for a section win and seventh overall.

 

The match was won by Tony Rixon (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 111lb 14oz from peg 40. Tony caught …see his blog.

 

The Silvers was won by Russ Peck with 25lb 12oz from Canal peg 5. Russ caught Skimmers on expander pellet fished over micro pellet.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Tony Rixon 111-14-0 peg 40

2.      Tom Thick 108-0-0 peg 30

3.      Andy France 82-12-0 peg 34

4.      Lewis Jones 80-07-0 peg 36

5.      Glen Bailey 68-11-0 peg 38

6.      Brian Slipper 68-11-0 peg Canal 4

7.      Mike Nicholls 67-02-0 peg 18

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Russ Peck 25-12-0 peg Canal 5

2.      Chris Fox 25-08-0 peg Canal 1

3.      Mark Broomsgrove 21-04-0 peg 6

 

Weigh Boards Follow:

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

   

Thursday 09/05/2013 - Viaduct Cost Cutter - Campbell and Carey

My match calendar put me on BAA Withy Pool with the coffin Dodgers and Pill Poppers. However, it hasn’t been fishing that well so I decided to fish the Viaduct Skivers Match. After a steady drive down I arrived just in time to be first in the queue for breakfast in Woody’s.

 

The weather was forecast to be horrendous with gales force winds to 60 MPH and heavy rain – nearly put me off. As it was, there was little to no rain, but they were right about the bloody wind.

 

In to the draw coffee tin and out comes peg 77 on Carey. Bugger I was hoping to be on Campbell. After a chat with Steve Long I decided to go with the Silvers. Arriving at the peg I soon discovered that I was to spend the day being blasted direct in the face by the wind.

 

I set up two paste rigs one to fish long at 4 metres (0.4 gram) and the other (0.2 gram) for the margin. Finally the Ronnie rig. After feeding some hard 4’s at 4 metres I started on the Ronnie rig with caster over caster and had a reasonable first hour after which it went quite, so I went over the caster with paste and was soon retying a new hook due to a foul hooker breaking me. I then made a dreadful mistake by feeding hard 4’s over the caster only to bring in more Carp instead of the big Skimmers and Tench I was hoping for. The fact that I haven't been down here for a while showed. I tried the 4 metre line with paste only to lose another hook. It took two hours and four more lost Carp landing just the one 12 pound Common to reverse back on to the caster when I caught some more Hybrids, Skimmers and Ronnie’s to the end. My Silvers weighed 33lb 3oz for third in the Silvers.

 

The match was won by Lee Werrett (pictured upper right with three of his Carp that weighed 45lb) with just 35 Carp for 318 lb 9oz from peg 81. Lee caught on the pole up to the Monk catching on meat over meat.

 

The Silvers was won by Paul Blake (pictured right with some of his Skimmer and Tench catch) with 69lb 15oz (all in one net – good estimating matey!). Paul caught down his LH margin using meat over meat.

What a fishery, glad I don't have to weigh in at this fishery!

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Lee Werrett 318-09-0 peg 81

2.      Paul Blake 241-07-0 peg 115

3.      Dan White 236-04-0 peg 116

4.      Paul Greenwood 192-10-0 peg 114

5.      Dave Romain 185-13-0 peg 132

6.      Chris Rolfe 172-06-0 peg 119

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Paul Blake 69-15-0 peg 115

2.      Mark Wynne 36-11-0 peg 129

3.      Mike Nicholls 33-3-0 peg 77

 

The Incredible weigh sheet follows (14 Anglers breaking the ton): 

 

Sunday 05/05/2013 - Avon Angling Open - Chiltern Trinity - Woodlands

Day two of a double header weekend, this time Chiltern Trinity – Woodlands. Breakfast was at Hilltop café and a good breakfast it was, plus I had a surprise encounter meeting up with Colin Wilkinson a team mate of old, he didn’t look much difference except his gray hair – you certainly wouldn’t believe he’s 70 – a great river angler and still fishes the Warwickshire Avon.

 

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 32 – again as I drew this last time I was here. Still plenty of room and a decent Silvers and Carp peg. For company on next peg 31 I had match organiser Rip-off Rixon (it’s not what Bela calls him). There was a match on the small Lake behind making the causeway very busy as pictured right.

 

For some reason I have always struggled to catch Silvers in the deep water, so I only set up the Ronnie Rig and a paste rig, both to be fished in the LH margin.

 

I chose to start on the Ronnie rig with single caster over loose fed caster. The problem with this Lake it is absolutely rammed with Motherless Minnows which are difficult to avoid at the best of times. Being surface feeders they rarely feed on the bottom so I fished very close to the bank which did help to some degree. I caught small Skimmers, Rudd and Ronnie’s regularly for the first hour thoroughly enjoying myself until I hooked a Carp. I kept on but the swim had slowed because the next fish was also a carp. So it was time to change to the paste. This resulted in eight decent Carp to 16lb. The eleventh fish which was another decent Carp snagged me breaking the hook – bugger. The paste bait was then being munched by the Ronnie’s so it was back out on the caster until it went quite again with the paste accounting for another four Carp. The last fifteen minutes was spent of the caster finding that the better Silvers had moved in – bit too late.

 

My Silvers weighed 11lb 4oz and my 14 Carp 70lb 6oz for a total of 90lb 10oz. This put me 7^th overall picking up second in the Silvers in what was a very close match as the result bare witness. That lost Carp cost be second place overall, but I guess everyone lost a Carp or two.

 

The match was won by Tony Rixon (pictured right) from peg 31 with 134lb 2oz. Tony caught see his blog….Three quarters through the match I did have him deep sighing again! But his last hour was very productive.

 

The Silvers was won by John Bradford (pictured right with the other half of the fishing business empire) from peg 2 with 17lb 2oz. John caught on both long pole with soft pellet and in his RH margin with caster.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Tony Rixon 134-02-0 peg 31

2.      Kevin Moulton 98-05-0 peg17

3.      Craig Edmonds 97-10-0 peg 22

4.      Glenn Bailey 95-04-0 peg 8

5.      Joe McMahon 93-06-0 peg 13

6.      Vic Bush 92-13-0 peg 29

7.      Mike Nicholls 90-10-0 peg 32

8.      Shaun Townsend 90-04-0 peg 28

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      John Bradford 17-02-0 peg 2

2.      Mike Nicholls 11-04-0 peg 32

 

Weigh Sheets:

 

Saturday 04/05/2013 - Acorn Fishery Open - Paddocks

Son Steve managed to get a day put fishing and it was a toss up whether we went to Hillview or Acorn. Acorn won the vote because of the potential holiday traffic on the M5 and it would be Steve’s first visit. The bonus was I could put in a bit of practice for the KP series next week. So today I was hoping for a peg in C section (pegs 12 to 22).

 

Arriving at the draw it was good to see Leyton Palmer out fishing again – it must be warming up then, which helped the attendance to 21 anglers.

 

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 15, so I got my wish. However, arriving at the peg I wish I could fish the opposite bank as I had the gusting wind coming into me at 1 o clock. I must say the venue wasn’t pegged as I and many others had expected, with a number of good pegs left out (see weigh sheets below). Steve drew peg 36.

 

I intended only fishing paste so set up just the two paste rigs, one rig for down the inside shelf at 4 metres at 1 o clock and the other for the RH margin on my top set.

 

For company I had that nice bloke Andy France on peg 13 (peg 12 was empty). We thought we were out of the main money today and with no section money we decoded to have our own little battle.

 

I started on the deep rig feeding the hook bait paste and micro together in the kinder pit. There was some activity put must of it was liners well above the hook bait. After some perseverance I did catch one Carp and a 1lb Skimmer. However, the wind was so fierce that my eyes started to sting so gave this line up in favour of the margin rig.

 

The wind was a real nightmare for me drastically affecting my feeding and presentation. I kept preserving and did land another 2 - 1lb Skimmers and 16 decent Carp. Because of both the feeding and presentation I lost four foul hooked Carp. I fed a lot more than I usually do due to the wind blowing in my bait box!

 

My three Skimmers weighed 3lb 8oz and my Carp 74lb 15oz for a total of 78lb 5oz.

 

I did have a quite last hour whereas Andy had a good’un over taking me during this time. We were both surprised to get in the top three and a pick up – well done matey. I enjoyed your company today pity about the wind.

 

As I said Andy France (pictured right with some of his catch) won the match with 87lb 12oz from peg 13. Andy Caught 75% of his fish over to the far bank on either soft pellet and later bagging on sweet corn. 25% came from his RH margin using the same baits and feeding pattern.

 

The Silvers was won by Andy Gard (pictured lower right with the match winner) with 29lb 3oz from peg lonely peg 9. Andy caught on maggot.

Steve weighed 31lb 10oz - Hillview next time then!

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Andy France 87-12-0 peg 13

2.      Dave Wride 80-04-0 peg 6

3.      Mike Nicholls 78-05-0 peg 15

4.      Mike Owens 71-04-0 peg 40

5.      Leyton Palmer 64-15-0 peg 38

6.      Mike Walsh 59-03-0 peg 21

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Andy Gard 29-03-0 peg 9

2.      Dom Sullivan 21-01-0 peg 18

 

Weight Sheets Follow: