Sunday 29/07/2013 - Avon Angling Open - Chiltern Trinity - Woodlands

With talk that big weights of Skimmers have been coming out on paste I was looking forward to this match. However, although I looked at the weather forecast including the wind speed which was predicted to be 18 mph, I wasn't prepared for what I was about to be faced with  high gusting to gale force winds.

 

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 10 on the far bank which is usually a good peg for the Silvers. That said arriving at the peg the wind was driving directly into it – bugger.

 

I set up a Ronnie rig and two paste rigs one for the margin and the other to be fished out as far I dare, my choice of distance of 9 metres was far too ambitious as it proved and was a big mistake, 5 metres would have been my hindsight choice. Anyway I started on this line feeding two big pots of micro where I think I was soon getting some fizzing (hard to be sure with the wind driven waves). First put in with paste I had a Carp which even though it was only a 3lb Common it took an age to land because the water was 8 foot deep which necessitated for me to wind the elastic right in to reach it with the landing net from the high platform. I persevered with this line even though the float and paste was travelling with the wind, hence the need to hold the float back a bit which isn't easy in the wind. I found I was getting nibbles from small fish which I later took as small hybrids (2 to 4oz) that has suddenly put in an appearance on the venue. Because of the wind I decided to have a go on the paste in the RH margin and had four quick Carp again 3 lb Commons which fought like stink. The fifth in the margin was a much bigger Carp which after a long scrap wrecked my rig under the platform.

 

I suppose it had to happen sooner or later (I would have preferred much later) my hands were hurting so much due to the Arthritis and being off pain killers at the moment. I felt I had to stop fishing for the Carp as I could not keep up with these hard fighting fish and the speed at which I was catching them. I decided to stow away well behind me my paste top sets out of harms way and fish for Silvers on the Ronnie rig and caster. At least by fishing in the RH margin I would have the wind off my back. And that’s what I did for the rest of the match albeit some interruptions from the wind blowing my rig in to the edge vegetation – bloody wind. I think I was taking my frustration of my weakened hands out on the wind.

 

My five Carp weighed 13lb 7oz and my net of mainly small Hybrids and Ronnie Slime weighed 17lb 15oz. This put me third in the Silvers being beaten out of second place by two dubious Common Carp hybrids that supposedly didn’t have any barbules. You have to go with the scales man decision in such cases.

 

Even so my hands were still very sore (as was my face due to wind burn) during the night.

 

The match was won by Shaun Townsend (pictured right with some of his catch) with 163lb 11oz from peg 11 (next to me). Shaun caught on meat down to the empty platform peg 12 (as did Gordon Cannings from peg 13). Shaun fed his meat through the kinder pot. I think I made the right choice in swapping to the Silvers as I could not have played and landed that weight of fish today).

 

The Silvers was won by Craig Edmonds (pictured right with his net of Skimmers) with 26lb 8oz from peg 24. Craig caught on 8mm meat at 6 metres over lose fed meat. A great result considering he left his all tackle home except his rod holdall. You don't get the nick name Trigger for no reason.

 

Full Result:

 

1. Shaun Townsend 163-11-0 peg 11
2. Tony Rixon 115-01-0 peg 20
3. Adrian Jeffery 113-01-0 peg 15
4. Alan Oram 107-06-0 peg 31
5. Glenn Bailey 106-0-0 peg 6
6. Gordon Cannings 101-15-0 peg 15

 

Top Silvers:

 

1. Craig Edmonds 26-08-0 peg 24
2. Clint Wojtyle 22-03-0 peg 28
3. Mike Nicholls 17-15-0 peg 10

 

Weigh Board Follows:

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 24/07/2013 - Amalgamation Summer Open League - Pawlett Ponds

The last and first time I fished Pawlett Ponds was a pleasure session with Dad when I was a teenager. It’s strange because I have never forgotten that day. I remember dad hooking a big Eel and losing it then again a big Tench which he did land. As for me I sat there catching small Rudd and Ronnie’s all day which I thoroughly enjoyed. This pleasure session influenced my match fishing immensely throughout the years. For me it is about getting bites and more the merrier irrespective of size (Motherless Minnows excluded), rather than catch a big weight or big fish. This probably explains my demeanour regarding Ronnie fishing.

 

After a breakfast in Hill Top with Mike Jones it was off to find the fishery which we didn’t on first attempt. I was sure I could identify the swims dad and I fished. However, it looked totally different with high sedges around all the four ponds. Mike and I walked the ponds twice. Mike was salivating about all the Rudd we could see in the majority of pegs. Mike was going to set up just three whips to focus on them all match. I could also see millions of Motherless Minnows (thank god that they haven’t yet migrated further north than the Huntspill)!  I wasn’t sure as in my experience after the first few minutes they do a disappearing act.

 

In to the draw hessian bag and out comes peg 4 (see pond layout and pegging right) at least I would be in the shade for most of day because I had a Willow tree on my left. Because Andy Smith had pegged it for 20 and 16 were in attendance it meant that there would be some pegs not drawn. Lucky for me the two pegs to my right weren’t drawn (5 & 6) which left me with half a pond. However, I wasn’t as lucky as Pete Greenslade who had Pond 4 to himself!

 

After checking the platform would take my weight I set up two paste rigs one to be fished at 6 metres where I had five foot of water and the other under the Willow into a very deep 3 foot margin. Under the influence of Mike Jones I set up two whips one at 3 metres and the other at 2 metres. Finally a 4x16 Jolly to be fished at 5 metres to the end of the tree with CW&C (I didn’t know what to expect hence so many differing rigs).

 

On the whistle I fed a pot of micro in at 6 metres, a put of CW&C at 5 metres, started to lose feed 4’s in the margin. After thrashing around with caster/maggot for half hour catching 10 small Rudd and an abundance of tapping by the Motherless, I switched to the worm line and once again I was getting tapping from Motherless. I switched to maggot and foul hooked a 3oz Eel, followed by two tiny Perch which both fell off. This rig was then dumped along with the whips. So it was out on the familiar pasted and I was soon fighting an over zealous 3lb Wild Carp. Out again on the paste and I had a 2 ½ lb Skimmer followed by a 8oz Hybrid, that was it for the Silvers for the rest of the match. I then had a run of three Wild and one Mirror Carp. I then had a blank two hours during which I had a disaster when my catch was reduced from five to four! One of the Wild carp decided to jump put of the keep net landing at my feet and scaring the living daylights out of me. I did have it trapped between my feet foe a few seconds whilst I tried to ship my pole back to b ring my hands into action, but alas not back it went – bugger. With half hour to go I hooked another Carp which did me in the sedges – fair play to the Carp it really fooled me. I then hooked and landed two more. Just before the whistle I hooked another Carp which I got too confident with and once again I ended up losing it in the Sedges – bugger again.

 

My Silvers weighed 3lb 13oz and my Carp 28lb 4oz for a total of 32lb 1oz for third in the Silvers and second overall.

 

The match was won by Colin Dyer (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 34lb 4oz (ouch) from peg 16. Colin caught all his Carp on double sweet corn over pellet fished in his margin. Colin also had a disaster with one Wild Caro taking his top three!

 

The Silvers was won by Pete Greenslade from lonely peg 7 with about 100 Rudd caught dapping maggot.

 

As for Mike Jones who drew peg 11 he DNW'ed and Dave Bacon Blanked!

 

Full Result:

 

1. Colin Dyer 34-04-0 peg 16
2. Mike Nicholls 32-01-0 peg 4
3. Barry Fitchew 18-11-0 peg 21
4. Pete Greenslade 14-10-0 peg 7
5. Bob Black 14-08-0 peg 2
6. John Osborne 13-03-0 peg 18

 Top Silvers:

 

1. Pete Greenslade 4-10-0 peg 7
2. Andy Smith 3-15-0 peg 14
3. Mike Nicholls 3-13-0 peg 4

 

Weigh Sheets follow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 21/07/2013 - Avon Angling Float Only League - Shiplate Farm Fishery - All Lakes

The day after I agreed to stand in for Clint Wojtyle in the AA Float only league at Shiplate Fishery we were invited to a friends Pool party. I thought about cancelling but as I never like letting people down so I decided to go. However, the Special One went and I joined her after the match.

 

By the sounds of it the Silvers was only going to be won from the Main Lake. So a peg on here would do me – or so I thought.

 

In to the draw box and out comes peg 3A on the Main Lake. This Lake is primarily a Specimen Lake with very wide platforms for the Bivvy brigade, but the owners are gradually opening it up to matches so have inserted pegs in between the main pegs, hence “A” pegs.

 

Arriving at the peg I could see the bank was built up with large stones so using my landing net handle discovered they were out at far as 4 metres before the stones stopped. So no real margin here then – bugger.

 

So with very little cover it was going to be an out and out Silvers attack. So I set up a 4x16 Jolly and two paste rigs one for the margin just out beyond the stones and the other to fish over the Jolly line at 7 metres.

 

I decided I might need some GB and luckily enough I was just behind the travelling tackle shop Chris Fox who gave me a bag of his unlucky mix of Gimps and Lake.

 

I started on the soft pellet over micro expecting a bite first put in, but it didn’t happen. After 15 minutes I did have 6oz Crucian and one tiny Ronnie. An-Ton Page who was on next peg 3 was also struggling and went out on the waggler. It was then that I saw a massive swirl in the water between our pegs I initially thought it was Walrus like, so to stop myths I photographed it (pictured right). I was wrong it was An-Ton swimming around (the teeth's the give away) collecting discarded line that was impeding his waggler casting. An-Ton has a reputation for going in the water and I think he has a fetish for sitting in wet knickers.

 

Whilst the Walrus was playing around I decided to put on ten ball of GB laced with casters on the 7 mere line and a pint of dead maggot on the inside 4 metre line. As I was getting a blow over the GB I put the paste over it and had a 2 ½ lb Skimmers followed after a long wait before another two 8 oz Skimmers. I tried all the usual baits to try and catch and did have a few tiny fish on red Maggot. With two hours I was hot and wishing I was at the pool party with the Special one. I did try the 4 metre line with paste and lost a foul hooker before I decided to give it up with half hour left.

 

My Silvers went 7lb 9oz for last in section (sorry Clint).

 

The match was won by Tom Mangnall (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 140lb 8oz from peg 6 on West Pool. Tom caught shallow on banded hard 6 mm pellet fished at 8 metres heavily feeding 8 pints of 6’s throughout the match.

 

The Silvers was won by Joe McMahon (pictured below centre with a 7lb Sturgeon – what a strange looking fish - caviar tonight Dad) as the fish was classes as a Silverfish it significantly contributing to his overall Silvers weight of 19lb 7oz. All Joe’s fish fell to banded 8 mm pellet. Well done matey.

 

 

The boy came good today coming in 6th overall beating both Des Shipp and Tony Rixon off next pegs. Well done Bela. There probably wasn't time on the drive home to explain how the full match went!! According to Bela Des is still on his peg trying to workout where it all went wrong!

 

The few times I have been to this fishery there always seems to be some improvement in terms of the match fishing. Match anglers tend to be impatient, but developing a fishery of this size does take time.

 

Full Result:

 

1. Tom Mangnall 140-08-0 peg 6 West Pool
2. Paul Elmes 108-04-0 peg 7 Hawthorne
3. Adrian Jeffery 103-04-0 peg  9 Hawthorne
4. Craig Edmonds 94-04-0 peg 10 Main
5. Dean Malin 77-14-0 peg 4 Main
6. Beal Bakos 69-05-0 peg 15 Main

 

Top Silvers:

 

1. Joe McMahon 19-07-0 peg 8 Main
2. Tom Thick 18-01-0 peg 7 Main

 

Weigh Boards Follow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 18/07/2013 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's and Disabled - Bridge Pool

First things first, today was Darren Gillman’s  50^th birthday, so I stopped off on the way to the Coffin Dodgers to give him his birthday card and his Special One gave me a coffee. His work mates bought him a blow up simmer frame (pictured right). Darren’s has all the other blow up toys! I was then off fishing and Darren was off to a surprise day out.

 

It was in to the draw bag and out comes peg 28. I was happy with this. Arriving at the peg it had a brown wooden stake (pictured lower right). Apparently this depicts a Divvy Bivvy peg. I can’t understand any discerning Carp anger wanting to catch the small Carp on this pool. Next year many of these fish will have their mouths torn apart after being hauled in by 20lb lines.

 

I set up the Ronnie rig and two paste rigs one to ne fished at 4 metres a bit up the inside shelf over, as it happens over an horrendous snag. The other rig  for in to the bay to my right. I deliberated about this all match as I thought I might not be able to attract the Carp in to the bay from the main body of water. To some extent I was right.

 

I started on the Ronnie rig with Barry Fitchew’s casters and had a run of one Perch! This rig was abandoned after this and I went out to 4 metres with the paste and as I said I snagged up two times line with only a lost foul hooked Carp to show for it.

 

It was far too early to go in to the margin, but that’s where I spent the rest of the Match on paste landing one more Silver, a 1lb 10oz Skimmer and ten Carp, losing 3 – two foul Hookers and one other the hook pulled.

 

My Silvers weighed 1lb 12oz and my Carp 76lb 10oz for a match winning total of 78lb 6oz.

 

The Silvers was won by Rich Coles (pictured right with the match winner) with 13lb 8oz from peg 7. Rich caught Skimmers on chopped worm and caster.

 

Full Result:

 

1. Mike Nicholls 78-06-0 peg 28
2. Pete Greenslade 59-01-0 peg 24
3. Dave Poole 55-01-0 peg 17
4. Mike Jones 47-14-0 peg 8
5. Chris Rolfe 46-12-0 peg 18
6. Rich Coles 44-07-0 peg 7 

Top Silvers:

 

1. Rich Coles 13-08-0 peg 7
2. Mike Taylor 13-06-0 peg 32
3. Bill Ferris 10-14-0 peg 31
4. Dave Gillard 10-0-0 peg 29

 

Weigh Boards Follow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 17/07/2013 - Avon Angling Open - Acorn Fishery - Paddocks

It’s now official we are in a heat wave with today the hottest day of the year – so far. Temperatures are creeping up daily – expect 30 degrees tomorrow. No moaning please.

 

With my usual Wednesday travelling partner, Glenn Bailey preferring work to fishing I was on my own today for Rip offs Wednesday match. There was the usual Tuesday match yesterday with 20 fishing. However, not to worry about the fish being fed off for our match today as most of the fish were in Des Shipp’s keep nets for most of the day. Des weighed 300lb from peg 10!

 

The match was pegged between peg 1 and 21 so all good pegs as far as I am concerned. So in to the draw tin and out comes peg 7. I was happy with this as I have yet to fish it. For company on peg 6 I had Martin “The Method” Alexander.

 

I set up two paste rigs one for each side margin and the other to fish a top set plus one down the inside shelf and one Ronnie rig to thrash around with smelly caster.

 

I started on the Ronnie rig with caster and had a 3lb Carp first put in followed by a few smaller versions. I then started to get bites from very tiny fish (this year’s fish which look like they are going to be Skimmers one day). I switched to the paste in the LH margin and had a few more Carp before it went iffy with Silver fry taking a liking to my paste (these may become a nuisance for paste anglers). Time to try the deeper paste rig which after a ait resulted in better Carp but it was slow. On this line I did have my usual 3lb Tench and a couple of Skimmers. The upshot was by swopping between the two paste lines I kept a few Carp coming albeit a bit on the small size. With an hour to go I concentrated on the LH margin and had the fish lined up until I lost one in a snag which I mange to dislodge making it far worse losing another two fish to it before the end even though I was trying to play fish around it – bugger, I also lost a float! This affected the fishing for the last hour somewhat which was a bit disappointing.

 

I had 16 small Carp and 20 better ones for 120lb 11oz and my Silvers went 6lb 10 oz for a total of 127lb 5oz for second overall, but only just!

 

The match was won by Tony “Rip Off” Rixon (pictured right with some of his catch) from peg 1 (again) with an excellent on the day weight of 209lb 10oz. Tony caught on … see his blog.

 

The Silvers once again was won by Barry Fitchew (pictured right with his mixed catch of Silvers) with 23lb 8oz from peg 12. Barry caught on red maggot over red maggot from each of his margins and out in front. Barry fed bout two pints through out.

 

Full Result:

1.      Tony Rixon 209-10-0 peg 1

2.      Mike Nicholls 127-05-0 peg 7

3.      Phil Harding 126-15-0 peg 15

4.      Joe McMahon 109-01-0 peg 4

5.      Roy Healy 106-07-0 peg 10

6.      Jamie Dyke 105-06-0 peg 21

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Barry Fitchew 23-08-0 peg 12

2.      Clive Feddery 19-11-0 peg 9

 

Weigh Sheet Follows:

 

 

Sunday 14/07/2013 - Avon Angling Open - Sedges - Brick Lake

John London is one of my blog followers, a fellow photographer and more important a Fry’s AA old boy. John doesn’t live far from the Sedges and came down to check I really use Colmic Jolly floats. We spent a good hour having an open surgery comparing our ailments, all we needed was Bela!! One thing John let slip was that Bob Warren was a good table tennis player – well Bob had to do something useful all those years at Fry’s!

 

Well it was back to that wonderful venue “The Sedges”. I have missed fishing this venue particularly my tussles on the Silvers with Darren Gillman. He’s too busy catching bugger all on the Huntspill and Gloucester Canal.

 

I was hoping for any corner peg or pegs 4 to 8 and opposite these pegs.

 

Tony at last recognised that the old and infirm should draw first – a pity Trigger ignored this. I was first in but only just and pulled peg 4. So I was happy with this.

 

I had a plan, because last Thursday at the Coffin Dodgers I had a chat with Rich Coles who is a bit of a Sedges venue expert on the Silvers. He told me the last Silvers were won with 70lb on CW&C and him and Paul (his fat mate) had 40lb on paste. So I set up a 4x16 Jolly to fish the worm at 9 metres at 10 o clock and a 0.75 gram paste float to be at the same length fished at 2 o clock.

 

On the whistle I fed a pot of CW&C, and on the other line a pot of Micro. I started on the worm (which is worse having you head and tail torn off and impaled of a 16 hook or being left out in the sun until baked in to twig)? The upshot, there was lots of fizzing going on with no bites. I put this down as Eels supping up the caster. So after half hour I switched to the paste (thanks Rich) and had a Skimmer first put in. That was it, past for the rest of the match then, dripping in a few 4’s with the paste after every fish. I caught twenty four Skimmers steady throughout the match interrupted by three Carp.

 

My Silvers weighed 45lb 8oz (pictured right with the capture) and my three Carp 16lb 14oz for a total of 62lb 6oz. This gave me first in the Silvers and 7^th overall.

 

A (proper days fishing - can't say that as I am sure more Silvers was caught in the Super League on the Huntspill on the pole today), even though I went home baked but not quite a twig.

 

The match was won by Craig Edmonds (pictured right with the Silvers winner - holding him a bit too tight me thinks) who according to him drew a crap peg 1, mugging/stalking/trashing about landing 144lb 13oz of Carp on hard banded pellet. The only thing I like about this method is that you don’t feed anything.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Craig “Trigger” Edmonds 144-13-0 Corner peg 1

2.      Tony Rixon 117-04-0 Corner peg 11

3.      Shaun Townsend 93-02-0 peg 17

4.      Adrian Jefferies 76-15-0 peg 2

5.      Leon Hubbard 67-02-0 peg 12

6.      Paul Elmes 63-0-0 peg 15

7.      Mike Nicholls 62-06-0 peg 4

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Mike Nicholls 45-08-0 peg 4

2.      Shaun Townsend 22-04-0 peg 17

3.      Nick Brown 18-12-0 peg 6

 

Weigh Sheet Follows:

 

 

Wednesday 10/07/2013 - Amalgamation Summer Open League - Round Two - Sabre Lake

After a wasted trip to the Lyneham Café because it was their day off (that’s what the sign said. It was off to the Berger van opposite the Calne fishery with Barry Fitchew following. The van looked clean enough but I went for an egg and bacon roll. Barry went for a full breakfast. What can I say other than the old lady serving was looking forward to retirement – so are we now!!

 

Mike Jones has bought a new Match Box and combo trolley (pictured right with the low profile tyres). However, what ever time Mike made up on the bends and straights he lost setting it in the Pits setting it up and breaking it down!

 

In to the very deep draw bag and out came peg 23? All I knew was I was next to the Scud and again who was on peg 24. Luckily the Ashes started today so I had the radio on day. We were on the far bank. Last match in the series some low life stole the scales. However, arriving at the peg someone had stolen my platform (pictured right). Glad I had my wellies!

 

To be fair Andy Smith did warn us at the draw that it would fish hard – he meant crap. Don’t you hate it when he’s right!

 

Throughout the day I set up all sorts to try and catch either a Silver or a Carp. The upshot was that I only could catch on soft 3mm pellet over GB. Fishing this at 9 metres on the drop is sole destroying, but compared with Scud next door (everyone else on our side was facing at 90 degrees to us) I was doing well. I did finally succumbed and spent the last half hour on the paste to no avail.

 

My hard earned Silvers weighed 9lb 4oz for a pick up in 4^th in the Silvers. And unbelievably 7^th overall – blimey it did fish hard crap.

 

It is an excellent looking Lake in a good position.

 

The match was won by Barry Fitchew (pictured right with his Silvers) with 21lb 6oz from peg 20. Barry caught on both his whip and pole using either caster or maggot. Barry did land one of his five Carp he hooked.

 

The Silvers was won by Mike Jones (pictured right with his catch) with 14lb 9oz from peg 25. Mike caught mainly on the whip using either caster or maggot.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Barry Fitchew 21-06-0 peg 20

2.      N Huggett 20-0-0 peg 14

3.      Mike Jones 14-09-0 peg 25

4.      John Osborne 13-09-0 peg 21

5.      Colin Golding 12-04-0 peg 11

6.      Gary Davis 11-14-0 peg 3

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Mike Jones 14-09-0 peg 25

2.      Barry Fitchew 12-02-0 peg 20

3.      Gary Davis 11-14-0 peg 3

4.      Mike Nicholls 9-04-0 peg 23

 

Weigh Sheets follow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 07/07/2013 - Avon Angling Float Only - Landsend - All Lakes

My long time friend is in the process of strengthening my top sets where they have worn through shipping and fitting with PTFE side pullers (pictured right). I must say he has made a brilliant job of them adding another few years to their life expectancy.

 

The weather has taken a sudden change from autumn to a heat wave with temperatures soaring to 30 degrees. This was call for the Flip Floppers to start tanning themselves. Two Floppers are pictured right a before and after, however, Trigger (the white one) came back the same colour and An-Ton came back darker! Dave Haines has up to now avoided the Silverfox cameras but some how sneaked in today, not sure what he’s doing!

 

Arrived home at 19:30 feeling hot, tired, dehydrated and the hands were playing up, so and after the traditional Pinky Ponk and the Sunday roast it was off to bed.

 

I am not fishing the league but standing in where possible and "today Matthew" I was John Thomas Thompson also known as Torque Turkey. I am told by his mates mate that he always draws a flyer. I can now tell you he doesn’t. In to the draw bag and out comes peg 3 on Match Lake. This meant I would be in the sun all day – bugger. Never mind I was told it was a good Silvers peg (the peg is generally one to avoid in the winter). Umm, arriving at the peg I was welcomed by mugger’s paradise (pictured right). Never mind I was sure Paul Elmes on peg 1 and Tom Thick on peg 24 would soon be thrashing around after them and they even tried a number of times up the end bank trees which I thought was a tad optimistic. On the other side of me I had “Two Fords” Etheridge on peg 5.

 

I decided to set up the 4x14 Jolly for the Silvers at 5 metres at 10 o clock, a paste rig to fish ay 9 metres at 12 o clock and a margin paste rig that would fit three swims – down to peg 2 pallet half way along on the Left and just on the top set to the Right (which meant looking at Gary).

 

Mike Duckett came along and said they had been catching the Silvers on CW&C, bugger I had left my worms on the garage floor, no doubt cooking by now. So with this on mind I decided to keep my options open re Silvers and Carp so I decided on fishing 6mm meat over kindered combo of caster/micro and one piece of meat in the 5 metre line. I was expecting to foul hook Carp straight away by I had a proper bite and landed a 5lb Orange Carp. Next put in I had another Carp but only a squeaker of 2lb. I was topping up after every fish with the same combo. Having cleared the two marauding Carp I had a run of Silvers three Bream, one F1, one Tench and a few Ronnie’s and Perch. The swim then died so I changed the feed combo with emphasis on the meat expecting more Carp, but all I could then catch was Ronnie’s.  So it was out on the paste at 9 metres with kindered hard 4’s. This produced a few liners but bugger all else. So in to the short LH margin again with paste and although I fancied it for some munter Carp because there is an old tree stump under the water. Once again nought. There were plenty of big Carp in the tree peg 2, so I switched down to the platform by adding an inch or two to the rig and I had a run of three Carp to 8 lb. Although it’s only 11.5 metres down to the pallet I was finding it hard on my hands. So having tried the meat again where the Ronnie’s were waiting. So I had a rest and went into the RH margin resting the top set on the rushes. I did manage another two decent Carp losing a fouler.

 

My Silvers weighed 15lb 2oz and my Carp six Carp 51lb 15oz for a total of 67lb 1oz. This left me short of  a section win but did get Turkey a section second.

 

The match was won by Dean Malin (pictured right) with 206lb 10oz from peg 31. Dean initially caught over with banded pellet and later on meat down the LH margin up to the pallet on peg 30.

 

The Silvers was won by Martin Lenaghan (pictured right) with 30lb from peg 36. Martin caught at 13 metres using banded 6mm pellet over kindered hard 4’s, which accounted for a good run of F1’s before switching down the edge with meat.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Dean Malin 206-10-0 peg 31

2.      Steve Segar 142-12-0 peg 29

3.      Kevin Moulton 98-08-0 peg 27

4.      Andy Lloyd 94-07-0 peg 21

5.      Shaun Townsend 93-15-0 peg 61

6.      Neil Mercer 92-02-0 peg 16

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Martin Lenaghan 30-0-0 peg 36

2.      Dave Evans 29-12-0 peg 34

 

Weigh Sheets Follow: