Tuesday 12/11/2013 - Acorn Open - Paddocks

Bitterwell Lake opened Saturday. Hence I had a walk round on Monday afternoon and found my old work mate and commercial house team mate Dick Hodges (pictured right with his waggler caught silvers) fishing on the road side – River Avon must be flooded then. Dick is now 70 and looks younger. That said he looked 69, twenty years ago! We had a good chat catching up on our respective families etc…

 

As I didn’t have to pick up the granddaughters from school I thought I would have a trip down to Acorn – Paddocks. The weather was very mild for the time of year but it was too bright and flat calm for my liking. The turn out wasn’t too bad with 13 booked which ended up as 12 because Barry Fitchew didn’t turn up.

 

In to the draw bag and the first ping pong slipped from my grasp the second stuck unfortunately as it happened. Peg 3 on the island. Initially I wasn’t unhappy with the peg s I picked up last time I was on it. Then Mike Chapman told me that pegs 1, 2, 3 and 4 hadn’t been fishing that well. Still went to the peg with a bounce and with plenty of optimism.

 

I set up a 4 x16 Jolly to be fished down the inside shelf at 5 metres with maggot over GB in case I can’t catch Carp. The usual Ronnie rig and a corn/ double caster rig for the margin.

 

I started by feeding a small ball of GB at 5 metres, staring on the caster over caster on the Ronnie rig. I was soon landing my first Carp. Followed quickly by another two – and that was it the swim cpmpletely died. So I tried the corn over the caster, although I missed a couple of bites I didn’t add anything. 3 hours were soon gone and I hadn’t added a thing to the net. So I decided to fish the last 2 ½ hours at 5 metres for the Silvers. The sum total was one Tench, five small Skimmers. I did lose a better Skimmer trying to clear away a Peacock that was in the way of shipping back! With half hour to go I had three more quick Carp in consecutive put in’s. It was noticeable how the air temperature had fallen over this period too – frost tomorrow?

 

My six small Carp weighed 13lb 12oz and my few Skimmers 4lb12oz for a total of 18lb 8oz fro nearly last and the worse days fishing that I have had at this fishery.

 

The match was won by Dave Wride (pictured right with part of his catch) with 98lb 4oz from peg 27. Dave caught on 3 mm expander over 4’s and micros, catching over and down his RH margin.

 

The Silvers was won by organiser Mike “Santa” Chapman (pictured lower right with his catch and smiling well nearly) with 17lb 4oz from bridge peg 22. Mike caught on maggot down both his right and left hand margins

 

Full Result:

 

1. Dave Wride 98-04-0 peg 27
2. Kev Perry 92-08-0 peg 24
3. Gary Etheridge 87-10-0 peg 36
4. Mike Chapman 82-03-0 peg 22
5. Chris Davis 57-10-0 peg 5
6. R Healy 49-09-0 peg 40

Top Silvers:

 

1. Mike Chapman 17-04-0 peg 22
2. Kevin Jefferies 10-0-0 peg 9

Weigh Sheet: