Thursday 23/01/2014 - Bathampton AA/Veals Silvers Championship - Round Two - Withy Pool

Because there has been some minor Bankside slippage on Bridge Pool we were put on Withy Pool. There was a considerable amount of descent as most anglers thought the slippage wasn’t sufficient to move the match. As for me well you have to be careful what you wish for as I was probably the only one happy to fish Withy. With only one retiree – Paul Staite due to work shift changes, otherwise we had the full turn out (I don’t think a full attendances if the next match is on Withy Pool again).

I was hoping for pegs 42 to 49 and 59 to 69, but definitely not behind the island. In to the draw bag and out comes peg 53 – behind the island! However, I did have good company, Mike Jones on peg 54 and Paul “Mumbler” Haines on peg 52. It was going to be hard, but Mike Jones had done his best to make it a fair section which ran from Pauls Peg to Bob Prices peg 59. I expect the higher pegs to do best. I wasn’t wrong.

I usually use a 4x16 jolly however, because I expected it to be hard I set up a 4x14 Jolly. After plumbing up at 7 metres at 12 o clock and 2 o clock in the sameish depth of water. I tested the float for shotting and was amazed to find the water “hammering” (towing 0.5 metres to the right then switching to towing the same distance to the left). I thought it might be the smaller float so I switched to a 4x16 Jolly and it was the same. So I switched back. I then set up a 4x12 Jolly for the margin for chopped worm over finely chopped worm. This swim can be good for Carp peg fished at 13 metres, so set up one of my new design of floats a 0.3 gram.

After feeding a pot of 50/50 caster and dead reds over at 13 metres which was to be a holding area for Carp and feeding both 7 metres line with GB laced with Pinkie. I started negatively to prevent a blank on the worm in the margin and had a ½ oz Perch, missing one bite before giving it up and trying the two 7 metres lines. The presentation was absolutely awful because of the water “hammer”. After a bite less hour I had a walk around the lake and I felt more depressed about my swim as there were plenty of good angers on good pegs struggling. So on my return I started loose feeding Pinkie leaving out the GB and foul hooked a 1lb 3oz Roach.

I spent the next 3 hours trying to workout the hydraulics of the swim (everyone behind the island was having difficulty with the “hammering”). I finally put it down to the water levels being at maximum and the fact the behind the island swims come to a dead end hence the water “bouncing” back. I think a lot more pegs would hold more fish in this area if the blind leg was connected to the main lake, however, this would mean a pedestrian bridge to get to pegs 46 to 49.

I did try the Carp swim a few times with triple dead maggot but couldn’t wait long enough for a bite because if the Arthritis.

With an hour to go matey Martyn Woodington (up from Hayward’s Heath to see his Mum and Dad) came and sat with me. During this time I caught two more tiny Ronnie’s and a missed line bite. An education for Martyn as he is use to catching 400lb of small Carp from the fishery in his area! I weighed 1lb 8oz for fourth in the section. On to drop – I hope!!

The match was won by Paul Dicks (pictured right with his catch) from fancied peg 47 with a respectable 18lb 4oz. Paul caught on maggot over GB laced with a few maggots. Well done matey.

The accidental Carp was won by Dave bacon (pictured right) from peg 44 with one Carp for 8lb 6oz. Dave assured me it was accidental, catching it in double Pinkie! Dave picked up the full pools as it was the only Carp landed.

Full Result:

1. Paul Dicks 18-04-0 peg 47
2. Barry Fitchew 8-04-0 peg 48
3. John Fry 7-12-0 peg 63
4. Dave Poole 6-0-0 peg 49
5. Ray Bazeley 5-08-0 peg 45
6. Mike Owens 4-07-0 peg 69 

Accidental Carp:

1.      Dave Bacon 8-06-0 peg 44

Weigh Sheets: