Silverfox Match Angling: Thursday 20/03/2014 - Bathampton AA/Veals Silvers Championship - Final Round

Thursday, 20 March 2014

Thursday 20/03/2014 - Bathampton AA/Veals Silvers Championship - Final Round - Bridge Pool

I woke last Monday after fishing Ivy House with a pain in my shoulders and neck. I wasn’t sure whether it was due to fishing 13 metres or the fact that I had a Northerly wind blowing into my neck all day or more likely a combo of both. Nonetheless I couldn’t fish Wednesday and had doubts about today. However, I couldn’t let down my pairs partner or leaving an empty peg in a section giving someone an advantage.

Whilst packing the car once again I had the omen on the neighbour’s roof (pictured right).

In to the draw and out comes peg 13 yippee not in A section. I loaned peg 32 to Bill Ferris who weighed 1lb 8oz. I have fished peg 13 once before and won the match with 18lb of Silvers – losing a few Carp in the process.

Having done the Carp pool I decided on compromising elastics towards the heavy side. I set up two Jolly’s, a 4x14 for the Ronnie’s and a 4x16 for the Skimmers. The Skimmer line was just 5 metres down the inside shelf and the Ronnie rig for 4 metres just up the shelf.

In fed the 5 metre line with a GB laced with Pinkie and Caster, and kindered a few casters at 4 metres. Starting on the 5 metre line I missed a couple of quick bites before catching a 1oz Ronnie. I followed straight away with an 8oz Skimmer, which was a false dawn as that was it except for 1oz Ronnie’s one a bung on the drop with any hook bait I chose. I was losing 50% of these small fish because of the wind and the heavy elastic.

I decide to try the caster on the 4 metre line and had a run of 2 to 3 oz Ronnie’s before catching two decent Perch to 1lb. Then whilst attempting to net the next Perch the hook pulled out and my rig ended in the tree. Unknown to me the wind had blown one of my top sets next to my foot which ended up getting well crushed – double bugger.

After setting up a new rig I the Carp had arrived landing the first one, losing the next and another rig in a tree stump down to my left – bugger.

After putting on yet another rig I hooked another Carp which initially appeared to be a right munter as it hardly moved in fact Pete Phillip on peg 11 said I had hooked the bottom. It was very strange because the Carp was moving jerkily and couldn’t move it upwards. After playing this fish for 15 minutes I lost it but still felt something on the end for a short while, then nothing. I thought I had broken my hook length, but not. I had hooked the loop on the hook length of some else’s rig, which was attached to the fish and the strange playing and movement of the fish was because the poor creature was towing a rod and reel around. Thank heavens I had freed it as it was near to exhaustion. Some twat must have had their rod towed-in, heaven knows how long the fish had been in distress.

I pulled out a foul hooked Carp landing another three before I had some more Ronnie’s and two more decent Perch.

My four Carp weighed 36lb 1oz for 2^nd in the Accidentals and my Silver went 10lb 14oz for a section win and 4^th overall (to Ray Bazeley’s joy).

I finished the league in 5^th place which I was well pleased with off an overall poor draws.

Chris Rolfe and I finished 3^rd in the pairs from once again both having number of indifferent draws.

Today’s match was won by Paul Dicks (pictured right with the Accidental Carp winner) from fancied peg 24 with 18lb 9oz. Paul caught on maggot and caster hook bait over GB laced with micro, caster and maggot.

The Accidentals was won by Paul Haines with 36lb 14oz from peg 8. Paul caught in his left hand margin with maggot over maggot.