Monday, 11 August 2014

Sunday 10/08/2014 - Avon Angling Top Six League - Round Three - Chiltern Trinity - Woodlands

The talk was all about Bertha the Hurricane being carried over by the jet stream from the Gulf. As usual the press (Daily Express to name but one) overstated the overall impact with little to no rain. However, the wind was stronger that usual on this wind effected venue.

Bela being a “connoisseur of quantity” could only talk about was where he could get the biggest breakfast – we ended up at Hill Top – my choice this time.

Bela once again put his foot in it by saying where he didn’t want to draw and once again ended up exactly there. I drew opposite on peg 14. I wasn’t too disappointed with the peg as I have had some good catches from the peg. However, on arrival my feelings changed, as have the peg. The Bankside has been undermined by the lapping water and has caused bank slippage on both sides of the platform. I poked about in the margin with the landing net handle to survey the depth. Where I found 30 inches a suitable margin depth for this venue but I also found loads of snags. So once again would have to fish fishing a margin of 4 foot!

I got out my cupping kit, then a top set which was laid next to the cupper, after which I had a chat with Tom Mangnall on next peg 15. On my return my top set was gone. Was it an age thing? Did I get it out etc; etc, etc…I spent 30 minutes trying to find it, only to concede it to the depths of the Lake. I still don’t know how it got there!

I set up two paste rigs one to be fished at 5 metres for the Skimmers over micro and the other for the down wind LH margin towards Tom Mangnall on peg 15.

On the all in the wind was fairly light so I started after the Skimmers and for half hour or so I caught six Skimmers plus a 2 lb Carp. The wind then got up and presenting the paste was hopeless. This is when I realised I was totally unprepared for the conditions – no caster and no soft pellet which I think would have giving better and longer presentation on the Jolly. However, Tom Mangnall kept a few Skimmers coming using meat.

In to the margin where I had a Carp first put in where I had been lose feeding hard 4’s.  For the next four hours the float remained motionless not even the Silver nibblers were interested in the paste today. I did lose two Carp to the inside snags which added some interest to an otherwise dour dayy In fact the fishing was “Pants” in fact I would go as far as to say it was “Hugo Boss Pants”, which reminds me that Clint Wojtyle was having a nightmare on peg 17 getting lapped by the waves.

The upshot was that for the remainder of the match I added another three Carp and one Perch. My few Silvers weighed 6lb 10oz and my four Carp 16lb 9oz for a total of 23lb 3oz. Other than Rod Wotton the section was very close with only a few pounds separating us. With me at the wrong end. With Mark leader just nicking it, where have I heard his name before?

The Match was won by Chris Fox (pictured right with some of his catch) with 89lb 9oz from peg 23. For details of his match see his blog… I over heard Tony Rixon (his travelling partner) say to Chris hat “you are not going to be happy all the way home”. Chris agreed he wouldn’t.

The Silvers was won by Ton Mangnall (pictured right with his catch) from next peg 15 with 18lb 7oz. As explained earlier Tom caught on meat at 5 metres. The bait choice was right on the day when considering the weather conditions. Well done matey.

Full Result:

  1. Chris Fox 89-09-0 peg 23
  2. Rod Wotton 81-01-0 peg 8
  3. Paul Elmes 74-13-0 peg 29
  4. Glenn Bailey 64-07-0 peg 2
  5. Tony Rixon 56-13-0 peg 32
  6. Steve Segar 52-08-0 peg 25
Top Silvers:

  1. Tom Mangnall 18-07-0 peg 15
  2. Joe McMahon 13-03-0 peg 31

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