Thursday 30/10/1024 - Coffin Dodgers at Emerald Fishery - Emerald Pool

Because it was half term we were down on attendees with 11 booked in. I thought I would travel down via the motorway thinking it would be quiet, but it wasn’t, came back via A38 but that was just as bad for traffic. I breakfasted in the Hill Top Café which went down very well.

I was asked to peg the match out, but found Mike Jones had already done it by time I got there. That was until Terry Bruton decided to move the disabled pegs around. Then the Gimp decided to change the able pegs around. We finally got there!

I pulled peg 4 which was halfway along the far bank, happy with this although the peg is a bit of a bird cage. For company I had Bill Ferris on peg 5 and gentleman Dave on peg 3.

I was soon set up with one Ronnie rig and a 4x14 Jolly. I wouldn’t normally set the Jolly up but because the aerator was causing the water to flow (about Newbridge rate) the aerator was to be left running all through the match. Added to this there was an occasional nasty wing blowing with the flow.

I had mixed up some black Lake and fed a ball laced with caster at 4 metres at 12 o clock. I started on the Ronnie rig with caster over caster at 11 o clock. I had a few Skimmers to 1lb on this but found the presentation wasn’t good. Bill Ferris was bagging on worm hook bait. I kept switching between the caster line and GB line with the Ronnie rig to keep a few Skimmers and Hybrids coming. I topped up the GB regularly but fished over the caster until it settled. At 1 o clock my swim died and so had Bills. I thought I had clawed back his quick start. For some reason without any prior thought I started loose feeding wetted micro over the GB line, feeding three handfuls. I decided to give the Jolly a chance adding another section taking me to 6 metres where I kindered in some soft 4’s expecting to catch a Carp or two with soft 4’s on the hook. Surprise surprise I started to catch Skimmers of all sizes up to

1lb. That made me switch back to 4 metre line over the loose fed micro with soft 4 on the hook where I had a good hour again catching small Skimmers plus the odd Tench. I kept feeding the caster line hoping the absent Hybrids may make a late entry. I dropped feeding the GB but maintained the loose fed micro and by switching between 4 and 6 metre lines I kept them coming. Into the last hour I switched back to the caster on the Ronnie rig and found some Hybrids. However, the Carp took a fancy to my caster landing six accidentals and one Gold fish by the end!

My Silvers weighed 45lb 13oz (pictured upper right) which was top Silvers weight and when combined with my Carp weight of 21lb 2oz gave me a double, winning the match with a total of 66lb 15oz.

Dave “Gentleman” Bacon (pictured right) was runner up with 60lb 8oz from peg 3.

Although the Fishery had an off day the fishing was still amazing I can't wait to get back in two weeks time. If anyone wants to fish contact Mike Jones.

Full Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 66-15-0 peg 4
2. Dave Bacon 60-08-0 peg 3
3. Pete Greenslade 54-10-0 peg 2
4. John Bradford 36-04-0 peg 7
5. Mike Jones 35-06-0 peg 6
6. Bill Ferris 34-08-0 peg 5

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 45-13-0 peg 4
2. Mike Jones 34-0-0 peg 6
3. Bill Ferris 43-08-0 peg 5 

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 26/10/2014 - Todber Manor Autumn League - Round One - Park Lake

Bela is back from his successful trip down to the Stafford Moor’s Autumn Festival where he came Joint fourth overall, throughout the week picking up over £500. We travelled together again breakfasting at Canards Well where we met up with Tony Rixon and Fabio who we needed to follow to the venue.

The league payouts are for the 1^st and 2^nd in section only. Silvers in with the Carp – overall weight count. Draw for first section then rotate around the four sections one point for win etc…The fishery provided brand new keep nets which I thought were very robust and probably needs to be.

In to the draw bag and out comes A section and peg 7. Having only fished the venue the once I don’t know the venue that well. Fred Roberts told me it was a good peg. Arriving at the peg I was delighted to find I had plenty of open water although a short margin. Opposite me I could see Tony Rixon and Bela who were in D section.

As I did reasonably well on my first visit I decided to fish it similarly. So I set up a 4x14 Jolly although if the wind was less I might have got away with a 4x12. The plan was simply to fish soft 4’s or 6’s pellet over softened 4’s at 6 metres. I set up a 4x12 jolly for the LH margin where I had reasonable depth for maggot over maggot. In addition I set up two paste rigs for both swims.

On the whistle I fed a big pot of maggot as far down the LH margin that I could. I started at 6 metres over the soft 4’s with the same on the hook and had a 3lb Carp first put in, and again second put in. Good start. I had re-fed after every fish and started to foul hook fish none of which I landed. Tony opposite was also having foul hooking problems. I found this frustrating. I tried various feeding methods including dump feeding some micro, I even tried the paste which was totally ignored by all species. I  then tried the margin with a bunch of maggots and finally the paste rig and didn’t have any indication on either what’s so ever – not even a Ronnie. I abandoned all my rigs accept the 6 metre Jolly which I spent the rest of the match on finally sorting out a feeding pattern which reduced the foul hooking but couldn’t hold the fish for long, picking up three or four then having to wait for them to return. I did catch steady throughout the match landing five tiny Skimmers (all caught on the drop) and about 30 similar sized Carp for 91lb 3oz for a section win and third overall. I had 45lb 15oz in one net and 45lb 4oz in the other – not a bad split.

The match was won by Tony Rixon (pictured right being weighed in with Bela) with 156lb 2oz from peg 38. Tony for four hours was getting spannered by matey Bela off the next peg using Tony’s favourite long pole method. I did enjoy this part giving me some amusement, it don't happen often. As usual Tony pulled a rabbit out of the hat by switching to long down his RH margin catching Carp to 10lb on six maggots – it was then good night Bakos and good night the rest of us!! See his blog for details.

Full Result:

1. Tony Rixon 156-02-0 peg 38
2. Bela Bakos 123-10-0 peg 37
3. Mike Nicholls 91-03-0 peg 7
4. Phil Harding 90-0-0 peg 20
5. Fred Roberts 86-06-0 peg 16
6. Chris Fox 86-02-0 peg 3
7. Ashley Tompkins 86-02-0 peg 1

23/10/2014 - Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Withy Pool

Now that the Kingswood over 55’s golden peg has been won Bob Warren was back today with the Coffin Dodgers. We breakfasted at ASDA which went down well.

It was the turn of Withy Pool to entertain the Dodgers today. I haven’t fished the Pool since last year, so an unknown quantity. We arrived an hour early and were amazed to find that the Withy car park was nearly full. However, as Bob now needs a close draw I was allowed to park in the disabled area.

Dave Wride joined the ranks of the Coffin Dodgers today who is familiar with the Lakes as he regularly fishes the BAA Silvers League.

With 31 fishing some of the more difficult pegs would be in the draw. I was hoping to avoid these. Alas not, out comes peg 38. The same peg I had last time here when I did manage 5lb of Silvers and two Carp to sneak in the frame. Arriving at the peg I was surprised ton see how clear the water was even though the level is only a foot down. The weather conditions were perfect for the time of year.

I set up the three rigs – a 4x16 Jolly for the Silvers, a Ronnie rig and a paste rig for the RH margin (no depth at all on the left side).

I started on the soft 4mm pellet over a tiny bit of Micro at 7 metres and after half an hour I had just the one bite, a 4oz Skimmer. I had been feeding casters in the RH margin so when over it with the Ronnie rig only to add a ½ oz Perch. I then went in with a whole Dendrabena on the paste float and on the drop had a 1lb 12oz Perch. After trying a long GB line, maggot line and caster line without any indication I decided to have a walk around. Although the Lake was generally fishing poor some areas were fishing better than others. On the way back John Smith was playing a double figure Common Carp (pictured right) which he did finally manage to land.

Opposite me I had Radio Shepton Mallets Charlie Barnes and side kick Harry Muir for company. So I was entertained whilst I sat there in the RH margin with paste or double Dendrabena on the paste float with very little happening. Charlie said I would have nothing to write about tonight!! He was nearly right. All I added in the remaining 5 hours was a speared ½ oz Ronnie.

When I pulled my net out the tiny Perch and Ronnie were gone. It didn’t affect my weight of 2lb as they were probably inside the Perch!!

The match was won by Paul Haines (pictured right) with 54lb 9oz from peg 53. Paul had a torrid time losing fish mainly because he wasn’t geared up for the big fish to be found in this area of the Pool. To add insult to injury Paul broke his Diawa pole catching it in the newly installed Otter fence, costing him £300!! Paul caught over to the corner of the opposite bank at 13 metres landing six, losing six on banded pellet over loose fed pellet.

The Silvers was won by Barry Fitchew (pictured lower right) with 11lb 10oz of mainly Roach. Barry caught over three lines, two GB lines (one with some worm in) and a caster line with either pieces of worm or caster hook bait.

Have to mention Pete Turner’s 2lb + Eel he caught (pictured bottom right arm wrestling) which lifted Pete to third in the Silvers. Pete did lose a Bream near the end which would have pushed him further up the frame. Pete was another casualty of pole smashing.

Charlie if you can’t catch fish you can always write about, even if it’s about someone else!!

Finally, accepting there were quite a few more pegs in today’s match which probably reduced the overall results there is no doubt in my mind that the fishing (Carp and Silvers) on this Pool has for some reason gradually declined since 2007.

Full Result:

1. Paul Haines 54-09-0 peg 53
2. Bob Warren 41-08-0 peg 66
3. Dave Gillard 34-12-0 peg 46
4. Mike Key 32-04-0 peg 49
5. Pete Greenslade 31-10-0 peg 63
6. John Smith 28-13-0 peg 35

Top Silvers:

1. Barry Fitchew 11-10-0 peg 57
2. Dave Wride 9-12-0 peg 44
3. Pete Turner 9-04-0 peg 43

Sunday 12/10/2014 - Ivy House Open - Match Lake

On my own again today with Bela by now down at Stafford Moor waiting to start his first match on Monday.

Arriving at the fishery the outside temperature was again 4 degrees, which did climb to 11 degrees by time I left the fishery.

Sixth into the draw coffee tin and out comes peg 21. Has been a match winning Carp peg, so not where I would have chosen to fish today. That said Rupert won the Silvers from it a few weeks ago before the Carp moved in. So this decided me to stick to the Silvers and try to avoid the Carp. I have to accept that venues are pegged for Carp rather than Silvers. However, if the Carp wanted a go at me I was prepared to have a go back!!

No GB today this was replaced on the bait tray by some dead red maggot. I set up the Ronnie rig, a 4x14 Jolly for the Skimmers and a 0.15 gram Silverfox PC with a 16 hook tied direct to 0.18 G-Line for the margin in 12 inches of water.

On the whistle I fed some hard 4’s at 6 metres at 1 o clock for the Skimmers and started to loose feed caster at 4 metres at 2 o clock. Finally I put a pot of caster/dead reds in the margin at 9 metres.

I started on the Skimmer line with soft pellet whilst I built up the Ronnie line. I started well catching various sized Skimmers. This lasted about 30 minutes after which I could not get I bite. I was also having presentation problems by now because of a skimming wind which kept changing direction left to right, right to left and straight in at me. I could also visualised 18lb Common Carp sat up in the water not feeding properly. I decided it was time to try the Ronnie rig with single caster. After 30 minutes I had just the one indication, plus the wind had blown a lot of flotsam and jetsam in to my peg preventing any further use of this rig.

I thought I would try the Carp margin rig which I did to the count of twenty seconds and abandoned in for the remainder of the match.

So back out on the Jolly the one rig left. The next bite resulted in a foul hooked big Common Carp which finally broke me. I sat there for the next hour bite less trying various baits without success. During this time I kept thinking I should change lines, I should change line, I should change lines…and try somewhere else. I wish I had done this the first time I thought of it. I foul hooked another big Carp this time in the tail which trashed the rig. Time for a total change, so on went a new 4x14 Jolly more sections went on the pole taking me to 9 metres this time at 2 o clock where I found it 6 inches deeper. What was also surprising that the presentation felt better in the skimming wind, but the surface flotsam was still a nuisance.

I wasn’t long before I had a couple more Skimmers. I then had two Stockies which were in pristine condition and a bloody nuisance to get in the landing net. A few more Skimmers followed and with half hour to go I had three better Carp which just don’t know when to give up. My last fish was another Skimmer.

I was surprised that my Skimmers pulled the scales around to 16lb 2oz which I thought would be good enough for a Silvers pick up. So I was disappointed to find it was only good enough for third by 8 oz! However, I was amazed that my total weight of 50lb 8oz was good enough for second spot overall!!

The match was won by Joe Thompson (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 68lb 12oz from peg 3. I am uncertain how Joe caught.

The Silvers was won by Mick Gale from peg 38 with 18lb 14oz. Uncertain how Mick caught.

Full Result:

1. Joe Thompson 68-12-0 peg 3
2. Mike Nicholls 50-08-0 peg 21
3. Chris Davis 43-07-0 peg 18
4. Rupert Garner 37-02-0 peg 24
5. Brian Meaden 35-03-0 peg 5
6. Jamie Compton 32-08-0 peg 32

Top Silvers:

1. Mick Gale 18-14-0 peg 38
2. Alan Oram 16-10-0 peg 27
3. Mike Nicholls 16-02-0 peg 21

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 09/10/2014 - Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Bridge Pool

With Bathampton lifting the keepnet ban the Coffin Dodgers matches were back on. So for only the fifth time this year I decided to pay a visit. I couldn’t help noticing how much of the Bankside brambles and vegetation has been decimated by clearing parties. I couldn’t help thinking about the stick Dave Wride got for knocking a few down to get his pole back behind him?

I thought I would try the new “Grafters” Café in Warmley. What I did enjoy was the DVD of Faulty Towers playing on their large TV – timeless.

We had a new Coffin Dodger attend today, another River and Canal Legend – Jim Norris (pictured right looking the same as he did twenty years ago). First time Jims had been fishing for 16 years! Jim use to fish hemp and tares on the Rotork length of the Rover Avon circa 1976/78. I worked at Rotork back then and would sit behind him during lunch (and for a bit longer some days).

I have been having problems with my knees and hips and can’t keep them bent for too long instead having to regularly push then out in front dangling over the pallet or to the sides. The problem at Huntstrete is that drawing a disabled peg would restrict any movement in this respect. So I asked organiser Mike Jones if I could draw from the able pegs. This was agreed. Into the draw bag and out comes peg 31. Not a peg I would have chosen, that said the pegs in the thirties seem to be my second home these days. unfortunate the strong wind was blowing straight in at me plus this peg would not see any sun all day. I did have enough clothes with me today so I was never going to be cold.

Jim Norris drew end peg 33 so I was fairly confident the CD’s tradition of letting new comers win would be broken today – and it was with a DNW!

Although peg 31 does throw up some Skimmers from time to time it’s not a noted Silvers peg. That said that what I decided to target. So I set up my Ronnie rig and a 4x16 Jolly to fish at five metres.

I started on the Jolly with semi hards on the hook potting a few micros and 4’s over the top. It was a fish a put in albeit 2-3 oz Ronnie’s with the very rare 3oz Skimmer. Fish at 5 metres was too slow to build a framing weight with theses fish so I tries the Ronnie rig with Cater over caster but only added one decent Perch and a couple of Ronnie’s. I did however, foul hook four Carp in the process which explained why I couldn’t catch close in. I stayed on the 5 metre line hoping the Ronnie’s might slow down allowing a few better Skimmers to get to the hook bait first. With two hours to go I had 9lb 8oz – 2lbish an hour not good enough for coin I thought. So I decided to have a go for the Carp. No paste, so I soaked up a few 11’s I had in the bag whilst that was happening I set up a 0.15 Silverfox PC float with a 16 hook. I started on worm and found it being sucked to death by small Perch. I kept trying the 11mm pellet but wasn’t soaked enough to stay on the hook. It wasn’t until and last hour that I could get the pellet to stay on the hook. It was then smack down time taking four Carp breaking on a fifth after playing it for a long boring time, in fact I think I bullies it a bit too much – bad angling me thinks.

Today I made the right choice – in the end - as my four Carp weighed 51lb 6oz which with my Silvers took me to second overall with 60lb 14oz with that period on bad angling costing me top spot.

The match was won by “Gentleman” Dave Bacon (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 62lb from peg 19. Dave caught on the method feeder.

The Silvers was won by Alan Jones with 23lb 2oz from peg 24. Alan started on CW&C but was pestered by Roach and it wasn’t until he introduced some pre-packed GB containing Pinkies that Alan started to catch decent Skimmers on piece of worm!! Alan pictured lower right with his bag of GB. Who knows what happens in the depths.

Full Result:

1. Dave Bacon 62-0-0 peg 19
2. Mike Nicholls 60-14-0 peg 31
3. Paul Haines 45-06-0 peg 15
4. Alan Jones 37-05-0 peg 24
5. John Fry 35-10-0 peg 1
6. John Smith 34-07-0 peg 16 

Top Silvers:

1. Alan Jones 23-02-0 peg 24
2. Ray Bazeley 22-06-0 peg 14
3. John Barker 15-04-0 peg 30

Sunday 05/10/2014 - Ivy House Open - Match Lake

Travelled on my own today because Tackle Tart Bakos was getting his gear ready for the Stafford Moor October Fest starting next Monday!!! It wasn’t long before the phone rang. As I reached the fishery the car started to make a pinging noise to warn me that the temperature had fallen to 4 degrees. The first thin I thought of was did I have enough warm clothes – not quite.

I was third in to the draw coffee tin and out comes peg 18. Another new peg for me, not drawn the same peg twice yet. I was able to drive close to the peg so that was ok. The peg was a bit exposed to the chilly wind albeit it not that strong. By the end of the match I would be shivering.

The plan was to fish it identical to last match – silvers being under threat. So I set up a Ronnie rig for 4 metres and a 4x14 jolly to fish at 6 metres where there was a reasonable depth of 5 foot. I did see a Carp swirl in the margin so as back up I set up a 4x12 jolly to fish 5 metres down the LH edge.

I started by putting 4 big balls of GB laced with caster at 4 metres. This will be the last time do this as once again I didn’t catch anything significant over it. I was left wondering if the Carp move in above the GB, but no physical sign of this. At least I will save some money on GB. I fed the 6 metre Skimmer line with semi hard 4’s and a pot of casters/micro down the edge.

Having all but abandoned the GB line I fished the 6 metre line for about half the match catching a few small Skimmers before I would hook a Carp. There seemed to be plenty of them disrupting the Skimmers. By this time I reckon I had about 10lb skimmers, four Carp and one stockie. Time for me to try the LH margin with double caster hook bait then. Laying the float out and pulling it up the edge the float went straight away which I missed. I knew this was a Ronnie, I dropped back in and hooked a 8oz Ronnie which I bumped – you would on 22 elastic! So I picked up the Ronnie rig and had a good hour and half catching decent Ronnie’s to 8oz. The Carp were being attracted but managed to only foul hook one. By the end I reckon I had 10lb of Skimmers and 10 lb of Ronnie’s.

My Silvers in fact went 22lb 10oz for first in the Silvers and my Five Carp taking me to a total of 46lb 5oz (me pictured right with the match winner).

Other than getting cold I had a great day – my sort of fishing – working hard for your fish.

 

The match was won by Jamie Compton (pictured right with some of his catch) with 166lb from peg 21. Jamie caught all his fish on maggot fished at 11.5 metres down his RH margin in about 12 inches of water. Jamie fed 1 ½ Kilos of Ringers Margin GB laced with a few maggots. Jamie had sieved the GB and dyed it with Sensas green. I thought he had a steady tidy match with no drama with these big margin Carp. Well done matey.

Full Result:

1. Jamie Compton 166-0-0 peg 21
2. Baggie 123-13-0 peg 29
3. Steve Chandler 108-05-0 peg 32
4. Mick Lane 80-07-0 peg 12
5. Steve Rich 65-09-0 peg 35
6. Alan Oram 57-07-0 peg 45

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 22-10-0 peg 18
2. Dave Young 20-07-0 peg 43

Weigh Sheet: