Sunday 19/08/1979 – Portcullis Open – Warleigh – Bristol Avon

I hadn't been fishing for some time due to work and family commitments so it was nice to sneak a match in. The match scene was much better organised than today, with all the clubs getting together to sort a annual match calendar and would publish forth coming events (typically shown right). So I choose to fish the Portcullis match at Warleigh. The match was being organised by Rich Croker (yet to be of Scotts Tackle fame). I chose this venue because Dad favoured fast running venues so took me here regularly pleasure fishing. The match stretch was up and down stream from the Warleigh Aqueduct – on the far bank, the draw being underneath the Aqueduct. This meant carrying the one rod and the six legged (latest addition) wicker fishing basket from the car park on the A36 down to the K&A Canal over the Aqueduct and down the side to the river bank for which a number of steps had to be negotiated which were of all different sizes, a final jump off the wall at the end! Other than the fishing a comment that has stuck in my mind ever since which was made by the eloquent Rich Croker – “These steps are like men’s pricks, all different”.

No draw tin, hat nor bag, Rich just threw the swim cards up in the air for a free for all. One landed by my toe so picked that one up peg 12. Where was that? Smack where I was standing on the wall under the Aqueduct. No walk and a wall to sit on with the basket by my side. The swim was high off the water with a three foot wide weed bed in front, so if a decent Chub was hooked I was going to struggle to net it. As was usual with this stretch of the Avon it suffered a down stream wind, which today was quite strong. I set up a top and bottom float (home made) with strung out number 4 shot with a number 16 gold spade Mustad hook. All lines 2 and 1 ½ lb Maxima. I fed casters and had single on the hook after half hour and one small Dace I knew I had to change to a waggler. So I re-set the rod with a 2AA waggler, smaller than usual because I had also decided to fish close in just off the weed bed again with caster feed, caster hook bait. The presentation was much better and caught small Roach, Chub and Dace not loosing any in the weeds as they were small enough to swing.

I couldn’t see any other angler and once the scales reached me I was surprised to find that my 6lb 4oz was winning the match, but there were better swims to be weighed. Luckily it had fished hard so with no one beating my weight I was pleased to take the spoils. I suspect the weather conditions didn’t help the weights.

A right to do getting  up the side of the Aqueduct followed.

Full Result: