Bathampton Angling Association - Christmas Matches - Kelston to Newbridge

The Bathampton AA Christmas match was the biggest Christmas match in the country and the one we all looked forward to fishing and of course winning, with top match anglers from all over the country taking part. You had to be quick to get a ticket. During my time on the BAA committee and later as joint Match Secretary with good friend Richard Weeks (Willy Weeks younger brother) we pegged a few of these matches the biggest we did was a 400 pegger which ran from Kelston to Newbridge – both banks plus an unfancied section at Claverton Long Meadow. Whatever the weather or river conditions the match was never cancelled or moved – until!

The largest BAA Christmas match entry was 516 anglers this was due to the match entry being unrestricted with anglers arriving from across the country. The BAA committee ensured everyone who came had a peg. Mike Jones vividly recalls this match because all the Bathampton Team and Committee members had to forgo their places in the match and leaving Mike to put an extra 50 pegs along the Shallows and Saltford road side whilst anglers were arriving. Some pegs were less than ten foot apart in places. BAA learned the lesson and from that date all matches was ticketed. Mike was peeved he didn’t get to fish that day. This match was won by local tackle dealer Bert Scott (Scotts Tackle original owner – Pictured right collecting his spoils) won from Rotork section with 8lb 10oz.

I fished these matches for over twenty five years trying to win one. I didn’t manage to fish them all. I did have some near misses and managed to get in the top twelve on at least 50% of the matches I fished. There are plenty of memories for me. I recall watching anglers being pulled across the river on a large pontoon outside Sheppard’s Boat House. I wanted to have a go but was never drawn of the far bank before it was scrapped. (Pontoon in use pictured right - Kelston Bank to Saltford Bank).

One near miss match was just after the river at Newbridge had been deepened and straightened, plus the River Authority had also introduced Chub. I drew a peg one above the Railway Bridge at Newton St. Loe far bank which meant crossing the railway and clambering down the high pulpit. I had landed two chub and a Roach on the float for 2lb 8oz when I hooked another 1lb Chub which shed the hook. Bad angling, putting double wriggling maggots and a small size 20 hook, doubling over was the cause. The match was won with 3lb 4oz! Low weighs back then.

Another fond memory was when my son Steve fished his first Christmas match as a junior. We both had drawn the Saltford far bank Steve just above the rowing club house and me opposite the tunnel Saltford trees. The match had started by the time I got to my peg and found myself next to matey Bryan Britt. It was a bit of an half hearted attempt and after catching two Dace I decided to pack up and watch Steve. He was fishing the waggler down the middle in 14 foot of water. He had caught one 2lb Skimmer and was persevering to catch another. Alas he caught no more but won the junior prize – an enormous hamper and a jar of Frumps. He was also well up in the match but didn’t do the pools (well I didn’t). I was really proud of him. Back at the prize giving in the old Sheppard’s Boat House where there must have been over two hundred anglers on the top floor the whole building was swaying, got Steve and me out as soon as possible. This was the last time the building was used for the results. Mike Jones was second in the match from Kelston straight with a low 3lb weight, but the jammy bugger picked up first pools money by default.

The worse weather match was when I drew opposite peg 54 at Newbridge. Not living far from Kelston I put my local knowledge in to practice and parked in one of the lay-byes in Kelston Manor and walked to the river albeit down a very steep hill. I found my self opposite matey Topper Haskins. An hour in to the match the heavens opened with heavy flaked snow. After to hour of snow both Topper and I looked like snowmen. I had two Gudgeon and started to worry how I would get back to the car. So I chucked back and started up the steep hill which was very slippery and arduous. I think I made the right decision as the roads were getting really bad around Kelston. Ray Beazley was BAA match secretary at the time and although the match finished at 15:00 it wasn’t until 19:00 before Ray got the result out.

Some of my recorded results:

The last match I fished was moved from the river to the clubs still waters due to the river being in flood. The venues of the three Huntstrete Lakes and Newton Park weren’t to my liking (how things change). In fact I was really pissed about the change and voiced my objection because I always fancied my chances on a flooded river especially this venue. Matey Ian Spriggs talked me around so I purchased a ticket. Having wound myself up everything was half hearted. The word was the winner would come from the middle of the dam wall at Newton Park. I drew Newton Park but second peg up the near side just above the monk. Matey Gordon Jones was next to me on the first peg. There were a few Carp slayers on the Dam wall. In the bait bag there were no pellet, just casters, maggots, worms, hemp and ground bait. To be honest when it came to catching Carp I didn’t have a clue. It had to be pole only as I would be casting across the anglers on the dam wall. I started at 9 metres on caster catching small Skimmers and Roach. Gordon Jones was doing likewise. Halfway through only a few Carp had come from the Dam wall most by thrashing around with pellet wagglers. I decided to change to feeding Hemp and fishing whole worm over the top. Strange I know but that’s what I done. Following this switch I had five Carp before the final whistle. I weighed 39lb 9oz for my first Bathampton AA Christmas Match win. Some write-ups follow (miss spelt my name plus lots of other errors in the reports).

I mentioned the largest BAA match so in fairness have to mention the smallest which was in 2015. For some strange reason the match was “organised” split between the river and the K&A Canal. I understand that six anglers choose the river and five the Canal, making a total of eleven anglers. How this once mighty match angling club had changed.

I believe Colin Golding holds the record for the most wins with two. One of his wins from peg 14 one below Newbridge Road Bridge which included a 10 lb Pike, followed by Mike Jones with one win and two seconds.