Silverfox Match Angling: Saturday 06/07/2016 - Windmill Fishery/Office Beverages and South Gloucestershire Show Sponsored Silvers Match

Monday, 8 August 2016

Saturday 06/07/2016 - Windmill Fishery/Office Beverages and South Gloucestershire Show Sponsored Silvers Match

What a beautiful morning, why can’t all days be like this. Bela arrived on time as per usual sporting his shorts and “Roofer” socks (pictured right). They stayed clean all day.

Today was the first of the Windmill Fishery/Office Beverages and South Gloucestershire Show sponsored matches. Today it was Silvers only and Sunday “All In”. I was looking forward to both these matches. Ably ran by Fishery Manager Terry. He gets some stick from many anglers, including me, but that said he tries really hard and is good for the fishing.

Twenty fishing with all the usual local suspects – pictured below right.

Into the new draw box and out comes peg 10. I was happy with this because it was at the right end of the Lake for the Silvers – with very few Carp (so I thought). For company I had the best plasterer in Bristol – Rich Lacey and down on the end bank “Maggot Man” Bill Ferris (I know how Bill fishes and felt if he got his head down as he usually does he would pick up today).

The plan was to fish “The Gabe” long at top-set plus four with 4mm expander. For this I set up a 4x16 Jolly which is heavier than the water depth needed but I wanted the expander zooming past the Rudd. I set up the reliable Ronnie rig for caster over caster. Then two Drennan whips a 4 metre (which stayed dry because I couldn’t hand loose feed far enough for it) and a 2.5 metre which in the end was to make the difference.

I started on the Gabe and first put in I hooked a Carp (you reading this Gabe) to everyone’s delight – Including Trevor – Twat. I then had a run of the 2-3oz Skimmers but I was soon playing another small Carp. Umm - not going to plan. Then I had two consecutive decent Skimmers. Then another Carp so re-fed with the Gabe apparently killing the Swim – but not - just attracting more Carp which seem to be on a feeding frenzy today. On to the Ronnie rig with single caster and started to catch the menagerie of Silvers plus more Carp on the drop. The despair was quickly gone after landing another two decent Skimmers. However, the Carp were a bloody nuisance especially hooking them with elasticated top-set because 0.1 GLine takes some breaking under this set-up, disrupting the swim. So into hand went the 2.5 metre whip and although I continued to hook Carp they weren’t disrupting for long except one 6 pounder that gave himself up quickly. Two more decent Skimmers but what made the difference today was during the last 45 minutes where I was able to speed fish a menagerie of small Silvers without further Carp invasion.

Today again proved my theory (as tomorrow would also) if you can get the Silvers feeding on the Carp aren’t far from intruding.

I hooked 17 Carp and I reckon Rich Lacy hooked over 100lb of the blighters.

My Silvers weighed in at 23lb 8oz for a match win (pictured upper right with my catch).

The top eight anglers - pictured right picked a cheque ranging from £300 down to £100. Thanks to Terry and Sponsors. It was nice to see Bill Ferris kick some of the young ass.