Thursday 29/06/2017 - Ivy House Cost Cutter - Kingfisher Canal

After a weekend away in Brighton visiting the Grandkids I was looking forward to some solace. I don’t doddle when I drive but do more or less keep to national speeds limits, why are some people so desperate to get to work that the nearly kill themselves and other people. LEAVE EARLIER TWATS.

I decided on another visit to Ivy House - Kingfisher Canal today with Chris Ollis, Paul Barnfield and Harry Muir. Unfortunately Paul and Harry got a bit lost and had to have their pegs pulled for them. I was late in to the draw bag as I was held up by the inquisitive Mr. O’Zone. Peg 6 came out, at last in the Skimmer area.

Initially set up a 4x14 F1 Winter on the top-set plus one. I re-plumbed the rig at top-set plus two and found it 6 inches shallower, tested the depth again at top-set plus three and again 6 inches shallower. Instead of the usual trick of marking the line and using the same rig I set up 4x12 F1 as the depth would be OK for it. The final rig was a 4x10 Speedy Titan on the top-set for the LH margin which just kept going off steeple to full depth.

Bait wise I had dead reds, 2mm and 4mm expander, wetted micro and some of Tom Thick’s new GB. I started on the short deepest line feeding some GB laced with 2mm expander. And with 4mm expander on the hook it took a surprising long time to catch a small Widger Carp. I then had a 2lb Skimmer and after feeding some more the swim went iffy, in that there were plenty of signs of feeding fish but I wasn’t catching them. So I went out a section further this time with 4mm expander over potted micro. I had some small Carp on this, but it was too slow for the size of fish. I had been loose feeding the LH margin with deadish maggot so gave that a try with double deadish reds on the Speedy and didn’t look back catching a couple of decent Skimmers followed by Perch and Ronnie’s then repeat. I switched from the Speedy to the 4x 12 Winter and caught slightly better up and down the water all on maggot over maggot. I accidentally tipped up the maggots losing 1/2 pint – bugger. The swim died a bit probably because I started rationing the feed, so introduced some GB laced with DR’s which totally killed the swim! So using the few maggots I had left enticed a few more decent Skimmers back in. Easy fishing on the top-set nice up and close to the bites it doesn’t get any better. Harry Muir on the next peg 5 threw away a pint of maggots at the end, wish I knew he had some!

I finished with 10lb 8oz of Widger Carp and 48lb 4oz of Silvers for a total of 58lb 12oz to win the Silvers and second overall in the match for double bubble pickup. A great days fishing.

The match was won by Terry Robinson (pictured right with the Silvers winner) from peg 7 with 67lb 4oz. Terry had initially targeted the Silvers but realising I had a head start went over to the far bank late on fishing pellet over pellet in 12 inches of water, adding six decent Carp to his Silvers weight. Well done matey a good decision.

Full Result:

1. Terry Robinson 67-04-0 peg 7
2. Mike Nicholls 58-12-0 peg 6
3. Val 57-12-0 peg 15

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 48-04-0 peg 6
2. Terry Robinson 23-14-0 peg 7

Weigh Sheet:

Wednesday 22/06/2017 - Shaun Townsend evening "Just Turn Up" Evening Match - Windmill Fishery - Match Lake

Today was the hottest day for forty years so let’s get an evening match in. Fishery Manager Terry Smith true to his word handed out Cider and Larger before the match. Blazing hot and unusually the Lake was near flat calm.

There was the usual discussions on which pegs to put in, some wanted to leave out flyer peg 13 and put in 16 and 10? Shaun decided. Whatever, everyone wanted to be down the far end. It seems that during winter you want to be near end and summer the far end.

Into the draw box and out comes peg 26, good winter peg. Set up two paste rigs one out in front where there isn’t any form of margin as you are blocked in by Sedges and the bottom steeply runs away to full depth so you have to keep pulling up until the paste lodges. The other paste rig was for down the LH side past the sedges where there is a bit of a ledge, but first I had to do some gardening to I could see the float.

I started on the in front rig set to 4 foot and just got pestered by small Silvers. I did have one Skimmers and a decent Tench, but it as clear there were plenty of Ronnie’s around and not enough Carp to shoo them away. I kept feeding hard 4’s in the hope I would get some interest from the Carp. I didn’t. I had been feeding the LH side heavily with micro/hard 4’s mix, the same problem here with Ronnie’s. I kept feeding and switching until 20:30 when I put in out in front and the float sat still for 30 seconds and I was soon playing my first Carp. Down the LH side and again the float sat still and I had five Carp and lost three foulers before 21:15 when the Ronnie’s returned on both lines. However, the sun had gone behind some light clouds and the SW wind picked up blowing into me – First time I have been to windmill and was thankful for the wind. Sat fishless but comfortably cool untill all out at 21-45.

My few accidentals weighed 6lb 10oz and my six Carp 42lb for a total of 48lb 10oz for half way.

The match was as expected won from peg 13 by Paul Elmes pictured right with the accidental Silvers winner. Paul caught in his margins fishing meat over GB. Trigger caught his accidentals on pellet/meat over pellet.

It appears the Carp and the Silvers have had a divorce (a bit like those in the above picture), with Carp now resident at the bottom end and the Silvers at the top.

Full Result:

1. Paul Elmes 144-12-0 peg 13
2. Craig Edmonds 76-06-0 peg 1
3. Neil Mercer 69-10-0 peg 8

Accidental Silvers:

1. Craig Edmonds 23-02-0 peg 1
2. Shaun Townsend 12-08-0 peg 3

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 18/06/2017 - Windmill Fishery - Open - Match Lake

I had planned to stay home today but as it was Fathers Day decided to spoil myself and go fishing at Windmill. However, I wasn’t that prepared, no Maggot or Casters in the bag so it was either expander or paste. It was another meat free breakfast.

Driving into the fishery everyone was avoiding the Bra that had been left in the drive yesterday and was still there on the way out! However, Terry the Fishery Manager went down to the peg a young lady had been fishing and found a thong (pictured lower right). Yuck!

I was sorry to hear Tom Baker has left the fishery it sounds as if the long hours didn’t suit him, shame a really nice person. I can understand a lot of work goes into fishery management this time of year. Terry Smith back from foreign parts was running the match today. If anyone has lost any items of clothing contact him at Bitterwell Fishery – best wait to Danielle is out.

Three golden pegs £100 each 26 again, 6 and 7. Into the draw box and out comes peg 9. I was hoping this was to be an end peg. Unfortunately up rolled Joe McMahon who soon after arriving at his peg called me down to show me how many Carp was in his peg – it was absolutely black with them.  Best I fish for Silvers then.

I started on a 4x14 F1 Winter to fish at top-set plus two with 4 mm expander over micro and had a few small Skimmers which appeared to feeding well so was anticipating a good day. Unfortunately it didn’t last long before I had a dumpy little Carp and two very small Carp. The swim subsequently completely died so added another section and re-fed and caught a few more Skimmers’ before foul hooking a decent Carp which took the lot. On reflection it was at this stage I should have switch to paste on the inside, but as everyone I could see including John Baker (who was later to pack in early) was struggling with the Silvers, so set up another 4x14 F1. I had to add yet another section to catch some more small Skimmers. Time for the Banana walk and everyone except pegs 18 and 10 were struggling. Into the last two now so abandoned the Silvers and had a go for the Carp and had four munters on the paste losing two foulers. One broke 0.2 GLine six inches from the connector, when I was packing the car I found the rest of the rig 20 metres behind me lucky and lucky it didn’t end up speared in my person I think.

The temperature had soared to 31 degrees, first time I took the umbrella for a few years - glad I did.

The upshot was I didn’t fish well at all falling between Silvers and Carp it would have been a different story had I prepared better. My Silvers weighed 9lb 7oz and my few Carp 45lb 10oz for a total of 55lb 1oz.

As we all expected the match was won Joe McMahon (pictured top right) with a new venue record of 298lb from peg 10. Joe caught most of his fish stalking with pellet and late on in his margin using corn over GB. Well done Joe impressed me even if it’s not proper fishing.

The Silvers was won by Dave Haines (pictured right with his catch) with 15lb from peg 23. Dave caught Skimmers and Tench fishing caster and maggot on his top-set. Well done matey.

Full Result:

1. Joe McMahon 298-0-0 peg 10 (new lake record)
2. Lee Davidson 73-08-0 peg 20
3. Mace G 69-06-0 peg 18
4. Steve Dawson 65-06-0 peg 16
5. Mike Nicholls 55-01-0 peg 9
6. Martyn Rayet 52-10-0 peg 6

Top Silvers:

1. Dave Haines 15-0-0 peg 23
2. Bill Ferris 11-01-0 peg 3

Weigh Sheet:

Saturday 10/06/2017 to 15/06/2017 – Viaduct Holiday Matches

Another year has gone by and time for my annual weeks holiday at Viaduct fishery in one of their superb Lodges with some great friends (us pictured right outside the Lodge – all well known on the SW match circuit). Not sure it can be classed as a holiday because by the end of six consecutive matches, followed every night by heavy drinking and loads of food we were all knackered and fished out. We found our usual breakfast Café had changed hands and is now run by Mandy and Mervin. They were very accommodating in opening up early to suit with the breakfast pre-ordered and on the table as we arrived at 08:00, great service and breakfast. Will be using it from now on contact details below just call and agree time and food requirements.

Saturday 10/06/2017 – Mike Nicholls 13 metre pole only - Campbell Lake.

We managed to get Mark Jefferies (pictured right landing a Carp) out of his ten year retirement to fish the match today. Mark drew peg 135 and had over 100lb. I hear he’s coming back for more – great news.

These pole limited matches are becoming more popular and both of these matches sold out quick with a waiting list. I think these matches make for a fairer match. Into the draw and out comes peg 131. Umm. I didn’t fancy it much for either carp or Silvers. However, I started for Carp at top-set plus four with paste over kindered hard 4’s and as I now come to expect I hooked a Carp first put in and second put-in. Some fizzing started and a couple of decent Skimmers and a Tench followed. In the meantime all the anglers I could see were catching Carp regularly. So after two hours I decided to switch to the silvers using the Ronnie rig with caster over caster and started to enjoy myself and felt as if I was now competing for some coin. I was catching small Ronnie’s at two an minute. My two Carp weighed 16lb and my Silvers 19lb 8oz for that all important second in the Silvers pickup.

The match was won by Alex Murry (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 223lb 11oz from peg 128. Alex caught on hard pellet around his swim at top-set plus four.

The Silvers was won By Craig Edmonds with 25lb 6oz from peg 126.Trig reckons he fished for them later in the match but I have a feeling most of them were accidentals caught on meat.

Very close match with 15 anglers out of 20 weighing over 100lb.

It was the Unicorn Hotel for our evening meal - steak and chips and a few Doombars.

Full Result:

1. Alex Murry 223-11-0 peg 128
2. Jack Billet 167-02-0 peg 118 (Again!)
3. Ashley Tompkins 166-08-0 peg 115
4. Chris Fox 147-05-0 peg 110
5. Martin Rayet 143-07-0 peg 119
6. Aiden Bordiuk 135-0-0 peg 132

Top Silvers:

1. Craig Edmonds 25-06-0 peg 126
2. Mike Nicholls 19-08-0 peg 131

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 11/06/2017 – Tony Rixon – Float Only League – Round Two - Landsend Fishery – Specimen/Match and John Walters Lakes.

Tim Ford and Gordon Cannings and I drove to Landsend Fishery for Tony’s float only. Had a great breakfast on site I went for the large and regretted it, eyes to big and all that.

I was hoping to miss Specimen Lake and draw John’s Lake. Ended up middle for diddle on peg 19 on Match Lake. Same peg as last year’s league (as was peg 95 on the first match). Use to be plenty of Silvers in this Lake but don’t seem as wide spread as they were. However, I set up a 4x12 F1 Winter to fish top-set plus three a PC paste float for down the RH margin up to the overhanging tree/bush. I started on the 4mm expander over hard 4’s and had a run of Skimmers and a few Roach before the Silt Pigs arrived up in the water which meant a considerable amount of foul hooking only getting three in the mouth and in the keep net. I just couldn’t get them to feed on bottom. I moved out to 13 meters where historically the F1’s lived. This resulted in yet more foulers. To say I was frustrated would be an understatement. John Bradford next to me who was also fishing for Silvers had a few more than me and wasn’t having Pig trouble. I was now well down the section as Dave Romain was catching well over at 16 metres sapping around pellet. Looked like no coin today so with an hour and half on the match left started to fish the margin and first put in kindering 6 hard 4’s with the paste which was snaffled on the drop by an 8lb Carp. I didn’t look back adding 18 more Carp overtaking Dave in the final 30 minutes. I had the last Carp on the whistle.

My Silvers weighed a lowly 10lb and my 21 Carp 104lb 13oz for a section win and forth overall weight of 114lb 13oz and another pick up. Never give up. Dave Romain got the section by default which to be fair he deserved. I think you have to get the timing right to start fishing margins as there is always the thinking “If I had gone in earlier I would have caught more” but is the case?

The match was won by Tony Rixon (pictured upper right) with 209lb 13oz from peg 15. Give Tony any half decent peg at this venue and its game over for the rest of us. See his blog for details but most of his fish was caught 16 metres over to island fishing a long line in 6 inches of water with hid favoured banded hard pellet.

The Silvers was won Steve Seager (pictured right) with 21lb 9oz from Specimen Lake peg 39. Steve caught Chub, Skimmers and that all important 5lb F1!! In my opinion the real Silvers winner was John Bradford.

Tim Ford pictured right recovering his snagged section winning keep net of Carp.

Glenn Bailey, Martyn Woodington and Geoff Francis went to Summerhayes Fishery – enough said 20lb was a good weight!

The expensive White Harte was the only pub doing food on Sunday night so it was half a chicken and strange chips costing £16 and a few more pints of Doombar for me!

Full Result:

1. Tony Rixon 209-13-0 peg 15
2. Craig Edmonds 138-03-0 peg 9
3. Nick Chedzoy 125-0-0 peg16
4. Mike Nicholls 114-13-0 peg 19
5. Bob Gullick 113-11-0 peg 33
6. Glen Calvert 110-05-0 peg 65

Top Silvers:

1. Steve Seager 21-09-0 peg 39
2. John Bradford 19-12-0 peg 17

Weigh Sheets:

Monday 12/06/2017 – Viaduct - Lavender Lodge Open – Lodge Lake.

It was £10 all in weight match. Steve Long sorted six pegs on Lodge I pulled peg 62. As I was on holiday I set up just two paste rigs one to fish at full depth out in front at top-set plus two and another set to fish both margins.

Once again first put in with a few hard 4’s fed through the kinder pot and I playing a 15lb Common Carp. Fifteen minutes later I’m playing its brother. It then went quiet until s few Skimmers started flying around. I kept trying the LH margin with the paste which was nibbled to death. I had another Large Common out in front and one down the RH margin before I had my last Carp doing the trick of pretending to pack up by unloading the bait tray!

My few accidental Skimmer weighed 17lb 2oz and my five Common Carp 71lb 8oz with average sixe of 14lb 4oz for a total of 88lb 10oz. Apparently these Common Carp originated from Sutton Bingham Reservoir and were 3lb when stocked in Lodge.

It was nearly a really close match for the exception of Two Pots Bailey (pictured right) who won the match with 126lb 5oz from peg 69. Glenn had a slow start catching on …

Chinese take away for tonight’s dinner and more alcohol, luckily for us Geoff Francis knew how to use the dishwasher, but couldn’t unload it without breaking some plates.

Weigh Sheet:

Tuesday 13/06/2017 – Acorn Open.

It was a long drive up to Clevedon to Acorn Fishery from Somerton. First stop the Bridge Inn for another breakfast. A reasonable turn out with 20 booked in. I haven’t been to the fishery since last year and from observation some Bankside adjustments had been made. In to the bag of balls and out comes peg 12, very happy with this one. For company I had Two Pots Bailey to my Left and the venue Silvers expert John Barker to my right. John had brought Charlie Barnes with him (pictured right) a great mate to have who has always made me laugh with his quick wit – nothing changed there then.

Three rigs – a 4x10 F1 for down the margin to the clump of Sedges where I found 12 inches of water with the bottom fairly flat, this rig to fish maggot over maggot and GB to catch – well anything. Next was a 4x14 F1 to fish top-set plus three into open water. A margin 0.3 Barnett paste float for the RH margin on the top-set.

I started out in front with maggot over maggot and GB. The upshot was one tint Ronnie and two foul hooked Carp well up in the water. I quickly changed to down the margin, again with maggot over GB laced maggot. Plenty of bites from small Perch and some Ronnie’s with most of the Ronnie falling off! I did have a 1lb F1 and some tiny 2oz Carp. There was plenty of Carp spawning under the tree between me and John Barker. Finally changed to the margin paste on the top-set, which has many times previously got me in the coin? Shame I messed about with the other rigs. I finally got some better Carp to feed properly and ended up with 10 Carp having foul hooked 12! The fish seemed to be a bit scatty.

I ended the match with a total of 62lb 4oz for 9^th. It was a match I wish I could have fished again but this time differently. We all get these days.

The match was won by Tom Thick (pictured upper right) with 153lb 15oz from bridge peg 21. Tom caught on 4mm expanders (borrowed from me) fished over hard 4’s. Tom started in the LH edge to the bridge catching well then gradually moved out and around the peg to keep the carp coming.

The Silvers was won by venue ace John Barker (pictured right) with 10lb 14oz from peg 11. John caught all over the swim catching most from each of his margins fishing maggot over loose fed maggot. I couldn’t see Charlie Barnes taking any notes.

We stopped in Brent house for our evening meal and a couple of pints of Amstel larger and a big fat Lamb Carvery.

Full Result:

Weigh Sheets:

Wednesday 14/06/2017 – Mike Nicholls Short Pole Match – Campbell Lake.

The match is based on top-set plus three sections of pole with the rest of the pole to be left in the holdall so no shipping on and line no longer than the top-set. We were all looking forward to this one and again a very popular match with 21 fishing and a waiting list. Into the coffee tin and out comes peg 110. I was very happy with this one as I do like margin fishing and a tug-o-war. Tackle grave yard.

The Carp pole was left in the holdall and out came the Drennan margin pole. I set up two paste rigs one for top-set plus three at 45 degrees to my left out of harms way. And the other to fish the same length ½ metre off the tree stump with 0.22 line and the Drennan number 25 bungee. I started at 45 degrees and started catching decent Carp. It was soon obvious that the carp really wanted to stay in the corner close enough to the brambles as they were moving in and out making the catching sporadic. So made the decision to take them on at there own game and went down to the stump. First try I had a 6lb Carp which pulled the elastic our at least 10 inches. I caught well but again the Carp kept backing away down to the brambles. The Carp here tend to be small but bloody hard to get away from the brambles however; the Bungee did its job only getting brambled twice. The downside of using a 25 elastic is I did pull out of some because of the pressure I was applying. But I do enjoy this type of fishing challenge.

I finished with 23 Carp for 128lb 9oz for 7^th overall. On reflection I wish I had started and finished down by the stump.

The match was won by Joe McMahon (upper pictured right) with 169lb 8oz from peg 135. Joe caught most of his fish slapping hard pellet at maximum permitted  pole length.

The Silvers was intentionally won by Mark Wynne (pictured right) with 23lb 12oz from peg 131. Mark caught most of his fish on hard pellet fish at full permitted length catching most of his Silvers during the first two hours.

Congratulations to Geoff Francis on his first Ton.

Mark Tanner arrived today for one night and a Curry in Somerton. It was a really good curry. By the end of the night Geoff Francis had become unsteady on his feet after drinking too many rough ciders.

Full Result:

1. Joe McMahon 169-08-0 peg 135
2. Gordon Cannings 158-11-0 peg 116
3. Dave Cockayne 143-01-0 peg 129
4. Ashley Tompkins 141-15-0 peg 130
5. Martyn Woodington 139-14-0 peg 126
6. Dan White 136-12-0 peg 127

 Top Silvers:

1. Mark Wynne 23-12-0 peg 131
2. Emma Drysdale 19-03-0 peg 125

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 15/06/2016 – Viaduct Cost Cutter – Campbell and Carey Lakes.

What a scene to wake up to the mist rising over Spring Lake (pictured right).

I didn’t mind where I drew as I was mostly going to fish for Silvers. Well out came peg 123. Now all the years I have been fishing Viaduct I have never drawn this peg which has in years past been the best Silvers peg in the SW. Alas not so much nowadays. Two Pots bailey fished it on the short pole and struggled for most of he match on paste. However, I thought I would start at top set plus three with Paste on a 0.3 PC float and see what turned up. I also set up a margin 0.2 paste rig but have found on this side of the Lake that the margins don’t always produce and are full of small Ronnie’s.

I started on the long paste rig and as per usual had a Carp first put in, second put in another, third put in another which I lost in a bunch of floating debris which I managed to get out and found a host of trashed float rigs. The Carp played no further part as I started to catch some Skimmers on the paste some fed accordingly and reduced the size of the paste. I decided to have a Banana walk around the Lake and reckoning I had 10lb of Silvers which was as good as anyone had. So I went back and set up the Ronnie rig and caught small Skimmers, Ronnie’s, small Hybrids and three small Tench, all caught on caster over caster. I did hook two maundering Carp which snapped the hook length.

My two Carp weighed 15lb 3oz and my Silvers 25lb 8oz for a narrow overall Silvers win.

The match was won by Mark Wynne (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 143lb 11oz from peg 116. Mark caught mostly on the lead with hard 8mm pellet casting short. Mark did have some short. Campbell Lake fished hard as the weigh sheet shows.

Two well dones Tim Ford for a PB Carp of just over 20lb from peg 77 and Geoff Francis for beating the mixed grill challenge. Plus four pick ups for the Lavender Lodge Boys.

Full Result:

1. Mark Wynne 143-11-0 peg 116
2. Glenn Bailey 121-0-0 peg 85
3. Gordon Cannings 115-02-0 peg 110
4. Martyn Woodington 105-10-0 peg 126
5. Steve Jackson 94-04-0 peg 88
6. Steve Seager 90-12-0 peg 115

 Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 25-07-0 peg 132
2. Rob Eagle 25-01-0 peg 96

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 04/06/2017 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

Who should we have as leader of our wonderful country next Friday? – Today Teresa May said “enough is enough” – gets my vote.

First stop with Bela – a large Wetherspoons which is devoured in half the time of my Traditional! Bela spotted on the menu they will add two pieces of black pudding for 75p! Next time I suspect.

With a number of leagues on today the attendance was down to eight which was enough for the current and old Windmill Golden peg.  So two pegs for old Windmill pegs 1 and 26 and new Windmill peg 26! So double bubble for Bob the Bread Price who drew it with £255 up for grabs – I suppose it don’t worry a Millionaire and it didn’t. In to the box and out comes inform peg 18 for me which was one of the only pegs would block golden bullocks BTB.

I soon made up my mind to fish for Carp today so only set up a 0.3 Barnett to fish top set in 30 inches of water down wind to my right. So bait prepared – paste, coarse GB, hard 4’s, wetted micro and 4mm expander in case I Had to fish for Silvers (pictured right).

Had a walk around to maggot man Bill Ferris who was on peg 10. Bill showed me his feed bait for Silvers – can’t say too much but I did take the piss.

All in I started by feeding a ball of GB follow by dropping in the paste and soon enough I was pestered by Ronnie’s. Over the next two hours I netted two 8lb and two 2lb Carp. I was still getting pestered by my Ronnie’s. So I decided to have a go for the Skimmers so jumped up and set up a 4x14 F1 winter, getting a couple more of my Acolyte margin sections out. So moved out to top-set plus two with 4mm expander fished over wetted micro which I fished for exactly one hour. Subsequently I had a Banana walk around to Bill Ferris who estimated he had 8-10lb.  I went back and for the remaining 3 hours fished for Carp. As we have come to expect the nearer the end the better the fishing becomes. No exception to day, but with 15 minutes to go I broke my Landing net screw connector and had to walk back to the shop to borrow one.  In the 10 minutes remaining I caught two more Carp taking my total to 12.

My Silvers weighed 10lb 2oz (Bill) and my twelve Carp 98lb15oz for a match winning total of 109-11-0.

The Silvers was won by matey Bill Ferris (pictured right with the match winner) with 19lb 8oz from peg 10. Bill fished caster over his suspect feed on his top-set. Well done matey. Bela on next peg 8 came close with 17lb 12oz of Accidental Silvers – pity he didn’t fish for them.

It’s always windy at this venue, and today was no exception and it’s a question of beating it and using it, which isn’t always possible.

Six minutes to breakfast 6 minutes to the fishery and 10 minutes to the local pub, what more do we need.

Full Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 109-11-0 peg 18
2. Ade Crawley 59-0-0 peg 1
3. Bela Bakos 47-01-0 peg 8

Top Silvers:

1. Bill Ferris 19-08-0 peg 10
2. Bela Bakos 17-12-0 peg 8

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 01/06/2017 - Chris O'Zone Open - Farleigh Woods

It was back to one of Geoff Francis favourite venues – Farleigh Woods. Although the Hungerford Arms was open for breakfast we choose to eat at The Café under the Batch railway arches. Very relaxing place to eat hearing trains pass overhead loaded with people rushing to work.

It appears that once you enter the gates of the fishery you loose all sense of direction once again we went down a dead end, one we haven’t been down before, if we had all the caravans had been mysteriously changed, scary.

These matches are organised by Chris Ollis who had Fourteen anglers booked in with thirteen arriving (is he still wandering around the woods – we didn’t check). We had pegs 1 to 15 booked, so anticipated getting a feature peg. Time for the draw, Chris has a well mannered draw method whereby your invited to the draw – very civilised. I couldn’t believe that I drew peg 14 again. Three visits and have drawn 13 and now 14 twice so haven’t travelled far around the fishery. Would have preferred to have fished a different peg, but the peg is probably the best Silvers peg. However, it meant I would be in the blazing sun all day.

Three pole parts – no 4 and two top sets. Two rigs – 4x12 F1 winter and a 0.3 Barnett paste float. Bait tray – wetted micros, 4mm expanders, hard 4’s, my senile paste and course GB. I’m not sure what went wrong with the expanders but within a few minutes they had turned to a mush. So I made up three batches with varying amounts of pumping/water. None were that good. I think it might be due to the hot weather.

I started as last time and for a couple of hours caught the tiny Skimmers on 4mm paste like expanders over micro at top-set plus one. It was soon apparent that I wasn’t going to get close to the 27lb of Skimmers I had from the peg last time out. It was now time for the banana walk and to have a spell out of the sun. It was fishing really hard for Silvers – as I expected with the conditions. Clive Glisson (nine small carp) and Geoff Francis (four better carp) were doing best. So back in the saddle and sun. The Silvers had all but disappeared so tried adding some sections adding another 6 inches to the depth. Not a bite. Hindsight was to tell me I messed around with this too long. With an hour to go I went in the margin on the top-set where I had been feeding GB. On went the senile and blow me I had a Carp first dob. I went on to land six hard fighting Carp loosing four foulers.

My silvers weighed 11lb 7oz and my six Carp 34lb 6oz for first in the Silvers and third overall. If only I had gone in the margin 15 minutes earlier I think I would have had a double top. Who knows?

The match was won by Clive Glisson (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 52lb 2oz from peg 7. Clive fished a method feeder 60 metres to the island with hair rigged 8mm pellet. It was nice to see him again I use to fish with his dad John many years ago on the river. When I would see John walking to his peg I always hoped he wasn’t in my section as he was very difficult to beat.

Some new faces up from Somerset today great to see them. This is a gem of a fishery with sensible close winning weights and far from the madding crowd – or I hope it is.

Chris is running two more Thursday matches 08 and 15 June contact him to book in, you don’t have to be a Coffin Dodger to fish - but it helps.

Full Result:

1. Clive Glisson 52-02-0 peg 7
2. Geoff Francis 47-04-0 peg 9
3. Mike Nicholls 45-13-0 peg 14

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 11-07-0 peg 14
2. Chris Ollis 6-13-0 peg 13
3. Pau Barnfield 3-14-0 peg 1

Weigh sheet!!