Silverfox Match Angling: Thursday 18/08/2017 - Viaduct Cost Cutter

Friday, 18 August 2017

Thursday 18/08/2017 - Viaduct Cost Cutter - Campbell, Cary and Lodge

Bakos Roofing (pictured lower left) also now available Bakos Landscaping (pictured lower right) – thanks matey for the two great jobs. Bela had an enforced day off – scaffolding the wrong height. Although he looks over 55 he isn’t quite so I cancelled the Coffin Dodgers at Hunstrete to go with him to Viaduct Fishery. Stopped at Cannards Well where we met Podge and Two Pots for breakfast. Not bad breakfast too and nice to have a sausage that doesn’t taste like cardboard.

Another great turn out for this great South West Fishery with 41 pegs in the coffee tin. This meant Lodge Lake would be in – my favourite. The attendance to these cost cutters show it’s not all about the money but the competitive element and being with like minded people.

First in the draw tin and I pull two pegs stuck together so as always both go back and go for a single – never choose one of the two, otherwise your left wondering about the better draw you might have put back. With peg 61 Lodge in my hands I was very happy; especially as I was tooled up for the Coffin Dodgers Silvers match. Bela drew peg 73 last time he drew it he won from it so great expectations here. Opposite on peg 70 I could see the Gimp so good litmus to how and what baits are catching.

The big Skimmers on Lodge love their paste so set up two paste rigs one for top-set plus four and another for the margin in case I had to try for Carp later. A 4x12 Winter which due to the nasty wind blowing quite hard in at me was a bit to light. The last to be set up was my favourite Ronnie Rig.

With the crap summer we’ve had this year at least the water levels are maintained.

I started on the long paste rig fished over some soaked 4’s. I can almost guarantee that first put in I would catch a Carp. Not this time the float just sat there without any indications not even from the nibblers. Umm. I started to keep and eye on the Gimp who would start on his worm and caster he was also motionless. After 30 minutes not a sign of a fish of any type. Meanwhile Matt Rowe on peg 59 was chucking a feeder to the aerator and catching a skimmer one a bung. To stop the boredom I switched to the Ronnie rig and over the next hour caught about 8lb of tiny Skimmers and 2-3 oz Ronnie’s. The Gimp was still struggling. I had only seen one accidental Skimmer caught so far which is unusual. Time for a Banana walk and watched Matt catch anther Skimmer walked around to Bela who had about 70lb of decent Carp and still catching steady. It was apparent the Skimmers had holed up around the aerator. Back to the peg with a cup of tea and tried allsorts to try and catch some of the better Skimmers – all failed me. Time for a sulk in the RH margin with the paste rig for it only to hook feed the Ronnie’s. With an hour to go the wind dropped slightly and veered more to blowing up the Lake instead of into me. With half hour to go I noticed a blow on a top-set plus one line which was one of my many lines I had earlier opened up in desperation. So switched to this line with paste and was disappointed to catch a 13lb Mirror Carp. I started to loose feed hard 4’s and another light fizz – a foul hooked Carp – bugger. Not long left now. Over the next 20 minutes I caught eight decent Skimmers I just couldn’t put in quick enough, my mind set changing from wanting to pack up for to wanting the match to never end. Interestingly, in the meantime Matt had stopped catching! I truly believe this was due to the change of wind direction which moved the fish from the aerator and time of day. Its common knowledge that the Carey diagonal bank never fishes that well for Silvers if a strong wind is blowing into it.

My one Carp weighed 13lb 2oz and my late Silvers 22lb 3oz and third pick up in the Silvers.

The match was won by Dave Chidzoy (pictured right) with 173lb 8oz from in form peg 68. Dave struggled for bites during the first two hours but gradually picked the odd Carp off fishing lead and long pole out in front. However, it wasn’t until later when he switched to his RH margin up to the bush that he really caught well fishing paste over GB laced with hard 4’s.

The Silvers was won by Matt Rowe (pictured right with great net of Skimmers) with a PB of 51lb 2oz from peg 59. Matt caught on a cage feeder packed with pellet with 8mm meat on the hook. Matt cast to the aerator where the fish appeared to be holed up.

Bela finished second overall so for two consecutive matches we have had the double bubble van, so a stop at Winston's fish and chip shop finished off another great day out. Not forgetting Bar-gar-age.

Full Result: