Friday, 15 September 2017

Thursday 15/09/2017 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's - Bridge Pool

I had breakfast at Hungry Horace’s, another good one nice and hot. Fishing around the region has generally been poor of late especially the Silvers, so expectations were low, lets blame the weather and change of seasons. I had a walk around the Pool where there were little signs of feeding fish. However, the bottom end seemed to have more signs.

It was a good turn out today with 23 fishing. I know pegging this venue is difficult, but there are pegs to avoid – peg 20 (peg 19 is better) peg 25 (peg 22 is better).

In to the draw bag and out comes counter 10, very happy with this one. For company I had Dave Wride on peg 11 and Mike Taylor on peg 8. With Mike being partially deaf and Dave being well – uncommunicative, it was going to be a quiet match, Barny had different idea because he wasn’t catching today moaned for the next five hours everyone could here him from peg 32, Steve Dawson who was opposite was lucky he had some ear plugs with him.

Due to the variation of lighting on the water I was forced to fish either long or short so easy set-up - one, 4x16 to fish at top-set plus three, (long) a 4x14 to fish top-set plus the Ronnie rig. As expected the fish weren’t bait chasing so the Ronnie rig was to only add 3oz to the net and spent the match being blown about on the roost. Starting short with GB and DR’s I caught small Skimmers (4oz), Perch and Ronnie’s for about an hour when the swim died except for the odd micro Perch. I would have liked to have stayed close for at least half the match, but decided to go on the longer line earlier, still not sure this was the right thing to do because I found it just as slow. Again with GB and DR’s I kept plugging away trying to get the rig working properly in the skimming wind and the ever changing light. It wasn’t until the wind dropped and veered a bit that I got it right and started to add the Skimmers in quick pairs. I slowed again due to disruptive Carp, one 3lb and the other 4lb were both were landed, cripes these Stockies have really grown on. The Skimmers returned and I had a 20 minutes purple patch catching some better Skimmers. I had a 2lb Skimmer fly off due to the way the fish came out of the water catching the connector over the pole negating the elastic. The last 30 minutes was painful only adding one more 4oz Skimmer.

I finished with a dead 18lb for second overall.

The match was won by Steve Dawson (pictured right) with 25lb 14oz from peg 3. Steve fished maggot over kindered/bait dropped maggot.

It was back to the pub with the usual suspects including Banana Head.

I often see the younger angler trying to fish fast “Fast is fine, accuracy is everything”

Full Result:

  1. Steve Dawson 25-14-0 peg 3
  2. Mike Nicholls 18-0-0 peg 10
  3. Alan Jones 15-06-0 peg 21
  4. Ken Morgan 14-08-0 peg 30
  5. Huge Evans 13-14-0 peg 6
  6. Dave Gillard  13-02-0 peg 7
Weigh Sheets:




No comments: