Friday, 16 February 2018

Thursday 16/02/2018 - Coffin Dodgers Open - Plantation Fishery - Main Lake


Cormorants are currently devastating our Commercial fisheries. Some say it’s due to human interventions. The answer for me is yes and yes. Yes its common knowledge that our seas have and are being over fished. And yes we have built inland fisheries that are stuffed full of fish providing much easier pray for the “Black Death”. I’m sure if the seas could be repopulated the Cormorant issue would not disappear, simply because Commercial fisheries will continue to provide an easy living. Every year the “Black Death” population increases exponentially which is opposite to what the seas would provide – an unnatural evolution of significantly reducing their numbers. I’m not sure what the future holds, but do know the situation is now very serious indeed for us anglers. Whatever commercial fishery owners do to protect their livelihoods has my full support.

On a lighter note, some say there is a role reversal in the Rixon household. I see on social media that the Mrs is off fishing whilst Mr works, then there’s an apparent fetish for vacuum cleaners by Mr. Today Mr. was seen walking around the car park with an umbrella that’s lets say not masculine (pictured right). No pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.

Geoff Francis and I had a plastic breakfast in the Bridge Inn before Tony and I pegged it out. We tried a different combination from last time and I am coming to the conclusion that twenty anglers is about three too many for this venue.

Into the smelly Woolly hat and out comes peg 15 which is permanent peg 28, an open water peg between the two islands and a peg we had to move off some pleasure anglers! I was immediately thinking glad I was out of the wind which was to prove OK for self survival but wasn’t going to be true for the fishing. The bright sunshine wasn’t going to help. What was disappointing that I was in another bloody Parrot cage peg.

I set up and fished identical as last match and couldn’t believe I couldn’t get a bite it took 90 minutes to catch an 8oz Skimmer on my pellet line followed by a 1oz Ronnie on the GB and caster/maggot line. Meanwhile those that had some wind cover were catching Skimmers well and found myself in a position of no catch up on the Silvers. I went for a banana walk to find the fishing very patchy. I decided to try the new waggler rod even though it meant under arm casting. On went a small bodied waggler to help get some under arm distance. I was surprised I could cast 25 metres. However, would have liked to have been able to fish the peg properly – much further out where I could see feeding Carp. The hope was to catch some Carp the only means of catch up. The conditions were perfect for the waggler as I could pick up the tow against. The upshot was that I had a few Ronnie’s and three small Skimmers and even though towards the end I fed maggot heavily I only had one small Carp.

I finished the match with 10lb 1oz for nowhere. But I did beat Colesy. Plus my waggler rod is no longer a virgin!

The match was won by John Fuidge (pictured upper right with his nice catch of Skimmers) from peg 5 – permanent peg 8. John caught at 13 metres using a multitude of baits – Pellet, maggot and caster. I know it’s a good peg but it was noticeable that is was also the most wind effected peg where the fish can find some cover from the “Black Death” in these open water fisheries.

The Silvers was won by Tony Rixon (pictured right) with 33lb 8oz from peg 16 permanent peg 31. Tony caught on …..see his blog for details.

It was back to the Bridge Inn for Geoff and me a Pint and a bite whilst the traffic receded.

Another great day out – did I detect some spring in the air?

Full Result:

  1. John Fuidge 44-11-0 peg 5 (8)
  2. Tony Rixon 36-04-0 peg 16 (31)
  3. Martin McMahon 28-12-0 peg 19 (38)
Top Silvers:

  1. Tony Rixon 33-08-0 peg 16
  2. John Fuidge 33-04-0 peg 5
  3. Martin McMahon 23-11-0 peg 19
Weigh Sheet: With permanent pegs noted:


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