Sunday 01/02/2018 - Todber King of The Manor Sivers Final - Ash, Hillview and Home Ground Lakes

I travelled alone today which proved to be unnecessary had I done my homework, meeting up with Dave Lewis at the venue who had driven passed my house to get here. The last time we travelled to a match was some 20 years ago to the Slough Arm on the Grand Union Canal, so it was his turn to drive! It was also nice catching up with his Brother Hutch who had also qualified – I’m guessing worms were involved for both. Both still do some orienteering on the Bristol Avon.

I had a walk around the three Lakes and it was strangely flat calm and bright which lead me to think it was going to be hard. After the pre-draw chat I had an open mind as to where I wanted to draw. John Candy will tell you that predicting the winning Lake/pegs are impossible. I agree.

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 80 on Home Ground. At last a peg I can park behind. Before unloaded the tackle I searched out Gary O’Shea on Ash. He thought I couldn’t win it from the peg with the pegs opposite being favourite. For company I had Ash Tomkins on peg 78. I couldn’t help noticing that there was plenty of strong completion for the section – Nicky Collin, Mark Harper, Dave Roper and Ash to name a few. I guess it was the same for all the sections in such a final.

Whilst setting up I was looking for some positives and found one in the fact the wind was blowing into our end (it’s usually the other way). I set-up my favourite Ronnie rig, the 4 metre Drennan whip, a 9 inch Drake waggler and a 4x14 F1 winter to fish at 10 metres out in front. I started by feeding two balls of GB with Dead reds, caster and Pinkies at 10 metres and loose fed some casters down wind at 10 –o’clock. I had four goes on the Ronnie rig with single caster and with no indications, so went out at 10 metres with single DR on the hook. First put in I had a small 3oz Skimmer followed by a 4oz Ronnie. I fished this for an hour catching this stamp of fish mainly with the biggest being a 1 ½ Skimmer and a 12oz Ronnie. The fish seemed to like the GB so re-fed another ball laced with just loads of caster. Whilst I let that settled I went back in the Ronnie rig and had 30 minutes catching quality Ronnie’s until it died. The initial thinking was Carp disruption – it wasn’t. Back on the 10 metre line and a few more small Skimmers – plenty there, but need to catch this size fish short/ to-hand. It then slowed as did Ash next door. So went on the 4 metre whip with red maggot over loose fed wriggling maggot. This provided a few more Skimmers’ and Ronnie’s but that soon slowed. Umm. Got up for a call of nature and watched the wind and the penny dropped. The fish were following the wind. So with about 15 lb netted I picked up the waggler and with single DR on the hook fished over live reds I could follow the edge of the wind. It was very noticeable if the wind dropped completely I couldn’t catch. During the last hour I had a great time catch decent Ronnie’s to 6oz, Hybrids and Skimmer to 8 oz, picking of a bonus old 4 lb Bream. The nearer it got to the end the better the fishing became. I fed about ½ kilo of GB, ¼ pint of casters, hand full of Pinkies and ½ pint of live maggots.

I wasn’t sure what weight I had but as soon as I picked the net up realised I had a least 30lb. They in fact weighed 33 lb 14oz (upper pictured right) which was enough to beat Tony Rixon into second place overall by 12oz. Pre-weigh in Tony was playing his usual mind games “of I only got 25 lb” – after our last match at Shiplate where Tony took home a £1 in pools money more than me -  revenge was sweet. I forgot to ask John what privileges other than qualifying for next years final the title "King of The Manor" entitles me to - keys to the tackle shop would be good! 

Spare a thought for Nicky Collins who was on peg 89 and from the first minute to the last was playing Carp. He didn’t let it get to him fantasying about Carol Kirkwood and at one time he had us worried he was going to start singing “The Rind Stone Cowboy”.

It was another great days fishing on a great venue. This has to be the best catchable Roach venue in the South West.

John Candy was right when he said the winner could come from anywhere with the top three all coming from three different Lakes pictured below centre.

Full Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 33-14-0 peg 80 HG
2. Tony Rixon 33-02-0 peg 61
3. Chris Albiston 32-08-0 peg 75 Ash
4. Gareth Boycott 31-02-0 peg 73 Ash
5. Joint: Dave Lewis 20-09-0 peg 67 Ash and Jack Stamp 20-09-0 peg 84 HG

Weigh Sheets: