Monday, 16 April 2018

Sunday 15/04/2018 - Shiplate Open - Squircle


I went out for a drink Saturday with Bela and Geoff. We had a right laugh taking the piss out of a plumber. The drink was going down fast and furious. I think it must be because it’s the first time we have seen the sun for many long months. I was sensible enough to stop before Geoff and Bela, but not sensible enough! My sleep was regularly interrupted finally getting up feeling very jaded and with a headache. Geoff and I went for breakfast at Shipham, I was hoping that this would help on the road to recovery – it didn’t.

Geoff and I had a walk around the pond, there was a cold SE wind blowing into all of the near side pegs especially peg 12 – Geoff and I didn’t want that one, unlucky Geoff. Gamekeeper Steve commented that the weather was good for October! Geoff told me there would be just a few showers today so left the umbrella home, wrong, it rained very much all day, at least it stopped before packing up.

Into the draw tub and out comes peg 14. This happened to be the peg I broke the record on two years ago. Since then the pond has been made bigger/longer with more pegs, however, the fish are growing fast. This year will see the record go I think. I was happy with the peg mainly because I had the rain and wind on my back.

A hangover and fishing does not mix especially when you’re in your 70th year. Whilst I was setting up I knocked my maggot bait box into the pond, salvaging a just a few DR’s. I set up a 4x12 to fish full depth in four foot of water at top-set plus one and a 4x10 Yoof to fish to the island. I started by feeding the two lines with wetted micro and soften 4’s. Starting in the deep water resulted in one small Goldfish. The upshot was the only place I could catch was over to the island but it was very slow catching the occasional small Carp. With an hour to go I decided a change was necessary, so switched to maggot, but due to the low stocks mixed up some GB to feed them. This worked well and I started to put some fish in the net. I knew the change wasn’t due to the time of day because most anglers I could see had slowed right down. Unfortunately, probably a few minutes late switching because my 26 lb 2 oz put me one out of the coin by 8 oz, ouch. I have to confess the peg was worth at least second place, so all down to me. Still enjoyed the day much better than sitting home feeling sorry for yourself.

The match was won by convivial Steve Howell (pictured right with his net of fish – two years ago these were all less than a pound) with 40 lb 12 oz from end peg 15. Steve caught initially on bread, and then expander then on to maggot all caught over along the island to his right. The other end peg was second.

Geoff and I decided we needed the hair of the dog and stopped in a pub that was locked in the 1960’s called the White Hert? One guy wanted some peanuts so had to walk down to the next pub to buy some!!

Result:

  1. Steve Howell 40-12-0 peg 15
  2. Nigel Webber 33-08-0 peg 2
  3. Gary Flinders 29-01-0 peg 5
Weigh Sheet:



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