Thursday 18/04/2019 - Westerleigh - Rixon's Rip Off - Knock-up - Top Canal

We organised a knock-up at the Westerleigh top Canal. Bela being the local expert took a day off work to fish. So first stop Hungry Horaces where we met up with Geoff Francis who was off to the Thursday Windmill open. It was another decent breakfast.

Disappointed that we had only nine fishing making it a knock-up. Nonetheless, plenty of stiff competition. Tony chucked the pegs on the floor so with an extra push in the back from Tony I just managed to reach the nearest peg which was number 6. As per usual I was told it was a good Silvers peg, but to expect some lumps!! For company I had Martyn McMahon to my right on peg 5 and the Knowle West Shrimp on peg 7.

I set up a 4x12 Roob to fish the margin one metre from the bank for any "Lumps" at top-set plus one. A 4x14 Winter Titan to fish topset plus two in the deepest part on the peg which was about 7 foot. Finally the Ronnie rig.

I started on the Titan with expander over micro and all I got was tiny indications and chewed pellet, as it transpired from tiny Crucians. Abandoned this line in favour of the Ronnie rig over GB and maggot and started to catch tiny Crucians to 3 oz!! At least it was bites - well sort off. For some unknown reason you have to net these fish which puts far more stress on them compared to if they were swung. I tried to feed off the Crucians, which didn't happen as they seem to love the GB. So I switched to loose feeding maggot and started to add some Skimmers to 2 lb.  However, it was never long before the Crucians arrived so fed more GB to keep them occupied. I kept on the Roonies rig until the end trying allsorts of feeding to get at the Skimmers who must be pissed at the Crucians getting to the hook bait first.


Prior to the weigh in Ricky Mills - Scaffolder (no job to big or too small) got the boat out to rescue Martyn McMahon's top-set which was hanging in one of the island trees (pictured upper right).

The biggest Carp was about 4 oz (don't think this qualifies as a lump) which got put back at the weigh in. My Silvers/Crucians weighed in at 24 lb 4 oz for first in the Silvers.

The match was won by Tony Rixon with 63 lb 2 oz from peg 11 - see his blog for the details...

Bela (pictured upper right) was runner up with 51-14-0 from peg 3. Bela caught on hard pellet down the track and over to the far bank. However, it was a tight

affair between Bela and Ron Hardiman (pictured right) who was next peg 2 - losing out by a mere 7 oz! 

Result:

1.Tony Rixon 63-02-0 peg 11
2. Bela Bakos 51-14-0 peg 3
3. Ron Hardiman 50-07-0 peg 2

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 24-04-0 peg 6
2. Mike Jones 18-08-0 peg 9

Weigh Sheet: