Thursday 05/07/2019 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's and Short Walks - Bridge Pool

Geoff and I went to Hungry Horaces again for another great breakfast. One guy had just finished large breakfast and then ordered another large!

Arrived in time to have another walk around with Geoff. What a beautiful morning, but going to get very hot. No wind.

 Eighteen fishing today. Last peg in the draw bag saw me on peg 16. Happy with this as I intended to fish for Carp today and it's only 12 metres to the opposite island. The downside to this peg is that it's 90 degrees to next peg 15, so unless you're left handed it can be a pole fencing match. Luckily Geoff Grant arrived on the peg with the shortest legged pole roller I've seen - but only one! To me the water looked clear, I could see small F1's tight into the undercut, so might make them difficult to catch especially with the overhanging trees and the dreaded brambles.

I set up two paste rigs one for the inside line and the other over where the bottom was very irregular. I also set up the Ronnie rig incase the paste rig got Ronnied out. Getting the bait out I noticed that the paste had gone very hard so added some water but overdid it and ended up with mush. So I wetted up some more 4's which would take some time to be ready. I did try the mush but it was unsuitable for fishing over, but did have a couple of F1's and brambles. So I fed some GB and casters on the Ronnie line and caught a few silvers including some small Tench on single caster, but no Skimmers, plenty of nuisance Perch willing to feed though. I decided to try a banded hard 6 pellet rig over where I had been feeding 4's with the catty.  I was getting plenty of indications which were from small silvers. The new paste was ready so tried that and caught some more F1's until I lost a rig in the tree which I did managed to get back. However, instead of getting a new rig out I "made do and mended" the rig by tying some more line to it. In the rush to do this I unknowingly tied the knot incorrectly. I then hook a big fish which broke the line or the knot slipped - bugger - why did I do this? A new rig connected and I had a stockie Carp and one beautiful marked common Carp. I started to get liners, but couldn't get in close enough the F1's had backed off into the undercut. Time for the inside line with the paste where I had been feeding hard 4's. It wasn't long before I had a decent Carp and thought I might get a few more in the last 45 minutes. I did hook another shortly after which really fought hard. I had it beat on the surface ready for an easy netting but I fumbled the landing net which gave the Carp time to drive down to my right and went round the leg of the platform and broke me - bugger - first time on this pool that this has happened to me - probably because the peg is on the corner.

My few Silvers weigh 5 lb and my Carp 35 lb 2 oz for a fourth overall weight of 40 lb 3 oz. Some bad angling on my part cost me today - bad paste, bad knot and bad fumbling

The match was won by Paul Haines (pictured right with the other moaner) with 55 lb 4 oz from peg 11. Paul caught all his fish on the method feeder with either pellet (Carp) or maggot (Silvers) on the hook. Well done to him.

The Silvers was won by Paul Barnfield (pictured right with the match winner) with 28 lb 10 oz from unfancied peg 19. Not sure what Paul caught on probably worm and GB. Excellent weight from here today.

We were all baking hot by the end especially Geoff Grant and me as we had to weigh in, so it was a mad rush to the pub with the usual suspects (some pictured right - Ray looks a bit "thoughtful" probably because it was his round next).

Result:

1. Paul Haines 55-04-0 peg 11
2. Tony Rixon 52-0-0 peg 14
3. john Fry 43-12-0 peg 4
4. Mike Nicholls 40-02-0 peg 16

Silvers:

1. Paul Barnfield 28-10-0 peg 19
2. Dave Haines 22-12-0 peg 28
3. Mike Jones 14-0-0 peg 31

Weigh Sheets: