Thursday 29/08/2019 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's and Short Walks - Bridge - Pool

Teammate Ray Sims passed away yesterday. All those that were there will always remember Ray winning three opens on Fry's section of the Bristol Avon in three consecutive matches from the same peg 4 in the bay. Good payouts back than. RIP matey.

Travelled with Geoff today which meant no porridge, but a full English at Hungry Horace's. Yummy.

Arrived in enough time to place the scales on the appropriate pegs and have a walk around. Not much sign of Carp at either end to be fair, but certainly less at the far end as per normal. I fancied peg 24 - again. Geoff didn't fancy any peg!

Last in to the draw bag and put came peg 28. Not one of my favourite, but plenty of worse pegs were in the bag. I told Geoff which peg I was on and he asked where it was - next to 28 I said - my peg he said! The other side was Chris Orris and Geoff was to spend the day sword fencing with Cliff on peg 26. I still say we should leave this peg out and put 25 in, the angler would naturally fish towards 26.

The usual plan fish for Silvers for the first half and Carp the second. So a 0.3 gram paste rig that would suit both margins and the Ronnie, with the intention to set up a rig to fish longer if necessary. I fed both margin with micro but started on the Ronnie rig with single DR over GB laced with DR's. I started to catch 2-3 oz Skimmers and Hybrids - nice to see - with the odd better Skimmer. I fished this for three hours and reckon I had 10 lb before I ventured into the RH margin and ad a 8 lb Carp first try - here we go another bag up section on Carp - wrong. I fished it for three hours both sides feeding all sorts trying to encourage the Carp alas it was all wasted only having one liner. I should have stayed on the Silver  - easy for me to say now!!

My Silvers weighed 11 lb and my one Carp 8 lb 8 oz for a total of 19 lb 8 oz. A few more Silvers and one more Carp would have got some coin - so which was right?

Geoff was fishing the waggler shallow and on two occasions whilst casting tapped Cliff's hat with the banded pellet. Geoff in the final minutes hooked the tree and pulled for a break only for his float to fly back and the shot went right through the his number 5 section. Geoff got his shot back but couldn't find his float! Lucky Cliff methinks, could have easily been a Guy Manton event. Both pictured upper right debating the issue.

The match was won by Enigma (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 49 lb from peg 20 Steve caught over to the island fishing meat over micro/meat.

The Silvers was won by Steve Tanner (pictured right with his catch) with 29 lb 4 oz of Skimmers from peg 11. Steve caught on worm over chopped worm/micro fed in GB.

Result:

1. Steve Dawson 49-0-0 peg 20
2. Tony Rixon 39-07-0 peg 17
3. Martyn McMahon 38-08-0 peg 24

Silvers:

1. Steve Tanner 29-04-0 peg 11
2. Paul Barnfield 17-06-0 peg 14
3. Chris Ollis 15-09-0 peg 29

Weigh Sheets: