Thursday 12/09/209 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's and Short Walks - Bridge Pool

With Geoff off working in the Solent, I was on my own so once again beans and porridge. Come back soon. Arrived in plenty of time for two laps of the Pool. Once on my own, the second time with Mike Jones and Hughie Evans. Peg 24 would have been my choice today.

The last match Mike Jones was horrified to be told he was now the oldest Dodger. He wasn't happy and went off with a notepad and pen recording everyone's DOB - he got not change!

I know when it's one minute to the draw when Olly is seen ambling up the car park. One chilled dude. Draw for 19 ready pictured right. I was last but two to draw and pulled peg 30 - Ummm. Not that impressed until I found out I would be end peg, so thought I might pull a lump or two up from the empty pegs to my left. For company I had Curly Jones on peg 29. Then there was Junior and Ray Bazeley on Methodist corner, pegs 28 and 27. I'm sure I heard them singing hymns.

As per usual my plan was to fish for Silvers for the first half and Carp the second, so set up the Ronnie rig, a 4x14 Winter Titan to fish top-set plus four barrels and a margin 0.3 gram paste rig to fish left or right. There was a stiff wind blowing left to right which would make presenting the Ronnie rig difficult. Furthermore, the water was quite clear so plumbed up the paste rig further out from the margin than normal into deeper water. On hindsight I should have fished even deeper.

I fed some neat chopped worm and caster on the long line, a ball of GB laced with LR's on the Ronnie line and a pot of micro into each margin. The paste to be fished left at top-set plus two and the right - downwind top-set only.

Started on the Ronnie rig and started to catch small Ronnie's. Perch and Skimmers on single LR. After topping up I tried the worm on the long line and had four decent Skimmers. Topped this line up and back on the Ronnie rig. I kept switching between these two lines, but found the Carp had moved over the worm at the same time someone said we were at halfway. So with the wind picking up went down the right side which produced just a few nibbles. So down the left into the wind where presentation was difficult but could see there was some Carp about. I soon had a decent Carp in the net, so decided to stay with this until the end feeding wetted 4 's - kindered and potted. I did get a tad frustrated losing  seven Carp - most foul hooked and landing three more and one F1. The Carp again would come into the swim and bow wave out leading to foulers. I think now I should have fished further out - who knows for sure, but should have had a line ready primed to try.

My Silvers weighed 13 lb 12 oz for fourth in the Silvers and my four Carp and F1 42 lb 10 oz for a match winning total of 56 lb 6 oz. Beating Junior Methodist by 12 oz.

The Silvers was won once again by Steve Tanner (pictured right with the match winner) with 26 lb 14 oz from peg 17. Steve caught on worm hook bait fished over chopped worm and micro.

Back to the pub with some of the usual suspects. Still able to enjoy a pint outside - but how long for now?

Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 56-06-0 peg 30
2. Gary Junior Bowden 55-12-0 peg 28
3. Hughie Evans 36-04-0 peg 24

Silvers:

1. Steve Tanner 26-14-0 peg 17
2. Mike Jones 19-0-0 peg 29
3. Dave Haines 15-02-0 peg 1

Weigh Sheets: