Tuesday 10/12/2019 - Bitterwell Silvers Xmas Match

As I was giving Thursday a miss this week I thought I would go and support Ken Morgan at Bitterwell, Ken runs a good match. However, the attendance was always going to be down due to the horrendous weather forecast - Rain and high gusting winds. Before the draw Ken handed out some mince pies.

I found myself once again wanting to be out of the wind so was hoping for the road side, but definitely not the car park side! Into the draw bag and out come red bottler top 12 - the garden pretty peg - far bank with the wind off my left shoulder. The last time I fished here I drew this peg and struggled. The peg is on the end before going around to the roadside, but on the right I had Neighbour Darren North - peg 14.

I had just bought a new Skimmer feeder rod - Drennan 10 foot Acolyte Ultra and wanted to try in out so set that up first. I set up a 4x12 to fish to my left upto some reed cover in three foot of water I really expected to catch some decent perch and Roach here. Final rig a 4x14 to fish at 10 metres, which to be honest wasn't right because of the tow against - like fishing a river. What was interesting I had a dummy cast on the feeder and there was no sign of tow? This peg is one of the deepest and shallows to the right so most of the tow was up in the water which was going to make presentation difficult.

Paul Isaacs the new fishery Manager came round during the match with a cuppa including a special black one for me - very welcome. 

I fed the against the reeds with neat Pinkie and at 10 metres with GB and Pinkie. I started on the feeder at 25 metres and after two casts was itching to try the pole. As expected the tow was making things difficult especially when adding the gusting wind which made it almost impossible to hold back. I did have a few tiny Ronnies and a lost 2 lb Skimmer which I think was fouled as it was coming in sideways. Next was a Carp which broke me. So tried my banker upto the reeds where the presentation was much better. I could get bites from fish that couldn't even hold the float down - small Perch and Ronnie's. I then had my first visitor Martyn Woodington who witnessed the teasing of the small fish. I then decided to fish the last 3 1/2 hours on the feeder to give it a good try out. Which I clipped up over the 10 metre pole line. My next visitors Glenn Bailey and Martin McMahon. I straight away getting bites on the drop again from tiny Ronnie's - very frustrating because if the bait settled on the bottom I would get a 4 oz Skimmer. If only I could have fished the Ronnie rig I am sure I would have had a good day, but once again the wind wasn't going to allow this.

I weighed 4 lb 3 oz for fifth. I was impressed with this rod and is ideal for this type of fishing - really nice soft action, no compromising the Skimmers.

The match was won by my neighbour Darren North (pictured right) with 9 lb 6 oz from peg 14. Darren had a long line where he fished GB and Pinkie where he caught the odd small Skimmers and Ronnie's. He later switched to a short line - top-set plus two with maggot hook bait fished over maggot. It wasn't until the last 15 minutes that he secured his win landing a 2 lb Hybrid and a 1 lb 5 oz Perch. Well done matey.

There was a special prize for the biggest Perch which I thought Darren would win, however, John Fuidge had a Perch exactly the same weight - pictured right - was it a question of a Xmas "Pass the Perch"?

It was back to the Bitterwell Hall - first time in there for me. Plenty of prizes one for all.

It was good to fish a traditional Xmas match - AKA fur and feather no sign of this - but alcohol free beer - really Ken. Paul Isaacs presented Darren with the Bitterwell Xmas match trophy - pictured above.

I have fished four different venues for Silvers over the last two weeks and can say that Bitterwell came out joint top for the Silvers fishing. I can't wait to get back there in conditions where I can fish the Ronnie rig. Now thinking of swapping Windmill Thursdays for Bitterwell Tuesdays.

Top Six:

1. Darren North 9-06-0 peg 14

2. John Fuidge 8-0-0 peg 17

3. Steve Dawson 5-10-0 peg 5

4. Ken Morgan 4-12-0 peg 7

5. Mike Nicholls 4-03-0 peg 12

6. Graham Beever 4-01-0 peg 15 

Weigh Sheet: