Thursday 20/02/2020 - Bathampton AA - Silvers Priority and Carp - Bridge Pool - Sponsored by Premier Angling

It's a good job we don't have Snowflakes organising this match as it would have been cancelled. As it was the numbers dwindled to 13 - all hardy experienced winter leaguers from way back when matches were only cancelled when you you couldn't see the banks of the river.

Before the draw I would have settled for peg 16, 17,18,19,21 and 24. However, as the numbers were down only pegs 16,19 and 24 were in the bag. In I go and peg 24 staring back at me happy with this I thought - but not for long!

I set up a 4x16 yellow top for the Skimmers to fish top-set plus three barrels, it would have been four except for the wind. The only other rig a 4x12 set to three foot deep to fish down the right hand side into the bay. I would have preferred to fish it to my left as well but it would have meant facing in to the wind.

I initially only fed the Skimmer line with Pinkie and caster in the GB. I would have like to have loose fed the right margin but the wind would decided where the feed actually landed. The wind on this fishery can come at you anywhere around the compass, bending the pole quickly in opposite direction without warning.

Started with three Pinkies on a 20 hook and started to catch Ronnies with a few flapping off in the wind. I was getting pestered by small Perch which was bad news. The wind then picked up and the torrential rain started. I was forecast to be a warm day - wrong the wind was from the NW and bloody freezing. It wasn't long before the rain turned to hail - at least it didn't get me any wetter but was stinging the hands. The Skimmer line had become impossible to fish and for self preservation I switch to having my back to the wind fishing the margin. This coincided with John Smith and Barney who had the wind smack in the face having a walk around to get warm. The upshot was I sat on the margin rig for the remainder of the match with double DR's on the hook kindering micro and DR's, landing 11 small F1's losing one proper Carp. The issue was the water was so clear playing fish would scatter the F1's so it was a question of a long wait between fish. I'm sure I would have more if I could have switched between the two margins. Packing up was difficult and my hands were numb, Barny's had turn blue - Barney's are normally purple!

My few Ronnies weighed 2 lb 4 oz and my eleven F1's 13 lb for 15 lb 4 oz and one out of the money.

The Silvers was won by Tony Rixon (pictured upper right with the match winner - 40 stone at least) with 24 lb 4 oz from roadside peg 7 which had some shelter from the cold winds. See his blog for details.

The match was won by Kev Winston with 30 lb 14 oz from peg 19. Kev caught similar to the last match he drew this peg, kindering caster and fishing bits of worm on the hook. He fished up to the dip in the rope towards the fish shelterbox. Unfortunately, Kev broke his number 6 section using his brute force to take apart a sticky section.

The Premier Angling voucher went to FOE angler Chris Ollis.

Back to the pub to a welcoming log fire. Luckily it took awhile to thaw out.

Result:

A Section:
1. Tony Rixon 24-04-0 peg 7
2. Hughie Evans 22-12-0 peg 11
3. Harry Muir 20-12-0 peg 3

B Section:

1. Dave Gillard 10-04-0 peg 16
2. Kevin Winston 30-14-0 peg 19
3. Mike Jones 19-09-0 peg 33

Weigh Sheets: