Thursday 05/03/2020 - Bathampton AA - Sponsored by Premier Angling - Silvers Priority and Carp - Bridge Pool

Rain, rain and more rain. However, today was more rain but really cold rain. I did my usual ten minute wait for the fishery gate to open. I then sat in the car park with the rain running down the windscreen and nearly put the car in reverse. I then noticed Tony Rixon sat under his pop-up gay bar so went in for a chat - piss take more like. With the wind in the NE and the rain forecast until 13:00 I had no enthusiasm, leaving my kit in the car until after the draw. I decided I would go home if on the far bank.

Into the draw bag and peg 11 stuck to my hand. Stay it was then. Luckily I could drive behind my peg to unload and was surprised to find the area behind the peg roped off. Spoke to Bailiff John Fry who said I could fish the peg but not drive on the new surface. I must say it was really clean and must rate as the best looking yellow peg in the south west - pictured.

For company I had Tony on peg 14 and Wayne on peg 10. My section went from Mike Jones peg 15 to John Fry peg 8. With some good potential Silvers pegs in my section and me sat on a decent F1 peg the decision was made to fish wag and mag for them. So set up a light waggler - short cast and wind nearly off my back on 3 lb Maxima reel line and an 18 - 808 hook to 0.14 GLine. I did set up a 4x16 float to fish top-set plus four barrels incase the Skimmers showed.

I fed the waggler line with LR's and the pole line with a nugget of GB laced with Pinkies and casters scrounged from Tony tried the pole with single LR on the hook had a tiny Perch then a bottle top which fell off. A seemingly long wait for a 2 oz Bottle top. The rain was making the pole very cold to handle so excuse made to abandon it for my beloved waggler. Right decision, wasn't long before I had a small Carp, followed by a decent Carp unfortunately foul hooked, luckily the gear stood up to the 15 minute battle. I knew then I would had enough for the section backup payout. I would have usually had then tried harder for the silvers, but I was enjoying staying warm, so stayed with the waggler for the rest of the six hours. It was the right decision as everyone in my section were Skimmerless relying instead on Roach. I was myself catching the odd Ronnie but when they disappeared I knew  carp were present. I had another two decent Carp in excellent condition as my arm could testify. The F1's were conspicuous by their absence, but managed five. All caught on single LR feeding about half a pint throughout.

My few Ronnies and micro Perch weighed 2 lb 8 oz and my Carp 38 lb for a match winning total of 40 lb 8 oz and the important second in section pick up.

The Silvers was won by Paul Clayton (pictured right with the match winner) with 21 lb 8 oz of Skimmers from unfancied peg 3. Paul caught on 4 mm expander over couscous laced with 2 mm soaked pellet. I Know couscous really - must be a vegetarian!

We sometimes say fish can swim well they certainly do on this fishery. It appeared the Skimmers have moved to the top end whilst the Roach have swapped areas moving to the near end. I think the top end is not as deep and with all the overnight cold rain probably contributed to this migration.

There is a club natch on Withy Pool Saturday 14/03/2020. Contact Dave Gillard.

The Premier Angling voucher went to Wayne Storey.

Result:

Section A:

1. Paul Clayton 21-08-0 peg 3
2. Paul Barnfield 25-08-0 peg 5

B Section:
1. Tony Rixon 10-01-0 peg 14
2. Mike nicholls 40-08-0 peg 11

C Section:
1. Dave Poole 5-06-0 peg 24
2. John Smith 26-12-0 peg 18

D Section:
1. Dave Gillard 16-02-0 peg 29
2. Hughie Evans 9-03-0 peg  33

Weigh Sheet: