Saturday 19/09/2020 to Thursday 24/09/2020 - Viaduct Holiday - Viaduct Fishery and Avalon

19/09/2020: Viaduct: Glenn Bailey Open - Carey Lake

First match of our annual weeks visit to Viaduct which is normally in June but delayed until September for obvious reasons. To comply with the current Covid19 rule of not exceeding a gathering of 6 or less we had two 6 berth Lodges with 5 in one and 4 in the other so that the more vulnerable could have a room of their own.

Didn't realise there was a rule wrt NOT throwing in bait in after the match!! Thought it was encouraged.

I had a walk around the Carey Lake meeting up with Steve Long on peg 109. I said it is one of the few pegs on the fishery that I have yet to draw and wouldn't mind having it today. Well I couldn't believe it when Matt drew me this peg.

Short walk to the peg and was anticipating catching some lumps down by the pipe on paste. The upshot was all I could catch was Perch and Roach. Didn't have one Skimmer of any size. Nonetheless I enjoyed it especially as I did have some decent Roach and Perch, nice to see them growing on. All caught on my long Ronnie rig with single caster over loose fed caster. I weighed 25 lb 5 oz which was well of the pace without the Skimmer content.

The match was won by Joe McMahon (pictured with the Silvers winner) with 111 lb 4 oz from peg 77. Joe caught a few early shallow, catching the Lion's share on the straight lead using 10 mm banded pellet over loose fed 10 mm.

The Silvers was won by Dave Willmott with 59 lb 2 oz from spit peg 80. Dave caught at top-set plus two sections using caster over caster.

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 20/09/2020: Viaduct Open Match - Lodge Lake:

Well I add the only peg I haven't fished on Lodge Lake to my list and another corner peg 53. Another short walk albeit it a bit bumpy for the trolley. Opposite I had Lumber Jack Paul Elms who took a definite dislike to the willow tree on peg 73. Good company though.

I knew it would have to be a Carp match for me if to get near some coin. However, as per usual I tested the peg for Slivers. However, on a Skimmer line I didn't have a bite or any signs of fish. So I started down the LH side with the short Ronnie rig catching the odd Silver - Perch and Ronnie's on caster over caster. With a 1 hour and 50 minutes left the line completely died. Expected the Carp had arrived and so it was, first drop in with paste I had a 10 lb Carp. So switched the feed to hard 4's and by the end I had added nine more big Carp.

My Silvers weighed 10 lb 14 oz and my 10 Carp 116 lb 2 oz for a match winning weight of 127 lb qualifying for the all winners, beating matey Tim Ford for by 13 ounces of Silvers.

The Silvers was won by Martin Rayet (pictured right with the match winner) with 34 lb 2 oz from peg 68. Martin caught on his favorite bait of meat expecting to catch Carp but found some accidentals. Well done matey also qualifying for the Silvers final.

Weigh Sheet:

Monday 21/09/2020 - Residents Match - Match Lake:

Two Lodges knock up and I was drawn another corner peg 49. Matches are often won and lost at the draw - say no more.

Had good company with Chris Ollis on peg 50. As I had an end of island chuck I set up the waggler which unfortunately didn't get used because there was no way I could feed it because of the facing wind. So I had a both the short and long Ronnie rig set up and caught some small Skimmers and two F1's on the Long line with caster over GB and Ronnie's on the short line using caster over caster. I was expecting Carp to move in at some time but 15 minutes from the end was far too late hooking four landing two. They needed to arrive an hour earlier. 

My Carp weighed 18 lb 2 oz and my Silvers 22 lb 10 oz for a Silvers win. With my total weight leaving me last!

The match was won by Tim Ford (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 122 lb 14 from peg 42. Tim caught small Carp on the straight lead tight to the island using banded pellet. See Tim's blog for more details.

Weigh Sheet:

Tuesday 22/09/2020 - Viaduct open Match - Campbell Lake

The morning sky was a telling of the rain to come. Luckily it wasn't so heavy as forecast, but I could feel the Autumn nip.

So Matt drew me my fourth corner of the week peg 123. For company I had Martin Woodington on peg 124. I was told this end of the Lake hasn't been fishing that well for some months, but planned to fish paste on top-set plus one out in front and top-set plus three down the left hand side. Potted in some micro to cover both options of Carp and Skimmers. First put in I had a 16 lb 6 oz Carp and was winning the match. Unfortunately I slowed to not getting another Carp, but did have four Skimmers with a few flying off with half of them flying without being hooked. The last 15 minutes went in the margin and caught a few small Perch to stop the boredom. It was dire.

We did have some entertainment from Mark Tanner who was opposite on peg 119. He snapped his pole playing a foul hooker and fell in trying to retrieve his top six. I jumped up off my box with anglers expecting to run round and help - but no, it was to get the camera - picture right - He lost the fish!

The match was won by The Dude - Dan Squires with 164 lb 5 oz from peg 116. Dan caught most of his fish slapping at a ridiculous length of pole, managing to snap a butt section in the process.

The Silvers was won by Magic elastic - Dave Willmott (pictured right) with 41 lb 13 oz from peg 116. Dave caught on his usual of fishing short feeding copious amounts of caster with caster on the hook. Check out his range of elastics.

Weigh Sheets:

Wednesday 23/09/2020: Glenn Bailey's Short Pole - Campbell Lake:

The match limited to top-set plus three barrels which has proven a productive range on this Lake. Hoping not to be drawn a corner today so hung back and was drawn the next best thing to a corner, peg 118. Wrong end of Campbell again. For company I had Martin Woodington again, always a laugh.

I decided to forget the Carp and concentrate on the Silvers with caster.  One line at top-set plus one barrel out in front and a short Ronnie rig and a 4x10 Speedy for the left side/ behind margin. Fed some GB laced with caster out in front and fed some caster down in the behind me margin. I think it was second put in over he GB that I hooked and landed a Carp on single caster. After this I had a few small Perch and one decent Skimmer, it was slow with the fish apparently not wanting to feed on the bottom. So switched to the behind swim (me pictured right in my gnome position view from Martin's peg). Switched to loose feed caster over caster and had a run of Perch with one around 2 lb which cut my finger unhooking it. I had one more decent Skimmer but lost another flying Skimmer that went so high it touched the tree and a decent Tench in the brambles. Oh yes, I hooked six Carp in the process which all broke me charging toward the tree in peg 17.

My one Carp weighed 9 lb 6 oz and my Silvers 20 lb 13 oz. Apparently since the second aerator has been installed at the far end of Campbell the  fish have been reluctant to feed on the bottom, highly likely due to the silt being washed up to these end pegs. I could only catch silvers up the margin. Hopefully once the silt settles the fishing may improve. Out in front I did hook the bottom twice, third time landed a dust bin liner full of crap breaking a number three in the process.

The match was won by Gordon Cannings (upper pictured right) with 120 lb 1 oz from peg 111. Gordon caught at full length using both meat and pellet and a few later in his margin on meat.

The Silvers was won by Paul Faiers (pictured right with his catch) with 45 lb 7 oz from peg 112. Paul caught short both out in front and down his right hand side into peg 113 bay using caster and GB.

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 24/09/2020 - Glenn Bailey's Float Only - Avalon Fishery:

The forecast wasn't good with heavy rain showers and wind gusting to 40 mph. Luckily it wasn't they got it wrong with Avalon staying dry all day.

Vic Bush drew me peg 6 which was between Martin Rayet and Alex Leonard on end peg 5.

My peg cried out for the waggler but the wind wasn't right for it (at the start anyway). Decided to fish for the big Skimmers which are in the Lake, but had cleared out the RH margin for paste later. So decided to fish GB laced with micro with worm hook bait. As I was expecting the wind to pick up I used a 4x18 Jolly with a triple bulk shotting to fish top-set plus three barrels. I also set up the long Ronnie rig. So started on the worm and had a small Skimmer and one about 1 1/2 lb before all I got was tugs from micro Perch, so gave up on this line and had a go in the margin with paste which I had been feeding with hard 4's, the margin felt right but didn't get any indications not even any nibblers. Having tried the Ronnie rig out in front with caster I got pestered by Motherless Minnows. So came in on the top-set with the 4 x18 and changed to maggot over potted maggot and started to put some decent Ronnie's in the net.

Martin next door tried his margin with meat and had a Carp with the match fishing poorly with only a few Carp caught so far I also went in the margin the paste and had a Carp first try. This proved to be unproductive and distracted me for a while from catching the Silvers as I never had another Carp. Back on the short line with maggot I kept a few more Ronnie's coming to the end in and out of catching Ronnie's.

My one Carp weighed 7 lb 2 oz and my Silvers 15 lb 2 oz which did get me second silvers but the Carp distraction cost me first I think. Nonetheless, a good day's fishing and nice to see the Ronnie's growing. The match was won by Mike West (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 66 lb 6 oz from peg 14. Mike caught on paste at 13 metres, no doubt lacing in the feed.

The Silvers was won by John Fuidge with 20 lb 13 oz. John caught on the waggler using corn over corn. Apparently a method sorted from the league a week before. A closely guarded secret apparently!! Well done both.

Weigh Sheet:

A  big thanks to Mandy (pictured with my green tea) at M&M café in Somerton Precinct for our morning very tasty breakfast, highly recommended.

Well done to Tim Ford for man of the week picking up in 5 of the 6 matches missing the first one on Carey. A good result considering his initial concerns on how he would catch Carp. Didn't have to worry they catch you.

We did have a regular visitor to our Lodge and this day it came in to watch the news!

I've not mentioned any of the social side of the week. I will leave that for others, as I was very antisocial and in in bed by 21:30 - mainly to avoid the mayhem of drunkenness'.