Sunday 19/12/2021 - Westerleigh Winter League - Shipp's Canal and Taylors Pool

Thought I arrived at a reasonable time but was first at the gate and didn't know how to operate the combination lock even though I knew the number, luckily Andy behind me did.

Did miss Ron and Bela today. They will be back.

Eight on each lake so numbers about right. We won't know our pairs partners until next match, but won't be anyone on the lake drawn today, last years partner was on the other lake though! Had a walk around to see a couple of blips top. Not looking good especially as the temperature had dropped to 3 degrees combined with a horrid damp fog. Into the draw car boot and out came tiny disc peg 22 on Taylors. Just glad to be on this Pool and for company I had Glenn Bailey on peg 21 - so unfortunately won't be drawing him in the pairs. I have fished this peg a few times and have learnt that the pole short doesn't produce, however, set up a 4x14 Winter Titan for top set plus two barrels and a 0.3 gram RJ Slim set to 3 foot to fish down the LH margin at the same length - as expected both these rigs produce nothing. The waggler was the set up which caught me all my fish.

I plumbed around with the waggler and where I fancied fishing was in white water to the left but with the mist and poor light it was hard to see the float so opt for the darker water where I settled on a depth of about 4 foot. I started by feeding LR's and broke the catty first feed. It was a slow start with Glenn starting well at 16 metres! I kept the feed up and started to catch the odd Ronnie. The small carp arrived and started to catch them in spasms - two at a time. In between I would catch the odd 3 oz Ronnie so kept occupied. That's how the match went - a couple of small carp followed by a silver. Very enjoyable except for the light and the bloody nuisances Mallards on the opposite bank either liking the overspill on the loose feed or causing ripples and lost of float vision.

My silver weighed 3 lb 8 oz for the lake silvers win, with my carp weighing 29 lb for a second on lake and overall weight of 32 lb 8 oz. Happy with this from the peg. A few things to remember - clean off the maize off the maggots and try using a yellow topped waggler in the dark water instead of red. I fed about 1/2 pint of maized up LR's.

Taylors lake was won by Bri Shanks (pictured with the silvers and second on lake winner) with 34 lb 4 oz from peg 15. Bri started long on the pole catching well early on. Later switching to his RH margin at top set plus three barrel to catch some better carp - all caught on maggot over kindered maggot.

Shipps canal was won by Norman Ferris (pictured with the runner up and Silver's winner and Brother Bill) with mainly two carp for 7 lb 4 oz from peg 1. Norman caught his carp on paste!!!

The pool silvers and lake second was won by Bill Ferris with 4 lb 10 oz from peg 7. Bill caught short on maggot.

No pub for me until after Christmas.

Result:

Taylors Pool:

1. Brian Shanks 34-04-0 peg 15

2. Mike Nicholls 32-08-0 peg 22

Silvers: Mike Nicholls 3-08-0 peg 22

Shipp's Canal:

1. Normal Ferris 7-04-0 peg 1

2. Bill Ferris 4-10-0 peg 7

Silvers: Bill Ferris 4-10-0m peg 7

Weigh Sheet: