Sunday 23/01/2022 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round 3 - Shipp's Canal and Taylor's Pool

Packing the car - no frost and appeared mild, that is until I got to the fishery where the temperature had dropped. I then got a message from Tim Ford who had just boarded a plane to Barbados felt I wanted to go especially as there is a T20 on Wednesday. I suggested it to the Special One, but knew it would be a no at the moment. Worked there in the Port for a while and would be nice to catch up with some friends.

My turn on Taylors Pool. Bill Ferris said I needed to be on the far bank where all the fish were caught short on Thursday due to it being iced over. Into the car boot draw and found myself holding peg 14. Only one of the two pegs I didn't want, the other being peg 15, this peg was taken by fishery owner Mark Taylor. Walking about you think there was no wind alas there was a tiny freezing cold damp breeze in our faces.

I set up the waggler and plumbed the bar and found just under 3 foot of water. Also set up a 4 x13 MR to fish at top set plus three barrels into the deep water, which doesn't really produce much in the winter. I fed the waggler line with LR's but found they had clumped up due to getting damp in the air which made feeding difficult and would result in me feeding far to much in the pursuit of accuracy. Fed the pole line with GB and Pinkie. Started on the waggler and was soon playing a small carp. Over the next hour I netted six when it died tried the pole with double Pinkie, hooked and lost a skimmer of about 12 oz. I did catch one 1/2 oz Perch and Ronnie before  abandoning the pole. The next four hours were a right misery catching just one Gold Fish. Come near the end my shoulders were playing up to the extent I couldn't pull the catapult.

I weighed 9 lb 12 oz for 6th in section. I think I may have fished it too hard for the conditions, definitely over fed it.

The match was won by Lee Waller (pictured with his catch) with 28 lb 2 oz from peg 26. Lee caught from the off fishing 14 .5 metres to the end of the island in 2 foot of water fishing triple Pinkie over Kindered Pinkie. Lee caught most of his fish during the first half.

The silvers was won by Ricky Mills (pictured with the match winner) with 3 lb mostly one Perch. Anyone want scaffolding done this is the lad to contact.

Back to the pub with the usual suspects and got a blanker's pint from Steve Rogers, thanks matey.

I've decided to not fish for the next 10 days in the attempt to get fit as it's affecting my fishing and probably undoing the physiotherapy.

Result:

Shipp's

1. Martin McMahon 17-01-0 peg 2

2. Norman Ferris 11-0-0 peg 1

Silvers: Ricky Mills 3-0-0 peg 12

Taylor's

1. Lee Waller 28-02-0 peg 26

2. Glenn Bailey 23-05-0 peg 21

Silvers: Andy 2-01-0 peg 22

Weigh Sheet: