Thursday 31/03/2022 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's and Short Walks - Withy Pool

With beautiful Spring weather for the last 7 days I was planning on fishing for carp today. however, we would find ourselves back to January's weather with a bitterly cold North wind and some snow! So no paste in the bag today.

Stopped and had a look at Bridge Pool, it looks like the warm weather has helped in increasing fish immunity. Only one Seagull on the water. We all hope that BAA does some serious restocking instead of stocking with unwanted fish from other lakes. Suggest 1,500 - 2 to 3 lb carp, based on the 10% rule equates to 11 lb of catchable carp per peg The realisation is that this is a fishing/match pool.

Numbers down to 19 due to illness from the common cold circulating.

Dave Gillard a me had a walk around the pool to sort out pegs for the day. Thought we would leave out pegs 67 and 68 and try peg 40 and 60. Peg 40 is going to be a good carp peg once they fully awake with 60 being an end peg along the North back which is where you would want to be today with the wind off the back.

Into the draw bag and out comes peg 57. Happy with this have fished nearly all the pegs along this bank. For company on the right was "Three Spikes" peg 56, on the left Andy "Gardenaire" peg 58.

Set up the same as always on this bank - waggler, 4 metre whip and a 4x13 MR which was only intended for plumbing. I fed the waggler line at 11.5 metres with two balls of GB with some Pinkies and the whip line with one ball. Started on the wag with single LR and as expected had an immediate response catching small Ronnie's and Rudd. Have been catching the bigger silvers close in so went on the whip again with single LR and did have some better fish but it was slow and close as to which method was adding the most to the net. So settled on the waggler as it was producing most bites which is what its all about for me. I couldn't see what was going on along my bank as there were bushes both sides. Thought I was doing OK on the wag. The Rudd were getting to the bait first and became a nuisance missing bites with them nicking the maggot. So started heavy feeding LR's on the waggler line for carp. Shallowed up and did indeed hook a carp which was a right beast breaking the hook length - no more carp and waggler abandoned. Shallowed up on the whip and had a run of better fish but knew at 4 metres I was fishing over the rocks. With 41 minutes to go abandoned the whip in favour of fishing the MR at three barrels which took me just over the rocks. Fishing Pinkie over GB I had a great run to the end catching a 2 lb Hybrid adding about 4 lb to the net in this short time.

Weighed 14 lb 3 oz for 5th silvers. At least it was good to know where I went wrong - spending too much time on the waggler and not trying the MR earlier. which i have done in previous matches!! Very enjoyable day and wasn't too cold for me.

The match was won by Pete Greenslade (pictured with the silvers winner) with two carp and a few silver for 28 lb 2 oz from peg 44. Pete caught on meat down his margin in 3 foot of water fishing meat over micro. Well done matey. Withy pool is a great silvers venue - not huge weights but result always close.

The silvers was won by Tony Ponting (pictured with the match winner) with 17 lb 4 oz from end peg 60. Tony caught mostly short fishing various baits over GB. Well done matey.

A good few carp lost due to fouling today so they are starting to wake up.

Back to the Compton with the usual suspects. Thinking we should have a reserved notice on our log fire corner table.

Result:

1. Pete Greenslade 28-02-0 peg 44

2. Paul Barnfield 27-08-0 peg 70

3. Harry Muir 24-15-0 peg 64

Silvers:

1. Tony Ponting 17-04-0 peg 60

2. Kev Winstone 16-05-0 peg 56

3. Andy Gard 15-10-0 peg 58

Weigh Sheets: