Thursday 01/09/2023 - Bathampton AA Over 55's and Short Walks - Bridge Pool

Having fished Withy Pool all through the winter and just as we were starting to catch some of the Withy carp the club has moved us back to Bridge where there has been a recent massive fish kill. The members weren't happy with this as the recent trial match on the pool proved to be hard fishing confirming the massive loss of fish. Don't think there will be many fishing Bridge Pool in the winter.

Twenty One fishing today. 

One of the short walks today and Dave pulled me peg 2 an end peg today as 1 wasn't in. I didn't know what to expect.

I don't know if anyone has seen a "Methodist Dance" which I witnessed today. This phenomenal is brought on when a method feeder angler arrives at his peg with no island chuck - the dance starts on the yell of "I'm going home" followed by minor tackle abuse. It lasts for about 15 minutes followed by signing a song they don't know the words to. Anyway good company in matey Paul Haines today on open water peg 3

Paul Barnfield mentioned that there was still some very small Roach to be caught. In the past this end of the pool was best for them. So set up both short and long Ronnie rigs and a very optimistic paste float for the RH margin.

Started by feeding GB on both Ronnie rig lines. Started short on a single live crappy red maggot and surprise had indications straight away and second cast had a 2 lb F1. I then had a run of small Ronnie's and the odd Perch. It soon died so spent the remainder of the match on the long Ronnie rig catching mostly small Ronnie's to 2 oz four 3 oz Skimmers. For a short period tried catching carp on paste that's no longer in the pool, did see one lonely unhealthy carp swimming around. I lost a 6 oz Hybrid having got it on the landing net which I dropped for it to find it's freedom. For some reason loose feeding LCRM's wasn't working. I did have four more F1's albeit small. On the death I caught the last 1 lb Chub.

My five F1's weighed 6 lb 12 oz and my silvers 8 lb 4 oz for a total of 15 lb for 5th overall and third silvers and section pick up. So some of the rust gone.

The match was won by Kev Winstone (pictured right - soon to get married. I think it too soon as he has only been living with her for 29 years) with 29 lb 2 oz from peg 31. Kev caught mainly F1's fishing 14.5 metres to the the opposite island. His silvers catch include two big scabby skimmers for 4 lb (thought it needed mentioning). Not sure how Kev caught but could hear his scissors clicking away for most of the day. Although he pots like a girl thought he fished a tidy match.

The silvers was won by Paul Barnfield (pictured) with a lowly 9 lb from peg 16. Paul cay=guht mainly at 11 metres on maggot hook bait over chopped worm and micro.

As the weigh board shows the pool fish really bad compared to pre fish loss and trial match. Was the fish loss bad luck or bad fishery management - have to give the benefit of the doubt. Hope BAA management lets us get back on Withy full time until the issues of Bridge are resolved.

Back to the Compton with the usual suspects which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Result:

1. Kev Winstone 29-02-0 peg 31

2. Shay Gillman 19-0-0 peg 11

3. John Smith 18-12-0 peg 28

4. Chris Rolfe 16-0-0 peg 19

5. Mike Nicholls 15-0-0 peg 2

6. Paul Barnfield 14-02-0 peg 16

Silvers:

1. Paul Barnfield 9-0-0 peg 16

2. Kev Winstone 8-06-0 peg 31

3. Mike Nicholls 8-04-0 peg 2

Weigh Sheets: