Sunday 30/10/2022 - Windmill Fishery Open - Match Lake

The time of year for me to adjust to the clocks changing - body clock got me up the usual time an hour early! Wish we could stay on GMT.

Another visit to Windmill and will probably be last Sunday for a while as the Westerleigh winter league will be starting up next month.

I was hoping for either pegs 24 or 25 where I would have the wind off my back both pegs are sheltered too. Come the draw I was waiting for peg 20 to come out only to find it wasn't in this week. Instead I drew my other regular peg 4! Just cant get away from these two pegs.

Just managed to get the umbrella up before the deluge. During the first half of the match we were to have a couple of heavy squall's.

Again would target the silvers so set up the waggler and a 4x13 MR to fish top set plus three barrels. Started on the pole feeding a nugget of GB with some Pinkie and had three small Skimmers, three micro Perch two Ronnie's and a Rudd by topping up three times. Alas the line soon died. So on to the waggler and maggot hoping to catch the two bonus Skimmers that I usually catch on this peg. Alas only hooked carp in various parts of their anatomy but did land two in the mouth. The wind was awful which making the waggler difficult, but do enjoy fishing making it work. 

My silvers weighed 1 ln 3 oz for third silvers one skimmer would have been enough to win - unbelievable. Total weight 12 lb 1 oz. Very disappointing match for many with 4 DNW's. Whats it going to be like in the dead of winter?

The match was won by that man again Leyton "Any Peg" Palmer (as long as it's peg 1 or 23) (pictured with the silver winner) with 69 lb 9 oz from peg 23. Leyton caught on his usual 13 metres with worm hook bait over micro and copious amounts of chopped worm. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by Dave Haines with a lowly 2 lb 14 oz. 

Glad to get back to the "Ringer" for a pint.

Result: (see the fish have moved to the deeper water)

1. Leyton Palmer 69-09-0 peg 23

2. Matt Taynton  56-08-0 peg 25

3. Paul Staite 40-07-0 peg 11

4. Gerry Welsh  36-01-0 peg 1

5. Kev Winstone 29-08-0 peg 6

6. Fred Brown 26-03-0 peg 22

Silvers:

1. Dave Haines 2-14-0 peg 12

2. Andy Gard 2-10-0 peg 18

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 27/10/2022 - Tony Rixon's Silvers Only - Plantation Fishery - Main Lake

Steady drive down in the rain which had stopped on arrival, with the weather being comfortable. Glenn and I discussed the cost of bait and how the price has increased over just a few months. Worms £22/kg and GB £4 to £8 if this continues it will effect attendances at matches. The pools payouts are becoming less than the cost of the days fishing.

Eighteen fishing. Early into the draw net for being old - by the way Rixon is an ageist. Out comes peg 38. Arrived at the peg to be faced with being unable to set up my tackle box (being a Boss box). The bank had subsided into the lake - pictured. Shouldn't have been in the draw far too dangerous. Spoke to Tony and said I could move into the bay, however, Gary Bowden on peg 39 offered to swap which was agreed to by Tony. On hindsight should have fished the bay, but miffed I couldn't fish the peg I drew.  Apparently the peg will be refurbished by the next match. Peg 39 has reputation for being a carp peg. The other downside I would be watching pegs 1 to 5 opposite catching - pictured.

Set up the usual and on plumbing around noticed the peg was 18 inches deeper than the one I fished last match and the colour had dropped out due to the recent rains. Decided on fishing it similar to last match but couldn't feed anything without attracting carp which were having a right munch today. They were swirling on the surface for any loose feed and blowing like mad over the GB and worm feed. I stopped feeding for a while but they were coming to the noise of the rig going in!! Unlike Gary I didn't loose any rigs but would have to spend a lot of time tying 0.1 hook lengths - which I hate doing. Another disappointment was the Roach were noticeably absence, probably because of the colour.

My few Ronnie's and Skimmers weighed 16 lb 10 oz for third from last.

The match was won by Des Shipp (pictured with some of his catch and the runner up's) from peg 24 with 72 lb 11 oz. Des caught on three lines 13, 7 and 5 metres. Des caught mostly with worm over chopped worm, feeding 1 kg on the longer lines and late on on caster and worm on the short line over loose fed caster, with this line producing well seeing off the threat from next peg Tony Rixon. Well done matey.

These three have certainly got the feeding sorted at this venue. Must be wealthy!

Result:

1, Des Shipp 72-11-0 peg 24

2. Dave Willmott 47-08-0 peg 2

3. Tony Rixon 44-15-0 peg 23

4. Ryan Jordan 44-09-0 peg 16

5. Kev Winstone 41-07-0 peg 11

6. Mark Broomsgrove 33-0-0 peg 31

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 23/10/2022 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

Some welcome heavy rain throughout the night which not only filled the car park but also helped put some flow in the river Avon, turning the fish on for the two leagues fishing the upper and lower parts - some nice nets of fish coming out. Only a small impact on our lake today with it fishing a tad better.

Kev Winstone arrived in his new van, very nice. With limited visibility with vans I gave him two weeks before it had go care white post strips!!

Only 13 fishing today - leagues and rain not helping fill the pegs. Hoping for peg 25 today so again waited until nearly last before going tub dipping hoping that peg 20 had gone. Couldn't believe to find 20 had stuck to my hand for the fifth time. The milk bottle top was dispensed toot sweet. 

Got my mind round it, there must be a hundred ways to fish any commercial peg - not tried that many yet.

Decided on fishing the waggler and maggot just over middle to stop antagonising the common carp which live in the shallows on the far bank and a 4x13 Roob to fish top set plus 1 and half barrels up the inside shelf. 

The plan was to fish for Perch using the Sonubaits worm fishmeal with bits of worm and once this dried up convert it to a carp line with micro and loose fed maggot, switching to the waggler until the last 2 hours before trying the carp line.

The Perch certainly liked the GB but were very small and tugging off the worm so switched to single live red maggot which accounted for 20 Perch  for about 1 lb before drying up. On to the waggler over minimum feed hoping for some silvers. First cast a foul hook carp which wasn't suppose to happen. Third cast another lost fouler - bugger. I then had one in the mouth. Over the next three hours caught 6 small Skimmers to 10 oz a few Ronnie's and a bonus 2 lb Hybrid. Two hours to go dropped in on the now converted carp line with worm and had a 8 lb carp first try. Now thinking might be lined up, alas not just tugs from small Perch. Any chance of coin would be the silvers so stayed on the waggler for the remainder of the match adding 2 more carp and taking my foulers tally to 5. With just four more small silvers added to the net.

My silvers weighed 5 lb 10 oz for the silvers win taking the total to 29 lb 1 oz. Much better average to carp fouled to carp hooked properly of 5 - 4 to the carp! It's the same odds of drawing peg 20 next time.

The match was won by Nick Saunders (pictured with the silvers winner) with 71 lb 12 oz from peg 1. Nick caught about half his weight in the first half of the match slapping around with pellet. The second half Nick switched to worm over micro at13 metres. Well done matey.

Result:

1. Nick Saunders 71-12-0 peg 1

2. Gerry Walsh 57-06-0 peg 16

3. Matt Tainton 53-05-0 peg 8

4. Lionel Legg 52-05-0 peg 4

5. Kev Winstone 49-07-0 peg 25

6. John Osbourne 35-02-0 peg 21

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 5-10-0 peg 20

2. Dave Haines 5-07-0 peg 18

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 20/10/2022 - Ray's Rip Off - Windmill Fishery - Match Lake

A little rain,this morning, but need lots more. Day started well with a Hungry Horace breakfast joined by Geoff Francis. Bit of a wait for it as it's a very popular cafe, we still arrived in plenty of time for the draw.

Waited for almost last into the draw bag to try and avoid peg 20 and out comes peg 4. This peg and peg 20 seem to be sticking to my hand over the last few years. Next door on 5 was Jeff Grant who had fallen over on holiday breaking his wrist - that would be all inclusive then!

Got to the peg and not a good start, stepped on to the steep and now wet bank and slipped,. Luckily had my net bag in hand and fell on to it breaking my fall. Lucky.

Had a plan to fish light and negative for the silvers only needing 3 lb or so to win. Surely I could manage that? So set up a 4 x13 MR with 0.1 hook length to a Preston 5 elastic to fish 2 barrels which I intended to fish hard for an hour and see what I could muster. I would later convert it to my carp line using a 0.4 gram RJ Lifter, which I use for lifting and dropping at dead depth rather than their true design of laying line on bottom. And finally the waggler to keep me occupied until the carp decided to feed, which will probably produce nothing other than foulers.

Potted a small ball of GB with a few Pinkies and with single Pinkie on the hook and in the first hour produced three small Perch a even smaller Skimmer and one Ronnie! Time to give it up so fed the lone heavy with micro.

Went on the waggler which was set at a hook length depth and the next three hours went like this: Numbers 1 to 7  foulers lost only losing one hook. No 8 fouler landed in the fin. No 9 fouler also landed, again in the fin.

Two hours left so picked up the carp rig and waited and waited continually feeding pots of allsorts until 1 hour to go hooked a carp in the mouth - yes. It wasn't until the last twenty minutes before I hooked a big Common and with time against me now in a fish race bullied it too much and pulled the hook - bugger. Had one more carp before the all out.

My silvers weighed 3 oz - again!! waste of time and my four carp 20 lb 6 oz for a 5th overall total. Match lake in desperate need of a restocking of carp and silvers.

The match was won by Leyton "Any Peg" Palmer (pictured above) with 80 lb 5 oz from peg 23. Leyton caught on worm over micro at 13. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by Andy Gard (pictured) with 3 lb 10 oz from peg 14. As expected it took just two Skimmers, both caught consecutively on the waggler and maggot over no feed. Well done matey.

Back to the Ringer with the usual suspects for a pint and a cheese roll. A great working mans after work boozer.

Thankfully down Plantation next Thursday the best silvers venue around these parts.

Result:

1. Leyton Palmer 80-05-0 peg 23

2. Paul Barnfield 71-13-0 peg 11

3. John Smith 39-03-0 peg 10

4. Kev Bamford 35-11-0 peg 2

5. Mike Nicholls 20-09-0 peg 4

6. Paul Haines 20-05-0 peg 7

Silvers:

1. Andy Gard 3-10-0 peg 14

2. John Smith 3-08-0peg 10

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 15/10/2022 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

Back to Windmill Fishery thinking it was Thursday thus arriving early for a 08:30 draw to realise some time later it was Sunday and a 09:00 draw. Duh. The Match lake shown right.

A nip in the air but the weather still holding up to just above seasonal average.

Only 15 today. Finally into the draw tub and couldn't believe I would spend another 6 hours on peg 20 making it a full 24 hours this year! At least I had good company with Kev Winstone on peg 21. Pegs 25 to 15 are fishing really bad compared with the other side of the lake. The peg selectors should think on this and perhaps not leave empty pegs along the better side.

The waggler was set up, thought I would try something different on the pole. I purchased some of Ryan Jordan's lifters and thought I would have a try with a 0.4 gram. Must say he does make a great float, all hand made. Have tried fishing short pulling up the inside shelf and have not caught, so would try fishing by pushing up the shelf at 11.5 metres of barrels getting up the shelf by a foot. It took a while to get out the last section as it's never been used! Kev thought this was a hoot and took the photo right as proof.

Fed the lifter line with micro and four chopped worms and planned not to go over it until the last 90 minutes, starting on the waggler with LR's loose fed and on the hook hoping to catch a few silvers. Unfortunately they weren't feeding and after an hour had one Rudd and one micro Perch and one big Perch which came off - as the do!! A carp followed so upped the feed and after a couple of lost foulers had another two. Subsequently hooked a double Mirror carp which was played carefully for some time for only the hook to pull as it surfaced ready for netting, left me wondering if it was the one lost last match. So time for the pole and had another common before the foulers began. I could hear Kev's expletives as he was also having a nightmare foul hooking. Due to the bankside cover the carp hug the far bank and are coming down the shelf hence hitting the line before getting to the hook bait. So back to short fishing me thinks.

My silvers weighed 3 oz and my carp 23 lb for 23 lb 3oz and 7th. The lake certainly needs an influx of silvers which the management team are planning for this winter.

The match was won by Leyton Palmer (pictured) with 81 lb 13 oz from his personal peg 1. Leyton caught at 13 metres using worm over micro and chopped worm. Well done matey.

The silvers was won accidentally by Nick Saunders with a couple of Skimmers for 3 lb 15 oz from peg 14.

Back to the Ringer with the usual suspects. Kev thought he had lost his1 lb 3 oz silvers default pick up envelope running around the carp park to find it, the bar maid came to the rescue explaining that he had already opened it to pay for a round!!😂

Result:

1. Leyton Palmer 81-13-0 peg 1

2. Gerry Walsh 71-0-0 peg 4

3. Matt Tainton 59-14-0 peg 10

4. Dave Haines 42-1-0 peg 11

5. Nick Saunders 41-14-0 peg 14

6. Steve Upton 25-09-0 peg 8

Silvers:

1. Nick Saunders 3-15-0 peg 14

2. Dave Haines 3-7-0 peg 11

Weigh Sheets:

Thursday 13/10/2022 - Tony Rixon's Silvers Open - Plantation - Main Lake

Looking forward to Tony's silvers matches at this great venue starting up again, especially as I couldn't fish them all last year. The day improved even further when Nick Collins arrived from the deep south. Being fishing matches with Nick for some 50 years, great company and always happy go lucky. His tiny Roach rigs fascinate me and were on display today, and once again he beat me with quality silvers.

Wanted a draw on the near side which has the prevailing winds blowing into them, not that there was much wind today. I do like peg 1. First into the draw net and out comes peg 28 on the far side. Found myself next to John Mills peg 27. Our pegs were quite close, as peg 29 was empty decided to fish towards it.

Set up the long Ronne rig, 4 metre whip and 4x12 Titan to fish top set plus four barrels. Fed the long line with two balls of GB laced with Pinkie, DR's and casters and one ball of the same on the Ronnie line. Started on the Ronnie rig with caster over loose fed caster and was soon playing a carp - bugger. Thinking it was the noise from the loose feed I stopped feeding them instead swopping to maggot hook bait. For the next 90 minutes had a great run of Skimmers to 2 lb regularly topping up the laced GB, had about 15 lb in the net during this time. The line went dead and was soon playing another carp. The line did't revive quick enough for me and tried the 4 metre whip over loose fed LR's with LR's hook bait resulting in a 1 to 2 oz Ronnie every put in. Although it kept my interest knew a better stamp of fish was needed. So tried the long line with double DR's but couldn't get any indications. Fed some chopped worm and caster in GB over the line and had one Skimmer on worm it was slow and another carp. So back on the whip increasing the maggot feed foul hooked a couple of Carp before catching a couple of Skimmers. With time running out went back on the Ronnie rig over loose fed maggot and started to catch some better Ronnie's and Skimmers - bugger once again my inpatients got the better of me - should have stayed on the Ronnie rig much longer if not all match.

My silvers weighed 25 lb 2 oz for no better than halfway. The weigh sheet tells the story of being in the wrong area today.

The match was won by Dave Willmott (pictured) with 54 lb 10 oz from peg 2. His catch consisted of mainly quality Roach. Dave fished top 5 fishing caster over loose fed caster on a 4 x12 rig, feeding 2 1/2 pints throughout.  Well done matey.

Mark Broomsgrove was runner up with 51 lb 12 oz consisting of a mixed bag  his catch pictured.

Result: (Perm Pegs)

1. Dave Willmott 54-10-0 peg 2 (mainly Roach)

2. Mark Broomsgrove 51-12-0 peg 38

3. Tony Rixon 44-12-0 peg 5

4. Ryan Jordan 42-12-0 peg 1

5. Kev Winstone 40-01-0 peg 11

6. Paul Faiers 37-11-0 peg 4

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 09/10/2022 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

The day after the double jab (flu/Covid) and with no reaction off to Windmill for their open. With the weather getting more autumnal the fishing in most places is slowing so definitely can expect it here.

Arrived early for a walk around and collected the usual rubbish left from yesterday's pleasure anglers which even included a camp chair!

Twenty fishing which is the Gerry limit. I would go for the full 23 pegs. I was hoping to draw either pegs 1 or 23. In to the draw bag and found milk top 20 looking at me again for the third time this year. Not disappointed as it's got some silvers form plus a new platform which isn't quite finished, I'm sure the contractors will be back shorty to sort the side edging!!

Found myself between Nick P21 (photo bomber) and Lynol P22. Both amazed me how they could pole fish the far bank in such a wind.

Didn't set up much just the waggler and a 4x 14 to fish top set plus one which was about a foot up the inside shelf where in about 5 foot of water. This time of year with the trees and foliage changing colours yellows, browns, ochres etc.. I choose to use a white top waggler. The picture right shows how easy it is to see even dotted down.

Fed the pole line which as it transpired it was a waste of bait. So spent the most of the match on the waggler with double LR's on the hook over loose fed the same. Fished it up and down, right to left and in and out. A bit disappointed to find the Roach weren't feeding and the carp were doing their usual thing at this venue and not feeding until late on. The upshot was I had two big Skimmers and a few bits of silvers on the carp front it was a difficult foul hooking ten carp landing four in the mouth. Just before the all out I hooked a big carp which was played for some time but couldn't get it to come up, it decided to go for a run and with the drag set for the smaller fish it overcame the drag, the rod went flat and - PING! Bad angling on my part 😠.

My silvers weighed 5 lb 11 oz for the silvers win and with my four carp took me to 29 lb 11 oz for four overall and last in the money - so a double bubble.

The match was won by Leyton  "Any Peg" Palmer (pictured with the silvers winner and a bomber) with 50 lb 8 oz from peg 1. Leyton caught over a few lines at 13 metres feeding Micro and chopped worm with worm hook bait. Well done matey.

Back to the Ringer for a welcome pint.

Result:

1. Layton Palmer 50-08-0 peg 1

2. Matt Taynton 42-10-0 peg 18

3. Eddie Wynne 38-12-0 peg 6

4. Mike Nicholls 29-11-0 peg 20

5. John Osbourne 27-06-0 peg 22

6. Terry Bailey 26-13-0 peg 12

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 5-11-0 peg 20

2. Dave Haines 4-12-0 peg 8

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 06/10/2022 - Ray's Rip Off - Windmill Fishery - Match Lake

First thanks to Tony Rixon for his advice on repairing my reel. He suggested the bale arm was most likely bent, so I had a look and it was, easy enough to straighten. It all makes sense that if the arm is bent then it's in effect shorten hence not clicking over.

Second thanks to matey Kevin Bamford for paying my pools 👍.

A well done to the lads for completing all the platforms.

A few short today due to holidays, so some space. Into the draw bag and out comes peg 12 third carp flyer in a row. For company I had John Osbourne on peg 11 and Junior draw bag Bowden on 10. I had promised myself I wouldn't bother with the silvers but couldn't help myself - best check and see 😁, so set up the waggler and a 4 metre whip and two carp rigs - a 4x12 Roob for the RH margin and a 0.3 gram RJ slim to fish top set plus 2 barrels to fish at 11 o clock.

Started on the whip with LR's over same. This usually brings instant results so didn't take long to bin it. On to the waggler again with LR's and after thrashing around for 2 hours and having 1 carp that wouldn't quite reach 2 lb and 7 oz of Ronnie's I went for a walk around. Hardly any silvers coming out with 1 lb the most and a few anglers with 2 carp. I suspected that it would only take a big skimmer for a silvers pick up. Decision made to go for the carp. I had previously fed the margin with micro and maggot and the pole line with micro and a bit of chopped worm. So into the margin with a bunch of maggots on the hook and immediately had a response hooking a decent carp, bugger me if the 17 elastic broke - full investigation to follow. Refed and tried the pole with a piece of worm and had a couple of carp to 6 lb but was foul hooking far too many due to towing into them, the tow kept changing direction left to right right to left - frustrating. Refed and tried the margin again and after a short wait I abandoned it in favour of the pole. I did have an accidental Bream of 3 lb which was more than welcome. The upshot was I ended up with 8 carp with just one Mirror the rest Commons. Junior had caught well long down his edge late on and knew that the lost elastic fish might have made the difference. 

My silvers weighed 3 lb 7 oz for a second default silvers and with the carp took me to 51 lb 2 oz for third overall. 100% sure the elastic cost me a win.

Dave Willmott (pictured) won both the silvers and match with 4 lb 8 oz and 56 lb 10 oz respectively from peg 18. Dave caught a couple out in front at 4 barrels on maggot over maggot and micro and a couple of 12 pounders down his LH edge on meat over meat and micro. Well done Willy.

The default silvers went to Hubert " Handle Bars" Evans (pictured Jimmy Edwards look a like) just 1 oz behind with 4 lb 7 oz from peg 5. "Handles" caught at 11.5 metres on maggot over GB. Well done matey.

Back to the Ringer for a pint of London Pride and cheese rolls. Excellent way to end another great day out.

Result :

1. Dave Willmott 56-10-0 peg 18

2. Gary Bowden 56-01-0 peg 10

3. Mike Nicholls 51-02-0 peg 12

4. Paul Haines 43-13-0 peg 1

5. Paul Barnfield 34-03-0 peg 2

6. Dave Poole 28-08-0 peg 23

Silvers:

1. Dave Willmott 4-08-0 peg 18

2. Hubert Evans 4-07-0 peg 5

3. Mike Nicholls 3-07-0 peg 12  

Weigh Sheets: