Thursday 22/12/2022 = Bathampton AA - Over 55's and Short Walks - Bridge Pool

Last Over 55's on Bridge Pool until Spring, we now move to Withy for the Silvers series starting 05/01/2023 - 24 booked so currently full.

Had a part walk around hoping to see all the arms removed from the platforms, alas no change. There were a few volunteers today willing to help out.

The Met office forecasting a summer hotter next year than this. Wish they would concentrate on forecasting the next day correctly. Drizzle all day - miserable. 

I was hoping for another go on peg 28 to settle a score with the peg. Tony one in front of me had his peg drawn for him and handed peg 28 handed to him - bugger. Peg 14 for me which I thought would be OK for some F1's. For company Mark Tanner on 15 and Barny with incessant chatter on peg 11, occasionally drowned out by peg 26 coughing, lot of lurgy about.

Peg 14 is the deepest peg at top set at 7 foot, however it was so clear I could see down to the 3 foot margin bottom. Set up a 4x16 Titan to fish three barrels (hampered by the bank behind), a short rig at two barrels and the Waggler with a 7 inch bodied Drake to fish off the island - pictured.

Fed the two pole lines with GB laced with Pinkie short and caster long and fed some LR's over to the island. Started short with Pinkie and had one tiny Ronnie - that was it. So went longer with big Red on the hook and had a run of small Ronnie's with plenty of indications from even smaller one's. Refed and as it was to transpire was to be too much feed and went on the waggler, my banker for F1's with various hook baits mainly single LR's. The upshot it was very disappointing to not get a sniff of one, neither did Mark who fished the method for most of the day. It seems that the F1's have moved away from this end of the pool where they have been since stocking. More being caught in the gap and on the third island. Having buggered the pole lines with too much feed now up shit street. With two hours to go decided to change to caster on the waggler and sit it out for bigger Ronnie's. Have a couple better one's but nothing that would change the result.

No carp with the silvers going 4 lb 2 oz for a par. Looking forward to fishing Withy and hopefully by April we have more fish in Bridge Pool especially Skimmers.

The match was won by Tony Rixon (pictured with the silvers winner) with 34 lb 1 oz form peg 28. Tony aided by his body mass fished 16 metres to the island catching F1's on corn. I noticed his F1's were all smaller than the one's I caught last match, most probably the second stocking (pictured) - interesting. Said then it was a match winner. For further details read his blog.

The silvers was won by Dave Wride with 7 lb 15 oz from peg 26. Dave caught long on maggot over kindered feed - micro, GB and maggot. His catch included an unseasonable 1 lb Tench.

Well done both.

Back to the Compton with the usual suspects. Going home me and a the taxi in front got ran off the road on to the pavement by a speeding artic when approaching Keynsham town centre - lucky escape.

Result:

1. Tony Rixon 34-01-0 peg 28

2. Phil Morgan 23-10-0 peg 7

3. Chris Ollis 18-07-0 peg 31

4. Andy Greenham 17-11-0 peg 10

5. Dave Wride 12-0-0 peg 26

6. Kev Winstone 11-02-0 peg 8

Silvers:

1. Dave Wride 7-15-0 peg 26

2. Kev Winstone 6-06-0 peg 8

3. Dave Poole 6-03-0 peg 24

Weigh Sheets: