Thursday 05/01/2023 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's - Silvers League - Round One - Withy Pool

After the Christmas layoff couldn't wait to get out fishing again, which was the Bathampton AA winter pairs silvers series on Withy Pool. All available pegs were in due to 24 fishing. The pairs draw done and I had a right result drawing Paul Clayton.

I was hoping for peg 51 which is behind the island and because some pegs are currently unfishable gave two empty pegs one side and an empty peg the other. However, for the second match now my chosen peg has been snaffled by Tony Rixon who wont be making any mistakes.

Into the draw bag and out comes peg 40. Unfortunately Paul drew next to me peg 38. So the best we could do was a first and second section. However, we were in one of the harder sections so it was going to be a tight affair. Expected some disruption from carp.

Set up a 4 x14 Winter Titan to fish top set plus three barrels which plumbed up at just over 7 foot on the top set! So a tad deeper than I would have liked and a short rig at the same depth. Set up the waggler to fish around the peg. Thought the peg far too deep for the 4 metre whip but set it up anyway.

Started short out in front on the caster on the hook over GB laced with caster and couldn't get a bite losing three hooks in a snag - bugger decided to switch to the left with the same rig and feed. I was about to give it up and go long when the float dipped and landed a 1 lb Perch followed quickly by one 12 oz. This explained why I wasn't catching the expected Ronnie's. Had there more smaller Perch before the bites went iffy so switched to single thighed rolled LR. Changed the feed to GB and Pinkie. and had a run of 2 - 3 oz Ronnie and a 6 oz Skimmer. The line slowed so had a quick go on mag and waggler over loose feed had only two small Ronnie's the fish appeared not to be responding to the loose feed - waggler abandoned. Similarly, as expected it was too deep for the whip which was tried up and down in the water for two more Ronnie's - whip abandoned. Went on the long line with GB and Pinkie feed with a single stretched red maggot on the hook. At this point Paul shouted down waving a 3 lb bream in the air - happy days. Spent the rest of the match switching between the short and long lines picking off the odd small Skimmers, Hybrid's and Ronnie's. Come the last hour things took a drastic change with the carp switching on, hooking 4 with Paul hooking 7! This probably have cost us a few fish.

Took 9 lb 13 oz to the scales which was just good enough for a section win and Paul was just 3 oz behind for second in the section so a great start. As expected it was a close section as was the others. However, upset arriving home to find a 2 oz Ronnie left in the net, hate seeing a dead fish due to my carelessness - sorry.

The match was won as expected by Tony Rixon with 17 lb 12 oz of Roach from peg 51. Tony caught on cater - see his blog for further details.

I think Withy Pool is a fair winter silvers match venue.

Back to the Compton with the ever growing number of suspects. Always a great end to the day.

Result:

1. Tony Rixon 17-12-0 peg 51

2. John Smith 11-03-0 peg 44

3. Tony Ponting 10-14-0 peg 41

4. Shay Gillman 10-12-0 peg 66

5. Chris Ollis 10-10-0 peg 64

6. Andy Greenham 10-03-0 peg 56

Weigh Sheets: