Thursday 08/06/2023 - Over 55's (and some that look it) - Westerleigh Fishery - Shipp's Canal and Taylor's Pool

Once again bloody cold first thing only to be sweating by midday. I'm a bit of a minimalistic match organiser, all the match details on the one sheet.

Sixteen fishing so eight on each lake just about right. Had a walk around and Taylors looked good whereas Shipp's looked clearer with perhaps some brown algae, expected that to fish harder.

Was handed peg 11 on Shipp's a form carp peg. For company had Glenn Bailey on 10. Plenty of large carp in groups up in the water all round the canal.

Currently suffering from minute silverfishitus so would focus on the carp today. With the carp behaving as they were thought maggot and waggler cast around would be the best option. Did set up a short paste rig for later.

Started on the 7" Small Bodied Drake. I use the bodied ones when fishing close to features, the body aiding the sinking of the line. The wind was all over the place hence my feeding. Feed two of three areas whilst fishing the other. If the waggler was left for any length of time a Perch would snaffle the double LR's. The carp bites were fairly quick after casting, they didn't seem to want to feed on the bottom hence plenty of depth adjustments and casting. Had seven decent carp until a hour to go when got annoyed with the bottom locking shot moving ending up biting it too hard and next cast hooked a piece of grass and lost the waggler - duh (thanks to Mower on peg 1 for retrieving it for me). For the remainder fished short on the paste feeding it heavily with maggot and micro and watched munter carp come close into the bank and slip down to the feed giving line bites hence four foul hookers, did manage one taking the tally to eight. Meanwhile Glenn had spent much of the match tearing his hair out due to foul hooking loads. Even so thought he had beaten me easily - he didn't!

The eight carp weighed 33 lb 13 oz and the few accidental silvers weighed 3 lb 8 oz for second on the pool weight of 37 lb 5 oz. The canal weights were very close - like it when it's a close affair.

Geoff "Mower" Francis won the canal with 43 lb 9 oz from peg 1 which included the smaller of the two Grass Carp.

Did hear an almighty crack which was Leyton's number 6 ging out in style, heard Leyton say "have to fish short then"!

Geoff and me stopped in the Holly Bush on the way home, the cold one's were going down too well.

Result:

Taylor's:

1. Ricky Mills 74-02-0 peg 16 (pictured - pellet long)

2. Lee Waller 64-07-0 peg 22 (pellet long)

Silvers: John Smith 3-08-0 peg 19

Shipp's:

1. Geoff Francis 43-09-0 peg 1

2. Mike Nicholls 37-05-0 peg 11

Silvers: Shay Gillman 5-09-0 peg 2

Weigh Sheets: