Sunday 21/07/2024 - Westerleigh Knock-up - Shipp's Canal

The Honey Bee is the most important animal on Earth, so it's produce can only be the elixir of life - Thanks to Apiculturists Geoff Francis.

Ten lucky anglers fished a knock up on Shipp's Canal. It doesn't matter where you draw on this Pool as all pegs have their day. Picked an old Avon Angling swim card showing peg 2. Happy with this as its a short pole peg. However, you tend to catch small Carp and F1's until the last knockings when the big boys arrive.

No silvers pool so paste it would be. Three rigs - up to the bush 0.3 g down the RH side 0.3 g and at top set plus one barrel (later for the big boys).

Fed all lines with 4's and micro. Started down to the bush (nice to see the post removed - pictured) and had a F1 first put in, then another, subsequently pestered by silvers and Crucians. Tried the in front line (bit early) had two F1's and again pestered by silvers, had three skimmers but put them back. Down the RH side margin wasn't good as it went from 3 inches down a steep slope, which I held the rig against again two F1's before the nibblers arrived. Wasn't worried as by rotating around was able to keep F1's coming hoping to catch up with Mark Taylor and Shaun later. Did have a decent Carp by switching to large worm on the hook, but it was a one off as the Perch took too much a liking to it. Started to put the skimmers and Perch in the net as there was plenty of net available. Last 90 minutes went on the in front line where I had been loose feeding hard 4's expecting to significantly increase my weight. Had two 3 lb Carp then all of a sudden the lake completely switched off! Limped to the end adding a few more F1's and Crucian's which have doubled in size in 18 months, but doesn't add much to your weight.

Weighed 55 lb 10 oz for 7th. Tad disappointing from this peg. The pool fished really well with a lot of close weights. The silvers were a nightmare with paste, really needed a harder bait, did have some unopened meat but thought that this too would be too soft. Fancied corn which I forgot to take.

The knock up was won by Shaun Townsend (pictured) with 101 lb 15 oz from peg 13. Shaun caught mostly down his margins on 6 mm banded pellet over 4's. Well done matey.

Back to the New Inn with Bela, Geoff meeting up with Shanksey for a cooling pint.

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 18/07/2023 - Over 55's - Silvers Only - Bitterwell Lake

Back to Bitterwell down to 12 fishing again to holidays and work commitments etc...Paul Issacs has had the aeration on for three days nonstop as the oxygen levels were down - could see he was concerned. The day before he had walked around in the margins measuring the oxygen levels and found that the shallower far end had the highest oxygen levels. He put this down to having the least silt - the organisms in silt need oxygen. So pegs 24 round to 18 the pegs I would like.

Silvers only today.

Into the draw bag and peg 28 it would be which put me next to a pleasure angler on 29 which didn't bother me. Next to Barny again on peg 26.

Set up two Ronnie rigs and a 0.3 Gram RJ to fish down to the corner of the rushes. Started with maggot over GB and after trying both the long and short Ronnie rigs and having just one Perch abandoned both. Tried the RJ with worm over GB and LR's and pulled out of a 2 lb Tench. So made my mind up to fish this rig for the rest of the match. Five Carp and three skimmers and a hybrid later went on a banana walk and everyone was struggling except the two meat heads - Martin Rayet peg 23 and Martin McMahon peg 19 both having weights in the teens. Back in the saddle and back on the RJ and had three more skimmers but took the Carp hooking to eleven landed Carp from 7 lb to 14 lb however, a couple of the lost fish may have been Tench - but might have been hallucinating due to the heat. Thirty minutes to go had a 3 lb Bream on worm. Think I had pissed off the Carp as it went quiet. Eight minutes to go had a big Tench which if it was 4 lb might just take me to double figures. Two minutes to go hooked what was another decent silver but the hooked pulled - may had been fouled hooked.

Was surprised to weigh 13 lb 4 oz for third overall with my Tench going 5 lb think a PB - what a lovely fish worth going just to catch this one.

As expected the two meat heads were first and second with McMahon's  6 mm meat (pictured above) beating Rayet's 7 mm meat by 8 oz  (pictured with today's catch). 

Nice to Matt Drinkwater out today coming 4th within 12 lb from a hard area. Well done Matey.

Weigh Book:

14/07/2024 - Alcove - Silver Bream Interclub - Gall Pond - Tortworth Estate

Judging from comments on social media a few anglers of are losing enthusiasm for the current SW match scene. I'm one. I am a traditional angler and will admit that I was one of the first to fish a floating pole at Moorlands Farm for Carp and have fished most methods for catching Carp, but have since avoided all self hooking methods, it goes against my traditionalism.  At the moment I have no enthusiasm to go and catch Carp in any numbers and certainly not with over shotted floats. I find myself at the moment wanting to get back to the canal and river, but soon dissuaded by the lack of matches on my beloved Bristol Avon due to access etc...the canal is over populated with moored boats, dog walkers (and their shit) and too many fast cyclist. Last year I joined Alcove AC and have enjoyed fishing our venues. This week it was an interclub with Silver Bream at their Gall Pond. The venue is as natural as it gets, so very very hard fishing. Now here's the thing I have been looking forward to fishing it all week and couldn't wait, a feeling I haven't had for some time. Taking me back to fond memories of fishing such venues pre- commercials usually organised by Tony Rixon with the promise of a bag up - the bagging bit never happened though. Current thinking is to join Stroud AA next year to fish their matches on the Gloucester canal.

Gall Pond is a part of the Tortworth Estate and a very beautiful place to spend the day. It's just off junction 14 of the M5 but can be hard to find as John Amato and Andy Gard found out. Nineteen fishing. Had a walk around and fancied peg 3 which looked really fishy but a bit Crabtreeish. Julie select the pretty draw bag as apposed to the black one which put us on odd numbers. Drew peg 23 on the far side. Found my self next to ex brewer owner Pete Turner (he never did organise one). Andy Gard was on peg 25. Most if not all pegs have a channel between Lilly pads to fish between - pictured. It was obvious that the fishing for most would be harder than usual because of the bright sun and the clear water.

Set up a few things but only caught on a 0.4 gram RJ lifter shotted traditionally at top set plus three barrels. Bait was LR's and GB. The first hour I had five species of Silvers averaging 3 oz. Felt OK as hardly anyone had caught. Kept going until the last two hours of the five hour match when the whole pond switched off. Didn't add to my species list either.

Weighed 3 lb 14 oz for 7th beaten both sides on the feeder with each having one 5 lb Bream. I really enjoyed the match and will be back next year.

The match was one by Silver Bream angler Andy Gabb (pictured) with six Bream weighing 32 lb 8 oz from peg 8. Andy caught on the cage feeder with GB and Maggot over to the floating island. Andy said he was getting liners throughout the day. It was obvious the Bream had shoaled up under the island to keep out of the brightness. Alcoves Julie Taylor came third off the next peg 7 nicking a couple of bream from the end of the island which apparently moves with the wind. Well done both.

Have to mention John Amato's 2 lb 3 oz Perch caught on a whole worm lifting and dropping.

Well we got hammered 60 lb to 30 lb. Still have the return match to come.

Weigh Sheet: (section error on the sheet has been rectified)

Thursday 04/07/2024 - Over 55's - Bitterwell Lake

We arrived to find PC Jaxon waiting and promptly arrested five of the Over 55's (pictured). Must say PC Jaxon certainly know's a villain when he see's one.

The poor weather continues into July, when is this cold blustering wind going to do one?

Bit depleted today due to holiday's, etc... In to the draw bag and peg 27 it was. Matt Challenger drew it Tuesday and struggle, hesaid the LH edge produced nothing but snags. The other side is Lily pads, which produced very little, which is my past experience of fishing to them. This didn't stop me setting up 2 x 0.3 RJ Slims to fish both. Caught only a few small Perch from both but did get one snag out (pictured) inspecting the shot it looked like it had been in the lake 50 years or more. So switched to the long Ronnie rig with single LR over GB catching five quick Skimmers and some Ronnie's but the presentation was awful due to the bloody wind which was effecting most of us in some way. Had to switch to the short Ronnie rig which worked a lot better adding Skimmers and Ronnie's to the end. Last few minutes hooked a big Skimmer which I didn't relised was foul hooked until it came up and escaped the hook - bugger.

Weighed 22 lb 9 oz for third in the silvers. Was pleased with the weight from this peg especially as pegs 23,24 and 25 have been the better pegs so far. Good anglers on them but they seem to have switched off.

The match was won by Martin McMahon (pictured - not sure why he wasn't the first to be arrested) with 100 lb 14 oz from peg 6. Martin initially caught on the PVA bag/feeder, later switching to the pole fishing hard pellet. Well done matey.

The silvers went to Shay Gillman (pictured) with 25 lb 9 oz from peg 21. Shay was forced to fish short due facing the brunt of the wind on maggot and caster. Shay learnt a lesson today walking his kit back to the car and leaving his nets unattended losing two Carp but managed to get his empty net back. Well done matey.

The next match at Bitterwell is Silvers only, which makes it simpler for us all especially me wasting time trying to catch Carp 😁. Bitterwell is the best Silvers venue locally.

Weigh Book:

Sunday 30/06/2024 - Alcove Club - Whitehouse Farm - Margret's

Looking forward to this match as it's a lovely quiet venue surrounded by wildlife and close to be a natural lake. In need of an haircut though.

In to the draw bag and to a gasp from all around when pulling peg 17. Well, someone got to have the flyer.

Walking to the peg and even though I've fished it before walked passed it due to be overgrown. So out came the trusty pen knife and did what I could. clearing enough of the Hawthorne's to cast a waggler or feeder. Found a brand new well made platform, was I the first to use it?

A good Chub peg and apparently good for Carp down the RH edge to the peg 18 empty platform, which was inaccessible due to the overhanging branches out of my reach for the penknife. Pondered the waggler, unfortunately the wind conditions would prevent feeding more than half way, so set up the maggot feeder which needed a fair bit of lead to reach the island. Set up the long Ronnie rig and a 0.3 gram RJ lifter with normal shotting to fish top set plus three barrels. Fed the short line with GB and DR's and the long line with some chopped worm and GB. Started on the Ronnie rig which was soon abandoned due to being ragged by tiny deepthroated Perch and Ronnie's.

Picked up the feeder knowing it was going to be a challenge to get it tight with the Willow's opposite combined with the small area behind to cast. After a few incidents with Mr Willow and Mr Hawthorne which broke my feeder tip and with a replacement tip managed to get some accuracy. Now here's a thing once putting it in tight regularly (nearly) and having had a couple of Chub to 4 lb the feed attracted the small Chublets which were getting to the feed quicker once finding the feed. It was ok but very difficult to read their bites especially the one's on the drop. So started new line to fish some tight and some shorter which produce a decent Chub or two and once the Chublets arrived start another line. This worked well. The bites from the big Chub were ferocious, also taking the bait well down so the combination of this caused the hook to pull on two decent fish. Having used all the lines went long with worm and had a 7 lb Carp and three decent Skimmers before the nuisance Perch arrived. Lost two more Carp - one slipped hook the other was a fouler. Seen the rest of the match out catching Chublets from various lines.

Silvers weighed 28 lb 12 oz - mostly Chub. the Carp weighed 7 lb 3 oz a very lively fish indeed, amounting to a double bubble beating Tony Welsby into second spot by 10 oz - unlucky.

The default silvers went to Bill Ferris (pictured with the match winner) with 15 lb 2 oz from peg 6. Bill fished maggot short catching small fish but did add a bonus Skimmer.

The Chub are healthy and thriving at this venue.

Weigh Sheet: