Tuesday 27/08/2024 - Bitterwell Silvers

The silver fishing here is the best in the area and from looking at the mixed sizes of Skimmers it's only going to get even better. Paul is away with a group in France Carp fishing. Son Charlie has already had a 50 lb fish. So the numbers fishing down with others also on holiday.

So into the draw bag and as Des Shipp wasn't there I temporarily had his peg 23 today. Now wishing I watched all of his video fishing a live match on this peg, but gave up after seeing all his bait options.

I use to be a bird magnet now reduced to a wind magnet, Hate the wind especially from the side. Plenty of rigs set up - the peg is shallow 3 foot at three barrels and wanted to use a 4x12 but the wind insisted on a 4x14 which was only just OK. Long and short Ronnie rigs and a 4x10 Roob/s (RIP) for down the margins.

Fed meet on the long line, loose GB and maggots on the Ronnie lines, and some chopped worm and maggot down the margins.

Had a Skimmer on both the long and short Ronnie rigs and some nice Ronnie's, but pestered by Perch before the Carp took interest. Out long on 6 mm meat was strange foul hooking and missing bites. To test my thinking it was small skimmers fed some maggot and yes it was. Back on the meat and catch one decent Skimmer after feeding then nothing - strange. Messed about with both margins for a decent skimmer from both sides until the Carp decided to start foul hooking themselves losing two Robbs - bugger, day's tally was 6 lost Carp certainly can't fish short for too long here. It was a real struggle for a while until I gave up the meat feeding it to the pigeons instead and switching to neat chopped worm with a whole worm on the hook catching four Bream. Think this may be the end of my relationship with meat - again!

Weighed 20 lb which was third on the day, so a another great days fishing.

The venue expert Martin McMahon (pictured) won the with 35 lb 5 oz from peg 20. Martin caught mostly small Skimmers at top set plus three barrels, catching on and off for most of the day using 4 mm meat over loose fed same.

Ben the Bagger (pictured) was runner up with 27 lb 14 oz from peg 25. His catch including three Tench all caught of maggot. Nice to see a young lad doing well. I was amused to see him giving fishing instructions to his Dad who drew peg 12, usually the other way round. Well done.

Weigh Book: