Wednesday 4 September 2024

Tuesday 03/09/2024 - Bitterwell Silvers

Back to Bitterwell for the start of Autumn matches with a drive to the fishery in some drizzle, warm though. Sixteen fishing today ready for the draw - pictured.

At last a peg on the near side of the lake - peg 20. Good company with Pete Turner on 19 and Ali on 21. Cleared a bit of debris weed down the RH side and plumbed up there with the short Ronnie rig finding a decent depth and nice flat, clean bottom, thinking this was going to produce some bigger skimmers and perhaps a Tench or two. Long Ronnie rig, likewise nice depth and silt free. Set up a 4x12 Winter to fish 3 barrels again out of the silt.

I had decided to try expanders today and had 4's and 2's hookers and micro feed for the long line, so feed a few micro to start and both Ronnie lines with loose GB and LR's. Started down the right with single LR expecting a quick Skimmer, alas just tiny Perch and plenty of them with an occasional small Ronnie. Soon gave this up and tried the long Ronnie rig and found the same. Oh dear. Looking around every one looked static. So out on the 4 mm expander and had a small Skimmer and a small Tench. Kindering in small amounts of micro and couple more small Skimmers before it tailed off. Cripes it was fishing hard. Everyone appeared to be struggling decided to focus on catch what you can. Put the unopened meat back in the bait bag and concentrated on GB feed in various forms with LR's fished around the three lines. The RH margin had to be abandoned as it was full of Carp. Concentrating in the long line until the Carp arrived late on. Switching to the long Ronnie rig started to produce some slightly better Skimmers. Time of day or should I have focus here early - who knows?  

Weighed 13 lb 8 oz to scrape in 4th. Really enjoyed the scratching around today. Booked in for next week. My mixed bag pictured. The lake has not fished anywhere to its potential today - seasonal change perhaps.

The match was won by 17 year old Ben the Bagger (pictured with his catch) with 21 lb 4 oz from peg 17. Ben caught small Skimmers steady for the first hour or so at 7 metres with maggot over GB, before struggling like the rest of us, switching close in on a meat line late on produced well including a last gasp 4 lb Tench. The Tench clinched first spot by 10 oz from Charlie Issacs. Watch out match anglers Ben's learning to drive so may arrive at a match near you soon. Well done matey. Match angling need more of these young anglers.

Weigh Sheet:


 




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