Thursday 06/02/2025 - Over 55's Silvers Pairs League - Round 3 - Bitterwell

Heavy Frost and freezing fog. Suppose it's better than rain and wind. All venues are fishing hard for silvers Bitterwell no exception. However, was looking forward to it as I think secretly the rest of the Over 55's were. Twenty fishing.

Big shout out to Paul Issac's who supplied hot drinks and bacon/sausage rolls. Also ran the match for us from start to finish. Thanks matey much appreciated. Apparently we should be catching some Barbel next match!!

Hoping not to draw the car park bank South facing as the sun is a nightmare there. Last peg handed to me by Paul peg 13. Happy with this one but the only peg without a platform and to make things more difficult next to Tony Rixon on peg 12 for the third time FFS. Hughie Evans the other side on 14.

Thought the waggler would be key so set that up first, the visibility with the yellow top was amazing. The only other rig was a 4 x14 Winter with strung out no 11's.

Started by feeding GB and Pinkies at top set plus three barrels and loose fed caster on the waggler line. Tony set his stall out to fish long to 16 metres. My waggler feed was landing at about the same distance as his pole tip! Had to bollock him for swinging his pole over my line when shipping back - Would of been OK if he wasn't scrammy handed.

After 30 minutes with no bites went out on the waggler with single LR and had a small Ronnie followed by a 4 oz Hybrid and a 3 oz Skimmer. Back on the three barrel line and had another 4 oz Hybrid followed by the odd Ronnie. Kept trying the waggler but only managed a small Perch. Meanwhile Tony had his usual foul hooked Skimmer which came off near the net but Tony was too quick and managed to scoop it. Thirty minutes to go decided to go out to 11.5 metres with double Pinkie over GB and Pinkie feed and was rewarded with a 1 1/2 lb Skimmer and a 3 oz Ronnie. During this time Tony had a 3 lb unseasonable Tench (pictured). You do make your own luck in match fishing!

Weighed 2 lb 10 oz for 3 section points and joint 4th in the match - happy enough with this.

John Smith won the match with 7 lb 14 oz of decent Skimmers from peg 7. John caught mainly at 13 metres using expander hook bait over micro. Well done John brave and good choice of baits.

Back for a curry with Geoff at his favourite Curry House and a few beers.

Weigh Book:

Pairs After 3 Rounds:

Sunday 02/02/2025 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round Three - Taylor's Pool and Shipp's Canal

Weather wise sunny all day with little to no wind - OK for walkers but not fishing.

My turn on Taylor's wanted pegs 14 round to 20 (excluding 23). Draw bag gave me peg 15. Last week 1 lb 14 oz came from it!! Oh, dear, can I beat it? Little to no wind and bright sun in the face wasn't going to help that cause.

Geoff drew peg 13. I went and had a look tried to boost his enthusiasm, but i knew he would struggle with no wind and the Canal loosing it's colour. Third time on the peg this term unlucky draw arm at the mo.

Thought about setting up the waggler but the conditions were against it, plus felt the fish wouldn't be on the bar. Set up a 0.3 gram Slim for the Left margin which to be fair was ideal depth and a decent flat spot. A 4 x14 Winter for top set plus four barrels for expander and over micro - my banker. Set up the short Ronnie rig for scratching around. Started feeding some micro at four barrels with 4 mm expander nicked on a 20 - 808. No sign of a bite gave it 30 minutes at which time panic set in thinking blank, so quickly on the Ronnie rig with pinkie over loose fed Pinkie and had about 15 Perch. So tried the expander again and still nothing - should I be patient and try it for longer? Nope went down the margin with double LR's over kindered same. Had a few very small Ronnie's and Perch then had a 1 lb Gold fish. Set up 13 metres adjusting the  the margin rig to try the bar but having fed it could not  see anything red or black tips so only lasted 5 minutes. Came in to top set plus one with the 4x14 near same depth with GB and Pinkie and had two small Crucians. Sat the rest of the match sat down the margin hoping for a decent Carp which didn't materialise.

Weighed 3 lb 11 oz for 6 points so not a complete disaster. Lee kept our pairs hopes alive from peg 1 with 19 lb 3 oz.

The match and Shipp's canal was won once again by Vince Shipp from peg 11 with 42 lb 3 oz. Vince caught on Maggot over micro.

Taylor's pool was won by inform Johnny Clarke (pictured with the match winner) with 21 lb 6 oz doubling the next weight from peg 26. Johnny caught on expander, Pinkie and Maggot over micro. Well done to both on a very hard day.

Back to the pub with the usual suspects. 

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 26/01/2025 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round 2 - Taylor's Pool and Shipp's Canal

Here we go again, high winds and heavy rain. At least a good breakfast with Geoff before it all begins.

Pairs drawn which is decided on weight alone. Whereas the individual is points then weight. Got paired with the affable Lee Waller, happy with this as he pretty good on this venue and already has a decent weight in the locker.

My turn on Shipp's Canal. Tried to get peg 13 out of my mind as the rain and wind would be howling into it. Hoping for peg up the other end, pegs 8 or 6. Late into the draw bag and couldn't believe it to be looking at peg 13 and with only ounces off it in the last two matches was a concern, but worse was the condition's facing me. However, had an idea that the fish might be down in this very shallow peg. That said the conditions was awful. Put two Gore-Tex coats on and gloves this time. Certainly not a peg for Scaffolders!!

Set up the margin pole three barrels and a top set elasticated with blue hydro. Love this elastic as OK for both silvers and Carp. A 4x13 black top MR winter rig with a 20 - 808 hook to 0.14 GLine. That's it. Not really caught many silvers on this peg but decided to fish for them at one barrel initially then if the wind eased go to three barrels at 2 o clock in search of Carp.

Started on Pinkie and GB and had a Ronnie first put in after a couple more had a F1. After a few more Ronnie's and Perch and even though the wind was still gusting switched to the longer line with Mainline 4 mm expander over micro and had a good couple of hours catching Carp to 7 lb and some F1's, this in between fighting the wind which occasionally caused the pole to whiplash violently due to quick change of wind direction. Absolute nightmare, but catching a few took my mind off freezing fingers exposed from the gloves. Last 45 minutes was awful as stopped catching.

Weighed 34 lb 2 oz for second in the match and the important section win

Stand-in Matt Tainton won from flyer peg 2 with 48 lb 6 oz catching down to the bush and at 3 barrels out in front using maggot.

Partner Lee (pictured with his partner) won Taylors pool with 30 lb 4 oz from inform peg 14. Lee was restricted to fishing down his left due to the wind conditions. Again all caught on maggot. Well done partner.

As so often happens right on the all out the sun came out and the wind and rain eased.

Back to the pub with the usual suspects - less one Scaffolder!

Weigh Sheets:

Thursday 23/01/2025 - Over 55's Silvers Pairs - Round Two - Acorn - Paddocks

Sat in high gusting winds, heavy hailstone storms, freezing and biteless, got me questioning why was I here and not sat home in the warm? Two reasons came to mind - Use it or loose it (important at my age). Otherwise would be sat static at home thinking how the lads were getting on wishing I was there!

Breakfast in the Bridge Inn was OK, only me Kev and Haydn there. Apparently Ginger people are refused entry!

All twenty turned up (fair play) all knowing it was going to be difficult day weather and fishing wise.

Into the draw bag and bridge peg 34 for me. Happy with this as there was some shelter with the wind coming off my right shoulder. For company Tony Rixon on the other side of the bridge peg 33.

Decided on two attacks - 4x16 Winter pole rig and a small cage feeder to chuck around if the wind got too bad. I was threading the eyes up in very poor light so was taking a time. Tony offered his help in the form of creeping up on me and wound the line back in just as I was threading the last two rings 😠.

Plumbed around and found the peg up and down obviously holes the Carp creates whilst sifting the silt which by reckoning was about 3 inches. Peg was about 6 foot. decided on two lines one at two barrels and the starter at three. Only GB and Pinkie. So fed both lines with a bit of both. At three barrels wasn't happy with the presentation. So after a biteless hour came to two barrels and had an indication which added some enthusiasm. Subsequently a very positive bite thinking Carp was delighted to land a decent Skimmer. Tony had one Skimmer slightly smaller than mine. Tried the feeder during a hailstone storm, no bites seen! Tony started to get IBS (Imaginary Bite Syndrome) light was bad for both of us. However, one IBS event lead to Tony foul hooking another Skimmer in the eye he was delighted to show me!! The wind turned around to off the left shoulder making things more difficult for presentation. Come the last 45 minutes both Tony and me had a Tench with mine slightly bigger but wasn't big enough to overcome the fouler. Upped the feed hoping from another Tench which may had been the wrong thing to do as no more bites. Everyone was glad to hear the all out.

My two fish weighed 3 lb 11 oz. This got me 4th!!

The match was won by Andy Greenham (Pictured) from peg 38 with 8 lb 15 oz. Andy had a few early Roach on the waggler and maggot at full depth 3/4 over. However, he came in on three barrels adding two skimmers and two Tench. Well done matey.

Some 2 lb Perch were caught today. Amazingly only one blank, plus no FOE's.

Back to the PoW with the usual suspects. Where that tingling feeling started as I warmed up.

Weigh Sheets:

Pairs Results - So far:

Thursday 16/01/2025 - Over 55's Silvers Pairs League - Round One - Landsend - Specimen and Match Lakes

Travelled with Kev Winstone who commented on how foggy it was, suggested he demist his windscreen, that helped! Pleasant drive down, followed by a Landsend fishery breakfast.

Draw done for the pairs and i'm with Dave "The whip" Poole this year so a decent pairing. Some pairing produced a few laughs "The Thatchers" Granty and Smithy again and the "pickled eggs" were also drawn together Kev and Phil.

Talk was it going to be very hard and to expect a few blanks.  Hoping for a peg on Specimen lake as it has more Skimmers. The draw bag gave me just that, peg 36. Checking the Sunday's weigh sheet 1 lb 14 oz came off it! Not quite far close enough up. Tony Rixon arrived on peg 34 and knew the match was already won, Landsend is his second home. At lest he wasn't in my section. Strange how often you draw next to the angler you travelled with as Kev arrived on peg 38. Dave The Whip was on end peg 33 so expected him to get Carped out - he did.

I plumbed around with the pole rig a 4x12 Winter and further a field with the waggler. The aerator on the end pegs drives the slit down and up the shelfs to the far end. So set about finding and fishing the deepest part which was top set plus three but only 3 1/2 foot deep. The far bank was 1 foot less. Plan was the one rig all day on two lines - out in front and to my left at 4 barrels in a tree shadowed dark patch. Would give both lines half a match each with small balls of GB and Pinkie. Took a while to get my first bite a small Roach. After another long wait a 2 lb Skimmer, which cheered me some. Meanwhile Kev was a catching tiny Ronnie's steady. Had 2 Crucians a micro Perch and four Ronnie's and two Carp by halfway. Switched to the dark line which gave me much better visibility and was rewarded with two more decent Skimmers and two Ronnie's and another Carp.

Weighed 6 lb 7 oz for a section win with not many bites.

As predicted Tony (pictured) won the match with a great catch of Skimmers weighing 20 lb 2 oz from peg 34. Tony fished 13 metres to the corner of the island where the flow from the aerators is at its most, grooving out a channel to about 5 foot deep. Tony caught on maggot over GB laced with maggot, Pinkie and casters. Well done matey nice to watch.

Acorn next week sounds like that is going to be really hard.

Back to the PoW in Winford for a pint with a few suspects. Decent pub.

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 05/01/2025 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round One - Taylor's and Shipp's

Some snow overnight which luckily turned to rain. Had a call from Geoff Francis and had a tree down in his road, fortunately a local farmer cut some branches enabling Geoff to get through to keep our meet at Wetherspoons. Very mild 10 degrees.

First round today, so all keen to get a decent start. I wanted Taylors first as Shipp's fishes better last, especially the dreaded peg 13.

Into the draw bag and peg 25 (pictured) it would be, one away from practice day. Not the best at the moment, better in the summer.

Even though the silver fishing results all over are really poor for some reason only the fish know. Still set up for them with a short Ronnie rig. Just adding a 4x14 Winter for the expander to fish up to top set plus three barrels. Feed the Ronnie line with GB laced with some Pinkie and the pellet line with "not a lot" of micro and four expanders. Undecided what to started on choosing the expander over the Pinkie as can catch both decent Skimmers and Carp on them, which I think proved to be the right choice.

Out on a 4 mm expander at two barrels and had a decent Carp first put in, another second put and a F1 third put in. Going to empty it - NOT. Other than a lost fouler at three barrels didn't have another bite for four and half hours except for four 1 oz Perch on the Ronnie rig. Could not catch a Ronnie!! I don't think it helped having a hell of a tow against the wind which was making it difficult to hold the rig still. Ended up with six lines in a very restricted peg mainly to try and generate some enthusiasm!!

Weighed 12 lb 12 oz and was amazed and delighted to get a keeper 3 points.

The match and Shipp's was won once again by Vince Shipp (pictured) from in form and his regular draw peg 2 with 58 lb 3 oz. Vince caught mainly at three barrels in open water on maggot over kindered maggot and micro. Well done matey.

Johnny Clarke (pictured) won Taylor's with another stand out weight of 36 lb 13 oz from peg 20. Johnny caught the same as previous match expander over "not a lot" of micro at 12 and 7 metres.

Expect the fishing to improve once the water levels return.

Back for a pint at the pub with the usual suspects to round off a slow but good to be out fishing.

Weigh Sheets: