Thursday 20/02/2025 - Over 55's Silvers League - Round Four - Acorn Fishery - Paddocks

Stopped at the Bridge Inn for breakfast - not the best.

With some small Ide being stocked we were at last looking forward to catching more than a few ounces.

Really hoping to avoid the bridges. Alas not. Peg 33 for me. I wanted to fish the waggler but was highly disappointed to find the wind hammering into the bridge. So settled for a 4x16 Winter to fish top set plus one and two barrels and up to the bridge at three barrels with 3 inches extra depth. 

Decided on Pinkie and GB on all lines. Caught small Ide well initially short particularly when picking up some trip against, did foul hook four decent Skimmers landing only one, probably due to the rig going with the wind. Tried the bridge for just one small Ide, the wind was causing havoc to the rig with it bouncing, so abandoned. Went to two barrels and had a 1 lb Tench and another foul hooked landed skimmer plus a few more Ide. The last hour was very hard catching just a few small Ide. All on double Pinkie.

Weighed 7 lb 11 oz for last in section. Should have set up the waggler to at least try it - bugger - bloody wind - hate it.

The match was won by Andy Gard (Pictured)who put in a good display of waggler fish fishing  maggot over loose fed same to weigh 20 lb 3 oz from peg 23. His catch was mostly made up of Ide to 1 lb. Well done matey great result.

Clive Feddery (his net of quality fish pictured)was second with 17 lb 1 oz from peg 38. Clive fish top set plus two barrels with single maggot over hand fed maggot and caster. Well done matey.

Mark Tanner (pictured with his catch) was third from peg 31 with 17 lb 1 oz. Mark caught some quality Perch to 2 lb down the first shelf with caster over kindered caster. He added some Skimmers fish three barrels using Pinkie over GB. Well dome Matey nice to watch.

Pairs result still very much open at the top.

Some good fishing was had today, far better than last match here with half the field catching double figure weights, so very much improved result. Think the mild weather contributed.

Back to the Bridge with the usual suspects - great company one and all. Another pub not selling proper beer.

Weigh Sheets:

Pairs Results Round Four:

Sunday 16/02/2025 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round Four - Taylor's and Shipp's

Broke a cardinal rule today. Over a Wetherspoons breakfast with Geoff and with him on Taylor's said he didn't want peg 23. Unfortunately I retorted by saying I didn't want peg 13 on Shipp's - dam.

Into the draw and yep Geoff on 23 and me on 13!! There was some very cold wind blowing into peg 13 from the East but not enough I feared to entice the fish there. This series both Geoff and Me have drawn it twice each. Can be decent peg in the latter stages of the league, bet we are nowhere near it by then.

Just had Carp in mind today as the peg is shallow and doesn't hold enough silvers to target them. Two rigs a 4x12 Slim to fish down to the right into 3 foot, and a 4x14 to fish 3 inches deeper into the deepest line all fished at 10 metres and a bit. Started on the 4 mm expander over some micro at 2 o

clock hoping for a quick Carp. One Ronnie after 30 minutes everyone I could see was also struggling so if the better pegs like 1 & 2  were to I was in serious trouble. In a bit of panic set up the Ronnie rig (should have been the waggler on hindsight) and had a few silvers before that died. Spent a painful three hours freezing cold catching the odd silver from now four lines. Ten minutes to go had a surprise F1 quickly followed by a small Carp from two different lines. Both caught on double LR's over kindered DR's.

Weighed 2 lb 3 oz of silvers and 4 lb of Carp for 6 lb 3 oz which got me 6 points. Needed another 14 lb to get better points that wasn't on the cards from 13. For some reason at the mo the silvers don't seem to want GB.

The match and Taylor's was won by Ricky Mills with 28 lb 10 oz from peg 20. Ricky caught in the deeper water with maggot.

Shipp's seen a unusual draw between Steve Rogers peg 10 and Mark Taylor peg 2. Both catching 23 lb 8 oz using like most of us today maggot. Steve boosted his weight with a nice 7 lb of Roach on Pinkie fishing shallow over loose fed Pinkie. Both pictured. Well done to all three.

Back to the pub with the usual suspects and a warm up with plenty of piss taking. Apparently Bela gave Geoff a kick up the ass about his presentation and heeding his advise lead to catching a couple of decent Perch with him missing out on a silvers pick up by 1 oz, unlucky, blame Bela for not kicking ass earlier. 

Arriving home the BBC were saying it was a very mild day today - NOT it was 4 degrees adding the wind chill 2 degrees or less, I suspect it was the same all over the UK.

Weigh Sheets:

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: