Now here's a thing, I have been going down viaduct since it opened for course fishing. Many times I have tried to get a photo of Helen Long on my blog, every time I've tried Helen has ran off into the back office. However, got her this year partly clothed whilst advertising the new lodges. Perhaps she ran in the back office to get undressed and I missed the gesture!! Nice picture of you three.
Sunday 08/06/2025: Campbell
Drew peg 113 where Nigel Bartlett was the day before. For company on 114 was Glenn Bailey. Thought it would be helpful with the wind blowing into the peg.
Set up a 4x12 Winter to fish two barrels and the short Ronnie rig to fish in the nice deep margin. Started on the Ronnie rig and had an amazing start catching Skimmers averaging 1 3/4 lb on double LR's over loose GB laced with LR's. Great fishing which usually slows at some point when it did went out on the Winter rig with the same hook bait and feed and had a few more. Hindsight told me should have fish corn over this longer line.
The match was won by Tony Wittcomb (pictured) with 137 lb 7 oz from peg 126 tea bagging to the aerator.
Silvers was won by Martin Rayet (pictured) with 53 lb 10 oz from peg 125 using meat short and in the margin.
Our lodges picked up everything except second overall. So a good start for us. Once Glenn Bailey chucked the tea bagging crap up the bank and fished to his strength on the long pole and paste caught some lumps for a section win 😉
Our night for the Indian, love these nights even though the food isn't the best its very sociable. We had a bit of a surprise when Martin Rayet order a curry - converted now? The table of legends - pictured
Weigh Sheet:
Monday 09/06/2025 - Lodge Lake - Our Resident Match:
The match was teams of three from our two lodges I drew well being with Gary Bowden and Tim Ford.
Open draw and Peg 71 for me. Plenty of pleasure anglers behind me on Carey.
Martin Rayet was right when he said there was no sign of fish which got me in the cautious mode.
So paste and pellet for me. Margin pole today. Two rigs for me one at three barrels and one for down to the brambles on the right with the Drennan 25 elastic which also was suitable for up to the empty platform peg 70. Definitely going to be some bramble gate today.
Started long on on paste kindering in the paste with 4/6 hard 4's. Had a response straight away with a decent Carp. Everyone appeared to be struggling so kept the feed the same and having filled two nets and with it slowing decided to put a big pot of pellet in - mistake loads of fizz and started to catch Skimmers. So abandon that for the Bramble gate where I had been lightly feeding with hard 4's and started to catch some really big fish. Foul hooked one which ripped the 25 elastic out so fast I couldn't stop it going into the brambles - bugger. Set up another margin paste rig with 0.22 line which I decided to fish up to the platform again with light feed and caught straight away, the 25 elastic was doing its job keeping the Carp from reaching the brambles just. Only had three nets so put back my Skimmers. Carried on catching down to the platform. I might have over done the feed as started to foul hook losing another rig in the brambles the other side of the platform. - cripes they are fast. With 15 minutes to go gave it up as thought I had filled my nets plus I was bored playing Carp. In my opinion the Carp in this lake are really too big to be in keepnets.
Went to the White Hart for a meal very good food but expensive had a drink with Mark Tanner and Gordon Cannings. As Haydn said pensioners night out
Weigh Sheet:
Tuesday 10/06/2025: Viaduct Open - Campbell:
Into the coffee tin once more and drew out peg 132. The upshot was should have known better to fish for silvers in a corner Carp peg! Should have set out for Carp from the start probably with paste. Plenty of them about. Had two for 19 lb 14 oz late on changing to corn and a miserable showing on the silvers with 13 lb 9 oz of mainly Ronnie's and Perch with just a couple of small Skimmers on caster.
The match was won once again using the "Wanky Wanky" by incognito from peg 129.
Nigel Easton made no mistake drawing the inform silvers peg 115 winning with 48 lb 10 oz of Skimmers.
Well done both.
White Hart again for fish and chips. Wasn't that impressed to be honest.
Weigh Sheet:
Wednesday 11/06/2025:
Rest day for me and Geoff fished outside the lodge but spent most of the time tying rigs I lost yesterday. The rest of the crew drove up to Acorn for a match organised by Gary Bowden.
Early up the White Hart and had a great Rump Steak.
Thursday 12/06/2025: Viaduct Cost Cutter - Campbell:
Paid the prime number pools money. Into the coffee tin for the last time and pulled peg 127. Thought it would be OK for silvers. Good company between Martyn Woodington and Tim Ford. Got to the peg and was very surprised to see Carp spawning down both margins.
Set up a 4x14 due to the wind blowing in at me to fish at three barrels, the short Ronnie rig and a 0.3 RJ Slim for the margins.
Started on the Ronnie rig with caster over caster and got emotional foul hooking Carp. So went out at three barrels with double LR's over GB and had a couple of decent Skimmers foul hooked another Carp losing the rig. So down the margin with the RJ rig firstly with maggot over caster and GB but pestered by small silvers so switched to fishing pinched corn over a few pieces of corn in with potted micro. What a transformation had a quick run of ten Skimmers before another fouler. Afterwards found Getting tight in produced the occasional Skimmer but it was slow. Started to hook some tree roots. Suddenly Had the the urge to seek a toilet and fast - quick dash and just making it. Slower walk back having a chat with the silver slayers and relised I was well behind. Got back and decided to give the tree roots a seeing to. It didn't quite work out that way as I pull so hard it was all I could do to stop myself pulling myself into the lake, Didn't realise to the next day I had pulled the right side stomach muscle which took two weeks to clear up.
Weighed 30 lb 12 oz of silvers which is a good days fishing in my book.
The duo did it again with Tony Wittcomb taking first spot with 126 lb 11 oz from peg 130 and Martin Rayet taking the silvers with 63 lb 3 oz from peg 125 again on meat.
Well done both.
We all joined up in the Unicorn Hotel for our last meal. Which to be fair was very good and according to Geoff the his pie with top and a bottom was the best he had - and he's had lots of pies.
Weigh Sheet:
The lads have decided to try Hillview - Tewksbury next year. It's very doubtful I will be going.
It was inevitable.
Finally who's drives a van like this?
