Thursday 17/07/2025 - Windmill Silvers Knock Up - Top Lake

Last minute decision to fish the Windmill Silvers knock up on the Top Lake if I could get a lift, which Kev Winstone kindly offered. We had the usual fishing chat about our ups and downs in recent matches – more good luck than bad for both. I then changed the subject to how his Solar Panel business was doing. He balled me a googly saying he just bought a funeral business in Kingswood!! Thinking diversification or waiting for punch line. Kev explained the business was doing exceptionally well they had out grown his current offices and would convert the property to offices. However, he may keep the cold storage for his bait! If anyone wants Solar or overnight battery storage Kev’s your man.

https://helpinusolar.com/

Whoops, unpacking the van realised I had brought my Carp pole case instead of the Silvers case. Duh, did have a couple of Ronnie top sets and the waggler. No 4 metre whip though which I was favouring.

Nine fishing today which fills this small lake as it has a lot of inaccessible areas which the Carper’s like. In to the draw box and peg 3 for me. So off to find the peg along a sloping path had to help Kev with his overloaded trolley he was next peg.

No platforms but I was able to get down the bank just in the water a long time since did this – closer to the water the better the fishing. But had the usual experience of the front legs gradually sinking over the six hours.

Set up the waggler and a long Ronnie rig. Set both to 3 foot so would fishing well off bottom. Only crap maggots and GB on the tray.

Fed a ball of loose GB with LR’s on the Ronnie line started on single LR and started catching Rudd and Roach Fry. Suspected the fry liked the GB too much, so switched to loose feeding. This worked to some extent and started catching tiny Skimmers, Ronnie’s, Hybrids and Rudd to 3 oz. Stayed with this until hooking a Carp subsequently switching the waggler over loose fed LR’s using it to hand as a whip (sort of). Kept switching between the two line throughout after being Carped. Only landed one one beautiful Common Carp of 8 lb out of three hooked.

These certainly came to mind - however, these are bigger that most of our fish.

Weighed 8 lb 3 oz for second placing. 

The knock up was won by Shay Gillman from Lily peg 10 with 10 lb 8 oz. Shay struggled until the last hour when he started to catch some proper Roach. Well done Matey.

Now here's a thing I was wondering why Tony Rixon was hanging around Kev's van who was still packing up, instead of heading back West. Then the  "Pound coin" dropped - Tony loves a pick up no matter how small.

Back to the Ringer for a cold one or two with the usual suspects. Baps looked great.

Weigh Sheet:

06-07-2025 - Ron Hardiman's Summer League - Round 5 - Westerleigh - Taylor's Pool and Shipp's Canal

Penultimate round of this well run league (Ron told me say this -  pictured some time ago 😁), which will be my last in the league as can't make the last round. This means losing one result as only allowed one dropper and have already had one stand in.

My turn on Shipp's. The draw bag gave my peg 10. So, from the four matches I have drawn peg's 10 and 20 twice. Both average pegs at the moment.

It was sad to find a dead 6 lb Carp in my peg. Ricky netted it out for me - thanks mate, who later nearly fell in due to nodding off.

From last experience gained match on this peg decided only needed GB and Maggots. One short Ronnie rig, 4x12 Winter for two barrels for hopefully a Skimmer or two and a 0.3 RJ slim for the LH margin.

Fed the Skimmer line with GB and a few LR's and tried the the line straight away on single LR to catch a few small Ronnie's - no Skimmers. Meanwhile been loose feeding the Ronnie rig line with LR's - No GB as wanted to catch some Perch which GB seem to turn off. Had a steady 90 minutes catching Perch and Ronnie's before it went quiet. Expected a Carp had took some interest and yep soon after that thought was landing a 4 lb fish. From the chatter around the canal it was fishing hard with most only having a Carp or two. So brought the RJ into use with triple LR hook bait over loose fed same and had a run of decent Carp. After we had a bit of a squall most of the others started to catch and with the wind picking up into peg 6 expected the weights to now come from that end. Set up a small dibber for tight into the margin where I started feeding the GB in 18 inches of water and had a few more plus a couple of munters, but as anticipated foul hooked a few over the GB.

Weighed 72 lb 8 oz which included 7 lb of silvers for the silvers win and 5th in the match, again average 5 points. But really enjoyed it, and nearly the Carp fishing!

Shipp's canal and the match was won by Bela Bakos (pictured with the silvers winner) from in form peg 8 with 103 lb 7 oz. Until the squall Bela was struggling with one Carp and thought I heard some crying. However, as expected he turned it around fishing his top set with DR's hook bait over GB and DR's feed. Well done matey can't keep a good man down.

Best of luck for all in the last round.

Back to the pub for a decent pint of Doombar. Good job the Banter Police wasn't in attendance.

Weigh Sheets:

29/06/2025 _- Westerleigh Summer League - Round 4 - Taylor's Pool and Shipp's Canal

My turn on Taylor's. With the aerator running fancied pegs 14, 26,25, 22. Alas drew the same peg as last time peg 10.

When Mark turned off the aerator there was loads of fish topping close to it. 

Didn't think I could make the top two on the lake from so far from the aerator, so set out for the silvers and see what developed.

Set up short Ronnie rig, Paste float for top set plus two barrels and a 4x14 Winter to fish the same line as the paste. Not been setting up the waggler of late reply because of the weed growth on the shallow bar which hasn't been producing. Some fish were showing out on the bar though so nearly set it up.

Now here's a thing after the match Mark Taylor told me he had cleared the weed from the bar and as he did so fish were feeding behind him. So if you think of doing something do it and give it a go.

Fed the two barrel line with GB laced with LR's and with single LR on the Winter had a tiny Skimmer and a few Crucians which seem to have grown on a fair bit on Taylors. I was hoping for some better Skimmers but probably didn't give it long enough as too soon converted the line to paste to got ragged by small F1's and Crucians. That was it, it's spent the remainder of the day on the Ronnie rig catch small Silvers and three better Skimmers. Late on caught four decent Carp losing one plus a 2 lb flying Skimmer (also known as a RAF Skimmer - fight harder in the air than in the water) they always look bigger in the air. Very enjoyable day.

Carp weighed 39 lb 3 oz and silvers 10 lb 7 oz for a total of 49 lb 10 oz for 4th on the pool. Felt second place was touchable had I actually spent time focussed on Carp, plus regretted not trying the waggler.

The match was won by Nick Saunders (pictured with the silvers winner) with 116 lb 7 oz from peg 23 (which hasn't produced for some time). Nick caught primarily down his margins on maggot. Well done matey.

Weigh Sheets:

15/06/2025 - Westerleigh Summer League - Round 3 - Taylor's Pool and Shipp's Canal

Just back from the Viaduct week and my side stomach muscle playing up, it's weird symptoms - can lift etc... but can't lightly touch it with clothes or hand?

Breakfast at Wetherspoons with Geoff.

My turn on Shipp's Canal. Into the draw bag and found disc 10. OK peg can throw up F1's and a few small silvers. Plus there are some munters in the margins late on which can be frustrating to catch.

For company on 9 with loads of options was matey Bela Bakos. I was half expecting a keep net count.

The short Ronnie rig and a 0.4 paste rig for down the middle.

Had a look on the paste expecting a F1 first try. Alas, it was soon apparent it wasn't going to happen early doors. Meanwhile Bela was busy foul hooking over to the island on banded pellet. He was struggling and understandably getting frustrated. So binned the paste and perhaps try again in the last hour in favour of the silvers on the Ronnie rig and single LR over loose fed same. Had a good couple of hours catching Perch and very small Ronnie's - no Skimmers. Did have a few 4 oz F1's and Crucians which quite rightly class as Carp which have to be placed in a separate net. Ninety minutes to go hooked a decent Carp which broke the hook length. I obviously wasn't paying attention - Bela had binned the pellet in favour of worm over GB in his margin and started to catch well so Carp not interested to pellet or forms of, so I make the mistake of setting up a margin paste rig catching a decent Carp first try, but after that foulers and lost rigs followed. Went back on the Ronnie rig with single LR and had three more decent Carp. Had I been paying more attention I would have set up a RJ slim with double LR sure I would have had a better last knockings.

Weighed a total of 38 lb 4 oz which included 8 lb of silvers for the silvers win.

The match was won by Steve Rogers with 124 lb from peg 6. Steve caught over to the island and long down his LH edge on bread hook bait over big pots of liquidised bread. Well done matey.

Weight Sheets:

07/06/2025 to 13/06/2025 - Viaduct Holiday - Campbell and Lodge Lakes - Lavender Lodge

Started going holidaying here the first time Viaduct open the Lodges in 2012. I've not been full time for a couple of years so it was great to visit full time again. The Lodges looked like the first visit well looked after. They have built three more up on the hill which look very nice, first bookings next week.

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.

Geoff and me decided on not fishing the open on Saturday instead taking our time over breakfast in Street Wetherspoons. Also wanted to catch up with Steve and Helen. We had a walk around the match with me stopping on all those fishing for silvers. Had a nice chat with Tom Thick and Nigel Bartlett. Thought this may help me because I was planning on fishing for silvers on Campbell as the Tea bagging (The Wanky Wanky) is not for me. Some of the lads had been preparing them for weeks for these matches. The main applicator of the tea bag is Howard Webb who tries to be incognito so not to give too much away. I've known him for years and there was no fooling me in case you missed him he's the guy sat in a deck chair and currently sporting an Hawaiian shirt chucking out the "Wanky Wanky" Oh, yes and winning. However, have to thank him for starting me experimenting with paste fishing all those years ago. Nice to catch up Howard.

Sunday 08/06/2025: Campbell

Paid the pools of £29 - a prime number and so is the cost cutter at £19. I was totally confused with these numbers as could not reason why.

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.

Weighed 49 lb 12 oz of silvers for second silvers beating Rob Eagle by an ounce!! Sorry mate.

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.

I weighed 177 lb 3 oz for second thinking our team would have won, alas not. Tony Wittcomb and Martin Rayet who were first and second leading their team to victory. Well done lads.

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?

O1/06/2025 - Westerleigh Summer League - Round 2 - Taylor's Pool and Shipp's Canal

On my return form Whiteacres I was hoping to fish Alcove's club match on Margret's at Whitehouse Farm . Unfortunately, it was fully booked again. Not sure how the booking system works. 

So my next match was the second in the Ron Hardiman Westerleigh summer league. I missed the first round due to being at Whiteacres. Matey Paul Barnfield stood in for me and drew his usual flyer peg 2 on Shipp's weighing with 60 lb 15 oz and a couple of Skimmers to win the silver's and 5 points - midway. Thanks matey. Unluckily for Paul the wind was blowing down the other end where the other draw bag Des Shipp won the match from peg 8 with 182 lb 14 oz a stand in for Ron "Shipp".

My turn on Taylor's Pool. Didn't mind where I drew. Pulled Peg 20. Found myself next to matey Bela Bakos on peg 19 so was going to get some amusement and piss taking for most of the day. Peg 20 is one of the best winter pegs as it holds lots of small Carp. Not much of a margin here due to the reeds both sides. Matey Paul "Beaver" Elms came and helped clear some of the reeds sufficient for a top set only. Decided to give the paste a go today but slightly concerned it might get ragged by the small F1's. Started at three barrels a yep pesterer by 4 oz Crucian's/F1's. So potted in a large helping of micro over the line to keep the Widgers occupied and came in to two barrels over 4's and caught better fish to 2 lb still not match winning size though. Caught steady all day which was very enjoyable. Got a bollocking off of Bela for borrowing one of his nets now taking 4 nets on his command.

I weighed 61 lb 13 oz for 5 points - midway. The pensioner psyches out Roofer with the keep net trick to beat him by 10 lb 😂

 Weigh Sheets: