Sunday 21/12/2025 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round Three - Shipp's and Taylor's

With Geoff under the weather and having to rest up, it was breakfast at home.

My turn on Taylor's. With the lakes now full and the weather being up and down it was going to be hard for some.

Into the draw bag and peg 20 for me (pictured looking towards and Glenn Bailey on peg 16 the car park) . Happy enough as it's a reasonable Silvers peg albeit very deep at 9 foot. There is some reeds (now dead) which can hold Carp.

Set up the 4x14 Winter to have a plumb around. Unfortunately, the ledge dropped off from 8 foot to 9 foot on the top set, so decided to fish long adding a barrel 😁. A short Ronnie rig and a 0.3 gram RJ to fish up to the reeds also at top set plus one barrel. Thought about the waggler but the wind was a bit too iffy.

GB and Pinkie for the Silvers and LR's for down the edge. My DR's were a sorry sight so trashed.

Fed all lines accordingly, starting on the Winter with double Pinkie and had early indications and was soon swinging small Ronnie's. Went quite for the Ronnie's to be replaced by small F1's. Slowed so rested it and had a quick look down the edge with single LR and one small Perch. So on to the Ronnie rig with single Pinkie. Had another F1 and some Ronnie's. Back out on the Winter laying it out and started to catch some small Skimmers. Decided to come up half depth over loose fed Pinkie which worked well catching one decent Skimmer and better Ronnie's. An accidental 3 lb Carp took the Pinkie which was landed quickly leading to unarmed combat in the landing net - why do they make landing nets so deep? After which the shallow line died. Spent an hour down the margin with single LR catching the odd F1 and one 3 lb Carp. Again after catching the Carp it died. Spent the last knockings on the Ronnie rig catch very small Ronnie's.

Carp/F1's weighed 17 lb 10 oz and the Silvers 6 lb 13 oz for 5 points and the silvers win. Really enjoyed the day especially as it didn't rain until driving home.

Taylor's was won by Paul Elms with 37 lb 4 oz from peg 14. Paul caught most of his fish during the first half, long on 6 mm pellet.

It was Vince Shipp that took Shipp's with 30 lb 10 oz from peg 10. Vince caught on his usual expander hook bait over micros.

Well done to both.

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 07/12/2025 = Westerleigh Winter League - Round Two - Shipp's and Taylor's

Pairs drawn and Johnny Wintle for me again.  However, he was AWOL today apparently gone to his clubs Christmas match. Don't blame him. I do miss them, great day out no matter the fishing with prize giving for everyone in the pub afterwards. Back in the day use to fish two Christmas matches every weekend through December followed by the Upper Avon Champs on New Years day no matter the state of the weather or river.

My turn on Shipp's. Into the draw bag and peg 6 for me. I ran to it but as I got closer the enthusiasm started to wain. This Pool is effected by the wind and with the wind blowing from the SE my peg was flat calm. Told Paul Elms on peg 8 thought we would struggle with pegs 1 to 4 and 11 to 10 being favoured. Told Glenn who had dawn peg 1 again which has been iffy for some time might catch.

Put the landing net handle in the water to check the water clarity which looked a lot clearer than usual - bloody weather.

My thinking was to target Carp rather than silvers but set up a Ronnie rig in case. Margin rig and a 4x12 Winter for top set plus three barrels to fish towards peg 7.

Decided on loose GB and DR attacked. Started on the long line with Single LR on the hook over kindered GB and DR's. Expected to catch a few Ronnie's initially but not the case and wasn't long before I had a F1. First hour netted seven decent F1's before it died. So down the RH margin to the tree fishing double LR on the hook over the same feed and had a small Perch and after a long wait had a 2 lb Carp. Spent most of the time out long adding just another small F1. With 30 minutes to go and the light going started to get pestered by Ronnie's, and because Lee next peg 5 said they had caught well down the other end picked up the Ronnie rig and caught small fish one a bung on single Pinkie. During which was thinking the margin might also start producing.

Weighed 20 lb 3 oz which included 2 lb 11 oz of tiny silvers for last but one in section - another dropper!!

Now here's a thing - When wanting a pee NEVER say to yourself wait until after the next fish, especially when dressed for winter. 

Shipp's was won by fishery manager - Mark Taylor (pictured) with 70 lb 1 oz from peg 2. Mark fished top set plus two barrels out in front fish meat over meat. Well done matey.

Taylor's was won by Vince Shipp (pictured - last to get back) with 69 lb 11 oz from end peg 19. Vince caught at top set plus one barrel fishing soft pellet over micro. Well done matey.

 Back to the pub with the usual suspects plus one ringer - Martin Rayett. Great laugh.

Weigh Sheets: