Thursday 22/10/2026 - Over 55's Pole Only - Harescombe - Doughnut

With Kev Winstone otherwise engaged I travelled with Geoff Francis and without the need of trollies the kit fitted in easily. Nice breakfast as per usual in the Harescombe cafe.

The very helpful Tony Cook kindly collected the pools and did the weigh board today - thanks to him and the other Tony for weighing in - he's good at it. John Smith told me to f*ck off when I asked him to weigh in.

At last some decent rain recently and overnight but still surprised to see the Doughnut full to the brim. It was down 3 foot 4 weeks a go! Due to this fancied the lower numbers in the shallower water. However, it was peg 12 for me. That will do. Between Lionel and Phil and could see Mark Tanner opposite on peg 7 sat on his new £1100 tackle box with his recent purchased £1500 pole, which broke today by the way. Money bags.

Sat on the peg and couldn't believe the Sun was going to be a right problem which was relecting off the water at about 10 o clock to the left and would move to the right over the match whereas I would move the line to the left, plus the wind was smack in the face - bugger. Set up a 4x14 Winter and had a plumbed around to the right and left at top set plus one barrel which was about 6 foot deep and even so not at full depth but the slope to the deeper water was slight to decided to let the facing wind drag the rig up the slope. Marked both depths on the line with a black marker pen for quick depth change. Set up a 4x10 Speedy for the left margin but didn't fancy it much and I was right, athough it had a few outings it spent most of the time on the bank.

Had some meat but didn't fancy it so stayed in the bag. Instead going for LR's and some GB mixed hard to get the LR's to the bottom as loose feeding may have lead to foul hooking. So fed the right side, but not the left as wasn't sure where the sun would go. Had a fish after 10 minutes deceded to top up after each fish - that didn't work as couldbn't get another bite. So kept feeding small tight balls of GB laced with LR's. After an hour had two fish in two put-ins. Here we go - not. The Sun was creeping up to my line which wasn't too bad when the wind broke the reflection.  After a couple of hours felt something was starting to happen getting some indications had a another fish loosing to foul hookers. Now my mistakes was not to priming the left line earier as soon as the Sun made it's path to the right, also staying on the right line too long. Finally forced to switch and surprise had a fish put in! It was a long time before the next fish - now here's thing have been waiting for the Hospital to call me back for a few day's and they did while I was playing the fished, just as I answered they hung up! Back to playing the fish and it comes off bugger. Had two more fish before the all out.

The 7 Carp weighed 31 lb all above average for the lake. Surprised it got me third overall as I thought Phil Morgan who fished a good match who had more fish than me. Felt I could have got closer to Gary bowden's second overall weight of 55 lb 4 oz had it not been for the Sun. I really enjoy fishing when its hard as it was today. The Doughnut does get hard in the winter so looking forward to more visits.

AS most expected the match to be won by Tony Rixon (pictured) when he rocked up on peg 1, but he's an angler that doesn't need much luck. Tony caught at 13 metres using his go to bait of 8 mm hard pellet to put 79 lb 2 oz on the scales. Well done matey.

Back to the White Harte for some grub with Geoff Francis - pictured - FB

Weigh Sheet: