14/07/2024 - Alcove - Silver Bream Interclub - Gall Pond - Tortworth Estate

Judging from comments on social media a few anglers of are losing enthusiasm for the current SW match scene. I'm one. I am a traditional angler and will admit that I was one of the first to fish a floating pole at Moorlands Farm for Carp and have fished most methods for catching Carp, but have since avoided all self hooking methods, it goes against my traditionalism.  At the moment I have no enthusiasm to go and catch Carp in any numbers and certainly not with over shotted floats. I find myself at the moment wanting to get back to the canal and river, but soon dissuaded by the lack of matches on my beloved Bristol Avon due to access etc...the canal is over populated with moored boats, dog walkers (and their shit) and too many fast cyclist. Last year I joined Alcove AC and have enjoyed fishing our venues. This week it was an interclub with Silver Bream at their Gall Pond. The venue is as natural as it gets, so very very hard fishing. Now here's the thing I have been looking forward to fishing it all week and couldn't wait, a feeling I haven't had for some time. Taking me back to fond memories of fishing such venues pre- commercials usually organised by Tony Rixon with the promise of a bag up - the bagging bit never happened though. Current thinking is to join Stroud AA next year to fish their matches on the Gloucester canal.

Gall Pond is a part of the Tortworth Estate and a very beautiful place to spend the day. It's just off junction 14 of the M5 but can be hard to find as John Amato and Andy Gard found out. Nineteen fishing. Had a walk around and fancied peg 3 which looked really fishy but a bit Crabtreeish. Julie select the pretty draw bag as apposed to the black one which put us on odd numbers. Drew peg 23 on the far side. Found my self next to ex brewer owner Pete Turner (he never did organise one). Andy Gard was on peg 25. Most if not all pegs have a channel between Lilly pads to fish between - pictured. It was obvious that the fishing for most would be harder than usual because of the bright sun and the clear water.

Set up a few things but only caught on a 0.4 gram RJ lifter shotted traditionally at top set plus three barrels. Bait was LR's and GB. The first hour I had five species of Silvers averaging 3 oz. Felt OK as hardly anyone had caught. Kept going until the last two hours of the five hour match when the whole pond switched off. Didn't add to my species list either.

Weighed 3 lb 14 oz for 7th beaten both sides on the feeder with each having one 5 lb Bream. I really enjoyed the match and will be back next year.

The match was one by Silver Bream angler Andy Gabb (pictured) with six Bream weighing 32 lb 8 oz from peg 8. Andy caught on the cage feeder with GB and Maggot over to the floating island. Andy said he was getting liners throughout the day. It was obvious the Bream had shoaled up under the island to keep out of the brightness. Alcoves Julie Taylor came third off the next peg 7 nicking a couple of bream from the end of the island which apparently moves with the wind. Well done both.

Have to mention John Amato's 2 lb 3 oz Perch caught on a whole worm lifting and dropping.

Well we got hammered 60 lb to 30 lb. Still have the return match to come.

Weigh Sheet: (section error on the sheet has been rectified)

Sunday 16/07/2023 - Inter Club - Alcove AC and Silver Bream AC - Gall Lake

First for me fishing an inter club match, plus a new venue - Gall Lake situated on junction 14 - M5, so close to home. It's an old well established and therefore considered a natural lake and absolutely beautiful, no rickety platforms just fish off well kept lawns - perfect. Sort of lake we fished back in the day before the commercial over stocked holes in the ground.

Told it's very hard fishing, however, the club has recently stocked 50 bream from 5 lb to 10 lb plus some freebie small fish from the EA. Noticed plenty of carp feeding but told we wouldn't hook any and if we did wouldn't get them out due to size and hugh amount of lily pads.

17 fishing 8 Alcove 9 Silver Bream. We had even pegs. I drew peg 20 far end of the dam wall.

Caught a 5 lb Bream second put in at top set plus three barrels in 9 foot of water. Added 3 lb 2 oz of small silvers loosing two more Bream which were foul hooked due to them being off bottom and me laying the rig out for small silvers. Some Eels were being caught so decided to have a go for them in the last hour only to completely bugger the peg which was to cost me.

Thoroughly enjoyed the day managing to keep bites coming until the last hour. lovey place and great company - lot of old people there though! 😁 Came 5th, 6 oz out of the money, due to my love of Eel fishing.

The match was won by Andy Gabb - SB (pictured) with 3 Bream for 16 lb 10 oz from peg 17.

Alcove 46lbish to silver breams 44lbish. So close, call it a draw, not that it mattered nice to meet some new and old faces. Hopefully be able to fish it again next year.

Shay Gillman having had a look around last week has joined Silver Bream club.

Weigh Sheet: