Sunday 25/10/2020 - Matt Culpins Autumn League - Round Four - Summerhayes - Longs and Sellicks

Back to Summerhayes for the last time in the league 😁. Summerhayes Fishery is in deep, deep Bridgwater, it's also under the M5 motorway, so because the motorway traffic was heavy it was impossible to hear todays Banjo dueling. Pete the fishery owner is pictured right proving to Matt Culpin that he has only 5 digits per hand (no thumbs!).

Second to be be called my peg by Matt, all fingers crossed for Sellicks, alas not peg 10 on Longs, at least there was some fish caught in the area last match with matey Mark Broomsgrove getting third in section with 42 lb. For company I had Kev Perry around the corner on peg 12 and Steve Howell on peg 8, however, not much communication because we were close to the motorway and any conversation lost to the traffic.

My platform was more of a pier as it was well out over the lake, so any margin fishing meant a stiff neck. The opposite bank had collapse and was a good 16 metres away, would have suited Tony Rixon fishing on the mud bank - not for me though - spending a lot on my physiotherapy and not sacrificing my fishing longevity for a few quid. Plenty of Carp topping around the corner on the far bank opposite Kev, the wind was such I could run the waggler up to the bank so set that up with a light float but didn't get used as the wind veered and increased. It set up a 4x12 and plumbed around and best depth I could find was 2 1/2 feet which was at top-set plus one barrel. I found the silt unusual being very thin and unable hold up the smallest weight on the hook. The further I went out the shallower it got. I did plumb up at three barrels where it was 3 inch shallower. The margins were perfect for on both sides for me, so set up a paste float and a 4x12 Speedy (love these floats) for maggot down both edges. So plenty of scope to while away the day - very important on Longs at the moment.

I started short on one barrel with 4 mm expander on micro and didn't have any indications of fish being present so switched to three barrels with identical feed and hook bait. I started to get tiny indications which I believe was bottle top Skimmers. I did have one 10 oz and lost two foul hookers. It was very slow but persevered with the micro and soft pellet. Two hours in I still only had the one fish and suddenly out of the blue landed four decent Carp in the space of 20 minutes. I then foul hooked a couple so switch to the worm and had another three Carp. I thought I was in for a good day, but the Carp disappeared  as quickly as they appeared. I spent about an hour around the margins only to have one liner down to peg 11 pallet. So about an hours catching today and four in anticipation.

My seven Carp weighed 30 lb 1 oz and with the lonely Skimmer ended up second in section with 30 lb 11 oz. Tony Rixon won the section with 46 lb. If only I had another burst or the margins produced! That's fishing.

The match was won by Sam Powell (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 81 lb from Sellicks 21. Sam caught over in 10 inches of water using double maggot over potted GB laced with micro.

The Silvers was accidentally won by Martin Rayet with five Skimmers weighing 8 lb 6 oz from Sellicks peg 5. Martin snared them on 6 mm hard pellet to runner up Jess Jordan's despair who had fished hard all day for Silvers using all the appropriate baits and feed.

Result:

1. Sam Powell 81-05-0 peg 21 Sellicks

2. Dave Romain 64-06-0 peg 2 Sellicks

3. Lee Masey 52-10-0 peg 37 Longs

4. Tony Rixon 46-01-0 peg 7

Silvers:

1. Martin Rayet 8-06-0 peg 5 Sellicks

2. Jess Jordan 7-0-0 peg 19 Sellicks

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 27/09/2020 - Matt Culpin's Autumn League - Round Two - Summerhayes - Sellick's and Long's

Not been here for sometime and had my usual walk around. The pegging is really tight I paced most pegs at 6 to 9 metres apart. Luckily Matt pegged it sensibly. The talk was to be on Selick's because the numbers would be limited to 12 anglers so would be more room. I though, wrongly that the bottom end of Long's would be best area - wrongly, as as found out later the oxygen levels were down so the opposite would be true, as Tony Rixon found out.

Matt pulled pink pong ball Longs 34. No emotion as I didn't know anything about the peg, short walk though as it's on the road side. Great company with Matty Tomes - love this guy WYSIWYG we need more stand up guys like him who was on peg 33 and Steve Collins on peg 36.

Two Pots told me the margins would produce so cleared the LH side only to plumb around to find it all over the place with lots of rocks. So cleared the RH side - better, but a tad too deep. Set up a 0.3 gram paste float for here to fish on the top set which was as far as I could clear. Wary that it might be hard I set up a 4x12 expander rig to fish 4 mm expander at top-set plus two. I also set up a paste float to fish over this line if things took a turn for the better. Matty next door had a large bay opposite him at 16 metres. I had the remnants of a bay which looked like it's been Methodised, but probably could get close enough with 13 and a bit metres but with the wind as it was and looking after my longevity decided not too bother, which too be honest cost me a few fish.

I started by kindering some micro and with the 4 mm expander on the hook had four Carp in five put ins then a 2 lb Skimmer - cripes going to have a great day then - not. Always the same just as you think this the swim dies. Had a couple more Skimmers and was pestered by tiny 2 oz Skimmers. Decided to feed 5-6 expanders and switched to on the drop and had another run of Carp. Everything was against us today bright skies, lower temperature, low oxygen and more anglers than usual. The fish were definitely shying away. I had been feeding the margin with micro with hard 4's over the top so gave it a try and had a foul hooker come off. Wasn't surprised because of the depth. The Carp weren't interested in feeding on the bottom and were content nicking the occasional falling 4's. Went out long again this time with paste which was unproductive but found going back to the expander the small Skimmers liked the remnants of the paste so started to kinder potting this just to get bites and managed to get a hook in a few on this tiny fish. I spent the last two hours in the margin with paste kindering a few 4 's on with the paste and had five more Carp but it was a question of catch one then waiting 15 minuets or so before another arrived.

I weighed 53 lb 14 oz for middle section which to be fair our section fished well and was close at the end, John the Methodist won the section with 74 lb 3 oz from peg 31.

The match was won by Dave Romain (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 117 lb 4 oz from Sellick's peg 7. Dave caught tight over with pellet then later down his margin using meat over meat.

The Silvers was won by Jess Jordan with 13 lb from Sellick's peg 17. Jess caught on chopped worm and caster.

Finally, Two Pots lost his number four in the lake and had to take a dip to retrieve it. See video below the weigh sheets. Commentary by Martin "Meat Head" Rayet. 

Result:

1. Dave Romain 117-04-0 peg 7 Sel

2. Mike Hill 84-07-0 peg 2 Sel

3. Mark Thorne 83-08-0 peg 15 Sel

4. Joe McMahon 79-08-0 peg 11 Sel

Silvers:

1. Jess Jordan 13.00 peg 17 Sel

2. Dave Ings 10-14-0 peg 17 Longs

Weigh Sheets:

Two Pots:

Wednesday 10/08/2016 - Summerhayes Open - Sellicks

A change today off to Summerhayes with Two Pots Bailey, first a stop at Hillview café where we met Joe McMahon who was planning to fish the Sedges but as he hadn’t booked in change his mind and came with us.

Waiting for the draw I was surprised meet up with Gary Butler who was also fishing. I haven’t seen Gary for 30 or more years – Gary was also a member of the Bathampton AA side back then and a great river angler. He drew next to me and I couldn’t help noticing that his fishing kit was exactly the same as back then (pictured right). In fact Pete had to come down with his drill to cut out some holes for his keep net bank sticks!!

Second into the furry draw box and out comes peg 2. In the previous match it had 180lb off it so was happy with this. However, it would be difficult to fish the far bank due to the wind which was blowing round the end of the island. Two Pots drew opposite on peg 23.

Paste has been doing the business at this fishery so that was that, I set up three paste floats one far bank, one for top-set plus one and the last for the RH margin. I started over kindering some hard 4’s but was for ever changing the depth as the varied considerably; this caused a few foul hookers mainly from small Carp. I had fed the short line with hard 4’s so gave that a try with paste to no avail. So I potted in two big pots of micro in some GB and went into the RH margin where I had been loose feeding hard 4’s. This produced some better Commons and for two hours caught steady – but never to the extent Two Pots was catching and was certainly by half way through had won the match because everyone else appeared to be struggling. Come the last hour I really struggled. It wasn’t until the last ten minutes that I noticed the Carp had moved over the GB and micro where I should have spent the last dull Hour.

 

I weighed 52lb 3oz for fifth overall 2lb 5oz out of the coin!!

As expected the match was easily won by Two Pots (pictured right) with 157lb 12oz from peg 23, nearly 100lb a head of everyone else. Glenn caught on his favoured paste and pellet attack.

The Silvers was won by camera shy Jeff Sparks with 10lb 3oz from peg 9. Jeff caught on maggot over GB.

Full Result:

1. Glenn Bailey 157-12-0 peg 23
2. Mike West 67-09-0 peg 5
3. Martin A 54-08-0 peg 11
4. Roger B 53-10-0 peg 14
5. Mike Nicholls 52-03-0 peg 2
6. Bill H 42-06-0 peg 21

Top Silvers:

1. Jeff Sparks 10-03-0 peg 9
2. Glen Wickham 5-15-0 peg 19

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 16/06/2013 - Summerhay's open - Longs pond

As all the Viaduct Lakes were booked out to club matches there wasn’t an open match, So as I was impressed with the first match I fished at Summerhay’s (Junction 24 - M5) we booked in for their open to be fished on Long’s Pond which is a canal donut type Pond (not quite a snake). My first time on this Pond and I was looking forward to it as I had heard a lot of good comments about it – “20 - 30lb Skimmers on every peg with plenty of small Carp”. With soft pellet over micro the regular approach for the Silvers at 7 metres which would suit me. That said I also think it would suit the Pellet thrashers and rat hole anglers like Tony Rixon with a good few of the swims needing 16 metres to do this – a bit Landsendish. The only draw back of the fishery it is right next to the M5 and it can be a bit noisy, however I do have the ability to switch back ground noise off (except Tom Thick) when I am fishing.

 

It was nice to see Steve Jackson giving up his Sundays fishing to coach the local juniors, a good turn out too which was nice to see. Well done Steve credit where credit is due. We need more of the commercial fisheries to start junior clubs – it’s in their interest.

 

After collecting the fisheries keep nets it was into the draw fanny which does make the draw a bit longer than usual as the hands seem to be in there for an unhealthy long time. Out comes peg 12. Glenn drew peg 29, Mark15 and Martyn 36.

 

Arriving at the peg I found myself next to Glenn Wickham who was on peg 11. However, the pegs are on a corner so we were facing at 90 degrees so wouldn’t effect one another as some of the pegs are 5 metres apart. Glenn said that my peg was good at 16 metres over to the far side. I explained that might be difficult as I only carry 13 metres! I was thinking a peg for Tony. Glenn also said that there was a lot of small fish in the Pond which needed plenty of caster to get the bigger size Silvers catchable. This got me thinking that I might initially target these small fish as I wasn’t sure it was going to fish that well because of the crappy weather we have been having.

 

So I set up the Ronnie rig, a soft pellet rig using a Senses Stainey 4x14 as the depth is only 4 ½ foot, finally a margin paste rig to fish down to the pallet 5 metres away. On the whistle I fed a few dampened micro at 7 metres, starting on the Ronnie rig with caster over caster I had a few small Ronnie’s, tiny Skimmers and a small Tench before the swim went finicky, thinking that the Carp had move in I tried the paste rig only to have the small fish nose it about. Looking around I was right it wasn’t fishing that well. So time for the soft and found similarly I was getting finicky indications. I did have one decent Skimmer and a few tiny Ronnie’s and Skimmers before the swim started to fizz. The way the float was behaving I was worried that the fizz was due to the arrival of a batch of tiny Skimmers which tend to mess around with the soft pellet. I had now been fishing for 3 hours and had very little in the Silvers net and one tiny carp in the other. After trying the paste in the margin a few times I abandoned this as the water did look a bit clear for the fish to feed close in. I decide to spend the rest of the match on the paste over the micro at 7 metres so set up the same rig as yesterday. I just couldn’t believe what happened next. For the next hour it was a Carp a bung with a smattering of Skimmers and Tench. I was suddenly in a fish race and I was just about to change to heavier elastic to speed up the process when the swim started to fade. For the last two hours I caught steady but no where as frantic as the fourth hour when I reckon I caught 75% of my fish.

 

I didn’t count my Carp but I had around 20 at a guess. These weighed in at 51lb 12oz and my Silvers 18lb for a total of 69lb 12oz for an overall win and Silvers second by just 3oz; otherwise it would have been a double first.

 

The Silvers was won by Nigel Wickham (pictured right with the match winner – you do feel surrounded by the Wickham’s on this venue with Dad Roy on peg 9) with 18lb 3oz of mainly Crucian’s from peg 17. Nigel caught down the track on chopped worm over worm.

 

Mark Tanner (pictured right with 4 sections of pole that should be two sections) was next peg to me and had caught his rig in the margin undergrowth and was pulling his full 18 stone to dislodge it, but gave up and walked round and after untangling his rig did the exact same thing this time his Senses pole gave up and when it did everyone on the venue thought there was a crash on the M5 with the 13 metre pole shattering in to three – a new 5 and 7 section on the way from Tony Rixon by the next morning – excellent service. I think mark could become a good customer for Tony.

 

I will be back soon to this fishery as it does appeal to me. One suggestion is for a better set of weigh scales a they are a bit on the small size.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Mike Nicholls 69-12-0 peg 12

2.      Bill 65-05-0 peg 31

3.      Glenn Bailey 57-08-0 peg 36

4.      Mark Leahy 54-11-0 peg 39

5.      Bruce 44-14-0 peg 7

6.      Martin A 36-12-0 peg 24

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Nigel Wickham 18-03-0 peg 17

2.      Mike Nicholls 18-0-0 peg 12

 

Weigh Sheet Follows:

 

 

Sunday 09/06/2013 - Summerhay's Open - Sellick's and Lily's Ponds

First visit to Summerhay’s Fishery which is located at Junction 24 of the M5 near the Boat and Anchor pub and along side the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal. I remember having a couple of draws for the Drennan Super league in this pub – a few years ago now. After a decent breakfast in the Hill Tops café it was off to fine the venue. If you are driving a van – which we were you have to cross the railway lines which was interesting because when it was our turn to cross the lights changed to red so Bela gave way to the fast travelling steam engine – yes a steam engine!

 

In to the draw and out came peg 23 on Sellicks Pond (pictured upper right) which was the only peg I looked at before the draw, thinking this would do.

 

Seeking knowledge from the locals (not always a wise thing) I was told I couldn’t win from the peg but could expect to win the Silvers. Whilst setting up I had a stalker in the grass opposite – can you identify him – the hat position is a give away.

 

So Silvers it was with a line for the soft pellet over micro at 10 metres at 11 o clock and similarly a line for maggot and GB at 1 o clock. The 4x14 Jolly would do for both lines. I also set up the Ronnie rig and a margin paste rig. After feeding the two Silvers lines I started on the Ronnie rig with caster over caster which produce, not a single bite – Umm. Out on the soft pellet line then and I had two bites which were both liners – pricking one fish – Umm. Over the GB with maggot and I had a run of two small Skimmers – Umm. I switched between these two lines with only the maggot producing bites adding three decent Skimmers. I decided to convert the GB line to CW&C which produced two Perch. With 2 ½ hours gone I decided to throw the towel in for the Silvers and get on the paste in the margins. I opened up one at 10 metres into the end corner and one to the right on the top set, however, I wasn’t sure about the RH as I would be fishing in the sedges. I had a run on small Carp on the 10 metre line losing two because the fish fight so hard for their size that I lost patients and pulled out by applying too much pressure (this would cost me money today). In to the swim of death and first put in I broke on a Carp. Luckily I didn’t lose another from this swim so my worries were minor. By swapping between these two margins I ended the day with 14 Carp, the biggest being 5lb.

 

My Carp weighed 34lb 10oz and my Silvers 5lb 4oz for a total of 39lb 14oz for 7^th overall.

 

 The match was won by Bob Gullick (pictured right with the Silvers winner) from a peg at the far end on Sellicks Lake with 63lb 6oz. Bob Caught on pellet.

 

The Silvers was won by Steve Jackson also on Sellicks Lake with 9lb 12oz. Steve caught Skimmers with maggot hook bait fished over maggot.

 

Full Result:

 

1.      Bob Gullick 63-06-0

2.      Tony Rixon 47-04-0

3.      Joe McMahon 46-0-0

4.      Aaron Brittnel 44-07-0

5.      Kev Moulton 42-10-0

6.      Mark Lucus 41-01-0

7.      Mike Nicholls39-14-0

 

Top Silvers:

 

1.      Steve Jackson 9-12-0

2.      Ray W 9-0-0

3.      Brendon I 8-04-0

 

Weigh Board (peg numbers are either S for Sellick's or L for Lily's Pond)