19/05/2025 to 22/05/2025 - Whiteacres Club Angler Festival 2025

Before going to this festival I had decided to stop blogging. The reason being  I felt it was becoming repetitive with regards to rigs and baits etc...Since a number of friends and family have said they have missed it, looking forward to reading especially Mondays. Had many request to start again. So here goes with a catch up which will be lacking the some of the usual detail.

Starting with the above festival which was attended by 12 anglers from my circle of angling friends, mainly from from the over 55's. Great company to help swell the attendance to 96 anglers fishing over 4 lakes with 4 sections of 6 on each lake.

There was a time I could have kept up with their drinking - not now Green Tea for me during the day rather than 10 pints of Rattler, which didn't go without it's consequences did it Lester 💩.

Nice steady drive down on a Saturday morning after a breakfast in Wetherspoons in Staple Hill. Shared a two bed Lodge on the side of Jenny's Lake with Geoff Francis, who did breakfast roll every morning, very nice, just enough. It was to be a beautiful week weather wise, reward for the last two years which had been bloody awful. Picture from our Lodge early morning. Geoff has only see such views in pictures - he was still snoring which is a Cat like. Which reminds me Geoff wouldn't go to bed until his wife had sent him a picture of his Cat, cant remember it's bloody name.

Super pools paid and shop Copen's pellets purchased. Quite like the 2 mm but the 4 mm doesn't soak up well becoming very sticky.

Off for a Indian in Newquay with Geoff and Phil Morgan the draft Cobra went down well. The Chicken Chat starter well worth a try.

Sunday was a practice day. First match day I had drawn Twin Oaks and Geoff Pollawyn. We were going pleasure fish Jenny's but took Geoff to Pollawyn on the high bank to fish the deeper water. Think this was a good choice as it gave Geoff confidence even though he didn't fish the same on his shallow peg he was later to draw.

Back early for a Sunday roast at the Halfway House. They sale Cold River Cider which is about the only cider I can now drink without getting stomach acid.

Monday match day and I was on Twin Oaks peg 15. Bit different from last year flat calm on a lake that is very much wind effected. The margin on this peg is awful extremely shallow and although I kept feeding it didn't fish it as no sign of a Carp. So one rig a 0.5 gram paste float to fish three barrels at full depth and a conventional maggot feeder. The upshot was caught steady on the pole and rested it once for a drink catching a F1 and a decent Carp on the feeder with a bunch of maggots. However, was soon back on the pole.

Weighed 68 lb 6 oz for second section. The fish were on pegs 9 to 12. Felt I couldn't have done any better.

Off to the Halfway house again for a great meal plus a couple of ciders.

Tuesday it was Trelawney peg 2 which on day one had 8 lb! Found myself next to John Smith who was on peg 1 which had won the section the day before. I have always wanted to fish a conventional waggler and caster up and down here and with the wind favourable for once set it up but packed it away as couldn't navigate a cast through the Parrot cage. Might have been a blessing in disguise, but feel it would produce well. Set up a paste rig which didn't get used. Thought I could beat 8 lb with just silvers so set up the Ronnie rig and a 0.3 gram slim to fish the LH margin both rigs with caster over caster. Caught well on the Ronnie rig with single caster whilst keeping an eye of John who  with everyone else was having a slow start. Was hooking some quality Perch loosing half of them - bloody things they knew where the snags were in the bank. Switch from the Ronnie rig to the Slim fishing double caster over kindered caster and had a instant response from big F1's and again a few lost Perch. Fished the match out switching between the two rigs. Near the end hooked a Tench of about 2 lb which slipped the hook and me thinking I had just scooped it, but alas not.

Weighed 36 lb 14 oz which was second section by two ounces. As it was to prove those two ounces would cost me top joint individual in the festival.

Off to the Indian again. Geoff should have married an Indian girl.

Wednesday and drew peg 18 on Python which is an absolute flyer, end peg with loads of room. So now taking the festival a bit more serious. It was very hot and flat calm and no signs of fish. Same for the whole section. I was told the angler the day before fished the method over to the post near the end bank. Not for me, and caught some along his margin end bank on worm (this was incorrect found out later it was corn). Anyway got carried away setting things up only using the paste at three barrels and a 0.3 gram RF Slim down by the pipe with caster feed and various hook baits.

Had a steady run of small Carp and F1's. Kept trying the margin and could only catch really small fish. Wasted too much time on this. With an hour to go our end of the lake completely shut down, which I think was due to low oxygen. Set up the Ronnie rig to add a few silvers to see the match out.

First and second on the lake were pegged down in the opposite end. Wind again me thinks.

Weighed 31 lb 2 oz for the section win and promoted to 12th overall.

We went into Newquay to see what restaurants were there. All looked run down with hardly anything open. Ended up in the Great Western Hotel for some poor peoples food - not recommended.

Thursday and the last match drew peg 32 on Pollawyn and taking things a even more serious. The peg wasn't far from where I drew two years ago when I missed the section by 8 oz but was a bit more enlightened this time.

Surprised to see Geoff had drawn the peg I had the day before and did catch some Carp down his edge on corn!!

There was F1's all over the section up in the water not looking interested in feeding.

Paste at three barrels and the reliable 0.3 gram RJ Slim for the margin and the Ronnie rig, both for caster over caster. Once again had a steady run of small Carp and big F1's, plus two big Carp on paste. Was concerned that the F1's might respond to the Slappers, but it didn't look like they were as each side were struggling. The margins are perfect for me - some depth close to the bank, so went in the margin with the Slim with double caster and had a run of decent Perch a couple of F1's and another decent Carp. I hook the biggest Perch I've seen in the flesh, estimated at 4 lb plus. Played it for a while until it did me in the margin roots. Very disappointed as it would have been a PB. Now back on the paste and during the rig retrieve thought I had foul hooked a F1, netted it to find it had taken the bare hook - lucky or what.

Weighed 59 lb 12 oz for a section win.

So up to the Club House for the result and announced that I had come 5th overall and that 2 ounces and one point had indeed cost me joint first - second on weight count back. However, a nice pick up which more than paid for my holiday.

Geoff did really well impressing me on his approach on some difficult pegs.

Back to the Halfway house for another great meal and treated Geoff for being the organiser and Chef all week.

Booked in for next year hoping to get similar amount of luck.

Overall Result:

Unfortunately I had to get home on Friday. The rest of the lads went to Morgan Porth for a knock up and had a great time with top three have over 100 lbs and joining the 100 club. Great memories of fishing here over the years and the £10 bounty put on the on the Terrapin by Janet. Lovely place.

29/04/24 - 02/05/2024 - Over 55's - Whiteacres Club Angler Festival

Fifteen of us this year. Me Geoff Francis and Chris Gay shared Lodge 4 on the side of Jenny's Lake. Nice position, clean but looking tired. No parking next to Lodge which was a pain in the ass.

First to arrive beating Jeff Grant by one minute. Was told by the management the cafe would be open for breakfast - NOT. So off to Morrisons for a decent breakfast with Chris Gay, Jeff and John Smith. Back to Whiteacres for a walk around. The Canal looked good with plenty of fish showing. Told they had transferred 1500 Carp from Trewaters, 1500 from Priory and a similar number of small Carp including F1's. Back to the club for a coffee!! We had early book in which was convenient. No one could be assed to go off site, so a Pizza in the club where you pay £6.20 for a pint sitting in the freezing cold - 11 degrees outside and the air conditioning was blowing more cold air!!

I had drawn Twin Oaks for the first match - as I'm not (yet) a Methodist it was the pellet waggler, which is wind condition dependant. So Geoff and me practiced it on the Sunday. We sat on pegs 7 and 9. Tony Pontin came down later and fished peg 2. We tried various things ending up we me showing Geoff the Ronnie rig. We had a great day catching Ronnie's to 1 lb and Perch to 12 oz on caster. Probably should had concentrated on the Carp but we wanted a day's fishing. We left Tony there - pictured just as he started to catch F1's short on pellet. Geoff and me walked down and back - going is OK but up hill on the way back.

We were joined by Glenn Bailey on Sunday night for a few days which was nice.

Festival day one drew peg 17 Twin Oaks - a flyer I'm told if the wind was blowing up that way. The wind was to be a nightmare which was blowing into the middle pegs slightly off my right shoulder. Limited to fishing the pole short and the margin, had set up the pellet waggler but due to the conditions never got used - I began to feel like a change of religion and joining the Methodist. Might get some info on how to fish it!! Tried down the margin with paste over GB then worm foul hooking two decent

Carp. Weighed 18 lb 7 oz of Silvers for last and 1 point - so a good start - not. The lake was won from peg 15 mostly on the method. I got a bit emotional to find that Butch whom I fished next to last year on the first match on Twin Oaks had passed away. He had "Willed" that some flowers be put on peg 16. So felt as if we were fishing together again this year. RIP matey.

Day two Trelawney for me peg 24 just in the wide bay. Thought the margin to my left would be ok for a few, alas not just got hammered on the paste by small silvers. Fished long with pellet then paste had a couple of small F1's it was fishing hard along our straight whereas around the corner Craig on the section end peg was catching well short on the pellet and method. Decided to switch to caster and at least had a day's fishing weighing 22 lb 5 oz for 5 points so  slight improvement. Most were fishing the Method on and off so not sure that would have helped me. However. if it wasn't for the bloody wind fancied the pellet waggler. I was bloody freezing and shivering come the end. The lake was won by Craig with 80 lb, he fished an excellent match switching between method to short pole. Well done matey. Too cold and wet to take for pictures today.

Day three Python and Acorn had fingers crossed for Acorn and very happy to draw peg 16. Walked it again! What a nice looking Lake - manicured. Fished what is now peg 18 many years ago on a rover match, think when it was first stocked. Not fished the paste end to end for a long while, use to be my go to bait, but got lead astray with silvers. So just set up two paste rigs one at top set plus three barrels which took me to the deepest part. The other paste rig for down the margin up to a few reeds in 2 1/2 foot of water at top set plus one barrel. Having been advised that the margins were good, fed there first with 4mm pellet, then the long line with 4's and

micro. Started down the margin with paste and expected some nibblers, but no a proper bite and a F1. Had a few and refed with micro and 4's and went out on the long line and the same more instant F1's which were averaging about 2 lb. So kept swapping between each line throughout after feeding. The long line started to produce Carassio's of 1 lb to 1 1/2 lb one a bung and the margin F1's when I switched to kindering hard 4's. I did have two Carp on the long line. Reckoned my 65 fish would go 120 lb. Weighed 113 lb 12 oz and had left a F1 in the net!

A lovely day's fishing for most on this Lake. This won the Lake and a decent pick up that paid for the evening meals.

Day 4 Jenny's which looking forward to fishing paste back to back. Heart sank when drawn peg 10. I've walked past this area of Jenny's many times and never fancied it. It just before the narrows with the wind funnelling through it making it very cold. Paste rig for margin to my right on top set and out at three barrels. Fed the margin and the long line as yesterday. After 2 hours the long line produce one Skimmer and the margin nibblers. Ricky Lale on peg 9 was emptying it on the method over to the point of the island. Had a tooth out 2 days before coming down and the cold was getting to it so turned by back to the wind and set up the Ronnie rig for caster over GB and caster. Had a nice days catching quality Ronnie's and Skimmers which were in a terrible state. As it was the last match put a load of DR's down the margin and it was nice to soon see Carp tails flapping about, however, too many arrived leading to 4 lost foul hooked big Carp on the paste. Should have started on this feeding little and often. Finished with 28 lb 10 oz of silver. The Lake was won by Ricky with 101 lb 10 oz adding a few better Carp down his LH edge later on corn.

Unfortunately the fishery want you to keep skimmers in the same net as the Carp for ease of weighing in which isn't good for them.

Geoff, Chris and me had some nice meals in the usual Indians in Newquay and the best burger I've had in the two Clomes. How Geoff managed a double Berger followed by a Sticky Toffee pudding I don't know. A shout out to Jake who came down to the cafe and ran it for the rest of the week, excellent service.

Overall the fishing was poor which wasn't helped by terrible weather. Rain and wind for most of the week. Finished 61 st  with 16 points. Only 13 points away from the winner making it a tight festival all round. Near misses for Chris Gay and Gary Bowden.

I would have liked to have fished Morgan Port with the lads on Friday but had to be home. Fond memories of fishing this pool in the day's of Janet who has long sold up " All in". However, the drive home was awful there was a fatality on the A30 which closed the entire road, diverting us along A30 to Plymouth up to Exeter.😡

Geoff and me will be going again next year and heard a rumour it might be three weeks later!?

Results:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Overall Result:

Thursday - 17/06/2010 - Whiteacres Residents Rover

I hate Rovers as I never know where to go and as usual there is much discussion on this topic. Whatever, I do like to make sure I get a day’s fishing as it is very easy to go for the win on noted pegs and end up catching nowt. The draw is at 08:45 and you first draw your place in the peg selection queue. Clint then blanks out the peg chosen on his new “Whip Board” (Clint pictured right doing just that). There were 71booked in to fish (I have fished this match when there were up to 200 fishing so the numbers are down). So in to the hat and out comes peg 09, great – no it was 60 upside down – bugger. The highest number in the, as usual Mark Tanner had the lowest draw pulling 7 and with two missing was fifth to select his peg. Mark went for peg 7 on Jenny’s Lake. Next was Glenn and went for the Pollawyn flyer peg 20. Steve was next and went for peg 16 on Jenny’s apparently Steve likes the sound of Aerators. Last year I selected peg 15 on Python and had a days fishing. So with 14 gone I went for peg 16 to have a bit of space. I was first to arrive at my peg and was pleased to see a Lady arrive on peg 14 (a bit sexist I suppose). I went and introduced myself to Margery. The way in was Margery presented herself and was going about setting up I felt she might be a threat. My attack was based on the F1’s and the Bream that can boost your weight. So two paste rigs, one for 10 metres which took me to just down the shelf and found a depth of 7 foot. Plumbing around I found a hole directly out in front, so I fished at 11 o clock in the shallowest part. The other rig was set up to fish at 1 metre in 4 foot of water. The plan was to put two big pots of 4 mm and Micros in at 10 metres and feed the 1 metre line with diced meat, still though to fish paste over. I started on this line with paste whilst I watched my 10 metre swim erupt with fiss – amazing sight. It wasn‘t long before I was plopping the paste over it as the inside line didn’t return anything and even though I tried once more before it was dumped. First plop-in at 10 metres I had a F1 on the drop, then a period of twenty minutes of frustration. During this time the fish had dug another hole 3 inches deep, which meant I had to keep moving the float and or increasing the depth. I then had a good two hours catching F1’s and the Skimmers which weren’t showing in the numbers I had expected. Margery had been fish meat at depth and also had been catching F1’s, but had slowed, so she went on pellet fished shallow and really started to bag the F’1’s again. I started to get worried I have to report that I got Marged, especially as it was a start of a bag hour for me. This dilemma was whether to feed or not as I was concerned that I would have another period of chaos. Well I left feeding too late and found that feeding a small amount on 4 mm I was able to increase my catch rate. By now I only had six Skimmers and was pleased when the next one was a four pounder. Would the bad decision on feeding effect my placing? I was first to weigh and put 65lb 5oz on the scales. This put me 5th overall with my mistake not really costing me.


Margery weighed 55lb for first overall in the Lady’s. Margery from Leeds is (pictured right with her trophy). I must say Margery fished a really tidy match and would take plenty of £1 coins on the South West circuit.

The match was won by Dave Heaton who chose peg 21 on Sycamore. Dave weighed in 115lb 14 oz of decent size Carp all caught on the pole with polly ball and 8lb line straight through over to the far bank. It was a surprise result from this peg, with Clint double checking with Dave that he knew which peg he was on. I think Dave knew something we didn’t.

Full Result:

1. Dave Heaton 115-14-0 peg 21 Sycamore
2. Alec Hulme 96-02-0 peg 17 T/O
3. Matt Grant 82-03-0 peg 30 T/O
4. Paul Haines 78-10-0 peg 6 Sycamore
5. Mike Nicholls 65-05-0 peg 16 Python
6. Dave Holland Snr 60-11-0 peg 1 Trelawney
.....
8. Glenn Bailey 55-0-0 peg 20 Polawyn
.....
Mark Tanner 45-04-0 peg 7 Jenny's
.....
Steve Nicholls DNW

Wednesday 16/06/2010 - Whiteacres

Wednesday is out match free day so pleasure sessions were planned. However, when I got up I found the team Carp Slayers had got up at 06:30 and went slaying down to Twin Oaks on pegs 14 and 16. After breakfast I decided to find them and sure enough Mark was on the method feeder and Glenn on the pellet waggler. Both are pictured right plus a picture of Glenn’s waggler, which is much larger than the 3/8 inch maximum allowed in the general rules!! Well they both struggled and were back by midday. Mark did have a 1lb 8oz Perch on the method!!

Steve and I went down to the Canal after the F1’s and Skimmers. After trying three different rigs I settled for paste at 1 metre and caught F1’s one a bung plus 1 Skimmer until I ran out of paste. The lake is absolutely rammed with Ronnie’s and they will saturate any small bait
including hard pellet. Although the Ronnie’s attack the paste they tend to feed off the particles and leave the paste for the bigger fish – well most of the time. I find pleasure fishing pointless and boring so I went and sat with Steve and soon had him on the paste short and soon he was on one a bung.

Watching the silver Match weigh in we stumbled across the guy pictured right looks like Geoff Stones has joined the floppy hat brigade. Geoff weighed 27lb dead for second in his section.

Curry night tonight so we are all off to Newquay.

Monday 14/06/2010 - Whiteacres Gold Match

Chatting before the draw we were told that if you are occupying a non Parkdean owned Caravan then you don’t qualify for a free holiday or the pint for life. However, you do get a tankard! It’s a good job none of us won the match today.


I was hoping that Twin Oaks (TO) wasn’t in today as it tends to be out and out method fishing which I don’t do (can’t). However, I drew peg 27 on TO (Lake pictured right –the angler in the far distance in red is Mark Tanner on peg 21 TO). Not that happy as the wind was blowing too hard for the pellet waggler leaving only the straight lead or method – I decided on none of these and settled for the short pole and pellet which lead to me being battered both sides. Like most of the Lakes TO has also and an influx of F1’s, so these were targeted with corn initially then soft 3mm pellet, over loose fed 4mm pellet . The margins are renowned for turning up sizable Carp in the last hour so I also set up a paste rig for the LH margin, which although was fed all match no Carp resulted – just Ronnie’s playing football. I did enjoy my match catching 70 fish with the lions share being F1’s from 4oz to 10oz for an overall weight of 30lb 5oz. As I said earlier the pegs either side of me came second and third both catching Carp to 4lb on the method feeder and some late Carp on the meat in the margins.


The match was won by Chris Davis (pictured right) with 94lb 15oz from peg 17 TO (end peg). Chris caught on the meat feeder with meat on the hook and later caught in his margin with meat. Well done matey.

Steve drew peg 11 on Acorn and everyone was pestered by quality Roach, which can be frustrating if you ain’t got casters. Steve had one Carp and a DNW. Acorn was won on the method with 35lb of small Carp.

Mark weighed 18lb 10oz. Someone I beat in my section!

I was standing by Jimmy Garside when his mate came up enquiring where the scales were. Jimmy told him Clint had just driven (Buggey) down to Acorn where he had drawn. Only problem was that Jimmy’s mate had fish the Canal instead!! How on earth didn’t he get suspicious to discover he was fishing all on his own? Apparently this is a regular occurrence up North!

Full Result:

1. Chris Davis 94-15-0 peg17 TO
2. Jimmy Garside 62-12-0 peg 29 TO
3. Dwane Seed 55-08-0 peg 25 TO
4. Matt Grant 51-02-0 peg 3 TO
5. Paul Haines 50-05-0 peg 11 TO
6. Dave Heaton 45-12-0 peg 31 TO

Saturday 12/06/2010 - Whiteacres

It’s the first holiday of the year and back to Whiteacres. As Bob Gullick’s Van was booked for the week we wanted I went in search of another by contacting local match anglers, as I wanted to support them rather than booking direct with the big business Parkdean. However, as I am writing this tonight I am thinking it might be the last visit to Whiteacres for a while. I must say it’s nothing to do with fishing as far as I am concerned the fishery has been improved with a large stocking of F1’s and catchable Skimmers, I just hope Clint considers including a Silvers pool in his matches – same old, same old from the Silverfox. No, it’s to do with the obvious conflict between the Site owners – Parkdean and the independent Caravan Owners. There is noticeably plenty of disagreement between the two parties leaving their customers thinking that they are being short changed. The current issues are:


1. Linen only provided for Parkdean customers
2. The weekly cost of fishing permits are £7 more for owner booked Caravans
3. Parkdean are now charging £7 per week for owner booked caravans to eat and enter the restaurant and bar – understandable if it’s the club with the added cost of entertainment
4. After I had booked I had a special offer from Parkdean offering a Caravan for £55 cheaper

This smells of very bad management all round and needs addressing sooner rather than later.

Back to the fishing. I travelled down with Mark Tanner as Glenn wanted to fish the Carps individual league at Viaduct, plus he had some personal business on Monday so we won’t see Glenn until Tuesday morning. We left later than usual arriving at 10:30. As the England and USA World Cup match was on at 19:30 I decided to kick my heels whilst Mark (pictured right) was eager to thrash around with the waggler on Jenny’s Lake. I decided to stroll around the lakes. I found matey Bill Ferris fishing outside his Shed on Jenny’s Lake with brother Mike – both pictured top right – It’ the first time I have got a picture of Bill smiling! They bring their Mum every year to run the tea to the bank.

Mark caught around 35lb of Carp to 8lb on the pellet waggler using a Middy splashing Waggler rod – a beast of a rod.

Thursday 17/06/2009 - Whiteacres - Day Six - Residents Rover

The weather today is perfect for fishing warm, but not too warm and overcast. Thursday’s sees the Whiteacres Residents Rover Match. The match is open to all Whiteacres Residents. They run three separate Sections - Junior’s, Ladies and Seniors. You have the pick of the all Lakes except Nelsons. You start by drawing your position in the queue to select your swim. Lucky enough there are only 84 fishing. Three years ago there were 200 fishing and I drew 198 to pick and Mark Tanner 200!

Mark Tanner spent most of yesterday walking the Lakes and noting the pegs he might select. Glenn also had a look around. Steve and I were a bit more laid back and decided to wait and see what queue number we got.

Mark drew 7 and selected to fish Pollawyn 20. He really fancied his chances with pleasure anglers each side of him. The elderly couple he was sandwich by told him they had caught 400 lb on Prawns the day before – but wasn’t fishing very well today!!!!

Steve drew 12 and selected to fish Pollawyn 31.

I drew 74 and selected to fish Python 15. This Lake has been restocked with new fish F1's, Tench and Skimmers, so I thought I would go for a days fishing not expecting to frame.

Glenn drew 84 and last in the queue!!! For some reason Glenn selected Sycamore peg 7!

The three anglers around me set up to fish shallow. I decided to fish soft pellet and paste at 9 metres, although I did set up a shallow rig just in case. I started on the pellet and had a few decent Skimmers and F1’s. I then fed a full 250ml of micro and 4mm hard pellet and the fizzing started! I changed to the paste and had a good second hour, just keeping ahead of the others. I then made a big mistake and fed another full pot and pulled too many fish in to my swim. I then had a very frustrating hour foul hooking and striking the paste off at liners. Then by fishing 1 metre away from the feed I was able to start catching again, but Daz Bennett next to me had caught me up. I decide to start feeding wetted (fluffy) 8mm pellet in the kinder pot which helped, with much better bite indication. I then struggled in the last hour. Daz had been pestered by Ducks all day, however, in the last hour when they buggered off he caught very well – one a bung - catching a bonus 3lb Common. At the weigh in and had 21lb 5oz of Skimmers and 40lb 3oz of F1’s for a total weight of 61lb 8oz.

This put me 8^th overall and a pick up of 1 bag of ground bait and a bag of pellets!! I wish now that I had practiced, I certainly would have fared much better by improving the feeding. I might have even got in the money.

Daz next to me fished a good match and well deserved his 3^rd place with 88lb 8oz – he fished well, most impressed. However, I did see him practicing there the day before.

As for the rest, Mark, Steve and Glenn DNW’d!! Steve at one time counted seventeen ducks chasing his loose fed pellet!!

I took a video (bottom left) of the result which shows the format of the payout.

Full Result:

1. Dave Richards 111-12-0 peg 14 TO

2. Paul Haines 96-05-0 peg 18 Pollawyn

3. Daz Bennett 88-08-0 peg 16 Python

4. Lee Bennett 82-04-0 peg 11 Peg 15 TO (Brother of Daz)

5. Andy Bennett 72-03-0 peg 11 Jenny’s (Brother of Daz)

Just goes to show how practicing can bring you luck!

Wednesday 16/06/2009 - Whitesacres - Day Five - Day of Rest

Day Five, our day of rest. It was opportune as the weather forecast weren’t good. However, Glenn got up early to try and beat the rain, for a few hours fishing on Sycamore. Glenn found the fishing hard, which is no surprise as the atmospheric pressure has been up and down like a yo-yo. Glenn (pictured right doing his Rigsby act) came back lunch time after catching around 40lb and prepared his rigs for tomorrows Residents Rover.I decided to stay in and catch up with my blog (pictured lower right).

I am contemplating thinking of entering the Whiteacres photograph completion “Flora and Fauna”. It was difficult to find much, but did find some Wild Honeysuckle near Nelsons Pool. See phorgraph below right.

Night out in Newquay a couple of pints and in to the Indian. I must say the meal was excellent and the view of the setting sun from the panoramic windows was awesome.

Monday 15/06/2009 - Day Three - Whiteacres Residents Gold Match - Trelawney and Twin Oaks

Day 3 brings with it the Residents Gold Match, which is to be fished on Lakes Trelawney and Twin Oaks. It’s not a lucky match for me, although I did qualify for the final, plus free caravan holiday on my first attempt in 2004, but because of work commitments I could not fish. Ever since then I haven’t won a bean, and a few DNW’s .

The match is run by Clint Elliot the Fishery Manager, the draw was held dead on time at nine. I drew peg 31 on Twin Oaks. I was well pleased with the draw as the wind was perfect for the pellet waggler and with plenty of tree cover on this inside with 30 inches of margin water. So with waggler set up and margin paste rig I was ready. I fed both margins and started on the waggler. After 1 hour I had only used two pellets in hair rig band! Into the margin with paste and Ronnied out! I decided to give the corn a try with a few decent Ronnies in the net. Then came the down pour and thunder. It was so heavy I could not see my float a top set away! At this point I near went up to the shop for a pint of caster, but too far too walk! Once the rain stopped I went back out on the pellet waggler and had a bit of sport for an hour putting nine Carp in the net for a total weight of 29lb 6oz for third in the section. It took me an age to pack up as everything was soaking wet and covered with mud splash up from the platform. With the weather so bad I could get the camera out only to take this of a Mallard Duck (pictured right).

Steve drew peg 25 on Trelawney and struggled for a weight of 11lb 8oz.

Glenn also drew on Trelawney peg 5. Glenn caught 27lb 14 oz on the pellet waggler, which included a foul hooked eight pounder. Glenn won his section picking up £40.

Mark drew peg 10 on Twin Oaks. I asked Mark to put in his own words how his day went:

“I drew Peg 10 on Twin Oaks, which Steve had pleasure fished on Saturday. Dropping Steve at Trelawney Mike suggested a walk would do me good, however then discovering two flat tyres on the trolley; it was a case of almost dragging my kit to Twin Oaks. The whistle for the off at 10.30 am sounded the all in, and all around it was ‘Method Madness’ as usual, with the Northerners appearing to lead the way. As I had a strip of bare bank and grass tight over (unlike having to contend with the overhanging gorse on Saturday) I was thinking if you can’t beat them join them. After the first hour enduring the lashing down rain (pictured right), and having left my Gore-Tex waterproof trousers in the car, which was parked at Trelawney and only a small Carp and one small Roach for my efforts. I threw the lot up the bank, and went straight out on the 5 metre paste line at the bottom of the near shelf, after very little movement and another two Ronnie’s (as Mike calls them), everything was swimming with water (paste, method mix, micro’s, tackle trays, carryall etc…). The lure of a pint of Olde English up at the Anglers Arms seemed more appealing by the minute.

Rain stopped, so straight down the edge on my corn and pellet line and was straight into a lump, with a good bonus 10lb Common in the net, it was straight back in and into another of the same weight. Things looking better now, and into the last hour with another seven in the net to put 44lb 14oz on the scales. Peg 8 below weighed 55lb all on the Method, Peg 12 above weighed 26lb. Moving up Twin Oaks, all the weights coming off Pegs 14, 16 and 18 where the wind had been blowing, the winner Neil Carless on Peg 14 who had caught well on the Method, before catching 60lb down the edge in the last hour or so, fishing pellet and paste over two pints of Luncheon Meat.

With a four pints maximum pellet bait limit (which just leaves anglers with no alternative other than to take other substitute baits), and the current fish issues, I wonder why they still allow meat on the complex.”

Full Result:

Neil Carless 109-08-0 peg 14 T O
Dave Richards 81-12-0 peg 17 Trelawney
John Burchell 61-12-0 peg 19 T O
Dave Thompson 59-15-0 peg 8 T O
Dave Brain 54-01-0 peg 18 T O
Adrian Clark 53-11-0 peg 16 T O

Saturday 13/06/2009 - Whiteacres - Day One - Arrival

I had planned to travel down to Whiteacres with Glenn Bailey who arrived as expected 10 minutes early. Mark Tanner was taking son Steve and also arrived as expected 25 minutes late!! It took both cars just over two hours 10 minutes to travel the 160 miles. Straight to the cafe where we met up with Bob Gullick, who had been at Whiteacres for the past two weeks. Bob had framed in both Residents matches and at Gwinear, so we got a lot of insider info. It was good to hear that the method feeder wasn’t dominating as much at Whiteacres with the margins and short pole starting to frame. It was also interesting to hear that there were plenty of Skimmers showing at Gwinear. Bob also explained that the Carp were responding to a careful feeding approach. The information was well worth the cost of a breakfast.

Bob and Angie (pictured right - when I first met Angie I thought it was Bob's daughter! Good job I didn't say anything) gave us a tour of their caravan – excellent and brand new! Angie was also kind enough to sort out the bedding – thanks Angie; I always struggle with filling those bloody the duvet covers. Bob explained that is was best not to park on the grass as the car may get stuck if it rained. I pointed out Marks car to him (pictured next lower right). Bob needn’t have worried Mark spends a lot of his business life in the s**t!!

Before leaving for home Bob said he wish he could stay with us for another week!

Off to the tackle shop to book into the two residents matches. Clint gave us his usual jovial micky taking welcome – he never seems to get any older – must be the Cornish air.

Having dropped off our bags Glenn decided that we should give the “Gay lakes” (named given by Ian Spriggs some years back when they were first opened) a try – Twin Oaks. Glenn settled on peg 4, Mark peg 6, me peg 8 and Steve peg 10. Everyone (except me) wanted to try the method feeder. I decided to try the paste and pellet. I Started on the paste at 5 metres (well I am on holiday) and started to catch bream to 4lb. I noticed that Glenn, Mark and Steve had started on the feeder and was casting into the far bank bushes and vegetation. I left them to it and carried on catching Bream. I switched to 6mm expander pellet and caught some good Ronnie’s to 1lb. I estimated I had 48lb which included two carp for 10lb. You need to be aware of the bait thief's, I caught this one red handed (see picture lower right).

Glenn had 20 Carp 50:50 on the method and pellet waggler for an estimated 60lb. Mark had 4 Carp on the method and Steve 3.

Back to the caravan by 17:00 a quick sort out, shower and off to the Two Clomes (a Clome is a bread oven built in to the sides of an old fireplace) for Sirloin steaks all round. Thanks Mark!!. Then back to the Whireacres pub for a pint or two!!