Sunday 12/10/08 Avon Angling Open - Landsend Fishery

Most anglers fishing today were practicing for the forth coming Veals Teams of Four Winter League. The match was run by Tony Rixon (picture top right). His matches are fondly referred to as "Rixon Rip offs". Tony had 30 fishing and pegged 15 on Specimen Lake and 15 on John's Water (also know as the "Third Lake"). Tony ran the two Lakes as separate matches, paying the top three and one Silver pool on each.

Having walked around before the draw I wanted to draw John's Water (against most other Anglers wishes).

I drew peg 51 on John's and was delighted, because it was the same peg I drew when Darren Gillman and I won the Carps AC pairs match. However, since then a bush had appeared on the far bank giving the peg more "Angler appeal". I decided to set up for the far bank with a 12x10 TBF Cult, Paste rig at 7 metres to fish over my pellet line, which I planned to start with on a 2x10 Jolly and of course my usual caster Ronnie rig.

I started on 4mm pellet and caught F1's, Skimmers and small Crucians for about an hour until the sun broke through and the Carp moved in. Went out on the paste and had two double figure fish straight away. I decided that I needed to focus on the Silvers and went on to my Ronnie rig. I had one Skimmer and two Ronnies before the Carp moved over the caster. Again I landed two doubles on the caster, before trying the pellet line again to no avail. Back on the paste and one more double, before trying corn over on the far bank. I had three bites on the corn all three fish lost due to being extremely small. I then decide with one hour to go to focus on the Ronnie line and by keeping the caster loose feed to the minimum I kept a few 3oz Ronnies going to the end.

I weighed 20lb 8oz of Silvers for first in the silvers (on both lakes) and 45lb 8oz of carp for a total of 66lb and second on the lake (second weight on both lakes) and a pick up of £60. Tony Rixon picked up the Silvers pool by default with 17lb 8oz.

John's lake and the match was won by Jamie Dyte (pictured right - he does smile occasionally) on peg 61 with 114lb 12oz. Jamie fished both at 10 metres and in the margin on paste over 4mm pellet, feeding about four pints over the six hours. Jamie fished a very good match.

The Specimen lake was won by Steve Mayo with 62lb 4oz from peg 31. Steve fished 17 metres with corn over caster.

So I have learnt that I want to draw either of the two furthest lakes i.e. not Match or Specimen!!

Full Result:

John's Water:

1. Jamie Dyte 114-12-0 peg 61

2. Mike Nicholls 66-0-0 peg 51

3. Gary Wall 59-07-0 peg 68

Top Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 20-08-0 peg 51

2. Tony Rixon (by Default) 17-10-0 peg 46

Specimen Lake:

1. Steve Mayo 62-04-0 peg 31 (don't forget my elastic)

2. Andy Palmer 41-12-0 peg 35

3. Andy France 39-03-0 peg 36

Top Silvers:

1. Julian Heaven 19-03-0 peg 38

2. Rich Coles 17-08-0 peg 30 (went home thinking he won the Silvers, "have I got news for you" matey - I picked nothing up for you!!)

Thursdays 09/10/08 Bathampton AA Over 55's and Disabled - Bridge Pool

A beautiful crystal clear Autumn day welcomed us. Real clean fresh air. I needed this, as I am still trying to clear a cold (man flu) that I have had for two weeks.

Colin Golding did his usual of putting 24 pegs in the draw for 19 anglers. Guess what, once again three of the best peg were not drawn! As far as I am concerned this does not give the venue the best possible result and hence the best publicity it well deserves.

There aren't many pegs on Bridge that I have not got to grips with yet - except peg 24, which I drew today. The peg is strange - it has many features. It has a deep narrow channel (nine foot deep) between the island and bank, hence if you are trying to catch Skimmers can be susceptible to Carp intrusion. My chosen Ronnie line has a topography like a lunar landscape - up and down, with sharp shelving. Round to the left is a bay which I decided would be my Carp line. The opposite island can be easily reached with 11.5 metres of pole. To the right is also interesting and is also a potential Carp swim.

I started by loose feeding caster for the Ronnies on the top set, whilst feeding wet 4mm coarse pellet into my left carp margin swim. I knew straight away that the bigger Ronnies were not feeding (although later I did had a pounder). I decided that there must be Carp about so tried the paste over the caster, with no avail. Back on the caster and a foul hooked Carp! I decided to go on to the Skimmer line and for about two hours caught 4oz Skimmers regularly. I then hooked and landed a strange looking Carp of about 2 pounds - it looked like a cross between a Grass Carp and a Mirror - um.

I noticed that Bill Ferris and Colin Golding were catching small Ronnies and Skimmers and probably beating me. So in the last hour I went in to my LH Carp swim with paste over 4 mm wet pellet and had two big Carp for about 25lb. I then proceeded to lose three similar sized Carp - one broke 0.18, one pulled out, the other was lightly hooked. At the whistle I was playing my third big Carp which was landed well within the 15 minute rule. I dis try fishing over to the island, and as previous experience, I have yet to catch anyting of note.

I weighed 11lb 4oz of Silvers and 31lb 08 oz of Carp for a total of 42lb 12 oz. This gave me third overall and third in the Silvers. Wouldn't it be nice if you knew what everyone had in their nets at any one time - a bit like "hindsight being a wonderful thing". If I had stayed with the Silvers I would have picked up, if I had started on the Carp earlier I would have picked up!!
Dave Bacon (pictured top right) won the match from peg 17 with six Quality Carp for 48lb. My mate Bob Warren (pictured right - with his catch of Carp) was runner up from peg 30 with 43lb 12oz (delighted to have beaten me by one pound - well done matey). Bob caught his fish on straight lead, waggler and pole.

Full result:
1. Dave Bacon 48-0-0 peg 17
2. Bob Warren 43-12-0 peg 30
3. Mike Nicholls 42-12-0 peg 24
4. Pete "the real" Phillips 31-06-0 peg 10
5. Bob Feltham 23-14-0 peg 3
6. Chris Snow 19-13- 0 peg 7
Top Silvers:
1. Bill "Maggotman" Ferris 15-08-0 peg 25
2. Colin Golding 14-06-0 peg 26
3. Mike Nicholls 11-04-0 peg 24

Sunday 05/10/08 - Veals Teams of Four Winter League Round 2 - Bullocks Farm

This league is run single handed by Ken Rayner (pictured top right). I must say that he does a really good job, his spreadsheets are just brilliant. I also noted that for the second time Ken has won his five peg section (worth £40) - well done!

It was good to see Josh Garrett back fishing after his burns accident.

I had heard that the Carp lake was fishing well for Ronnies with pleasure catches of 40 - 50lb, so was hoping to draw here, a lake I've not fished before. Failing that, I didn't really mind. I drew peg 5 on Rushcombe, the only other lake (snake canal) I had not fished on the complex (ignoring South Pool). I was informed that there were a lot of Gold Fish (4 drms to 8oz) in this section and they were to count as Silvers!! Um, I think it worth clarifying that they are definitely not the Gold Fish, as per in "tank, pond and Fairground". I believe they are a Chinese Koi, a cross breed with a Crucian. These are identical fish that can be found at Sangria la. Where do they come from? Tony Rixon was on also on Rushcombe peg 2, so I was sure of at least two points then! I met Bob Warren having breakfast in the Lilypool Cafe and he told me that paste was worth a try for the bigger Carp (up to 3lb). So set up a paste rig for the margins and a 4x12 Jolly for down the track. I also set up a 4x8 TBF Cult far bank rig in case the fish backed off. I started with the Jolly on the top set with 4mm GOT expander on the hook over loose fed wet micro. I had a few Silvers (sorry Golds), but was missing too many bites. So I changed to a wet micro pellet on the hook and kept the fish coming for about four hours. I did occasionally try the paste, but only caught the same stamp of fish. In the last hour it slowed on the top set, so tried across. In the last hour I added about 4lb using maggot over maggot (you need a very robust bait fishing accross). I weighed 12lb of Carp and 16lb 10oz of Silvers for a total weight of 28lb -10oz. This gave me fourth in the section and first in the "Silverolds" for a pick up of £120. Tony was fifth in the section with 27lb, I'm amazed how many pound side bets Tony collects after the match - haven't they learnt yet!

The team was eighth overall with 32 points. Charlies Angel's are now 6th overall with 21 points. Team captain, Charlie Barnes coming last in section on the Carp lake with 1lb 5oz - No Ronnies then!

The match was won by Ryan Shipp (of the Des Shipp clan - no photo as he left before the result) with 74lb 7oz of Carp from North Pool peg 11.

Full Results:

Carp:

1. Ryan Shipp 74-07-0 peg NP 11

2. Pete Sivell 63-07-0 peg Rush 15

3. Anton Page 44-02-0 peg Carp 11

4. Brian Slipper 36-12-0 NP 1 (must get a photo)

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 16-10-0 peg Rush 5

2. Dean Malin 15-15-0 peg Carp 10

3. Mark Broomsgrove 14-13-0 peg match 3

4. Martin Pettifore 14-0-0 peg match 18

Sunday 28/09/2008 Carps AC - Carpsmania Final - Rood Ashton

This was the final of Carps AC Carpsmania. Twenty anglers had won through over the year. The prize money was £1,000 for the highest overall weight and £500 for the Silvers. So not really fishing for runner up then! However, with a lots of speculation in the media with regards to the Bradford & Bingley of which I am both a shareholder and saver I had more on my mind than the £1,000. As I write this am still waiting on an announcement from HMG - Gordon Brown PM. This is the man who resided over the period that lead to the "credit crunch" as Chancellor - who described himself "Prudent". Um!

Back to the match, I drew peg 15 which was in the top right hand corner form the car park. I knew that Silvers getting first or second in the Silvers was unlikely, I focused on the Carp (not until I caught four Ronnies for 8oz though!). After plumbing around in 18 inches of water - at best, I wasn't sure of catching enough Carp either. However, I went for Carp on paste over 6mm soft pellet, which result in seven carp to 6lb, then the tractors arrived behind my peg (three tractors to be precise), and the swim went dead (bow waves back to the island). In the last hour when things got quieter , I had another ten cap for a total weight of 68lb 12oz and eighth in the match. Taking everything in to account I was fairly satisfied with this weight. My 8oz of Ronnies got me sixth in the Silvers!!

Everyone wanted end peg 20, which was through the thicket and half the lake to draw fish from.

Andy Neal (pictured left) drew the peg and made no mistakes, winning the match with 154lb 14oz. Andy fished paste over 6mm hard pellet, feeding about two pints throughout.

Ray Hayward (pictured below left) lost out by a mere 11lb 4oz. Ray weighed 143lb from peg 17. Ray caught most of his fish in the RH margin on meat fished over loose fed hard pellet. I am sure Ray will be travelling home, thinking of the Carp he lost.

John Bradford (pictured below right) could not believe his luck drawing peg 4 - a out and out Silvers area, and surrounded by Carp Slayers. Again John made no mistakes catching 26lb 14oz of quality Roach on caster. John latch into only two Carp throughout the day - takes some doing on this venue!



Full Result:

1. Andy Neal 154-14-0 peg 20 (£1,080)
2. Ray Hayward 143-0-0 peg 17
3. Jamie Smith 135-12-0 peg 18
4. Alan Oram 127-04-0 peg 5
5. Steve Seagar 97-06-0 peg 13
6. Mike Owens 96-02-0 peg 1

Top Silvers:

1. John Bradford 26-14-0 peg 4 (£560)
2. Bob Gullick 11-04-0 peg 9

Thursday 24/09/2008 Carps AC - Summer Evening Series - Shangri La - Round Nine

This was the last match of the series which meant that we all now had fished each peg once - in turn. Due to the nights drawing in the match was rescheduled for the the afternoon: 13-30 to 18-30. A five hour match. I was on peg 5, which I think is the best peg on the venue. Today I caught my first Grass Carp (I had not previously even seen one). It was only 2lb, but what a beautiful fish. It is often described as "Chub looking". I would describe it more, Dace like, with a miniature Masheer looking scaling. If I every get round to specimen hunting this fish would be at the top of the list.

I fished my usual paste over pellet, winning the match with 82lb 10oz and a pick up of £40. After the match it was all ("all" pictured top right tucking in to beer and grub - pictured courtesy of ten year old William Tanner) back to the Upton Inn for sausage and chips, kindly provided by pub owner Martin Bennett (John's son).

Full result of the day:

1. Mike Nicholls 82-10-0 peg 5 (Five hour venue record)
2. Bob "The Bread" Price 55-12-0 peg 4 (Carp to 13lb)
3. Bill "The Maggotman" Ferris 36-04-0 peg 2

Series final Result (points are based on dropping lowest result):

1. Mike Nicholls 59 points (£135)
2. Phil Coulam 56 points (£81)
3. Bob Feltham 49 points (£54)
4. Bob Price 40 points (missed 2 matches!)
5. Steve Jefferies 39 points (missed 2 matches!)
6. Mark Tanner 38 points
7. Bill Ferris 37 points
8. Colin Golding 36 points
9. Tom Coulston 30 points

Some Series statistics:

1. Total amount of fish caught: 1,780lb
2. Highest weight: 82lb 10oz
3. Lowest weight: 8oz
4. Best peg: 3 with 6 match wins and a total of 374lb of fish
5. Worse peg: 8 with 49lb of fish
6. Everyone in the series picked up pools money at least once.

Finally a thank you to:
Martin Bennett and Wife Tracey for providing the superb venue. and John Bennett for always being there to open the gates for us (and of course Betty for allowing John out)!

Wednesday 24/09/2008 Carps AC - Rood Ashton

This was the last practice match before Sunday's final. The pegging went from peg 1 at the car park to peg 19 at the end of the furthest island. I was ask to include the very corner peg on the car park bank which was peg 11. I wasn't sure about the peg as the wind was not blowing directly in to it - in fact it was fairly calm. As chance has it, I drew the peg! I am told the car park bank is the bank for silvers - so started on the 4 metre whip and caster. I started straight away to catch quality Ronnies and Ronald's to 1lb (at last). However after a couple of rounds with Carp I broke my whip. To say I was upset - well, I had to have a walk to and to see if John Bradford had a spare, which he didn't. So I set up the 14 foot Normark Avenger, which was a bit too stiff for shallow water waggler fishing. I had a few more Ronnies and after a total of four and a half hours was broke again by Carp. I decided to get my own back and fished for them with pellet and paste for the last hour and a half. I weighed 13lb 10oz of quality Ronald's for second in the Silvers and 86lb 10oz of Carp for a total weight of 100lb 4oz and second overall and a pick up of £30. However, second and second is not going to win anything this Sunday!!

The match was won by Colin Golding from peg 5 with 123-10-0 of Carp. I am not going to divulge how he caught - as you all know anyway!!

The Silvers was won by Bob Gullick from peg 3 with 26lb 5oz of Ronnies. Bob also qualifies for the Carps AC Wednesday Silversmania.

Full Result:

1. Colin Golding 123-10-0 peg 5

2. Mike Nicholls 100-04-0 peg 11

3. John Thompson 91-0-0 peg 9

4. Paul Attwood 82-01-0 peg 19

5. Alan Oram 76-13-0 peg 13

6. Jamie Dyte 63-08-0 peg 6

Top Silvers:

1. Bob Gullick 26-05-0 peg 3

2. Mike Nicholls 13-10-0 peg 11

3. Bill "Maggot man" Ferris 11-14-0 peg 2

4. Charlie Barnes 6-01-0 peg 7

Sunday 21/09/08 - Veals Teams of Four Winter League Round 1 - Chilton Trinity - Wildmarsh and Woodlands

Arrived at the draw at 08:00 and was amazed to find Charlie Barnes already there and on his third fag and fourth coffee. There were three sections of fifteen on Wildmarsh and one section of fifteen on Woodlands - everyone was hoping to be on Woodlands as all the top Carps weights were expected from there, (as the results now confirm). I drew peg A9 on Wildmarsh, the map I was given identified A9 as permanent peg 15 (or so I thought). Arrived at peg 15 - and was greeted with rustling reeds in the end margin - so set up a paste rig - yippee. Ah, wrong peg and I was moved to peg 9 - what a difference - no margin and couldn't get close to the water - or get my nets in properly. The Carp net I hung over the boards, the silvers in the gap between the bank and the boards!! After the match I spoke to the owners they assured me it was their next job - we will see. I had my team instructions from captain Barnes, which I religiously kept to (honest I am Church of England!). I caught most of my fish at 10.5 metres (from the bank!) on worm or double caster. My biggest fish was an Eel of 2 pound plus hooked in the pectoral fin, whilst getting the hook out I had a nip from him! I weighed 10lb 5oz, which comprised of eight different species of fish - Crucian, Common Carp, Golden Rudd, Roach, Chub, Perch, Eel, Skimmer. This gave me fourth in the section and twelve team points. I was beat by a Carp for my five peg section. I enjoyed the match, but the jury is out on the amount of fish in the Lake - recognising that I have only fished the venue in flat calm and bright sunny conditions - we will see next year. As to peg 15, the lad weighed less than 2lb!

The individual pools payouts are based on Silvers weight only and Carp weight only - with section points counted on combined weight. Both the Silvers and Carp weights paying equally the top four in each category. The combined over winner gets nothing. As it happens today that was Clayton Hudson (pictured bottom left) with 62lb 2oz from Woodlands peg 30. Clayton did pick up the second Carp weight with 60lb 14oz. Clayton caught on his usual chopped worm and caster.

Rod Wotton (pictured bottom right) won the Carp weight with 61lb 11oz from Woodlands peg 20.

The Silvers was won by team mate Rich Coles (pictured bottom/bottom left) with 32lb 7oz of Skimmers and Bream from Woodlands peg 12. Rich caught all his fish on paste.
On the team front Charlie's Angels were fourth overall with 41 points. Not a bad start.


Full Results:

Carp (All Woodlands):
1. Rod Wotton 61-11-0 peg 20
2. Clayton Hudson 60-14-0 peg 30
3. Steve Jackson 53-10-0 peg 9
4. Julian Heavan 52-10-0 peg 4

Silvers:

1. Rich Coles 32-07-0 Woodlands peg 12
2. Bryan Shanks 17-04-0 Wildmarsh peg 25
3. Ken Rainer 13-04-0 Wildmarsh peg 30
4. Dave Dunstan 12-04-0 Wildmarsh peg 29

Top Teams:

1. Avon Angling 48
2. Westerleigh Blue 46
3. Team Veals 43
4. Charlie's Angels 41