I was a bit jaded this morning luckily I had a ride with Glenn Bailey aka Two Pots. A steady traffic free ride down got us there in plenty of time for the usual chats and piss takes, there was also a surprise arrival of Bela who had managed to fish as stand in.
I don't think it really matters where you draw as you are going to catch a minimum of a 100 lb of Carp averaging 2 lb 8 oz - a days fishing! So into the draw box and out comes peg 60. Happy with this peg as I fished it in this match last year and got in the main frame with a near 200 lb. That said I drew peg 59 in the Float Only and had 132 lb but had severe trouble with foul hookers, which was subject to plenty of analysing. For company I had Dave Evans on end peg 61 and Glenn Bailey on 59!! Bela was also in our section. The venue can be wind affected but with a stiff wind affecting most of the pegs I thought this wouldn't be such an issue.
I had the baits for the Silvers but decided to focus on the Carp so only two rigs a MH 0.3 gram paste float set to the depth at top-set plus one and with 4 inches taken off fitted the depth on the top-set. I set up a margin paste float, but didn't expect to catch many on it.
So started on the top-set +1 potting in a big pot of micro in hope that this will keep the fish down longer. Out on the paste and was soon playing the "do or die" little common Carp. I kept them coming regularly by adding 5 or so wetted 4's in with the paste. However, there was a savage tow on against the wind plus the fish were small averaging 2 lb so thought I needed to fish quicker so after an hour I switch to the top-set out in front. Still caught some small ones but added the odd better fish. I change the feeding by hand with hard 4's and got the regularity right with help from the Silvers. I would catch a few Carp then the Silvers would start nibbling the paste so would start carefully loose feeding until I had Carp liners then stop - repeat. This really reduced the amount of foulers.
The margins on this fishery are very shallow to non-existent, which Glenn fishes 3 inches deep! I thought I would experiment with the margin by hand feeding a mix of maggot/micro and caster - particle baits. Within seconds there were big Carp over it. What I found interesting was there appeared to be a lead Carp about 8 lb which had its head against the bank strongly swishing its fins, totally uncatchable as were the ones behind it. I supposed that due to the feed being in such shallow water the Carp couldn't upend enough to feed properly so they were trying to wash the feed into deeper water. After feeding it took less than 5 minutes for them to disappear out of sight. I did drop the margin paste rig in for a minute but didn't want the issue of foul hooking these big fish. Rig retired.
Not long afterwards I started to catch some bigger Carp on the top-set +1 which I'm sure were earlier in the margin. All food for thought.
I finished with 232 lb 4 oz for a section win and 5th overall. So happy with this. However, well done to Bela who gave me a close run with 221 lb!
I had to assist the weigh in but by time I got to the next section my fingers had locked up with cramp and couldn't hold the weigh board. I think this was due to holding the top-set for so long playing fish. I would find it physically difficult to catch more than 300 lb at the moment until the average fish weight increases.
The match was won by Meathead Martin Rayet (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 288 lb 11 oz from peg 39. Martin caught initially on top-set plus one then switched to his top-set fishing 7mm meat over loose fed 7mm meat. Martin also won the knockout and third overall in the league. Well done mayet a good pickup.
The Silvers once again was won by Ryan Shipp with 42 lb 13 oz from peg 45. Ryan caught on worm over loose fed maggot/caster, mostly fed by catty but due to the wind had to occasionally pot it. All the fish were caught on the deck. Ryan also came last in the money fourth overall.
Tony not unusually won the league. I came joint one out of the league money with Glenn Bailey, shame he didn't have the peg to win his section today. He might have bought the beers instead of me! Thats fishing.
Thanks to Tony (pictured top) and Steve Evans for the work they put into the two leagues they run, Where would we be without them.
Result:
League Overall:
Weigh Sheet:
I've got mine, have you got yours? Well done Tom Scholey for organising it. Looking forward to it, but won't be chasing around the county to qualify.
The weather today was forecast to be horrendous with winds up to 55 mph. The Windmill Match Lake is notorious for its wind multiplication factor, so I checked with Dave Haines who confirmed the match would be still on. Wasn't sure I wanted to be there, but hate letting people down so off I went. Dave had a good few cry off so with only ten us there we had a debate on whether to fish or not. John Fuidge said the wind would stop with no rain - how wrong he was!! However, we decided to fish. I think what swung it was the decent payout.
Seen my first Cormorant this season. A bit early but might have been due to the awful weather. Heard that Paul Isaacs is to take over Bitterwell fishery, but don't know when.
Dave spread us out around the lake leaving out the bottom wind facing pegs. I was desperate to draw either pegs 24 or 25 which had the wind off the back. In to the draw bag (what's happened to the wooden draw box?) and out came peg 4. Not happy with this as it's not good for Silvers, but can throw up decent Carp weights! Bugger. At least I could park behind the peg.
I set up the short Ronnie rig to minimise the impact of the wind, and to be fair it was presenting OK. The only other rig was a 4x14 Winter Titan to fish top set plus one. By the time I had set up Carp were swirling in the margin - not what I wanted to see. I started on the Ronnie rig with single LR on the hook over GB laced with DR's, The upshot of this in the first hour I had just two small Ronnies and had hooked six Carp, with the sixth Carp fatally terminating the Ronnie rig taking the complete rig. So I spent the remaining five hours on the Titan with expander over Micro and in between hooking more Carp caught small Skimmers to 4 oz (nice to see them - hope they don't get commerantised). I later switched to maggot which the Carp liked more but did up the catch rate of minute Skimmers. The wind made things difficult especially the high gusts and the occasional heavy downpours.
I counted 15 decent Carp hooked (100 lb?). My few Skimmers weighed 11 lb 15 oz which to my surprise got my section by too many defaults to mention and got me halfway. I would have settled for this after drawing peg 4. The Lake actually fished well with plenty of Carp having a munch!
Most importantly I survived the weather conditions mostly intact.
The match was won by Shaun Townsend (pictured right with his catch) with 26 lb 7 oz of decent Skimmers from peg 6. Shaun caught on chopped worm over caster and chopped worm feed. Shaum fed about 1/4 kilo plus 2 pints of caster.
Result:
1. Shaun Townsend 26-07-0 peg 6
2. Dave Haines 22-08-0 peg 16
3. Bill Ferris 17-14-0 peg 8
Weigh Sheet:
On my own again today due to Geoff being on his "our gate" holiday, so beans and porridge again. Arrived in plenty of time for a walk around the match lake and watch the 60 or so balloons on their mass ascent, amazing how many different themes there are these days, some were landing in the fields behind.
Only 13 fishing today. Last but two into the draw bag and out comes peg 20. I had planned to fish for Silvers for the first half of the match and for Carp the second. This peg would suit this approach. So set up two two silver rigs - a 4x16 Winter Titan to fish top-set plus two at full depth in 9 foot of water, and the Ronnie rig. The second half would be paste in the RH margin. The upshot was, most of the small silvers came on the Ronnie Rig and had 10 lb 12 oz after the first 3 hours. Change to paste where I had previously steadily loose fed about 1/4 pint of hard 4's and caught decent Carp to 8 lb steady for 119 lb 6 oz and a match winning total of 130 lb 2 oz. l also had a double bubble coming second in the Silvers. A pity I didn't draw this peg last Saturday.
The Silvers was won by Enigma (picture right with the match winner) with 19 lb 7 oz from peg 16. Steve caught initially long on corn and later short on 4 mm expanders.
Result:
1. Mike Nicholls 130-02-0 peg 20
2. John Smith 69-01-0 peg 18
Silvers:
1. Steve Dawson 19-07-0 peg 16
2. Mike Nicholls 10-12-0 peg 20
Weigh Sheet:
Travelled with Glenn Bailey today so second day of porridge and beans. Steady drive down the motorway and arrived in plenty of time for a walk around the Lake. I know the owner have had problems with the banks on this lake and have done a lot of work to the far bank pegs removing all the platforms and shoring up the bank. We now have to fish from the bank which is OK but, the large piece of wood installed in front of the angler is far too far back from the bank side hindering the set up the seat box and placing keep nets. It would be far better if this is removed. My choice of pegs would be 2.
Last but one into the draw bag and out comes peg 32, as close to peg 2 as you can get - in fact too close I thought, but still expected a good day. For company I had the silent assassin Gordon Cannings on peg 31. I was also being watched cautiously by a huge Heron - pictured upper right.
I had planned to fish for Silvers today and had the baits to do so, however, being a near corner peg I had to settle for fishing for Carp, so set up a full depth paste rig at full permitted length of top set plus three tubes. The only other rig again was for paste around the margins. The margins were very deep with three/four foot with the float touching the bank, again the sides are steep so hard to hold the paste. Due to trees on the bank I couldn't get round to the next platform - peg1. I had four margin lines planned. However, after feeding all the lines I started on the full depth long line where I soon had a mass fizz (as you do on this venue) but my patients got the better of me again and made the mistake of giving up this line far too soon. After 10 minutes I was playing a 7 lb carp from my top set margin line. I had three here before I went round all the other margin lines picking off the odd carp. Everyone I could see was also catching, but from bank side banter the bottom end was fishing very hard. After a 2lb Perch took a liking to my paste I sensed things were changing as carp started to come into the margin and bow wave out followed by some foul hooking. I did have a big Common which loafed about before darting out, I did retrieve it but the hook pulled luckily the float hit the top set saving me some pain I think. More foul hookers before the peg completely died. The wind had completely turned round and was now blowing down the lake. Gordon who struggled early mid match caught a few. I then heard that the other end of the lake where anglers were blanking to mid match had started to catch well, whilst us at our end corner struggled for the last 2 hours, not adding a fish during this time.
It was between me and Gordon for the section and once again I came up one lost carp short weighing 49 lb 15 oz to Gordon's 54 lb 11 oz. Well done to him.
The match was won by inform paste angler Glenn Bailey (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with 122 lb 15 oz from peg 23. Glen caught all his fish at full length over two lines switching to the fizzing lines as necessary. Glenn is cleaning up at the moment on paste.
The Silvers was won by Ryan Shipp with 37 lb 12 oz from peg 9. Ryan also came second overall. Ryan caught at full length using whole worm over GB laced with caster/hemp/chopped worm and some 4 mm pellet. Another angler that's catching well at the moment especially Silvers
Result:
Weigh Sheet:
Porridge and Beans for breakfast. Arrived in plenty of time for the supposedly 08:30 draw. If I can get there in time why then do we have to wait until 09:00 for others to arrive! Back in the day we would carry on with the published draw time and leave a draw on the organisers windscreen. Organiser Dave Haines on the morning has phones calls with anglers crying off - not good enough. Dave puts a lot of effort into these matches which today included a Carp Bivvy/Tent - pictured right.
Last but one into the draw bag and out comes peg 23. I was reasonably happy with this one even though its a corner peg and 10.2 foot deep - see Lake topography right. My section included Keith Bilder, Martin Rayet, Shaun Townsend, Chris Davis so not the easiest section - but depended on how long Chris would stay!
I just set up the two paste rigs - one for the margins which are difficult as they are all steep and hard to hold, and one for top-set plus one to fish five foot up the inside shelf. Having fed the margin in two placed to my left - one top-set and the other top-set plus two. I started over hard 4's on the deep rig and first try missed a bite next try landed a 7 lb Carp - so a good start and was anticipating a good day. After 30 minutes and no further bites from Carp I noticed a reed wobble so went early in the long margin and caught a 3 lb Common. After 30 minutes and no further Carp bites I tried the short margin and had a 8 lb Carp fist try. I had now changed my mind about having a good day as could no longer get a bite from any line. I got another section out to go further down the margin against the reeds in the deeper margin. I fed this very cautiously and picked off the odd Carp until the end, losing one better Carp close to netting it. By now Chris Davis had thrown the towel in after breaking a top-set - as he does. Keith Builder also done a FOE, Martin Rayet DNW so it was between me and Shaun for the section. Shaun weighed 52 lb 6 oz beating my 49 lb 1 oz by 3 lb 5 oz so that one Carp costing me a section pick-up!! Thats fishing.
Our end of the Lake to say the least fished very hard indeed.
The match was won by The Trig (pictured below with his daughter Triglet) with 114 lb 2 oz from peg 19. The Trig fish pellet at 16 metres to the far bank upto the mud bank with a very shallow swing rig.
The top four pictured below.
Weigh Sheet and Result:
With Geoff today so breakfast essential at Hungry Horace's - excellent food. We arrived in plenty of time for a walk around and placement of the two sets of scales. Again the bottom end look devoid of fish and recommended that pegs below 31 and 4 only be used if numbers required it - they did!. My choice today would have been peg 4 plenty of fish here I think this was due to the shade for most of the day cast by the island, however, below here the sun is on the water for most of the day. Geoff wanted peg 21 but on the same peg as last match peg 17.
Twenty two fishing today so a good turn out. Last but one in the draw bag where we were to find the two end pegs at the far end - pegs 33 and 1. I pulled 1!!! I really thought I would struggle from this peg as would Ken opposite. I started to look for positives. There was some scum in the end bank indicating the wind had been blowing down this end at some time. Plus there were still signs of Carp on peg 4/3, would they some down to my peg?
The plan was to fish for Silvers for the first half and Carp the second. So setup the Ronnie rig for maggot over GB laced with maggot. Two paste floats - one for top-set plus three at full depth out on front, the other for around the margins. I decided to fish the margin to my left towards peg 2, the depth was perfect. The same rig with 4 inches removed did for the end bank margin. I started by feeding hard 4's to the right and out on the long paste line then GB and maggot over the Ronnie line. Started with single LR on the hook. I was expecting a small Silver straight away but this didn't happen so started to get concerned as those around me had started catching. After 15 minutes I had my first bite which was an angry Carp which snapped my hook length. I thought this the reason I wasn't catching Silvers. So out again with a new hook length and nothing until I hooked another Carp of 4 lb which I just managed to land. I thought this must be the last I would hook on this line so foolishly went in again and after another wait hooked another very angry Carp which snapped the rig above the float. Now the "Carp had bolted" I switched to the deep paste rig over the Ronnie line and caught nothing. So back on the Ronnie rig and started to catch a few Silvers including three decent Skimmers and a 2 lb Tench. After topping up I thought I would test the LH margin. First put in I had a 5 lb Carp, in again and lost the first of many foulers from this line. The Carp were coming to the feed but wouldn't settle, bow waving out as soon as they arrived. I think the water might have been a little too clear - who knows? The upshot was I abandoned the Silvers line and concentrated on a line on the end bank at top-set plus four with paste over hard 4's and hooked plenty but landed the few decent Carp and F1's. I started feeling things crawling over me and found an Ants nest had hatched out, they were everywhere (pictured upper right - plus one trashed paste float due to fouler recoil). I was glad to hear the all out.
I thought I had about 70 lb so when Geoff who was on the weigh board added up my weight to 79 lb I questioned it and in fact I had a total of 69 lb 10 oz. Good job Geoff's not in a job where getting numbers right is important. My weight was made up of 12 lb 4 oz of Silvers and 57 lb 6 oz of Carp. I was surprised to find I won the match.
The Silvers was won Paul Barnfield (pictured right with the match winner) with 24 lb 8 oz from peg 28. Paul caught on red maggot over micro.
Tony found my Ronnie float which on inspection had in fact broke in two places - the hook length and above the float - saved my £2.50. It was back to the Compton with the usual suspects and as The Special One was out Geoff and I had a meal which was very good - too much for me. Enjoyed sat in the garden watching Sparrows catching the clumsy flying ants in flight. End of another memorable day spent with a nice bunch of guys.
Result:
1. Mike Nicholls 69-10-0 peg 1
2. John Smith 63-14-0 peg 10
3. Paul Barnfield 43-07-0 peg 28
Silvers:
1. Paul Barnfield 24-08-0 peg 28
2. Tony Rixon 17-01-0 peg 29
3. Steve Dawson 15-12-0 peg 24
Weigh Sheet:
On my own today so beans and porridge. Second to arrive to John Fuidge so we had a lengthy walk around analysing all the pegs.
I had drawn the flyer peg 14 last Thursday which fishes itself, so wanted to be somewhere else for practice with the paste for next Saturday's all in match. Into the draw box and out comes peg 22. I draw this one a lot and recently only picked up with Silvers, but today it was to be out and out paste. The wind was forecast to be in the West, strengthening as the day progressed, which would be straight into this peg. I could only see one angler Dave Willmott on end bank peg 24 - apparently he has taught himself to levitate using YouTube. I wonder if he would use banded caster today?
This peg is deep close in at top-set plus two puts you in 8-9 foot of water. I set up a 0.4 gram MH paste float to fish the top-set up the shelf, which was still 5 foot deep. I do like to loose feed by hand which can be a problem in this depth. The other paste rig a 0.3 gram for the margin set at 30 inches. Similar to the other paste rig the shelf is quite steep so the paste has a tendency to roll down which can attractive to the Carp, more so a nuisance.
Having fed both paste lines with hard 4 's I started on the deep rig and was soon playing one of the newbie Commons - they fight like hell for 3 pounds they will be very difficult to get out once they become doubles. I had about 15 lb when I started to lose fish. OK some might have been fouled but not many of them. Lightly hook me thinks. Dave was having similar problems. I started to play the fish more carefully which helped. After an hour or so the line dried up with the tell-tell nibblers arrival. So early try in the margin and caught a 8 lb Mirror. There has been an explosion of 1 oz Ronnies - millions of the blighters and they like the margins. A Carp would come to the margin and chase them, I had a feeling they were actually feeding on them. I was anticipating that the margin would get better as the day went on. With about an hour or so to go I reckon I had 80 lb and was holding my own with Dave. However, the wind pickup and as expected was blowing directly at me making presentation difficult. The upshot was I only caught one small Cap during this time.
My fish weighed in at 84 lb 12 oz which included an accidental 9 oz Skimmer. I was glad to get out of the wind which was strangely cold.
The match was won by John Fuidge (pictured right with the Silvers winner) with a personal best of 229 lb 14 oz from in form peg 14. John initially caught shallow/slapping and later down his margin all with banded 6mm pellet fished over 4's.
The Silvers was won by Dave Haines pictured with the match winner with 11 lb 5 oz from peg 11. Dave caught on maggot on his top-set over loose fed maggot.
Shame about the turnouts for the commercial matches. The problem is that there are too many 20 peg venues. We do need bigger venues to attract a bigger turn out. There are plenty of quality matchmen in the South West to fill a 60 peg Sunday venue.
Result:
1. John Fuidge 229-14-0 peg 14
2. Gerry Welsh 129-08-0 peg 2
3. Dave Willmott 126-01-0 peg 24
Silvers:
1. Dave Haines 11-05-0 peg 11
2. john Fuidge 9-09-0 peg 14
Weigh Sheet:
I was a bit jaded this morning luckily I had a ride with Glenn Bailey aka Two Pots. A steady traffic free ride down got us there in plenty of time for the usual chats and piss takes, there was also a surprise arrival of Bela who had managed to fish as stand in.
