Sunday 15/10/2022 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

Back to Windmill Fishery thinking it was Thursday thus arriving early for a 08:30 draw to realise some time later it was Sunday and a 09:00 draw. Duh. The Match lake shown right.

A nip in the air but the weather still holding up to just above seasonal average.

Only 15 today. Finally into the draw tub and couldn't believe I would spend another 6 hours on peg 20 making it a full 24 hours this year! At least I had good company with Kev Winstone on peg 21. Pegs 25 to 15 are fishing really bad compared with the other side of the lake. The peg selectors should think on this and perhaps not leave empty pegs along the better side.

The waggler was set up, thought I would try something different on the pole. I purchased some of Ryan Jordan's lifters and thought I would have a try with a 0.4 gram. Must say he does make a great float, all hand made. Have tried fishing short pulling up the inside shelf and have not caught, so would try fishing by pushing up the shelf at 11.5 metres of barrels getting up the shelf by a foot. It took a while to get out the last section as it's never been used! Kev thought this was a hoot and took the photo right as proof.

Fed the lifter line with micro and four chopped worms and planned not to go over it until the last 90 minutes, starting on the waggler with LR's loose fed and on the hook hoping to catch a few silvers. Unfortunately they weren't feeding and after an hour had one Rudd and one micro Perch and one big Perch which came off - as the do!! A carp followed so upped the feed and after a couple of lost foulers had another two. Subsequently hooked a double Mirror carp which was played carefully for some time for only the hook to pull as it surfaced ready for netting, left me wondering if it was the one lost last match. So time for the pole and had another common before the foulers began. I could hear Kev's expletives as he was also having a nightmare foul hooking. Due to the bankside cover the carp hug the far bank and are coming down the shelf hence hitting the line before getting to the hook bait. So back to short fishing me thinks.

My silvers weighed 3 oz and my carp 23 lb for 23 lb 3oz and 7th. The lake certainly needs an influx of silvers which the management team are planning for this winter.

The match was won by Leyton Palmer (pictured) with 81 lb 13 oz from his personal peg 1. Leyton caught at 13 metres using worm over micro and chopped worm. Well done matey.

The silvers was won accidentally by Nick Saunders with a couple of Skimmers for 3 lb 15 oz from peg 14.

Back to the Ringer with the usual suspects. Kev thought he had lost his1 lb 3 oz silvers default pick up envelope running around the carp park to find it, the bar maid came to the rescue explaining that he had already opened it to pay for a round!!😂

Result:

1. Leyton Palmer 81-13-0 peg 1

2. Gerry Walsh 71-0-0 peg 4

3. Matt Tainton 59-14-0 peg 10

4. Dave Haines 42-1-0 peg 11

5. Nick Saunders 41-14-0 peg 14

6. Steve Upton 25-09-0 peg 8

Silvers:

1. Nick Saunders 3-15-0 peg 14

2. Dave Haines 3-7-0 peg 11

Weigh Sheets:

Thursday 13/10/2022 - Tony Rixon's Silvers Open - Plantation - Main Lake

Looking forward to Tony's silvers matches at this great venue starting up again, especially as I couldn't fish them all last year. The day improved even further when Nick Collins arrived from the deep south. Being fishing matches with Nick for some 50 years, great company and always happy go lucky. His tiny Roach rigs fascinate me and were on display today, and once again he beat me with quality silvers.

Wanted a draw on the near side which has the prevailing winds blowing into them, not that there was much wind today. I do like peg 1. First into the draw net and out comes peg 28 on the far side. Found myself next to John Mills peg 27. Our pegs were quite close, as peg 29 was empty decided to fish towards it.

Set up the long Ronne rig, 4 metre whip and 4x12 Titan to fish top set plus four barrels. Fed the long line with two balls of GB laced with Pinkie, DR's and casters and one ball of the same on the Ronnie line. Started on the Ronnie rig with caster over loose fed caster and was soon playing a carp - bugger. Thinking it was the noise from the loose feed I stopped feeding them instead swopping to maggot hook bait. For the next 90 minutes had a great run of Skimmers to 2 lb regularly topping up the laced GB, had about 15 lb in the net during this time. The line went dead and was soon playing another carp. The line did't revive quick enough for me and tried the 4 metre whip over loose fed LR's with LR's hook bait resulting in a 1 to 2 oz Ronnie every put in. Although it kept my interest knew a better stamp of fish was needed. So tried the long line with double DR's but couldn't get any indications. Fed some chopped worm and caster in GB over the line and had one Skimmer on worm it was slow and another carp. So back on the whip increasing the maggot feed foul hooked a couple of Carp before catching a couple of Skimmers. With time running out went back on the Ronnie rig over loose fed maggot and started to catch some better Ronnie's and Skimmers - bugger once again my inpatients got the better of me - should have stayed on the Ronnie rig much longer if not all match.

My silvers weighed 25 lb 2 oz for no better than halfway. The weigh sheet tells the story of being in the wrong area today.

The match was won by Dave Willmott (pictured) with 54 lb 10 oz from peg 2. His catch consisted of mainly quality Roach. Dave fished top 5 fishing caster over loose fed caster on a 4 x12 rig, feeding 2 1/2 pints throughout.  Well done matey.

Mark Broomsgrove was runner up with 51 lb 12 oz consisting of a mixed bag  his catch pictured.

Result: (Perm Pegs)

1. Dave Willmott 54-10-0 peg 2 (mainly Roach)

2. Mark Broomsgrove 51-12-0 peg 38

3. Tony Rixon 44-12-0 peg 5

4. Ryan Jordan 42-12-0 peg 1

5. Kev Winstone 40-01-0 peg 11

6. Paul Faiers 37-11-0 peg 4

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 09/10/2022 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

The day after the double jab (flu/Covid) and with no reaction off to Windmill for their open. With the weather getting more autumnal the fishing in most places is slowing so definitely can expect it here.

Arrived early for a walk around and collected the usual rubbish left from yesterday's pleasure anglers which even included a camp chair!

Twenty fishing which is the Gerry limit. I would go for the full 23 pegs. I was hoping to draw either pegs 1 or 23. In to the draw bag and found milk top 20 looking at me again for the third time this year. Not disappointed as it's got some silvers form plus a new platform which isn't quite finished, I'm sure the contractors will be back shorty to sort the side edging!!

Found myself between Nick P21 (photo bomber) and Lynol P22. Both amazed me how they could pole fish the far bank in such a wind.

Didn't set up much just the waggler and a 4x 14 to fish top set plus one which was about a foot up the inside shelf where in about 5 foot of water. This time of year with the trees and foliage changing colours yellows, browns, ochres etc.. I choose to use a white top waggler. The picture right shows how easy it is to see even dotted down.

Fed the pole line which as it transpired it was a waste of bait. So spent the most of the match on the waggler with double LR's on the hook over loose fed the same. Fished it up and down, right to left and in and out. A bit disappointed to find the Roach weren't feeding and the carp were doing their usual thing at this venue and not feeding until late on. The upshot was I had two big Skimmers and a few bits of silvers on the carp front it was a difficult foul hooking ten carp landing four in the mouth. Just before the all out I hooked a big carp which was played for some time but couldn't get it to come up, it decided to go for a run and with the drag set for the smaller fish it overcame the drag, the rod went flat and - PING! Bad angling on my part 😠.

My silvers weighed 5 lb 11 oz for the silvers win and with my four carp took me to 29 lb 11 oz for four overall and last in the money - so a double bubble.

The match was won by Leyton  "Any Peg" Palmer (pictured with the silvers winner and a bomber) with 50 lb 8 oz from peg 1. Leyton caught over a few lines at 13 metres feeding Micro and chopped worm with worm hook bait. Well done matey.

Back to the Ringer for a welcome pint.

Result:

1. Layton Palmer 50-08-0 peg 1

2. Matt Taynton 42-10-0 peg 18

3. Eddie Wynne 38-12-0 peg 6

4. Mike Nicholls 29-11-0 peg 20

5. John Osbourne 27-06-0 peg 22

6. Terry Bailey 26-13-0 peg 12

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 5-11-0 peg 20

2. Dave Haines 4-12-0 peg 8

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 06/10/2022 - Ray's Rip Off - Windmill Fishery - Match Lake

First thanks to Tony Rixon for his advice on repairing my reel. He suggested the bale arm was most likely bent, so I had a look and it was, easy enough to straighten. It all makes sense that if the arm is bent then it's in effect shorten hence not clicking over.

Second thanks to matey Kevin Bamford for paying my pools 👍.

A well done to the lads for completing all the platforms.

A few short today due to holidays, so some space. Into the draw bag and out comes peg 12 third carp flyer in a row. For company I had John Osbourne on peg 11 and Junior draw bag Bowden on 10. I had promised myself I wouldn't bother with the silvers but couldn't help myself - best check and see 😁, so set up the waggler and a 4 metre whip and two carp rigs - a 4x12 Roob for the RH margin and a 0.3 gram RJ slim to fish top set plus 2 barrels to fish at 11 o clock.

Started on the whip with LR's over same. This usually brings instant results so didn't take long to bin it. On to the waggler again with LR's and after thrashing around for 2 hours and having 1 carp that wouldn't quite reach 2 lb and 7 oz of Ronnie's I went for a walk around. Hardly any silvers coming out with 1 lb the most and a few anglers with 2 carp. I suspected that it would only take a big skimmer for a silvers pick up. Decision made to go for the carp. I had previously fed the margin with micro and maggot and the pole line with micro and a bit of chopped worm. So into the margin with a bunch of maggots on the hook and immediately had a response hooking a decent carp, bugger me if the 17 elastic broke - full investigation to follow. Refed and tried the pole with a piece of worm and had a couple of carp to 6 lb but was foul hooking far too many due to towing into them, the tow kept changing direction left to right right to left - frustrating. Refed and tried the margin again and after a short wait I abandoned it in favour of the pole. I did have an accidental Bream of 3 lb which was more than welcome. The upshot was I ended up with 8 carp with just one Mirror the rest Commons. Junior had caught well long down his edge late on and knew that the lost elastic fish might have made the difference. 

My silvers weighed 3 lb 7 oz for a second default silvers and with the carp took me to 51 lb 2 oz for third overall. 100% sure the elastic cost me a win.

Dave Willmott (pictured) won both the silvers and match with 4 lb 8 oz and 56 lb 10 oz respectively from peg 18. Dave caught a couple out in front at 4 barrels on maggot over maggot and micro and a couple of 12 pounders down his LH edge on meat over meat and micro. Well done Willy.

The default silvers went to Hubert " Handle Bars" Evans (pictured Jimmy Edwards look a like) just 1 oz behind with 4 lb 7 oz from peg 5. "Handles" caught at 11.5 metres on maggot over GB. Well done matey.

Back to the Ringer for a pint of London Pride and cheese rolls. Excellent way to end another great day out.

Result :

1. Dave Willmott 56-10-0 peg 18

2. Gary Bowden 56-01-0 peg 10

3. Mike Nicholls 51-02-0 peg 12

4. Paul Haines 43-13-0 peg 1

5. Paul Barnfield 34-03-0 peg 2

6. Dave Poole 28-08-0 peg 23

Silvers:

1. Dave Willmott 4-08-0 peg 18

2. Hubert Evans 4-07-0 peg 5

3. Mike Nicholls 3-07-0 peg 12  

Weigh Sheets:

Thursday 29/09/2022 - Ray's Rip Off - Windmill Fishery - Match Lake

Seeing this jumper took me back some 25 years. Sensas had sponsored our Bristol team and was the best support we had out of three others, especially the GB. The jumper in the picture was previously owned by Rod Hill (RIP good friend), big shoes to fill. Understandable and nice to see the jumper is still on view albeit a few patches. 

My day didn't start well with a trolley puncture, it was only to get worse.

With Ray on holiday Dave Haines stepped up to run the match. In to the draw bag and out comes peg 10. In form peg for carp. Next door on 9 was "born to feed" Paul Barnfield.

We had some heavy rain overnight which had coloured the water somewhat. The question was will it effect the fishing.

Still decided to fish for the silvers on the waggler and fish for carp in the last hour or so short at top set plus one, but had this doubt that this might be too short today. I had been having problems with my reel with the bale arm not always shutting, instead spinning so had put in the new Drennan reel, but forgetfully still put the troublesome reel on which was still fishable albeit an irritability. For the pole i choose the RJ slim ideal for 4 foot of water. Of course the Ronnie rig.

Started on the Ronnie rig with maggot after 15 minutes without an indication should have told me to forget the silvers and fish for carp! Instead picked up the waggler with maggot and after 30 minutes and no silvers and one carp and a few foulers this should have told me to forget the silvers. Instead persevered catching the odd tiny Skimmers and Ronnie. Foul hooked a decent Skimmer which was bumped off by me hitting the umbrella with the rod. Umbrella was ceremonially chucked behind me, it wasn't going to effect the results though. After a lot of waggler thrashing and few foulers one more carp in the net. I hooked another carp which was played in short when the bale arm came bale ring out of the arm braking the line in the process. Waggler binned - reel now in the spares department.

Meanwhile Paul next door was emptying it at 13 metres. more or less kept to the plan and switched to the pole with worm and micro as anticipated it was too short so went out to three barrels and added another four carp before the all out.

Because we had just the one set of scales it was along weight before they arrived. As they say things happens in three's so, yep, the scales battery had gone. Dave "Three Galps" Gillard pictured wondering why he had the short straw for the scales today). Another wait before a set of dial scales arrived.

My silvers weighed 3 lb 6 oz and my six small carp 25 lb for sixth 28 lb 6 oz. Feel the cold rain did affect the silvers. I did have enough carp in the mouth to get second but the Gods were against today. That's three times I've not done this peg justice - by getting it wrong. Definitely won't bother with the silvers here next time - or will I?

The match was won by Paul Barnfield from peg 9 pictured with 98 lb. Paul caught at 13 metres fishing worm over potted chopped worm and micro loose feeding fours over the top. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by Dave Haines (pictured with the match winner) with 6 lb 4 oz from peg 4. Dave caught on 3 metre whip with maggot over loose fed maggot. Well done matey.

Back to the Ringer with the usual suspects. Again cheese rolls and Branston pickle laid  - excellent pub one which is not taking advantage over drink prices. A bad day soon forgotten.

Weigh Sheet - and Result:

Sunday 25/09/2022 - Windmill Fishery Open - Match Lake

Little bit colder this morning caused by a NW breeze. I have been taking paste every match this summer and hardly used it, so today decided not to take any and just focus on the silvers.

Full house again of 20. I hear there are plans to increase this in future by including the top lake.

I had my usual walk around and compared with other fisheries in the area the match lake is holding its water well with it down only about 18 inches.

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 14 the "Just Magic" Boat peg (he draws there enough) and one of the inform carp pegs. On the end bank I could see Ray Bazeley and Mike Chapman - also good carp pegs.

Committed to the Waggler and silvers so that was set up plus the long Ronnie rig and a 0.3 gram RJ slim (great little floats -  contact Ryan Jordan) for worm and maggot to fish at 1 o clock at an eye watering four barrels with the hope of catching some of the big skimmers in the peg.

No GB today. Started on the long Ronnie rig with loose fed LR's with single on the hook and caught a few really small Ronnie's and Perch, but it wasn't happening like it should so rig abandoned yet again. Fed the skimmer line with four chopped worms, maggot and micro. So out on the waggler - a sawn off bodied drake reduced to 6 inches set to 30 inches deep. Had a good hour catching silvers mainly this time small skimmers to 6 oz. I could see carp up on the far shelf and weren't interested in feeding however, they were a pain as the foul hooking started, didn't keep count but it was embarrassingly high number. Nothing I could do - casting over them was the issue rather than the feeding. The silvers were spasmodic but did have of  skimmer a 1 1/2 lb and a two about 1 lb and did manage to land two carp in the mouth. The carp had been with me until 90 minutes to go and disappeared off the far ledge so thought the silvers might pick up - they didn't. Throughout kept trying the worn line only to get tugs form micro Perch. With 40 minutes to go and after topping up with four worms tried it again - after a Perch tug I hooked a carp in the mouth. Following this one the carp fishing was manic landing eight before the end. Just couldn't put in quick enough - but no skimmers. Ray Bazeley and most of the anglers down our end also found the carp and switched well on at a similar time. The signs were there when the had disappeared from the far shelf to go down on the feed.

My carp weighed 47 lb 12 oz and silvers 9 lb 7 oz for a silvers win with the total weight of 57 lb 3 oz getting me second, just piped by 9 oz! - so a double bubble. Very enjoyable day.

The match was won by Malcolm Fitzgerald (pictured with the silvers winner) with 57 lb 12 oz from peg 10. Again Malcolm was blanking until 1 1/2 hours to go when the carp went manic. Malcolm fished top set plus one with maggot over potted and loose fed maggot. Well done matey.

Very tight frame today which is good.

Back to the Ringer with the usual suspects - where were asked to form a crib team!!

Result:

1. Malcom Fitzgerald 57-12-0  peg 10

2. Mike Nicholls 57-03-0 peg 14

3. Ray Bazeley 55-02-0 peg 12 (fished a tidy match)

4. Nick Saunders 52-04-0 peg 9

5. Leyton Palmer 48-04-0 peg 3

6. Gerry Walsh 44-08-0 peg 8

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 9-07-0 peg 14

2. John Osbourne 5-13-0 peg 20

Weigh Sheet: (Not seen one neater)

Thursday 22/09/2022 - Ray's Rip Off - Windmill Fishery - Match Lake

Another beautiful Autumn day. Credit where credit is due - and a well done to Andy Gard for keeping the access road in such good order and the other managers for turning this fishery around. Keep it up mateys. No sign of the Cormorants as of yet, fingers crossed.

In to the draw bag and out comes peg 20 - the IKEA peg - self assembly flat pack platform! Great company with Dave Poole 19 and Geoff Francis 21. Better draw for silvers than Sunday. However, with most the carp coming out from the far end pegs 9 to 14 didn't think carp was an option except for a section, but still set up a paste rig for the last hour which didn't get wet.

My match was almost identical to Sundays catching on the waggler with single LR over loose feed same which caught 95% of my silvers. Three lost foul hooked carp and one 4 lb in the mouth. Felt I didn't get the feeding right Sunday so varied it a bit today and still thought it wasn't right with dry spells which guessing was my feeding attracting carp. Here again Sunday and will try some different options again, such as spreading the feed a bit more. Very enjoyable day's fishing all the same.

The one beautiful coloured Common carp went 3 lb 14 oz and the silvers 10 lb 15 oz for first silvers by default. Happy to get double figures from here today. I'm feeling really fit at the moment and is reflecting in my fishing.

The match and the silvers was won by Paul Barnfield (pictured with the defaulter silvers winner) with 12 lb 11 silvers and a winning weight of 79 lb 1 oz from peg 14. Paul caught on his usual method of worm hook bait over copious amounts of micro and chopped worm feed. Well done matey especially for the double bubble.

Back to the Ringer with the usual suspects. A big thank you to Dave Haines for arranging the after match rolls and of course the staff for providing them foc.

Result:

1. Paul Barnfield 79-01-0 peg 14

2. Dave Willmott 73-14-0 peg 10

3. Kev Winstone 72-08-0 peg 12

4. John Smith 44-03-0 peg 18

5. Kev Bamford 32-09-0 peg 23

6. Paul Haines/Pete Greenslade 29-10-0 peg 8/25

Silvers:

1. Paul Barnfield 12-11-0 peg 14

2. Mike Nicholls 10-15-0 peg 20 

Weigh Sheets: