Sunday 02/04/2023 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round Seven - Final Round - Taylor's Pool and Shipp's Canal

My turn on Shipp's Canal. No silvers focus for me as Lee Waller and me were only 1 lb behind Bela and Steve from winning the pairs which is done on weight count only.

Had a walk around the canal and noticed that the dreaded peg 13 was alive with carp.

Lee drew well with peg 17 Taylor's and so did I with Shipp's peg 6. That said both Bela and Steve also drew well.

Arrived at the peg and it seems a long time since I've been down this end. Plenty of room as peg 7 not in this year. For company peg 5 was occupied by Steve Shears, we have drawn next to each other a few times this league. - he's no longer on my Jinx list.

In case it was hard got the waggler rod out for a 7" Drake, but noticed the peg was a bit of a bird cage so with Mark's permission cut a couple of branches down with Bela's saw. Had a small area for a clear cast but due to the wind went up the tree with practice casts so packed it away. Just two rigs - 4x13 MR to fish top set plus one barrel and a 0.3 gram RJ (love these floats) to fish top set down the RH margin. Absolutely lovely sloping margin and perfect for paste, but didn't have any!

Both lines to be potted with micro and fish either double LR's or 4/6 mm expander on the hook. Started on the long line (LOL) the very cold wind was blowing in at 11 o clock and was giving perfect presentation blowing the rig up the slight slope towards me. A great start in the first hour put 10 F1's and a small carp in the net. The wind dropped and change direction slightly. The line died. Went down the margin with expander, no bites. Tried double maggot and got pestered by micro Perch and the odd Ronnie - no carp around then  - yet. Started to loose feed micro whilst going back out long with maggot and had a run of skimmers and a couple of Crucians, no carp though. Back on the margin with double maggot and no bites - good sign, changed to expander and had three good size carp to 8lb. Made the mistake of too regularly kindering micro and had another carp losing four on the bounce. One snagged me (might have also been fouled), one tail walked landing on the line and two foul hooked due to the deep margin and the kindering. Balled up the micro and potted, things improved landing two more decent carp.

My accidental silvers weighed 5 lb 7 oz (second overall silvers) and the carp 45 lb 8 oz for second lake and overall 50 lb 15 oz. Two more would have got me first and more importantly the heaviest weight of the series. This went to Ricky Mills on peg 13 who had a good day on the carp including two Grass carp with one going 12 lb (pictured above - it's not a Chub), the only two in the venue!! Well done matey a beautiful fish. Lee did well and too and got us this years pairs. I also took the heaviest silvers weight over the league. My 18 points was off the pave this year, could have drawn better and buggered up peg 2 which I should have won from - see below for the league result.

Back to the Inn for the results all today's and overall framers pictured. Thanks to Mark Taylor for the use of his fishery and his excellent fishery management, the best mixed small fishery around - perhaps a few more silver though!!. Thanks to Bri Shanks for running the league once again excellent. Me and others are always sorry when this league ends. Cant wait for next year.

Result:

Shipp's Canal:

1. Ricky Mills 64-06-0 peg 13

2. Mike Nicholls 50-15-0 peg 6

Silvers: John Clark  8-01-0 peg 8

Taylor's Pool:

1. Matt Challenger 37-15-0 peg 25

2. Lee Waller 34-02-0 peg 17

Silvers: Mark Taylor 2-12-0 peg 20

Weigh Sheets:

Final League Results:

Thursday 30/03/2023 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's - Bridge Pool

Arrived in plenty of time for a short walk around. Although the pool has been dyed blue it's gin clear.

Paid my pools and waited to be called to the draw bag - No call!! Dave didn't write my name down so peg 29 was put in the bag which was subsequently my peg for the day. Wasn't sure about it, but felt due to fish issues you needed to keep away from the full depth and fish the margins. Being open water peg 29 would normally be good for the Waggler, so would be limited in this respect.

Walking to the peg noticed many dead Skimmers and Bream plus small Roach turning over. Found this very distressing. Got to peg 29 and fished out two Bream, a mistake because the horrid smell left on my landing net stayed with me all day.

The upshot was started short and had a quick run of about 12 Ronnie's dropping a 8 ouncer swinging - duh. That was it the peg died along with any enthusiasm. Tried allsorts adding another 1/2 ounce. I weighed 14 oz of silvers, which was 1 ounce above the average silvers weight caught by 23 experienced anglers. The rain had abated so took the opportunity to PUE (pack up early) and get the scales to weigh in. Most of the silver fish weighed were in very poor condition.

The match was won by Hughie Evans (pictured) with 16lb 11 oz from peg 19 which included a 12 lb Carp (the only one caught) plus some small F1's.

The silvers was won by Tony Rixon (pictured with the match winner) with 10 lb 1 oz from peg 10. Tony caught most of his fish down to the empty peg 11 platform in 3 foot of water. See his blog for for further details.

I just cant understand why the club has transferred silverfish from the other Pools into Bridge for them to die. The club need to find the reason this pool had gradually declined over the past 5 years or so to the state now where it is all but dead. Some questions from me that need answering.

Q1: What is the quality of the water running in between pegs 19 and 20?

Q2: What is the affect of continuing putting Siltex put into a pool that had no silt in it?

Q3: Why very few fish can be caught at full depth? Should samples of the solids on the bottom taken around the pool and analysis to determine its suitability for aquatic life.

Q4: Why no fish fry for some years?

I and many others have had some wonderful sport from this pool and it was heart breaking to come to terms that we will never see back to it's glory years in our life time.

Back to the Compton for a beer with very down hearted company.

Result:

1. Hughie Evans 16-11-0 peg 19

2. Dave Gillard 10-15-0 peg 14

3. Tony Rixon 10-01-0 peg 10

4. Andy Gard 9-11-0 peg 21

5. Chris Ollis 8-05-0 peg 31

6. Shay Gillman 7-10-0 peg 24

Silvers:

1. Tony Rixon 10-01-0 peg 10

2. Chris Ollis 8-05-0 peg 31

3. Shay Gillman 7-10-0 peg 24

Weigh Sheets:

 

Sunday 26/03/2023 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round 6 - Taylor's Pool and Shipp's Canal

Must have had a bit of rain then! My turn on Taylor's Pool, at least the lakes will be full. When is the wind going to do one and the global warming/climate change come back on the news?

All change, usually want to be in the far side where the prevailing winds are off the back. Today, however, the wind was from the NW, so pegs 13 to 17 would be best for the waggler. Into the car boot and disc 22 proved to be the nearest to hand. I have to say it's one of my favourite pegs on this pool. Today the wind would be blowing in at me at 11 o clock. For company had John on peg 23. Couldn't help noticing Bela had drawn a peg that would suit his long pole fishing.

Being well out of the individual points so the silvers would be the focus today. Set up the waggler and after a few trial casts relised it was going to be difficult to feed properly. Two rigs - 4x14 Winter to fish out in front short and a 0.3 gram Ryan Jordan Slim to fish down to the left margin, short.

Fed the margin with some micro and the other line with GB laced with Pinkie, tried feeding LR's on the waggler line and as expected the feed was being scattered to the four winds plus difficult to see where indeed the feed was landing. 

 Started short with single LR and had a few not unexpected small Perch followed by a nice run of Skimmers to 12 oz. Really enjoying it. The strange thing was the wind occasional switch to NE during this time couldn't get a bite. So during these periods switched to the margin with double DR on the hook I had been occasionally loose feeding. Four margin visits resulted in carp 2 small Common's, 2 big F1's, and one lost large carp which broke me, which might have been due to bad hook tying! Returning to the short line carried on catching Skimmers plus 3 small Crucians which if anyone's got any doubt's are carp. Other than the cold wind in the face had a lovely steady day's fishing.

My silvers weighed 13 lb 4 oz for the silvers win adding the few carp took me to 21 lb 6 oz.

The match was won by my pairs partner Lee Waller with 53 lb 8 oz from peg 2 on Shipp's. His weigh has elevated us to on 1 lb off the lead and one match to go - fingers crossed - looks like I will have to fish for carp then.

Looks like the carp have spread back out on Taylors and Shipp's canal has fished it's head off.

With one match left Bela is odd's on favourite to win the league - to be fair he has fished well, especially as we have now weened him off the bubby.

Back to the Inn for a beverage with the usual suspects.

Result:

Taylor's Pool:

1. Bela Bakos 49-03-0 peg 14 (14. 5 metres hard 4's over kindered 4's, catty later)

2. Steve 36-11-0 peg 20 (expander down the RH edge over 4's - 16 metres))

Silvers: Mike Nicholls 13-04-0 peg 22

Shipp's Canal:

1. Lee Waller 53-08-0 peg 2

2. Glenn Bailey 46-04-0 peg 6 (hard pellet over kinder p4's)

Silvers: Steve Rogers 7-10-0 peg 4 (maggot short)

All pictured below - trust me to be between the two biggest anglers.

Weigh Sheets:

Thursday 23-03-2023 - Ray's Rip Off - Windmill - Match Lake

First stop Hungry Horace's, and a good start to the day and was to prove the best part. The weather was forecast to be awful, it was. Had a walk around the lake with Geoff Francis. Reached peg 16 and said to Geoff it was a peg that you definitely didn't want, hopefully it won't be in the draw today, peg 17 being a much better choice. Hoping for peg 25 which would again have the wind off the back - flat calm.

Into the draw bag and couldn't believe it as peg 16 stuck to my hand - In my opinion the worse peg on the lake. The wind was howling left to right so didn't think the waggler would be a choice and with the wind limiting the pole length set up a light feeder rod with a small cage feeder on a sliding link. Next was a 4 x14 RJ slim to fish three barrels down wind at 45 degrees just down the inside shelf. Had plenty of time so did set up the waggler and amazed how it sat on station. This was due to the very hard tow against the wind so counterbalancing. This gave me some optimism -  got to try and find some positives in this game.

Started on the pole fishing double DR's over potted micro and DR's. After 6 micro Perch the writing was on the wall. A small skimmer and a few Ronnie's before it died. Out on the wag and mag and again had a micro Perch a 12 oz Skimmer and a couple of Ronnie's. Then nothing. Tried the feeder and had a tremble from a 1/2 oz Rudd! Back on the pole adding a couple of small fish before calling it a day with 30 minutes to go. Dreadful days fishing which wasn't unexpected form this peg.

I weighed 1 lb 9 oz for last but one in the match. My weight is the highest from this peg for a while only because there has been 3 FOE's from it the last 3 matches when it was pegged! At least I persevered 😁. And to think I was concerned at only bringing 2 keepnets.

The match was won by venue manager Kev Winstone with 48 lb 12 oz from peg 25. Kev caught long on the pole with micro and maggot. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by Paul Barnfield with 19 lb 1 oz from peg 6. Paul caught on worm over potted micro and chopped worm at 7 metres. Well done matey. Paul fed about 1/4 kilo of worm.

Runner up in both the silvers and the match was John " Standing Man" Osborne pictured below with his net of silvers which he caught at 9 metres fishing double DR's over GB. John didn't hold back on the feed, feeding about 4 pints of GB. Well done matey.

Very limited on the photos due to the horrendous rain and wind. With all my kit soaking wet decided to miss the beer and Baps - miss the Baps!

No weigh sheets as they were readied for a paper mashe modelling.

Result:

1. Kev Winstone 48-12-0 peg 25

2. John Osborne 46-15-0 peg 19

3. Paul Barnfield 38-07-0 peg 6

4. Ray Bazeley 30- 04-0 peg 5

5 Geoff Francis 29-01-0 peg 9

6. Dave Haines 27-11-0 peg 20

Silvers:

1. Paul Barnfield 19-01 peg 6

2. John Osborne 18-04 peg 19

Thursday 16/03/2023 - Bathampton AA - Over 55's - Silvers Pairs - Round 6 - Withy Pool

Final round of the silver pairs. Paul Clayton and me needed to win our sections. Into the draw bag and out comes peg 54 for me in the "Skinnies" (pictured) and Paul on point peg 64. So both potential section winning pegs.

The Skinnies is only 10 metres wide so no waggler for me. However, the trees opposite were adorned with a few floats by those that gave it a go!! Just two rigs, the Ronnie rig for short and a 4x14 Roob to fish four barrels down the far shelf.

Fed the far line with potted loose caster and a nugget of GB and the short line with GB laced with Pinkie. Started short with double Pinkie hook bait and nothing except indication of carp in the peg. It took 30 minutes before catching my first fish followed by a good run of decent Ronnie's and a couple of small Hybrids. It died so topped up and went long with single caster hook bait, kindering caster retained by GB. Had a few more Ronnie's from 1 oz to 3 oz. This was interrupted by hooking a carp which was eventually persuaded to come off! Back short and just two fish before it stalled, re-fed. Over again and was pestered by Rudd which was intercepting the caster on the drop. the buggers were topping off the caster like a boiled egg, so plenty of caster changing. Back short and again two fish and another carp which didn't make the net, then nothing. Stayed over to the end with single LR which was "Rudd rugged". Just before the end had a 1 lb Skimmer.

Weighed 11 lb 2 oz for second section. Felt both the carp and the Rudd prevented me form weighing a lot more. Paul also had second in section. However, we didn't quite do enough being three points from third pick up. Not bad considering we had a couple of poor results.

Well done to Andy Greenham/Tony Ponting/Mick Gale for winning the pairs. The top three pairs pictured below (where's Andy Gard):

Really enjoyable league. Thanks to Dave Gillard for running it and Tony Rixon for efficiently  weighing us all in every match.

Next match is on Bridge Pool 😔

Result:

1. Tony Rixon 16-0-0 peg 65

2. Kev Winstone 14-04-0 peg 40

3. Paul Barnfield 13-10-0 peg 55

4. Paul Clayton 12-0-0 peg 64

5. Mike Nicholls 11-02-0 peg 54

6. Hughie Evans 8-13-0 peg 56

Weigh Sheets:

Final Pairs Result:

Sunday 12/03/2023 - Windmill Open (knock up) - Match Lake

Decided to fish this one for insight for the up and coming Ray's Rip-off's. With the silvers now starting to show and even though there was no silvers pool decided to target them. But expected some accidental carp. Low turn out probably because the fish are still "balled up" down the far end.

The wind was nasty so was hoping for peg 25 with the wind off the back would push the waggler up the far slope. Wishful thinking pulling peg 3 with the wind howling right to left.

Set up two silvers rigs - one for down the RH side up to some reeds and one for top set plus three barrels both to fish GB and Pinkie. Due to the wind didn't bother with the waggler. The upshot after three hours had one lost carp (fouled?) and one skimmer. Set up the waggler to take on the wind with a 8" small bodied Drake. Needless to say had to lay some line on the bottom which isn't what I wanted. Nonetheless, the float was bombing through. Three small reds on the hook and no initial feed and amazed had a 3 lb carp. Started to feed which so far has stopped the carp going for hook bait. More surprise as had four nice skimmers. The wind didn't quite beat me but buggered up what would had been a much more productive day.

Weighed 9 lb 6 oz - 5 Skimmers, 3 Ronnie's, 1 Rudd and one micro Perch and one carp for last but one with 12 lb 4 oz.

The match was one by Nick Saunders (pictured with the runner ups) with 71 lb 9 oz from peg 14. Nick caught on the lead fishing maggot.

If there had been a silvers pool it would have been won by Andy Gard (pictured) with 33 lb 6 oz of big skimmers from peg 1. Best weigh for some time. Well done matey.

Result:

1. Nick Saunders 71-09-0 peg 14

2. Kev Winstone 69-12-0 peg 10 (close)

3. Shaun Townsend 61-13-0 peg 25 (bread dobbing down his margins)

Weigh Sheet:

Sunday 05/03/2023 - Westerleigh Winter League - Round 5 - Shipp's Canal and Taylors Pool

My turn on Shipp's Canal, my preference - pictured. Three pegs left was told the 13 was still remaining! But was a another piss take by Bri Shanks, as it happens it was pegs 1,2 and 3 - any would have done. Peg 1 it was. Happy as it's the first time Iv'e fished it. Once again was Ricky next  door on peg 2 a complete swap around for us. You can never predict which pegs are going to produce, the fish are well trained.

Set up the 4 x13 MR to fish short at top set plus one barrel. Plumbing around I was uncomfortable with the bottom which was telling me there were lots of large stones. A 0.3 gram RJ slim (well made - great floats) to fish done to the bush, and the waggler with a 6 " small Bodied waggler - the body helps hold the float back when sinking the line helping it to stay close to the island.

Fed the bush with maggot and Micro. Started short with maggot and after 15 minutes and hooking the bottom twice and losing a hook switched to the bush and had two micro Perch on double LR's. Usually get some indications form the F1's being in resident, but not today had a couple of Ronnie's before foul hooking a right lump which came off - nothing more down by the bush so out on my banker - the waggler. It was a very short chuck and on hindsight the island could easily be reached with 11.5 metres. Fed a few LR's and with a single on the hook expected bites initially from Ronnie's and when they disappeared a carp or two. Alas not, just a couple of small Perch. Two hours left and next to nothing in the net, with no way of a lake win. Decided to fish for silvers for the last two hours so put another section on and fished Pinkie and GB and had a few small skimmers to 12 oz. The temperature had been really low, but suddenly the sun tried to come out and it warmed up. During this time I had a few more Skimmers an 2 lb F1 and a 4 lb carp. Might have been the time of day, however, temperature soon dropped again and the fish seem to disappear with the warmth.

My silvers weighed 3 lb 13 oz, my total weight of 10 lb 1 oz got me halfway with 5 points. I do enjoy these matches it's proper fishing. The two carp were in pristine condition and looked like they had never been caught.

All the framers pictured below.

Back to the New Inn with the usual suspects where I had to put my had in the pocket and buy a round - so back to being out of pocket again. Great company.

Result:

Taylor's Pool:

1. Lee Waller 39-0-0 peg 26 (14/16 metre - Pellet & Maggot hook baits)

2. Glenn Bailey 29-0-0 peg 23 (14.5 metre - maggot)

Silvers: Vince Shipp 2-12-0 peg 19 (accidentals)

Shipp's Canal:

1. Tony Mears 18-14-0 peg 4 (pellet, later maggot over to island)

2. Bela Bakos 15-0-0 peg 10 (as above)

Silvers: Mike Nicholls 3-13-0 peg 1 (GB and Pinkie)

Weigh Sheets: