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

Wednesday 17/09/2008 Carps AC - Rood Ashton

This was the first of two Wednesday practice matches prior to the Carpsmaina final on Sunday 28 September 08. I drew peg 8. Peg 1 was one below the concrete overflow (the last one before the "Jungle", the pegging then went anti-clockwise back to the car park. Peg 8 put me centre of the top bank.
Having not caught a Ronnie on this venue yet, today, I was determined to do so! After half an hour I had two Ronnies on caster, and a lot of float wobble from the Carp. So, needs must, I switched to Carp with paste and GOT expander pellet. I weighed a total of 117lb 10oz for first in the match and a pick up of £30, for a match costing £20, Colin is spreading the payouts too far!

Runner up was John"Turkey" Thompson - " I've got a crap peg - who pegged this crap". John weighed 79lb 1oz from peg 9. No apology for his outburst!!

Bill "The Maggotman" Ferris won the Silvers with 10lb 9oz from peg 1. Bill caught all his Silvers in the first half of the match on - Maggot. Bob Feltham (pictured top right with his Ronnie catch) was runner up in the Silvers with 8lb 4oz - again all caught on the maggot. Bob qualifies for the Carps AC Wednesday Silversmania.

Full Result:

1. Mike Nicholls 117-10-0 peg 8
2. John Thompson 79-01-0 peg 9
3. Paul Attwood 50-0-0 peg 2
4. Bill Ferris 47-07-0 peg 1
5. Colin Golding 40-04-0 peg 6
6. Bob Feltham 18-06-0 peg 7

Top Silvers:

1. Bill Ferris 10-09-0 peg 1
2. Bob Feltham 8-04-0 peg 7

Sunday 14/09/08 - Chilton Trinity Open - Wildmarsh

I have signed up with "Charlies Angels" for the forth coming Veals Teams of Four Winter League. The team comprises Myself, Tom Thick, Rich Coles and team captain Charlie Barnes. The league is fished on commercial fisheries - Chilton Trinity, Bullocks Farm, Landsend, Viaduct and a week ender at Stafford Moor. Today was a practice match for the league match next Sunday.


This is the first time I have fished the venue. Before the draw I walked Wildmarsh with Tony Rixon. I thought the lake was picturesque. However, I was concerned that the lake was flat calm, usually without some tow the Skimmers shut up shop. I really love fishing a venue for the first time, I like working it out. I had plenty of information - too much really. I decided to target the Ronnies and Skimmers. The Skimmers was to be chopped worm and caster with worm on the hook and the Ronnies the 4 metre whip and small waggler.


I drew peg 47 which I was happy with, as it was in open water. I started on the chopped worm and caster and had plenty of missed bites from the Ronnie Roach. I went quickly on to the whip with caster and started to put a few Ronnies to 3oz together. I can't believe how many bites I missed today. The fish did the odd disappearing act. I struggled with both methods and weighed 7lb 8oz which included one small skimmer on the worm. However, I think I have learnt quite a bit for next weeks team match - we'll see!


The match was won by team mate Tom Thick (pictured top right) with 26lb 9 oz from peg 26. Tom's weight also included a 11lb carp from the margin.


The Silvers was won by Gary Bedford (pictured bottom left) from peg 50 with 19lb 6oz of quality Skimmers. Gary caught both long and short with either soft pellet over pellet or chopped worm and caster with worm on the hook.


Full Result:


1. Tom Thick 26-09-0 peg 26
2. Steve Priest 22-08-0 peg 18
3. Nick Harvey 21-04-0 peg 21
4. Gary Bedford 19-06-0 peg 50
5. Dean Mallin 18-15-0 peg 10
6. Nick Collins 18-11-0 peg 13


Top Silvers:


1. Gary Bedford 19-06-0 peg 50
2. Nick Collins 15-04-0 peg 13
3. Julian Heaven 14-04-0 peg 37

Thursday 11/09/2008 Carps AC - Summer Evening Series - Shangri La - Round Eight

We nearly got through to 19:30 with out it raining, however, it was reasonable warm for those with the wind off their backs. One of the advantages of moving peg by peg is that you can watch how your next peg is being fished, so one eye on your float the other on the next peg. I was on peg 4 this week and I was a bit disappointed with how I fished. For a start I discovered that the 8mm hard pellet I was feeding, was in fact floating! I fed through the kinder pot which was 12 inches from the top of the top-set and I did not allow for this with my initial feed (which probably floated in to Mark Tanners swim any way). It wasn't until I got some bait in did I start catching. I caught all of my fish on paste either out in front or in the right hand margin. I weighed 28lb 9oz for third in the match and a pick up of £20.

Bob Price (no photograph this week as it was dark and raining) won the match for the second consecutive match from peg 3 with 44lb 13oz. Bob caught most of his fish from the right hand margin, fishing paste over hard pellet/corn.

Mark Tanner weighed 28lb 8oz but had left a 8oz Carp in his net which would have given him second overall instead of fourth! The lesson cost him £25 - Lesson learnt.

Phil Coulam still leads the series with 52 points, me on 50 and Bob Feltham on 44 (all with worse result dropped).

Full Result:

1. Bob Price 44-13-0 peg 3
2. Bill Ferris 28-12-0 peg 1
3. Mike Nicholls 28-09-0 peg 4
4. Mark Tanner 28-08-0 peg 5
5. Colin Golding 22-12-0 peg 6
6. Phil Coulam 8-12-0 peg 8
7. Tom Coulston 7-08-0 peg 2
8. Bob Feltham 2-14-0 peg 9