Sunday 21/08/2022 - Windmill Open - Match Lake

All clear on the hernia so booked in to the Windmill Open which ,meant loading the car etc... by myself. Leighton kindly took the trolley to my peg - thank you matey. So a free draw for me. I was hoping for peg 1 as I can catch short there. However, out came peg 25. Not unhappy but would me limiting for me.

I must say the lads have done a great job with new platforms mine was exceptional - built by non other than Lee Masey - great job. 

Got to the peg and found it flat calm with a decent breeze to the opposite end, not what I wanted. To test things out decided to fish for carp today. However, would just test the peg for silvers first 😁. So set up two paste floats - one for the margins and the other out in front at two barrels and the short Ronnie rig. The margins are full of reeds with the LH side being the most productive but the worse for loosing fish with the need to fish long. The RH side is closer giving some chance in stopping the carp reaching the reeds. To aid this I fished the Drennan margin pole with their 25 elastic.

Fed the long paste line and the RH margin with pellet but started on the Ronnie rig with single maggot over maggot. Immediately I got pestered by Ronnie fry, got to about twenty for 11 oz and foul hooked a carp so abandoned the silvers for the carp. The upshot was I caught one Mirror at two barrels and five more from the RH margin at top set plus one barrel, all on paste. I lost about the same number. However, these were the small Commons of about 4 lb which are like lightening and hard to stop. The ones I landed were up to 14 lb with the biggest carp the easiest to keep out of the reeds.

Silvers went 11 oz and the six carp weighed 51 lb 6 oz for 52 lb 1 oz, happy enough with that today. The peg was worth more especially is I could fish long and shallow. Andy Gard is to clear some of the reeds.

The match was won by match organiser Gerry Walsh (pictured with the silvers winner) with 127 lb 4 oz from peg 16. Gerry started on the straight lead with 8 mm banded pellet for a couple. Tried the method which wasn't producing so spent the rest of the match at 15 metres up to the far bank fishing 6 inches deep with 6 mm banded over pinged 6 's. Well done matey. 

Shaun Townsend was relegated from first to third due to going 10 lb over the net limits of 50 lb.

The silvers was won by the fishery road Guardian Andy Gard (excellent job too)with 13 lb 5 oz from peg 10. Andy caught short on small pieces of worm over chopped worm and GB. His catch consisted of mainly Roach with a bonus three skimmers. Well done matey.

It fished really well today with 5 tons.

I felt my fitness wasn't up to it today so going to have another couple of weeks off.

Result:

1. Gerry Walsh 127-04-0 peg 16

2. Leighton Palmer 123-3-0 peg 8

3. Shaun Townsend 122-3-0 peg 23

4. Nick Sanders 111lb 11ozs peg 14

5.  Pedro 110-06-0 peg 1

6.  Chris "Shipp" Davis 82-07-0 peg 18

Silvers:

1. Andy Gard 13-05-0 peg 10

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 14/08/2022 - Tony Rixon's Rip Off - Plantation Jubilee Lake

The owners of the plantation complex have modified the Horseshoe lake, taking out the islands and making an even bottom of 5 foot throughout. Pegging is now all around the outside of the shoe instead of both sides. It's has been renamed Jubilee lake for obvious reasons. I understand that some small carp have been added, otherwise it remained the same stocking.

The usual hype about Bream to 5 lb from Rip Off, he would make a good salesman. Nineteen fishing today.

The talk was that the end pegs would dominate - pegs 8 and 9 today.

Once again it was going to be a very hot day - 34 degrees or more, so umbrella packed. Really aching this morning and if it wasn't for the help I get from Glenn I don't think I could go at the moment. A good friend indeed. We could park behind each peg so full draw for me albeit a tad early to give us chance to off load. Peg 16 it was, fancied this side to have some shade for the brolly. For company I had Ryan Summerhayes, on 17 what a well mannered lad and Rich Major on 15.

Plenty of decent sized carp charging around and looked decisively uncatchable. Decided to fish for the 5 lb Bream with maggot and GB. So set up the Ronnie rig and a 4 x 13 MR to fish top set plus two. Plumbing up the further out it shallowed a little otherwise reasonably flat.

The upshot was I caught a few Ronnie's, Rudd and tiny Skimmers of the Ronnie rig in the first hour which was really slow. It then completely died with very few carp showing set up the 4 metre to chase the Ronnie's and Rudd up in the water. Had three more until that died. Decided to fish the MR for the rest of the match catching the odd tiny Skimmer. I then had a strange hour where I lost seven Skimmers 6 about 2 - 3oz and one about 2 lb with the hook pulling even though I had a number 5 elastic in. I thought it might be because I was using a LR to switched to DR but after couldn't get another bite. Had a walk around to Glenn on peg 6 who was blanking so hoping for an early bath but he couldn't get the van out whilst anglers fishing. I went back and packed up as the heat and fishing had got to me.

My silvers weighed 3 lb 14 oz and my one carp 10 oz. for a total of 4 lb 8 oz which wasn't quite last as the was 4 DNW's and one blank!! I wished I had taken some 4 mm expanders  think this would have been more productive over micro.

The match was won by Rod Wotton (pictured under the umbrella next to the runner up Steve Seager) with 64 lb from peg 8. Rod was one of two anglers that could reach the far bank with the pole and made the most of his Landsend mud fishing using 6 mm pellet over loose fed same. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by Martin McMahon (pictured nearly smiling) with 18 lb 2 oz from peg 5. Martin caught at 11.5 metres using maggot over small amounts of GB. Well done matey.

Non of the 5 lb Bream showed must have been the hot weather! I had a look at my past blogs on this lake and it seems to have fished similar for carp but a tad better for skimmers. 

A disappointed van driving home but nothing a couple of cold ones didn't cure.

Result:

1. Rod Wotton 64-0-0 peg 8

2. Steve Segar 55-09-0 peg 9

3. Joe McMahon 47-13-0 peg 11

Silvers:

1. Martin McMahon 18-02-0 peg 5

2. Tony Rixon 16-04-0 peg 7 

Fish seemed to be shoaled at the far end.

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 07/08/2022 - Tony Rixon's Short Pole - Final Round - Todber Manor - Ash and Homeground

After a three month lay-off from fishing I felt I could try again providing I had a short walk. As there were some walks on Homeground Tony agreed I could fish Ash. Until I have seen my surgeon in ten days time I am avoiding heavy lifting. I thought I could fish for silvers and try to avoid the carp - might be a challenge at Todber.

PS: Guy Manton: I know a 73 year old that thinks there are too many carp in Todber match lakes.

I drew peg 71, for company I had matey Vince and Bullseye on 70 and Ginge Dark on 72. Tony warned me that the carp feed close in on Ash. Warning headed. Thanks to Glenn got set up on the listing platform albeit I was a tad rusty, forgetting where my stuff was. The plan was to feed the margin heavy all match to keep the carp occupied and fish the long Ronnie rig out in front with single LR's over lightly feeding the same.

The upshot was I had a Ronnie or a tiny Skimmer one a bung (although a good few wriggled off). I was fascinated by large carp munching on the GB and anything else I wanted to feed - sneaky fish. By four hours in I had managed to avoid the carp and thought I might get a record for the first angler not to catch a carp at Todber fishing a match. Alas I ended up with three, No way I could have fished for them all day, just lifting the three was a challenge!!

My three carp weighed 9 lb 9 oz and my silvers 24 lb 8 oz for the silvers win. A little stiff at the end but better than I thought.

The match was won by Ryan Shipp (pictured with the silvers winner) with 309 lb 11 oz from Homeground peg 80. Ryan started shallow with banded pellet over pellet and soon switched to his margin again with pellet over pellet. Ryan was one of the few anglers that sorted catching from his margin as many had plenty of fish in their margin but couldn't catch.

Ryan also won the knockout and runner up in the over all league with Martin Rayet taking the league and Vince Shipp coming third. All pictured right - looks like Martin is holding in a mighty fart!!

Apologies to Glenn for leaving him out of the picture as I thought Tony only paid three however, Glenn picked up fourth beating Tony on weight count back. Glenn also picked up a default section so happy double bubble van.

Result on the day:

1. Ryan Shipp 309-11-0 peg 80

2. Martin Rayett 261-08-0 peg 88

3. Joe McMahon 256-11-0 peg 83

4. Willy Willmott 215-09-0 peg 89

5. Matt Sheppard 187-03-0 peg 67

6 Glenn Bailey 186-08-0 peg 78 

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 24-08-0npeg 71

2. Matt Dark 10-15-0 peg 64

Weigh Sheets:

Overall Final League Result:

Sunday 22/05/2022 - Tony Rixon's Short Pole League - Round Two - Todber Manor - Hillview

Lighten the kit up as far I dare - just the margin pole and a few top sets, no rods or reels. A pleasant drive down with Glenn on a glorious Spring day. A bacon and egg bun from the Todber van and all set for the draw which Tony had arranged for me to avoid the spit so Glenn could unload my kit straight onto a peg, I couldn't have fished without this help - thanks also to Jason Pitman.

Tony sensibly had two sets of scales this year - pictured - the lads weighing the highest producing area which included a 27 lb carp caught by Mike West from peg 48. - PB apparently.

Into the draw bag and out comes peg 58. A good peg I'm told - is there a bad one on this venue? Nope! For company Jason on peg 57 and Rich Major peg 59. Glenn had drawn peg 53 top corner of the LH spit well out the the light breeze!

Finally got set up with some subsequent discomfort. The plan was to fish for silvers and if in the first 30 minutes the carp started to catch me I would start catching them. So the paste Bullet set up for the margin only. Interestingly, over a year the margins have totally changed along this bank. It was nothing to 12 inches 36 inches out from the bank. Now its nearly 24 inches right up to the bank. Natural wind erosion or have the carp been eating the bankside? For the silvers set up the short Ronnie rig and a 4x12 Winter Titan to fish at top set - no barrels involved. Simple.

Fed both lines with neat GB starting in the margin with single LR over loose fed same and was soon battering Ronnie's, Rudd, Gudgeon, Perch, Hybrid's, Skimmers and Tench. Nothing over 3 oz except one Tench of 2 lb. More importantly no sign of carp. Decision made to fish for the small silvers for the remainder of the match. I tried the Titan rig in case there was some better Skimmers about but just found the same size fish, so stayed on the short rig until the end. I did over do the GB in hope for some better Hybrids but attracted the carp and as Rich was fishing for carp I passed the GB to him to prevent me feeding anymore. It worked for him too. I foul hooked 3 and landed 6 carp to 3 lb which was a lot less than last year (100 lb) and that expected. Made the right decision as no way could I have bagged on the carp today - problem with lifting the landing net even with 3 lb fish.

My silvers weighed 26 lb 14 oz and the 6 carp 19 lb 2 oz for 46 lb and not quite last, however, first in the silvers - mission accomplished albeit leaving me with "Ronnie hand" - pictured.

The match was won by Martin Rayet (pictured with the silvers winner) with 241 lb 9 oz from peg 49. Martin caught about 40 lb in the first 30 minutes on pellet shallow. He switched to his LH margin with double large worm over micro feed to land carp to 19 lb. Well done matey - what no meat?

Double bubble van as Glenn picked up his section by double default - a pick up is a pick up.

Result:

1. Martin Rayet 241-09-0 peg 49

2. Bob Gullick 207-14-0 peg 34

3. Freddy Roberts 200-09-0 peg 50

4. Joe McMahon 178-14-0 peg 36

5. Ryan Shipp 177-09-0 peg 47

6. Glenn Bailey 174-04-0 peg 53

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 26-14-0 peg 58

2. Ryan Shipp 14-08-0 peg 47

Weigh Sheets:

Thursday 19/05/2022 - Ray's Rip Off - Windmill Fishery - Match Lake

Two minds whether to go today as hernia playing up and would have to rely on some help with two of the heaviest items of tackle - seat box and bait bag. However, did go and greatly appreciated help from: Hughie, Kev, Lionel, Laurie. and John Osbourne for passing my weigh board to John Smith 😁. This help make it possible for me to have an after match pint - cheers. I have wished for the glorious 16th to arrive for many a year that's before the arrival of commercials but wishing for it again as date of surgery.

With Ray away today Dave Haines took over and sorted the a non hill climb pegs for me. into the draw bag and out come peg 25. Happy enough with the peg which to be fair needs some work, which is planned. Unable to use the waggler here or ship back more than top three. Didn't really bother me though as it would be silvers only so no tugging. Got to the peg and noticed the reeds moving, it wasn't heavy carp spawning, wasn't sure whether it was carp or silvers. 

Set up the usual silvers rigs all to fish over GB laced with Pinkie loose feed LR's with LR on the hook. Fed the top set plus two barrels line for the MR and long Ronnie rigs and the LH margin for the short Ronnie rig and just light loose feed down the RH side. Started on the short rig and started to catch small Ronnie's and Rudd and the usual pesky small Perch. After 90 minutes the line slowed so switch to the long rig and was surprised I couldn't get a bite. Seen Glenn Bailey walking around, apparently no one down his bank had caught! I had only seen one carp caught down the other bank. I switched to the right had side with the short rig and had a 6 lb carp first try next put in another beautiful 10 lb silver Common. That was it from this side went out on the MR and had a small hybrid and skimmer. It was fishing hard. Until the last hour spent down the left nicking the odd small silver. Once again I was thinking I would need that bonus decent skimmer to pick up so spent the last hour on the MR catch one more small carp losing five more mostly foul hooked ending up in the reeds. Unfortunately no bonus silvers.

My silvers weighed 5 lb 13 oz and my three carp 20 lb 1 oz for 25 lb 14 oz. Third in silvers second in section and 7th overall - another near miss for the coin. Glad I went as staying in the chair watching Netflix is not the way to good health.

The match was won by Dave "Willy" Willmott (pictured with the silver win) with 56 lb 13 oz from peg 12. Dave caught on his favour 7 mm meat short and down his margins. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by John Osbourne with 8 lb 10 oz from peg 23. John caught at top set plus two barrels with maggot over maggot, catching shallow mainly Rudd plus a bonus 2 lb skimmer. Well done matey.

It didn't fish that well today which may be due to the heavy overnight rain. Not sure it's going to fish well until the carp have spawned and the silvers has eaten it all!

Back to the "Ringer" with the usual suspects. Geoff Francis in addition to being a cidermaker is also now an Apiarist.

Weigh Sheets and Results:

Thursday 12/05/2022 - Bathampton AA Over 55's and Short Walks - Withy Pool

Passed Bridge Pool with the water looking a strange colour. The feed back from pleasure anglers is only F1's being caught which is a shame.

The days of the Willow fluff is here - pictured looking towards my peg at the end of play.

A better number for pegging of twenty. A newbie today in the shape of old Avon Angling team mate Shay Gillman - welcome matey sure you will enjoy it.

Hoping for a short walk but ended up with the longest one - peg 50 again for me. For company I had Dave "Three Gulps" Gillard on peg 51. Dave started off with a spell of Tourette's trying to level up his tackle box due to peg 51 being in a dreadful state of repair. He finally got settled in and catching decent Roach to 1 lb. Things got worse though Dave started to sing Cliff Richards songs.

Learning from last match - forget carp and focus on Silvers. Set up the waggler for late on if things got hard towards the end. The long Ronnie rig and a 4x13 MR to fish top set plus one or two barrels. Fed the Ronnie line with GB laced with Pinkie starting on this with a single LR and had two Ronnie's straight away it then went iffy so put on double Pinkie and didn't look back for the next three hours caught a variety of silvers mainly skimmers from 1 oz to 3 1/2 lb. It was a case if going from full depth at 5 foot and half depth to keep them coming including a 2 1/2 lb Hybrid. It slowed so switched to the MR at three barrels to the right again with GB and Pinkie to keep the skimmers and Ronnie's coming. Last hour I was plagued with Willow fluff so non sensibly picked up the waggler to fish in to open water and four cast later  hooked a carp on double LR's over loose fed same only for the fluff to jam the top eye so I couldn't wind in so just point the rod at it fro the inevitable brake. Waggler abandoned. Back on the MR which was slow due to between fish fluff picking.

My silvers weighed 28 lb 2 oz for a silvers win and 4 the overall. Very enjoyable day except for being fluffed out at the end.

The match was won by Mike Gale (pictured with the silvers winner) with 72 lb 10 oz from peg 45. Mike caught down his RH margin initially with worm settling foef8 mm banded pellet in 4 foot of water (deep margins). Mike's catch comprised mainly of 7 decent carp. Well done matey.

Result:

1. Mike Gale 72-10-0 peg 45

2. Paul Barnfield 43-10-0 peg 55

3. Rod Dufferty 29-0-0 peg 42

4. Mike Nicholls 28-02-0 peg 50

5. Chris Ollis 25-05-0 peg 54

6. Shay Gillman 25-02-0 peg 60

Silvers:

1. Mike Nicholls 28-02-0 peg 50

2. Shay Gillman 17-02-0 peg 60

2. Hughie Evans 17-02-0 peg 58

Weigh Sheets:

Sunday 08/05/2022 - Tony Rixon's Nearly Short Pole League - Round One - Chiltern Trinity - Woodlands

Tony decided to change the short pole from three barrels to 13 metres for this venue only mainly due to the venue not fishing as well as it did with the expectation of increased weights and aid the slappers.

Arrived with Glenn in time for a walk around and noticed that the water level was higher than I remember - don't know why because its been a dry Spring. Also there was plenty of carp blowing in the low and high numbers where the light wind was blowing into. Therefore pegs 6 or 1 would be my choice.

Found these three reminiscing (pictured) over the success of the GAS's (Bristol Rovers) 7 - 0  win to gain promotion by more goals scored - unbelievable - last of the summer wine jumps to mind.

Into the draw bag and out comes peg 12 well out of any wind. I was worried the bank would be difficult to set up on but was pleasantly surprised to find that a lot of work has been done finding it easy to plonk the seat box down. For company I had Bob Gullick on 14 and Steve Segar on 13 so good company albeit plenty of chatter/ribbing between these two to follow.

I had no intentions of slapping 13 metres about all day and choose to fish for silvers. Set up both long and short Ronnie rigs and a 4x16 Winter Titan to fish at three barrels in 8 ft 6 inches (too deep) of water for Chop worn and caster for skimmers. Fed the short Ronnie line with caster and a bit of GB and the long line with two heavy balls containing chopped worm and caster - messy business. I wasn't sure if the Ronnie's would be feeding as they have just finished  spawning so tried the short Ronnie rig and had one first put in. So confident I could keep be busy. Tested the long line with worm hook bait. There was signs of blowing so was hopeful and my first bite was a very angry 11 lb Mirror which snagged me twice and twice I pulled for a break which got it out and in the landing net where it was fighting so hard couldn't get the hook out it finally trashed the rig. Out again and foul hooked another carp. Bugger this on to the Ronnie's. Catching a 1 -2 ox Ronnie every put in until I hooked a large fish which went from thinking Carp to Tench to seeing a large Perch of about 2 1/2 lb unfortunately it came off at the net thinking I had scooped it was disappointed to see I had missed it - bugger. The short line died so went for a stroll along out bank everyone as struggling with the silvers conspicuous by their absence with little to no accidentals caught. Steve had not had a bite for the first 2 1/2 hours similarly Bob had two carp and was struggling - in the wrong area came to mind. Went back and seen the match out on the long Ronnie rig in 5 foot of water which was well up the shelf.

My silvers weighed 11 lb 5 oz and the one carp 11 lb 9 oz! Having seen the silver results from the other banks think either the skimmers weren't our side or should have stayed on the long line longer.

The match was won by Matt Sheppard (pictured with the silvers winner waving his wonga) with 140 lb 12 oz from peg 6. Matt caught mainly on his top set down his RH side using corn over corn or down the left with corn over GB landing carp to 15 lb. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by Dave "The Drain" Lewis with 35 lb 3 oz from near side peg 27. Dave caught on his favoured chop worm and caster fished at 13 metres. Well done matey.

Result:

1. Matt Sheppard 140-12-0 peg 6

2. Ryan Shipp 130-06-0 peg 17 (Worm and caster down edge)

3. Joe McMahon 116-15-0 peg 31 (slapping pellet at 13 meters)

4. Glenn Bailey 103-15-0 peg 21 (Paste perhaps)

5. Vince Shipp 88-10-0 peg 20

6. Ricky Mills 88-03-0 peg 7

Silvers:

1. Dave Lewis 35-03-0 peg 27

2. Ryan Shipp 25-03-0n peg 17

3. Kev Winstone 14-02-0 peg 18

Weigh Sheets: