14/07/2024 - Alcove - Silver Bream Interclub - Gall Pond - Tortworth Estate

Judging from comments on social media a few anglers of are losing enthusiasm for the current SW match scene. I'm one. I am a traditional angler and will admit that I was one of the first to fish a floating pole at Moorlands Farm for Carp and have fished most methods for catching Carp, but have since avoided all self hooking methods, it goes against my traditionalism.  At the moment I have no enthusiasm to go and catch Carp in any numbers and certainly not with over shotted floats. I find myself at the moment wanting to get back to the canal and river, but soon dissuaded by the lack of matches on my beloved Bristol Avon due to access etc...the canal is over populated with moored boats, dog walkers (and their shit) and too many fast cyclist. Last year I joined Alcove AC and have enjoyed fishing our venues. This week it was an interclub with Silver Bream at their Gall Pond. The venue is as natural as it gets, so very very hard fishing. Now here's the thing I have been looking forward to fishing it all week and couldn't wait, a feeling I haven't had for some time. Taking me back to fond memories of fishing such venues pre- commercials usually organised by Tony Rixon with the promise of a bag up - the bagging bit never happened though. Current thinking is to join Stroud AA next year to fish their matches on the Gloucester canal.

Gall Pond is a part of the Tortworth Estate and a very beautiful place to spend the day. It's just off junction 14 of the M5 but can be hard to find as John Amato and Andy Gard found out. Nineteen fishing. Had a walk around and fancied peg 3 which looked really fishy but a bit Crabtreeish. Julie select the pretty draw bag as apposed to the black one which put us on odd numbers. Drew peg 23 on the far side. Found my self next to ex brewer owner Pete Turner (he never did organise one). Andy Gard was on peg 25. Most if not all pegs have a channel between Lilly pads to fish between - pictured. It was obvious that the fishing for most would be harder than usual because of the bright sun and the clear water.

Set up a few things but only caught on a 0.4 gram RJ lifter shotted traditionally at top set plus three barrels. Bait was LR's and GB. The first hour I had five species of Silvers averaging 3 oz. Felt OK as hardly anyone had caught. Kept going until the last two hours of the five hour match when the whole pond switched off. Didn't add to my species list either.

Weighed 3 lb 14 oz for 7th beaten both sides on the feeder with each having one 5 lb Bream. I really enjoyed the match and will be back next year.

The match was one by Silver Bream angler Andy Gabb (pictured) with six Bream weighing 32 lb 8 oz from peg 8. Andy caught on the cage feeder with GB and Maggot over to the floating island. Andy said he was getting liners throughout the day. It was obvious the Bream had shoaled up under the island to keep out of the brightness. Alcoves Julie Taylor came third off the next peg 7 nicking a couple of bream from the end of the island which apparently moves with the wind. Well done both.

Have to mention John Amato's 2 lb 3 oz Perch caught on a whole worm lifting and dropping.

Well we got hammered 60 lb to 30 lb. Still have the return match to come.

Weigh Sheet: (section error on the sheet has been rectified)

Thursday 04/07/2024 - Over 55's - Bitterwell Lake

We arrived to find PC Jaxon waiting and promptly arrested five of the Over 55's (pictured). Must say PC Jaxon certainly know's a villain when he see's one.

The poor weather continues into July, when is this cold blustering wind going to do one?

Bit depleted today due to holiday's, etc... In to the draw bag and peg 27 it was. Matt Challenger drew it Tuesday and struggle, hesaid the LH edge produced nothing but snags. The other side is Lily pads, which produced very little, which is my past experience of fishing to them. This didn't stop me setting up 2 x 0.3 RJ Slims to fish both. Caught only a few small Perch from both but did get one snag out (pictured) inspecting the shot it looked like it had been in the lake 50 years or more. So switched to the long Ronnie rig with single LR over GB catching five quick Skimmers and some Ronnie's but the presentation was awful due to the bloody wind which was effecting most of us in some way. Had to switch to the short Ronnie rig which worked a lot better adding Skimmers and Ronnie's to the end. Last few minutes hooked a big Skimmer which I didn't relised was foul hooked until it came up and escaped the hook - bugger.

Weighed 22 lb 9 oz for third in the silvers. Was pleased with the weight from this peg especially as pegs 23,24 and 25 have been the better pegs so far. Good anglers on them but they seem to have switched off.

The match was won by Martin McMahon (pictured - not sure why he wasn't the first to be arrested) with 100 lb 14 oz from peg 6. Martin initially caught on the PVA bag/feeder, later switching to the pole fishing hard pellet. Well done matey.

The silvers went to Shay Gillman (pictured) with 25 lb 9 oz from peg 21. Shay was forced to fish short due facing the brunt of the wind on maggot and caster. Shay learnt a lesson today walking his kit back to the car and leaving his nets unattended losing two Carp but managed to get his empty net back. Well done matey.

The next match at Bitterwell is Silvers only, which makes it simpler for us all especially me wasting time trying to catch Carp 😁. Bitterwell is the best Silvers venue locally.

Weigh Book:

Sunday 30/06/2024 - Alcove Club - Whitehouse Farm - Margret's

Looking forward to this match as it's a lovely quiet venue surrounded by wildlife and close to be a natural lake. In need of an haircut though.

In to the draw bag and to a gasp from all around when pulling peg 17. Well, someone got to have the flyer.

Walking to the peg and even though I've fished it before walked passed it due to be overgrown. So out came the trusty pen knife and did what I could. clearing enough of the Hawthorne's to cast a waggler or feeder. Found a brand new well made platform, was I the first to use it?

A good Chub peg and apparently good for Carp down the RH edge to the peg 18 empty platform, which was inaccessible due to the overhanging branches out of my reach for the penknife. Pondered the waggler, unfortunately the wind conditions would prevent feeding more than half way, so set up the maggot feeder which needed a fair bit of lead to reach the island. Set up the long Ronnie rig and a 0.3 gram RJ lifter with normal shotting to fish top set plus three barrels. Fed the short line with GB and DR's and the long line with some chopped worm and GB. Started on the Ronnie rig which was soon abandoned due to being ragged by tiny deepthroated Perch and Ronnie's.

Picked up the feeder knowing it was going to be a challenge to get it tight with the Willow's opposite combined with the small area behind to cast. After a few incidents with Mr Willow and Mr Hawthorne which broke my feeder tip and with a replacement tip managed to get some accuracy. Now here's a thing once putting it in tight regularly (nearly) and having had a couple of Chub to 4 lb the feed attracted the small Chublets which were getting to the feed quicker once finding the feed. It was ok but very difficult to read their bites especially the one's on the drop. So started new line to fish some tight and some shorter which produce a decent Chub or two and once the Chublets arrived start another line. This worked well. The bites from the big Chub were ferocious, also taking the bait well down so the combination of this caused the hook to pull on two decent fish. Having used all the lines went long with worm and had a 7 lb Carp and three decent Skimmers before the nuisance Perch arrived. Lost two more Carp - one slipped hook the other was a fouler. Seen the rest of the match out catching Chublets from various lines.

Silvers weighed 28 lb 12 oz - mostly Chub. the Carp weighed 7 lb 3 oz a very lively fish indeed, amounting to a double bubble beating Tony Welsby into second spot by 10 oz - unlucky.

The default silvers went to Bill Ferris (pictured with the match winner) with 15 lb 2 oz from peg 6. Bill fished maggot short catching small fish but did add a bonus Skimmer.

The Chub are healthy and thriving at this venue.

Weigh Sheet:

Thursday 27/06/2024 - Windmill Cost Cutter 500 Open - Match Lake

After just a few day's of Summer it was back to Autumn with overcast skies and a cold gusting wind. Would it be too much to ask to be on the far side and any number less than 16? 

Dave Haines had locked himself out of his van, I was able to help out with a pen and some of Avon Anglings left over swim cards, which was enough to get us started.

Into the draw bag and peg 23 it was. One of the better pegs in the twenties, but arriving at the peg found the wind howling into it at 11 o clock and with it 8 foot deep at one barrel and the margins almost unfishable due to the reeds it was going to be a rough day - hate the wind. Decided to clear as much bankside vegetation as I could down to the right which gave some cover from the wind. I was soon in fleece and Gore-Tex whilst opposite Barny was in tea shirt well sheltered from the wind. Found myself next to the Jinx - Ray Bazeley on peg 22.

Set up the maggot feeder - had one Perch on it, binned it. Tried the top set plus one barrel, but the presentation was awful with the rig being blown into me. No idea where the GB feed was going. The upshot fished the margin with the short Ronnie rig for most of the match in between the wind blowing the rig into reeds. Had about 130 fish - Perch, Rudd, Ronnie's and some tiny Skimmers. Just couldn't get any bonus Skimmers. Landed one small Carp with another three doing me in the reeds.

Silvers weighed 10 lb 3 oz and my one Carp 4 lb 13 oz. Third in the silvers - needed a bonus - bloody wind buggered the peg for me.

The match was won by Barny (pictured above baiting up) with 86 lb 1 oz from peg 1. Barny caught on his usual of worm over humongous amount of micro and chopped worm. However, he didn't catch until the last quarter of the Match, which seems the way on this venue. Well done matey.

The silvers was won by Shay Gillman (pictured with the match winner) with 13 lb 15 oz from peg 3. Shay started on the small fish short, later switching to 11.5 metres catching some better Skimmers on Maggot and GB. - well done matey.

Matey Geoff Francis came second qualifying for the 500 final by default with 61 lb 13 oz from peg 12 catching down his edge with double corn mostly caught in the last hour. Well done matey.

Geoff and me shooting off for our usual Thursday Indian.

Weigh Sheets:

Thursday 20/06/2024 - Over 55's at Bitterwell Lake

Sad news of the passing of Malcolm Murfet. Born again he would be named Mr. Bathampton. The club was his life. Lots of fond memorise of Malcolm who did a lot for charities often donating anonymously. I can give one example now without fear of a bollocking. I ran the Bathampton Juniors, running Saturday matches regularly on the K&A Canal (chose this venue for safety reasons). Every Friday before the the match I would get a call from Malcolm enquiring how many was fishing. Most times it was around 40. I would get a return call later to go round his business where he would give me two sacks of prizes. He always said the pressures on you now to make sure they all catch. It was bloody hard work complying with his wishes. Nonetheless, they all went home with something from rods, reels, whips and loads of terminal tackle. It was pleasure to have known Malcolm and liked his forth rightfulness. I have included a pictured of him which I know he would hate any publicity once again helping a young lad with a gift of a pole. RIP.

If you do a search "Malcom Murfet " here search you will find some contribution from him - interesting funny read fishing in Ireland.

Back to Bitterwell for the over 55's - at last some proper weather. Bloody traffic around this area is awful.

Into the draw bag and peg 24 again it was. Learnt a bit last time so hopefully some it it will help today. Good company with Phil on peg 23 who was suffering from back pain and should of given it a miss and Barny on peg 25, hopefully will learn a bit from him on worm fishing.

Set up - the long Ronnie rig and a 0.3 gram RJ Slim to fish up to the reeds to my left. GB, casters and maggots and a few worms on their last legs due to the heat. 

Fed both lines with caster and loose dry GB. Thought I would start in on the RJ rig up to the reeds this time with the margin pole with single caster. Shipping out spied a Carp supping up the GB still floating on the surface so lowered the rig over it and took it straight away. One double in the net in first 5 minutes. Tried feeding some more dry GB but no sign of another but did had a 2 lb Tench - good start. From then on it was a question of switching between the two rigs adding 2 more smaller Carp, 2 more Tench and a few Skimmers plus about 5 lb of Ronnie's to keep me active in between feeding. With 30 minutes to go fed some chopped worm on the RJ rig with a piece of worm on the hook which produced three Skimmers in the last knockings. I did loose a Carp in the middle of the reeds and was amazed to get the complete rig back - conclusion - RJ floats are indestructible.

Silvers weighed 22 lb 8 oz and Carp 26 lb 2 oz for a match winning total of 48 lb 10 oz. Second in the silvers to Andy Greenham.

Andy (pictured) drew peg 29 weighing 33 lb 10 oz comprising 6 Tench to 5 lb and lots of Skimmers to 3 lb. Andy caught on meat mostly down his margin feeding 6 mm fishing 8 mm on the hook. Well done matey.

Excellent fishing on a well kept fishery.

Weigh Book:

 

Bristol Golden Carp Angling Association - Minute Book

Bob "The Bread" Price gave me a book which was rescued from Colin Goldings House. It contains the minutes of the meetings of Bristol Golden Carp Angling Association. The book has 263 pages and covers the years from April 3rd 1939 to 3rd July 1950 - which includes the second world war period. 

As some one that still uses pen and ink I was most impressed with the quality of the hand writing and the long forgotten English language, wonderful how the meetings are closed with the words "in Harmony and Peace" - heart warming compared to today's standards.

There is too much to put on here but if anyone local to me wishes to read it contact me.

Post war they were running 200 peg matches on the Bristol Avon.

Note the comment re - Otters.

Thursday 13/06/2024 - Windmill Fishery - Cost Cutter - Match Lake

Not been here for a while. The access road is much improved. Originally had 22 booked in but a few cried off most probably because of the awful weather. I had six layers on and was still cold.

Hoping for any peg except 21 to 18 which have in recent times been awful, however, they do throw up the occasional decent weight. In to the draw bag and peg 19 it was - duh. I think the way it fishes depends on the wind and with it gusting down the lake it was going to be hard. Good company with Ray Bazeley on peg 20. We both knew we were on no hopers - but you never know. We both laughed when the whistle went the wind started to increase considerably.

Only hope of a pick up from the peg was silvers, so set up from them. The wind prevented the use of the waggler so just set up a maggot feeder in the hope of a couple of decent skimmers over. The short Ronnie rig for the small fish and a 0.4 gram RJ to fish top set plus three barrels for skimmers both theses rigs fished over LR's over GB.

Had a couple of casts on the maggot feeder whilst the GB feed on the two rig lines settled. No signs, so on to the long rig and had five Skimmers to 3 oz!! Refed the line which subsequently died. On to the Ronnie rig and basically sat with the cold wind off my back catching very small Perch and the odd Rudd and Ronnie for most of the match knowing it would be difficult to beat three or four big skimmers. Did have a Common Carp on the maggot feeder after being pestered by small Perch on the maggot feeder during a tea break.

Weighed 5 lb 10 oz of silvers and the one Carp 3 lb 12 oz for nowhere.

The match was one by the migratory angler Tony Rixon (pictured with the silvers winner) with 67 lb 8 oz from peg 17. Tony caught three on a full depth pellet waggler in open water and later at three barrels on meat over loose fed meat. Well done matey see you here next year.

Silvers was won by Andy Gard with 10 lb 3 oz from peg 25. Andy caught short out in front on caster and maggot hook bait over GB. Well done matey.

Glad to get in the car and get the heater on - some scientist believe we are entering a mini ice age - now seems more likely than global warming.

Weigh Sheets: