Up a bit earlier for breakfast today which as ever was at M&M cafe in Somerton, and then a short drive to Avalon Fishery where it was good to see old friend and previous team mate Vic Bush. I do like this fishery, it can be a challenge some days, but there are some great fish in here, it is also in an area near to shapwick heath nature reserve and some wonderful wildlife.
My job today to record the draw, and Vic pulled all the pegs out, he pulled one for me first and gave me 13... unlucky for some? As I walked to my peg and went past Mike Nicholls I thought he had fallen in, but it turned out he was literally in the lake clearing his margin!
For the third time this week I was next to Glenn who was on peg 12 and he said we needed to be further down he thought, our match ran from peg 5 to peg 23. My other neighbour was venue regular Mike West, I've not seen Mike for ages, but he really is a very nice bloke and we had a good chat whilst setting up. It was funny when he cast out lead out, and I said it is a float only Mike, he didn't know. Funnier still when Vic arrived on 16 and chucked the lead out and Woody told him it is float only Vic, lol!
As I set up (and forgot to take a photo) I remembered winning a match on this peg many years ago on a pellet wag, but now there is a tree which would prevent me casting into the bay where I had caught before, I did set the wag up but wasn't sure it would work. A 4x16 rig was set up for banded pellet, and a float with no shot on the line for paste, I use a size 12 PR456 which I have lots left of but are discontinued. I was going to feed one line at 11.5m to fish these rigs over, the wind was getting up and I didn't want to fight it further out. I also set up a rig for the margins but never had a sniff here.
I knew I was going to have my work cut out today, both Mike and Glenn are paste anglers and so I was going to be up against it to not be a chip shop sausage, especially as they were both going out to 13m, but I was positive after my good run. In went half a pot of 6mm pellets on the all in and out went the paste rig, the wind was a pain and after two attempts I had the paste come off and picked up the pellet rig. The 8mm pellet was soon picked up and I was the first to land a carp of the three of us. I missed a couple of indications and then had a fouler, so back on the paste and got it sorted. I had two fish on this and lost two foulers. Three fish for about 25lb, but Glenn then had two for about 30lb one of those was a real lump and snapped his top set. Mike had one carp.
We all struggled after this initial hour and became quite motionless I tried the waggler and may have had one bite but the wind was making it impossible really. After an hour of nothing I then had two carp in fairly quick succession, and halfway through I was once again leading the match as it seemed the venue was showing its tough side. As we moved into the second half of the match Mike and Glenn and myself would all seem to get a very odd fish, and Mark Tanner on 11 was catching on the pellet wag. I saw fish over by the island and when the wind dropped I said I'm catching that carp that keeps showing itself. I cast to it, landed 3 feet away, within 8 seconds I had a bite and fish on, but after a few seconds it was off and I reeled in 2 scales. Not long after I put the waggler up the poxy tree, and decided to concentrate on the paste.
Mike started to get more signs of fish in his peg in the last 2 hours, and he was now catching better than myself and Glenn. But then we would get the odd carp, and I had a tench, it always felt close between us as we approached the end. 10 mins to go Mike lands one and Glenn does too, damn, then 5 mins to go I hook one (please stay on!). Just before the all out Mike hooks another and we both land our fish after the whistle. I had Mike down as the winner, as he seemed to have bigger fish than myself. Although a tough match it had certainly gone down to the wire when just one fish could make the difference.
Vic began weighing from peg 5, Mark Tanner on 11 had a great 47lb 8oz all on the pellet wag, then Glenn just pipped him with 49lb 12oz with some big boys!
I was next to weigh in and my fish went 55lb 8oz and so I went into the lead, but that didn't last long as Mike West won with 66lb 6oz, well done Mike you fished a great match and never gave up.
That meant I was second and Glenn third, so I ended up framing in every match this week which honestly I never even dreamed of.
Full results on the sheet below, silvers won by John Fuidge with 20lb of skimmers and tench on corn.
End of holiday, well not quite. We stopped in Street to have a meal in Wetherspoons, we all had masks with us so no issues and sat in our lodge bubbles. Had a few cans as it was the last night.
Next morning I had a breakfast and packed everything up, some people shot off but some were staying to fish the pegs behind the lodge. I went for a walk, quickly looked in the other lodge and took a photo of their table, glad I was in the other lodge!
Walking round the lake I spied some big fish in the corner of middle lake, as Lee, Martin and Mark were having a little knock up I told Chris Ollis to come with me and catch one of these carp. I showed Chris where they were, he kept back from the edge, I grabbed his topset as he held the rest of the pole and I swung the rig just off the end of a pipe. The meat was grabbed before it was out of sight and I said "strike!" Fish on. After a good battle Chris landed a lovely common of about 18lb, Martin saw it as well and said had to be at least that.
After I left the guys behind I found out Lee Masey had an eel on the pole, it weighed 4lb 14oz, bloody big that! Shame no photo, but sure Lee won't forget that one!
Well I reflect on a great week, after all the lockdown restrictions it was nice to be with friends and even with the rules we managed to have some great fishing and plenty of belly laughs. Certainly my most successful holiday from a results perspective, but that is only part of the bigger picture. A big thanks to Glenn who organized the matched and the bookings, and thanks to Steve, Matt and Helen Long for their every friendly welcome and support.
Tomorrow I'm on the KSD, any carp in there PMSL!
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