Cluckers Peg
I hope to post updates of my angling exploits, give hints and tips on venues and methods I fish, and maybe tell a few old stories.
Sunday, 31 August 2025
Bathampton and Bristol & West Pairs league - Newbridge
Monday, 18 August 2025
Bathampton & Bristol and West pairs League - Newbridge
I got to the river at 7:15 and as I paid my pools had to endure another ear bashing about the Gas, can’t argue with anything in that respect at the moment 🙈🙉. As ever I wanted to be in the first 4 pegs in A section, but as ever Rich pulled me B section. I think that’s every match this and last season I have been in B lol. Rich got A1 peg 16 and I got B9 peg 56. I would have been on peg 61 but moored boats had messed up the pegging.
A decent walk from peg 16 to 56, and when I got there I had a rest and looked at the last results here, my peg had 3lb and beat 1, hmmm. Dean Harvey was on peg 10 and I expected him to do well as it has been good for roach and perch.
Much like yesterday I had a steep peg, but no steps. But at least I could get my box in the water and all comfortable.
56 is a great peg with a bit of water on as the flow is mostly across the river. It meant my pole line was a bit slower and shallower than the pegs around me. A 1g pencil float would do for 11m and I went with a 20 and 0.10. I did set up a heavier rig and worm rig but neither worked. The obligatory gbait feeder was readied as was a waggler with 18 to 0.12 and a bolo rig.
Started on the feeder getting some bait in and looking for early signs, just a small roach and a perch so it was onto the pole where 8 balls of black roach / black river had been fed. I got a 1oz roach first drop and a few more this size which was concerning, then I started getting a few bleak problems but not so bad. I was catching but not great quality, but carried on taking what was on offer. I was loose feeding hemp and caster over the pole line and after an hour had a few 3oz roach.
Halfway through the match the pole died and I gave the feeder another 30 minutes. Never had a touch and was surprised, especially as on peg 8 (54) Chopper had a bream and 2 skimmers and quite a few perch. With Dean catching on the float I was getting a battering! Just to make my lot better a paddle boarder fell in right in my peg, then after getting back on the board proceeded to drop her house and car keys in the river….. Her husband decided to dive in after them (a pointless exercise) and then said they’re gone. I had a drink and a bite to eat to let things settle down.
I tried the waggler which was awkward as the wind was a nightmare, but I picked up a few bleak and 4 small chublets and then nothing, not a bite on the bolo. Tried the pole and feeder but no bites. I had to make a decision sit it out for a bream or try and add some extra fish on the waggler. I went with the wag and picked up odd chublets and bleak to end the match.
I reckoned I had about 8lb or so but no idea how that would do. Rich on A1 thought he had over 10lb but for a few hours was battered by bleak. Well I ended up getting 8 points out of 10 with 9lb 2oz which I was relieved with, but I was beat both sides lol. Well done Chopper winning the section after struggling in the league, see you can catch them! My board below.
A section fished well as you can see, and Warren Bates won the match from unfancied middle of the straight. He had roach on the whip early, but when it died he had a couple of bream and a skimmer on the whip, nothing on the feeder. Another great performance by Warren in the league.
Rich ended up with 6 points which was good enough as 14 points is usually decent each round.
With one round left to go we are still winning but just 6 1/2 points ahead of Jer Pocock and Nick Coles. This means we need to get 14 points on the last round to guarantee the win, but anything can happen. The next round is back at Newbridge in 2 weeks.
The end of a long weekend (week actually but that’s another story) and despite not picking up any dosh I had enjoyed the fishing both days. No fishing this weekend so tight lines if you’re going.
Better quality today than yesterday.
Sunday, 17 August 2025
Division 1 National - Warwickshire Avon
Sunday, 3 August 2025
Pairs League Saltford Trees / Swineford
Friday, 1 August 2025
Darren North Memorial Match Acorn Fishery
I was looking forward to fishing the match and the chance to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. My preference at Acorn is to fish for the silvers as I enjoy busy fishing and don’t have to pull my arms off slaying carp lol. Last time here in June I managed second in the silvers but I struggled to catch, but since then 35lb to 58lb has won the silvers most matches, I just needed a decent peg. I had asked Jamie Rich for a bit of info and he obliged, it was pretty much in line with what I thought so I was well prepared.
After a breakfast roll at H&H I was at the fishery in good time, I already had 2 pints of casters (from not fishing the weekend) and bought 2 pints of maggots from the shop and was served by my old (very old lol) team mate Des Shipp. Not long after Mike announced match details and we had a minutes silence for Darren, followed by the draw. Jamie said draw 38 or 40 would help, but I drew 18 on the straight hopefully ok.
When I got to my peg I was happy to see I was surrounded by carp anglers 😊 and had the silvers to myself here. To my left on 19 was Lee Waller, on 16 was Graham Smith, Ryan Jordan and Gary Bowden (with new teeth 😬) were also on the straight. Setting up was simple, 3 top sets with two 4x16 with 0.12 accu power to 16 SFLB one for top set plus two sections, and one for 10m (both deep water) and a 4x12 for 3 1/2 feet at 13.5m.
We started at 10 and I fed maggots and casters on my short line and 10m line, then went across and dropped a small ball of gbait and maggots in and started here. I had a couple of liners and then landed a carp… I binned this off straight away! Onto the 10m line and there were lots of fizzes, but for 15 minutes not a bite! Fishing double red maggot on the hook I finally caught an ide, and very gradually started to get bites and topped up with a toss pot of maggots and casters. After the first hour I had 8lb ide , a couple of skimmers and one small tench.
The second hour was more of the same with ide regularly coming to the net, I was up to 20lb by the end of it. The next hour carried on well but the 10m line was now slower, time to rest and look short. It was more ide here plus a skimmer and 2 tench, but it slowed quickly. Back to 10m and more ide had arrived. I carried on catching mainly at 10m till an hour to go, then it slowed up. With 45 mins to go I dropped a couple of balls of F1 gbait with worm and caster to my right at 10m, and as expected this fizzed right up! In my experience at this time of the day it draws carp in as well as silvers, on this occasion I hooked 3 carp here but did get a couple of skimmers and 3 tench one landed in the all out.
I’d had a fantastic day, really busy and had to change a few things up with the feeding to keep bagging. I had clicked exactly 60lb (30 in each net) but wasn’t sure if I had that much as a lot of the ide are 6oz. However, Graham said he thought I had 60lb. Brian Shanks was on peg 10 and had the scales, Lee elected not to weigh in and then my two nets were added up at 66lb 8oz.
As it turned out I was able to beat the regular silvers slayers here and was well chuffed to win the silvers on this memorial match. Results overall…
1. Brian Shanks 203-12 p10
2. Keith Ray 192-13 p13
3.Matt Vowels 173-04 p6
4. Jeff Grant 172-07 p40
Silvers
1. Tim Ford 66.08 p18
2. Mike Chapman 32.12 p2
Mike Wilson did a really fantastic job and the match raised £450 for the charity, partly in thanks to Darren’s sister who paid the peg fees, she also came to the match and it was nice to talk to her.