November 1993

No fishing this weekend as I wanted to have a break and see the kids again, so a pop back down memory lane.

I ventured to the upper Bristol Avon on Saturday 20th November 1993, to Staverton to be precise, where there were often Sat opens but I had not fished them before. The weather was not good and it had been -3C overnight and only crept up to 3C during the day. I drew what was then permanent peg 26 and was told it was not that good, but the peg looked nice to me with a good run down the inside. I set up a stick float in the hope of catching some roach in close and a maggot feeder for across for a chub. The stick line was very quiet, and after 2 hours I had only taken 3 tiny roach when I hooked a big chub, how big I will never know as it swam all the way to the far bank and bust me up. I never had another bite for the rest of the match and the lost chub would have saw me frame on a dire day.

I was up on Sunday morning ready for the Commercial House to be fished at Frys and looked out of my window only to be greeted by a covering of snow. The team draw put me at the top end of Frys on peg 80 which was 1 above the stump. A crowquill and a feeder were all I set up and as I was not sure if I would catch after yesterday's struggle I used a 22 to 0.09 on the float. I fished 3 rods out on the float feeding maggots and to cut a long story short I managed to convert my one bite into a 7 1/2oz chublet. This one fish was a good result in what was the worst section of the match, and it helped the team to win on the day and we now held a 3 1/2 point lead.

Friday following I had a pleasure fishing trip to Kelston Straight and blanked! The following day was the Silver Dace Xmas match and I drew at Jack Whites, a couple of pegs below the blockhouse which back in those days was an awful draw. Needless to say I blanked again, but so did 29 other people and I managed to win 24 cans of lager for sticking it out. The match was won with 10lb of roach from the bay at the Crane and it was clear that the fish had shoaled up due to the continued cold weather. Sunday was now going to be a bit of a bum squeaker as I was on for a hat trick of blanks, but this match being the ATWL I couldn't afford that. I found myself drawn above Saltford weir field and just by the danger weir sign, an area most people turned their noses up at. This part of the river was deep and I set up a pole to fish at 11.5 metres with a 1.5grm float and a 24 to 0.08. I also set up a straight lead on a little wand rod, also with a 24 to 0.08. I flicked out 4 to 6 maggots every other cast and after an hour I picked up a roach on the pole, I'd caught this by fishing 18" overdepth and easing the rig through slowly. My final tally of 6 roach and a perch went 1lb 11oz and was worth 9 points, the pegs at the other end of the section (opposite bottom of the trees) had produced a few big roach and the top weights. The team didn't have a good day with a few of the lads blanking and we bombed to 6th on the day and that left us 7 1/2 points behind the leaders, with the remaining matches to be fished in the New Year.

There will only be one more "down memory lane" post for a while now, this is because all of my diaries are packed away in storage and they won't come out until I buy a new house. 1994 will have to wait sorry! Back on the fishing trail next weekend with the Commercial House Xmas match on the canal, looks like an ice breaker will be needed but I think mine is...... you guessed it packed away in storage lol!