My first match back on a commercial since my last debacle at Shiplate fishery and I hoped things would be better this time round. I was travelling on my own today as Glenn prefers Acorn to Landsend (can't blame him he has framed there nearly every visit using paste) and I was also alone at home as the rest of the family went off to Westbay for a week.
I try not to go to a match single minded, but I did fancy fishing for silvers today but had plenty of pellets etc in case I drew on a carp peg. I really wanted to avoid drawing lake 3 but when I got to the bucket that was all that was left in and the last four of us in the queue headed to the same lake, I was on end peg 55. Walking past Alan Oram on peg 41, and Anton Page on peg 42 I knew my work would be cut out to even win any section coin, and then there was Andy Gard and Nigel Bartlett who were fishing silvers!!! The info I could get pointed to me being better off fishing for carp although not enough form to win from it. Opposite me on peg 58 was fellow blogger Ken Raynor, and he was happy with his draw.
Setting up didn't take long, a 4x10 durafloat 10 for worms etc, for the margin to my right over groundbait, a paste rig for 11mtr at 1 o'clock, and 2 banded pellet rigs for up and down the point on the end bank at 14.5m. I started the match potting pellet in at 11m, some on the point and that was it. First drop in on the paste and I missed a bite, next chuck a 4lb fish was netted, next chuck a 2lb fish. The swim was fizzing and things looked good, but then it went tits up with me getting what looked like proper bites but more often than not a fouler was hooked and lost, only a little 1lb fish was netted by the end of the first hour. Ken was having a slow start too, but not losing as many as I was! I did manage a few more fish on the paste in the 2nd hour mostly 2lb fish but an 8lber was a bonus. This line then really dried up and so I moved over to the point. Starting shallow I had a fish after about 5 mins of trying, another after about 10 mins but then I went deep. This produced more indications than shallow but you never knew if you were going to foul one or get it in the mouth, again the fish I caught were on the small side.
Half way through I started putting groundbait in the margin to my right under a tree, and as seems to happen to me I then struggled mid match for any fish what so ever. Ken was probably slightly ahead of me as he had better fish, but he was also beating me on hooking up on far bank snags, lol, lots of effing was going on!
Numerous attempts over the gbait resulted in only 3 small skimmers, I kept piling the bait in but a carp never did venture in my margin. The point seem to dry up and so I tried the paste line again, and after some variation of feeding I started to get bites again, and all of a sudden I had 5 in 5 chucks. I took the odd fish then till the end of the match with 8 fish in the last hour (but they weighed less than 15lb!). Ken hardly caught a fish in the last 2 hours, the fish just disappeared from his swim.
I knew I hadn't done enough today as I could hear Alan, Anton and Clint Wijtiola were bagging at the other end. It turned out the bigger fish were at the other end of the lake, as Anton had 130lb, Clint 99lb (both from margin over gbait) and Alan 89lb. My net of small carp went 67lb which was 4th on the lake after the carp slayers, but I had enjoyed my day, just a shame the carp weren't all 4lb a piece!
Craig Edmunds won (again) from unfancied peg 9 on match lake (the bloke is a legend), he caught mainly on meat but also some on pellet, that is what Mat Toomes told me (he was on peg 11 with a stiff neck). Anton came 2nd and after him... see Tony's blog! Would you believe that Nige Bartlett won the silvers with 25lb of small roach and Andy came 2nd with 18lb, surprised the other lakes did not show more silvers.
Back to the river next week with the first round of the commercial house, need a bit of preparation for this match!
Monday, 26 August 2013
Sunday, 18 August 2013
Final Round Superleague, Bristol Avon Newbridge
After 3 weekends missing fishing (albeit enjoying Florida) it was good to be back on the bank, especially so being on the river. I had managed a little preparation on the Saturday and groundbait and rigs were ready, though I didn't get round to tying any hooks.
The draw was at the rugby club at Saltford and it was the first time I had seen some of my Thatchers team mates for a few months. Once again England International Des Shipp was in attendance and during breakfast he wound me up saying I was always on a flyer on the river and nothing had changed since the days we fished together, methinks he has a poor memory (he probably has forgot more about fishing than I will ever know). The draw was finally done and I found myself pegged in the middle of Rotork on peg 13, Des found himself on the peg that won last week, POTS AND KETTLES!!! As far as my draw went I was happy that I would catch a few but the end pegs tend to dominate, and with Dave Micklewright on peg 2 and Steve Long peg 27 I set my target for 10lb and 3rd in the section.
The peg I drew was much like the one I pleasure fished in the first day of the season, in as much as it was a good 6 foot off the water. The flow was poor and that wouldn't help trying to catch roach I thought, but I still set up with them in mind. A 1grm pencil float, and a 2grm PB Silvers both with 20 to 0.1 were my main long pole rigs, I fished these at 11m as out at 13m there was a big deviation in the bottom. A 1.5grm rig with a 14 to 0.14 was set up for fishing worms on my top 5 (although perch had not showed here I was told), and lastly a 3AAA waggler with a 20 to 0.12 was my gambit. No feeder today, as I felt chances of bream were zero.
To start the match I threw in 12 balls of gbait containing some hemp and casters at 11m and dropped in with the 1grm rig. I caught a few small roach and then bleak prevented the rig from settling. Picking up the 2grm rig I was still getting the odd bleak hold the rig up despite pushing the olivette within a foot of the hook. After an hour I was less than happy thinking I had about 2.5lb when you'd normally expect to do 5lb. I then hooked a lovely 12oz roach and a few more roach put in an appearance including another about 10oz. 1hr and 45 mins the pole line died, and it died big time, even the bleak were gone! For the next 45 mins I never had a single bite on the pole or the waggler, during this time I fed some worms and casters on my inside line. When I dropped in on dendra hookbait I was really chuffed when the float went under and a 4oz perch was swung in. Over the next hour I had more perch from 1oz to 8oz but the biggest of around 10oz was taken by a bloody big pike just as I was about to net it, bugger!
The worm line never really produced again and the pole was still devoid of anything, thankfully the waggler was now working for bleak and the odd 1oz chublet, and I was happy to catch anything. Unfortunately at this stage my maggots died due to the heat and that didn't help things!! With an hour to go I threw another 8 balls on the pole line as I really had nothing to lose, but running the rig through for 10 mins brought no more bites. I switched between wag and worm line for the odd fish on the wag mainly, and with 10 mins left I snapped the line on the wag in a bramble. As the worm line was dead I thought I might as well try the pole line again and with the light rig I caught a bleak, and then 4 roach in 4 casts and the match ended!!!!
I was more than happy with what I had caught, but I felt I missed out on a few more fish by never really getting things going. The scales got to me and Dave Micklewright was top with 16lb 10oz (he won the match, fair play) the next two anglers had 4lb+ and then I weighed 10lb 13oz. The next 3 pegs had 6 to 7lb and then the last two pegs weighed 10lb and Steve Long 10lb 13oz and so we ended joint 2nd in the section.
Back to the results and the team had good results with a couple of section winners and lots of 2nd or 3rd, but Diawa Gordon League had done even better and won the day and won the league, Thatchers finished 2nd overall.
The river had fished much harder than last week, and only 1 angler had a couple of bream and he came 2nd. I actually came joint 5th overall, about 9oz behind 4th place Gary Etheridge who was last in the money, that bloody pike cost me, lol! I should mention Des of course, he found the bream not feeding but still caught a high 5lb for 2nd in his section.
It was really good to back on the river and in among the fish, I really enjoy catching on a moving water and working hard to keep bites coming. Did I enjoy my 5 hours more than Glenn Bailey did winning Lodge lake with 99lb on the paste in 6 hours? As I always say, if you enjoy what you do do it, don't moan at others who enjoy what they do even if you don't. Perhaps finally Mike Nicholls might stop asking me "I don't know why you still fish the rivers?" It is because I enjoy it Mike!, lol!!!!!
The draw was at the rugby club at Saltford and it was the first time I had seen some of my Thatchers team mates for a few months. Once again England International Des Shipp was in attendance and during breakfast he wound me up saying I was always on a flyer on the river and nothing had changed since the days we fished together, methinks he has a poor memory (he probably has forgot more about fishing than I will ever know). The draw was finally done and I found myself pegged in the middle of Rotork on peg 13, Des found himself on the peg that won last week, POTS AND KETTLES!!! As far as my draw went I was happy that I would catch a few but the end pegs tend to dominate, and with Dave Micklewright on peg 2 and Steve Long peg 27 I set my target for 10lb and 3rd in the section.
The peg I drew was much like the one I pleasure fished in the first day of the season, in as much as it was a good 6 foot off the water. The flow was poor and that wouldn't help trying to catch roach I thought, but I still set up with them in mind. A 1grm pencil float, and a 2grm PB Silvers both with 20 to 0.1 were my main long pole rigs, I fished these at 11m as out at 13m there was a big deviation in the bottom. A 1.5grm rig with a 14 to 0.14 was set up for fishing worms on my top 5 (although perch had not showed here I was told), and lastly a 3AAA waggler with a 20 to 0.12 was my gambit. No feeder today, as I felt chances of bream were zero.
To start the match I threw in 12 balls of gbait containing some hemp and casters at 11m and dropped in with the 1grm rig. I caught a few small roach and then bleak prevented the rig from settling. Picking up the 2grm rig I was still getting the odd bleak hold the rig up despite pushing the olivette within a foot of the hook. After an hour I was less than happy thinking I had about 2.5lb when you'd normally expect to do 5lb. I then hooked a lovely 12oz roach and a few more roach put in an appearance including another about 10oz. 1hr and 45 mins the pole line died, and it died big time, even the bleak were gone! For the next 45 mins I never had a single bite on the pole or the waggler, during this time I fed some worms and casters on my inside line. When I dropped in on dendra hookbait I was really chuffed when the float went under and a 4oz perch was swung in. Over the next hour I had more perch from 1oz to 8oz but the biggest of around 10oz was taken by a bloody big pike just as I was about to net it, bugger!
The worm line never really produced again and the pole was still devoid of anything, thankfully the waggler was now working for bleak and the odd 1oz chublet, and I was happy to catch anything. Unfortunately at this stage my maggots died due to the heat and that didn't help things!! With an hour to go I threw another 8 balls on the pole line as I really had nothing to lose, but running the rig through for 10 mins brought no more bites. I switched between wag and worm line for the odd fish on the wag mainly, and with 10 mins left I snapped the line on the wag in a bramble. As the worm line was dead I thought I might as well try the pole line again and with the light rig I caught a bleak, and then 4 roach in 4 casts and the match ended!!!!
I was more than happy with what I had caught, but I felt I missed out on a few more fish by never really getting things going. The scales got to me and Dave Micklewright was top with 16lb 10oz (he won the match, fair play) the next two anglers had 4lb+ and then I weighed 10lb 13oz. The next 3 pegs had 6 to 7lb and then the last two pegs weighed 10lb and Steve Long 10lb 13oz and so we ended joint 2nd in the section.
Back to the results and the team had good results with a couple of section winners and lots of 2nd or 3rd, but Diawa Gordon League had done even better and won the day and won the league, Thatchers finished 2nd overall.
The river had fished much harder than last week, and only 1 angler had a couple of bream and he came 2nd. I actually came joint 5th overall, about 9oz behind 4th place Gary Etheridge who was last in the money, that bloody pike cost me, lol! I should mention Des of course, he found the bream not feeding but still caught a high 5lb for 2nd in his section.
It was really good to back on the river and in among the fish, I really enjoy catching on a moving water and working hard to keep bites coming. Did I enjoy my 5 hours more than Glenn Bailey did winning Lodge lake with 99lb on the paste in 6 hours? As I always say, if you enjoy what you do do it, don't moan at others who enjoy what they do even if you don't. Perhaps finally Mike Nicholls might stop asking me "I don't know why you still fish the rivers?" It is because I enjoy it Mike!, lol!!!!!
Monday, 12 August 2013
Back Home
Just a quick note to say blogging will return this weekend as I am fishing the Superleague up at Newbridge, apparently it fished well Sunday just gone.
I have just returned from 2 weeks in Florida (Orlando) where my fear of heights was put to the test by several, well about a dozen roller coasters. On one of them I lost my Sensas cap and it now resides in Sea World Park, I actually saw it sitting upright and wondered if I could claim sponsorship from Ian Parsons for advertising Sensas, lol!
Martyn Woodington was also over in Florida, but he was by the coast and went fishing most days. From the emails I got from him it appears he didn't catch much other than a few small catfish and bass, and he was more likely to foul hook a dolphin or manatee. As for me I didn't bother fishing for silvers I went for the vermin, see photo below of my gillie handling my catch.
If you like your thrills and hot weather get to Orlando it really is an amazing place. Next time I would like to head for the Keys and some proper fishing!
I have just returned from 2 weeks in Florida (Orlando) where my fear of heights was put to the test by several, well about a dozen roller coasters. On one of them I lost my Sensas cap and it now resides in Sea World Park, I actually saw it sitting upright and wondered if I could claim sponsorship from Ian Parsons for advertising Sensas, lol!
Martyn Woodington was also over in Florida, but he was by the coast and went fishing most days. From the emails I got from him it appears he didn't catch much other than a few small catfish and bass, and he was more likely to foul hook a dolphin or manatee. As for me I didn't bother fishing for silvers I went for the vermin, see photo below of my gillie handling my catch.
If you like your thrills and hot weather get to Orlando it really is an amazing place. Next time I would like to head for the Keys and some proper fishing!