I will just start off today by saying that I have had a better week personally although I am still a long way from "normal". Today I drove to Viaduct fishery and watched the league match that was taking place, this was a big step for me as I would be a long drive and a long way from the toilet! Sadly the fishery was having an off day and many anglers were struggling, it seemed to me that pegs 110, 111 and 132 on Campbell were the most consistent, with Des Shipp on 110 storming it catching on pellet long down the edge. Nice to see even top internationals struggle, Des had dropped his phone in the lake, snapped a number 5 and was hooking a lot of debris on the bottom, to be fair he didn't moan much. Two rods were pulled in on Carey lake, a tip rod was snapped and Nick Chedzoy broke a top set, I am sure there were more tackle casualties! I left with 90 mins of the match remaining glad I had visited, it was good to see so many anglers and I was humbled by the kind comments. I only crapped myself once so not to bad then! Expect to see results on Tony "eel" Rixon's blog.
Got home had a bit of tea and fell asleep, totally knackered me out that visit but all part of building myself up.
A little dip back in time again now... Saturday the 5th of August was a hot (86F) sunny day, and I fished the K&A canal at Claverton (on the pump) with Dave Haines. The canal here was very clear and we could see small fish everywhere, and a few lumps too. I fished straight down the middle of the canal and fed caster and hemp, and to begin fishing on the bottom with a 20 to 0.10 I caught a few perch but mainly roach. Bites went iffy and I switched to a small float which took 3 no 12 shot and used hemp on the hook, on this I took roach up to 12oz. I ended with a nice net of 13 1/2lb. Dave fished caster and fed it heavier and nailed double caster to the deck, he had 9lb which included 2 chub, 4 hybrids as well as roach. A great day. On Sunday I was fishing the Gloucester Canal Team Champs with Thatchers, I drew peg 84. A rancid 5 hours ensued and I never had a bite on the pole, but thankfully a couple of bites on the feeder came my way and I managed to connect with one and a 13 1/2oz skimmer was my lot! Thankfully my dismal day was soon forgotten as the team won the match and I was dead chuffed!
A week later and the weather was still scorchio! I pleasure fished at Jackie Whites on the Bristol Avon, fishing a peg I called the stump (now long gone due to overgrown) with simple bread and brown crumb and a crowquill. I expected to catch some skimmers, but the roach were feeding and 15lb of them kept me busy and very happy. Those really were the days!!!
Another week on and it was still baking hot! On Saturday 19th August I fished a match at Clifton Hampden and couldn't believe it when I drew the same peg I had in the team match a while back. Sadly another 20lb+ of roach did not materialise and I was bleaked out! Maggot and waggler was all wrong and it was the first time I saw perch being caught on the pole with chopped worm. The following day I fished at Shearwater lake on a nice friendly interclub match, I drew somewhere up past the lawn I recall. I put my long legs on my Boss box and walked 10 metres out and set up my fishing station there, being so hot I was just wearing shorts and daps! However, on my right Geoff Stone was none to happy as his pole line was behind where I was sitting lol! I fished an open feeder with a 16 to 2lb maxima, and using 3 red maggots I had 14 carp, 1 tench and 14lb of skimmers for a total of 46lb 12oz and first on the day. I fished on after and had at least 20lb in the next two hours.
Another day with Dave Haines, this time down at Bristol Docks on the center. Dave got his revenge today! I fished 6m to hand and fed some groundbait and loosefed caster and maggot over the top. I had a lovely day catching 19lb of mainly 6 to 8oz skimmers. However, Dave stuck to his beloved hemp and caster and had 24lb of roach. My last fishing in August was another day out at Shearwater lake, pleasure fishing on the dam wall. I fished a 4m whip with 18 to 0.12 on a 4x16 float. Feeding regular small balls of gbait with caster in I caught perch and roach up to a 1lb, one bream, and then asked the wife if she wanted a go. Of course she hooked a carp, and the rig was lost! Funny thing was she reckoned I had stitched her up hooking a "big one", which of course I hadn't. The carp then moved in and I switched to the pole and had 14 water pigs up to 6lb.
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, 25 May 2014
Sunday, 18 May 2014
June July 1995
Picking up the diary for the first time in ages. Last time I had finished off by saying I had just joined Thatchers Tubertini and as a result I was now travelling with the team to venues for practice for superleagues / other team events. Whilst I didn't feel under any pressure I certainly did not get great draws to help me get started. First up was an open match on the Gloucester Canal, I drew peg 146 (cannot remember what part that is) and was told it would be a hard section. I fished the groundbait feeder for just over an hour and never had a bite on it, or at any point in the day. I'd been feeding a few maggots and casters at 12m for the pole and by fishing a 22 to 0.1 with single maggot I caught 1 perch and 4 eels (losing another 2 eels) for the grand total of 1lb. Amazingly I won the 10 peg section. The following week on the 24th June I was back on the Gloucester at Splatt, this part of the canal was very clear. I had just 1 bite all match and that was from an eel on the pole, at 14oz it was enough for 2nd in the section but as it was an open no coin.
Sunday I found myself at Cardiff East Dock, another open match being used as practice. I had a terrible day, scraping a pound of bits off the pole line whilst 4 people caught plenty of skimmers on the tip in my section. That put paid to me being picked for the team and I ran the bank the following Sunday on the same venue. The team did well and won the day catching bits short over groundbait, with some roach on hemp later and a lucky few had skimmers on the tip.
On Saturday 8th July I went back to my roots and pleasure fished the Avon below Keynsham weir. Using a 6 no8 stick float with a 22 to 0.1 I fed 2 pints of bronze maggots and caught a shed load of dace as well as perch and roach, I also lost a 10lb pike at the net. The following day I was fishing the K&A canal up by the 3 magpies pub (Willows?) on an open match. My peg / section was thick with blanket weed extending about 3 metres from the far bank, so fishing up against it was my bet. It was a very slow day and after 3 hours I had just 2 skimmers, a caster line had failed to produce and I filled it in and went for a walk. Coming back to the peg Andy Greenham on the next peg said he saw fish roll over my caster line. So I dropped in with double caster and had a 3lb carp and that was it, my 4lb 6oz won the section, and with a planned practice in the week with Steve Mayo I got told I was picked for the superleague match next Sunday, pressure on now!!! Given my draw which meant nothing to me, I was told there was very little chance of any carp in my section, that suited me as I had been working hard on fishing gbait and squatt. This match turned into a real struggle and I was really worried I was letting the team down, but bank runners assured me my section was awful. I managed a 12oz skimmer, four much smaller samples, and then a bits from right over. My next peg neighbour, who mainly fished for carp all match, slated me for fishing negatively even when he came last in the section and I ended up 2nd in the section with just 2lb 3oz, it was a team match mate! I was chuffed to have done well and the team won the day again.
A break from the team the following weekend and I fished a pole qualifier match at Newbridge, I simply fed maggot and caster and caught odd dace and bleak on the drop, with the odd better roach and perch on the deck. 7lb 6oz was enough for 2nd in the match.
Hope you all caught plenty of fish this weekend, and not too much sun!
Sunday I found myself at Cardiff East Dock, another open match being used as practice. I had a terrible day, scraping a pound of bits off the pole line whilst 4 people caught plenty of skimmers on the tip in my section. That put paid to me being picked for the team and I ran the bank the following Sunday on the same venue. The team did well and won the day catching bits short over groundbait, with some roach on hemp later and a lucky few had skimmers on the tip.
On Saturday 8th July I went back to my roots and pleasure fished the Avon below Keynsham weir. Using a 6 no8 stick float with a 22 to 0.1 I fed 2 pints of bronze maggots and caught a shed load of dace as well as perch and roach, I also lost a 10lb pike at the net. The following day I was fishing the K&A canal up by the 3 magpies pub (Willows?) on an open match. My peg / section was thick with blanket weed extending about 3 metres from the far bank, so fishing up against it was my bet. It was a very slow day and after 3 hours I had just 2 skimmers, a caster line had failed to produce and I filled it in and went for a walk. Coming back to the peg Andy Greenham on the next peg said he saw fish roll over my caster line. So I dropped in with double caster and had a 3lb carp and that was it, my 4lb 6oz won the section, and with a planned practice in the week with Steve Mayo I got told I was picked for the superleague match next Sunday, pressure on now!!! Given my draw which meant nothing to me, I was told there was very little chance of any carp in my section, that suited me as I had been working hard on fishing gbait and squatt. This match turned into a real struggle and I was really worried I was letting the team down, but bank runners assured me my section was awful. I managed a 12oz skimmer, four much smaller samples, and then a bits from right over. My next peg neighbour, who mainly fished for carp all match, slated me for fishing negatively even when he came last in the section and I ended up 2nd in the section with just 2lb 3oz, it was a team match mate! I was chuffed to have done well and the team won the day again.
A break from the team the following weekend and I fished a pole qualifier match at Newbridge, I simply fed maggot and caster and caught odd dace and bleak on the drop, with the odd better roach and perch on the deck. 7lb 6oz was enough for 2nd in the match.
Hope you all caught plenty of fish this weekend, and not too much sun!
Sunday, 11 May 2014
RECOVERY
Not sure if anybody is still looking in on my blog as it has obviously been inactive now for around a month. Thought I ought to put something on here so people at least know I am still alive lol!
My operation was carried out on the 9th April and at first it seemed all went well, other than my bowels being in a mess and then cutting them by accident so I had to have two joins. It became apparent after a few days that my bowels were not working (common after being handled) as I was being sick and bringing up wind, I needed my bowels to wake up so I could get some nourishment. Sadly they didn't and 1 week later I was looking like Michelin man as I was now 2 stone heavier due to being full of fluid. I was in a lot of pain, had a tube up my nose, and could only take shallow breaths as my lungs were compressed by the fluid. On Good Friday drastic action was taken with a tube put up my backside, and a picc line put in my arm to feed me with special food.
Over the Easter weekend the "butt drain" did a good job and around 5.5 litres of fluid came away from me! Sadly it seemed the fluid had done some damage to my right thigh as it was numb (still not right today) but the docs didn't lose any sleep over this. On Tuesday I was allowed to eat ice cream and soup, and on Wednesday some soft foods. Despite still not passing anything on Thursday (2 weeks after the op) I was sent home.
The fun began at home as the food started to work its way through me, and as I was also on lactulose (a type of laxative) thinks were rather "sloppy". For the first 5 days it was hell with me going to the loo 24 hours a day, I daren't keep count, and in absolute agony as my ass was ripped to pieces. Things are better in the last few days with (touch wood) no toilet visits during the night, but still 5 to 6 hours of doing my stuff in the day. I have little or no control at present and as a result I have to be able to get to the toilet very quickly, sadly that means I have been house bound. However, this is really what I was expecting to happen and so no surprise, but still its hard work. I just have to hope that things improve so that I can gain more control and the bowels get better at their job and reduce my toilet activity! As soon as that happens I will be able to get out and about, though I'm now like a stick insect since I've lost all condition.
I've added a new blog to those that I follow today, it is a blog by Dominic Sullivan (an excellent angler) and I thought his blog title was appropriate, it's called "Caught Short!", lol!
Today was the first time I felt well enough to pick up the lap top and do my blog, so that's a good thing, and I'll take everything 1 day at a time. Thanks to everyone for the messages of good luck etc, they have been very helpful to me. Hope you are all bagging up, and when I come back you'll let me have a flier, by that I mean a peg nearest the bogs!
My operation was carried out on the 9th April and at first it seemed all went well, other than my bowels being in a mess and then cutting them by accident so I had to have two joins. It became apparent after a few days that my bowels were not working (common after being handled) as I was being sick and bringing up wind, I needed my bowels to wake up so I could get some nourishment. Sadly they didn't and 1 week later I was looking like Michelin man as I was now 2 stone heavier due to being full of fluid. I was in a lot of pain, had a tube up my nose, and could only take shallow breaths as my lungs were compressed by the fluid. On Good Friday drastic action was taken with a tube put up my backside, and a picc line put in my arm to feed me with special food.
Over the Easter weekend the "butt drain" did a good job and around 5.5 litres of fluid came away from me! Sadly it seemed the fluid had done some damage to my right thigh as it was numb (still not right today) but the docs didn't lose any sleep over this. On Tuesday I was allowed to eat ice cream and soup, and on Wednesday some soft foods. Despite still not passing anything on Thursday (2 weeks after the op) I was sent home.
The fun began at home as the food started to work its way through me, and as I was also on lactulose (a type of laxative) thinks were rather "sloppy". For the first 5 days it was hell with me going to the loo 24 hours a day, I daren't keep count, and in absolute agony as my ass was ripped to pieces. Things are better in the last few days with (touch wood) no toilet visits during the night, but still 5 to 6 hours of doing my stuff in the day. I have little or no control at present and as a result I have to be able to get to the toilet very quickly, sadly that means I have been house bound. However, this is really what I was expecting to happen and so no surprise, but still its hard work. I just have to hope that things improve so that I can gain more control and the bowels get better at their job and reduce my toilet activity! As soon as that happens I will be able to get out and about, though I'm now like a stick insect since I've lost all condition.
I've added a new blog to those that I follow today, it is a blog by Dominic Sullivan (an excellent angler) and I thought his blog title was appropriate, it's called "Caught Short!", lol!
Today was the first time I felt well enough to pick up the lap top and do my blog, so that's a good thing, and I'll take everything 1 day at a time. Thanks to everyone for the messages of good luck etc, they have been very helpful to me. Hope you are all bagging up, and when I come back you'll let me have a flier, by that I mean a peg nearest the bogs!