The Angling Trust Winter League final this year was to be contended by 33 teams of 10 anglers which in reality is the top teams in the UK trying to win this. Five of the team are allocated to fish the drains and 5 on the lakes at Decoy. Our five on the drains were Lee Trevitt, Andy Ottaway, James Carty, Tom Morretti and Ian Paulley. These lads had all fished here before and were catching well in open matches. the five on Decoy were Andy Cranston, Tony Gilbert, Luke Sorokin, Rob Jones and myself.
I spent Thursday night and Friday morning making rigs and hooklengths to cover all the eventualities I had been told I could be faced with. I was more than happy with the prep and popped into Scotts to get some maggot and pinkie and set off on the long drive to March. I got to the digs about 6pm and some of the lads were already there, I shared a room with young Tom. We had a really good night out some beers and a very good curry, bumped into a few other anglers including one lad who was right off his head and had lost all his mates lol.
Up early Saturday, not much sleep but no hangover, Tom took my advice and used the bathroom and left the room before I did my daily routine... Andy C and Tony had gone early to get to the draw, the rest of us had breakfast, Luke was the last one down, bit of a sore head for him but he was getting over his van and all his work tools being nicked by some thieving scum in the week. Went outside and we had to deice all the cars as there had been another hard frost, then Andy sent us the pegs we were on. The boys on the drain were happy that they had all avoided the real bad uns so were hopeful of doing OK. I drove then to Decoy to find out about our pegs on the lakes. We met up with a local lad who gave us a run down, he said none of us had drawn any good, and that I was on one of the worst pegs on the whole complex, his advice was just try to get a bite. I was disappointed that I would not be on a sensible peg.
I drove on to the parking by my lake, I was on ELM, peg 1. This is in the corner by the car park and is nowhere near the fish which we were told were on about peg 10 and opposite on 16. I didn't go to the peg in a piss, I am more philosophical about drawing poor pegs in team matches these days, and I thought to myself if you catch a fish you've done well and got my head round that.
I sat on the peg and surveyed my lot, on this lake as it is double banked you can only fish a limit of 14.5m of pole, and you can only fish the same distance on a straight lead. There was a feature with an aerator tethered to the bank about 14m, you may see it in the photo, but as this had been running for a couple of days to prevent the lake from freezing over I had bad vibes that the fish wouldn't want to be near this as it would have stirred up lots of cold water.
The biting Easterly wind was blowing straight at me and despite me having seven layers on and 2 pairs of gloves I knew this was going to get at me later. One of our anglers was more prepared than me for the weather, though being a Leeds fan I know why he dresses like this lol! We also wound a few people up the night before saying on Facebook he was arrested by Police, which was funny.
Back to the peg, and the peg opposite is not directly in front of you, but slightly to the left, so I was the nearest angler to the end bank. This lad told me he had fished this lake last week and our pegs blanked. To my left was an angler from Maver North West called Josh, we had a chat and he knew we were in trouble but he was happyish as he had an empty peg to his left.
Rig wise I set up a range of the F1Pellet floats, although I would be fishing predominantly maggots these floats have wire stems and I would need that extra stability for fishing into the wind. 4x16 were used for long out in front with 0.10 to 20 PR412, and 0.08 to 22 PR434. A 4x12 with 0.12 to 18 PR412 for dobbing up the end bank, and a 4x14 for 5m. I also set up a straight lead which was tried at various times in the day.
I of course started the match dobbing maggots (bread is not allowed) up the end bank, it was an awful bottom, no ledge just a steep slope. After an hour trying various depths and distances I'd not had a sign. I fed a tiny amount of maggot by the aerator, and also at 14m straight in front. Another hour and not a sign, and neither had the guy opposite and next to me. I fed a small ball of gbait with 4 pinkies in it about 12m and as far to my right as I could, I was hoping for a little fish or a lucky skimmer over this.
Three hours in and nothing and I had fed a few micros with the maggots, Josh next door has his first bite fishing way off to his left, a skimmer, about 15 mins later the lad opposite has one too. Josh said the lad below him had 2 skimmers. I now went out to 14.5m and fed again as far left as I could with some micro just hoping a skimmer might get lost and come up to my end of the lake. Sad to say it never happened, I never had a single bite all day, and spent best part of an hour fishing a single pinkie for a roach. Not one dip. The wind got worse and made my nose run all day and my eyes water, or maybe it was tears lol. Right on the all out Josh had another skimmer and fair play to him, the lad opposite had nothing more. I was totally gutted that I had blanked, but honestly rarely have I gone 5 hours without a single sign of a fish and my legs were freezing cold.
As anglers began to pack up and local lads with scales wandered around I was asked twice (I kid you not) "did you get a bite mate?" Not "what did you catch?" and one lad said your peg never gets a bite in winter. I don't want to sound bitter, but it makes no sense to me to put in pegs which are like this, when the winner of our lake (and match) weighs in 105kgs from peg 16 and has an empty peg one side of him, peg 15. On peg 14 there was 17 kilo. Dan Ashington opposite the winner had 54kgs and also had an empty peg. I don't care what anyone says about leaving big gaps on a lake like this for the fish to move into, the fish were not moving anywhere. On those empty pegs it would still have been hard but fish would have been caught. My view of the lake looking down it.
I was the only blank on my lake, one guy had 50g, lad opposite 350g, and Josh had 1kilo 350g. Lee Pesticcio was stand out performer from his peg, but still couldn't do no better than 7th in section of 17 with 7kilo.
The rest of the lads on the lakes had all struggled, and it seemed no one of us had got a draw, from that point of view it looked like we had bombed right out. Time to get in the car lick my wounds and drive home, making a stop for some grub on the way. driving back I found out that on the drains the boys had excelled themselves. Andy O was 4th in section, James 2nd, Ian 2nd, Lee won his section and Tom won his section and the match on the drains with just under 12 kilos of roach. It was a good day for Tom on his last match for Thatchers as he now lives in Norfolk. well done young man you are going to do well for many years to come. Amazingly that meant the team had just 11 penalty points on the drains and as a team won that side of the competition, quite simply awsome lads. However, as we were to find out we had 63 penalty points on Decoy and were not far off the bottom on that side of the competition. As someone said you lot are not any good at bingo lol.
Overall Maver North West won, so well done Josh and team! Barnsley Blacks were second and Starlets 3rd with 73 points. Thatchers were agonisingly close, as we had 74 points tied 4th, but on weight we were 6th and picked up £600 for team funds. If I caught just one 1/2oz fish we would have come third, and that was hard to take I can tell you. The lake draw had really hurt us all, but on reflection to come 6th out of 33 of the best teams around is still a good achievement.
Writing this blog on Sunday I feel OK, not going to dwell on what happened because I know I tried my hardest and felt I couldn't do anymore. I've had my share of luck in the past on these finals as an individual, and many don't get that chance, so it is all about taking the rough with the smooth. Well done to everyone that fished, it was certainly done so in good spirits despite the weather, I reckon it took me an hour to get warm in the car going home! Let's see what the weather brings this week, more freezing temps, and snow are forecast, so could be interesting for Viaduct final round next Sunday.
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 February 2018
Sunday 18 February 2018
Viaduct Winter League Round 4
Start the blog off tonight with a mention of Charlie Barnes who I was told had passed away yesterday. If you knew Charlie then you know he had been in ill health for a few years, but despite that he kept himself active on social media and often sent me a message about my blog. I remember drawing next to Charlie a few times in matches, the first time was in Portadown on the Bann. I didn't know him but he asked me my name, and told me would struggle and we chatted all match. I managed to beat him on this day and congratulated and told me I had fished a good match. As a young lad that stuck in my mind and I was always pleased to see Charlie on or off the bank. RIP my old mate.
There was a little speech made at Viaduct by Nicky Collins for Charlie and we held a minutes silence, then it was time for the draw. Myself and travelling partner Ron Hardiman were on Campbell and both praying for peg 110. Tony Gilbert was drawing for my team, and when his turn came 110 was still in (peg 1 team draw) but Tony drew peg 10, oh shite.... This is probably the worst team draw, Tony Rixon's team were last off it first round with possibly a record low score! We had peg 1 on Spring, peg 11 on Spring, peg 60 on Lodge, peg 88 on Carey and I was on peg 123 on Campbell, so as far from peg 110 as possible lol!
I looked at the previous weights off the peg and wished I hadn't, last round John Moody had 1lb 12oz off it and yesterday the angler in the open packed up. I got myself settled in and surveyed the swim, straight in front of me were Dick Bull on 119, and Ron was on 118.
Of course I was in a corner so had a long margin and end bank to fish to where I was hoping that some carp may have considered taking up residence.
I didn't set up a lot of gear today as the wind got up and was smack in my face, at least it was not freezing cold or raining. A straight lead for meat or bread was set up, a 0.4g wire stem silvers for fishing at 14.5m with 0.11 to 18 PR412. A 4x12 F1 maggot with 0.12 for 13m down the margin. Also set up a 4x12 for dobbing down the margin with 0.16 to 16 PR456.
I started the match by feeding casters on 2 lines at 14,5m and at 13m in the margin. I then chucked the lead out towards the pallet in peg 122. By this stage Ron had already hooked a couple of carp in his margin but had lost them. I had bread on the lead and after about 10 mins the tip sort of twanged and dropped back a bit, I struck but nothing there. Cast out again and next chuck another indication of sorts, nothing on the end again. Was wondering now if it was liners or roach taking the bread, so I cast out with meat on. Never had a rap on this so wound in and went dobbing in the margin just past my caster feed and all down to 16m. Not a sign at all and so after an hour I went out on the long caster lines. At this stage not much had been caught by the anglers to my right, no carp, and most were now on the pole looking for silvers. Matty Toomes was next to me on 125, then Chris Fox, then Dan White, and on the spit on 128 was Craig Trigger Edmunds.
The long pole caster line to the left initially was a bite a chuck but only from tiny roach which were hard to hit on the caster. Going onto the right line the float sat there, good sign that there were no roach I thought. Then a proper slow bite and a little 6oz skimmer, next drop in and a 10oz skimmer, next drop in and I bumped something. Well I never had another skimmer all match! The pole lines were now just full of plippy roach so I fed more casters, I fed the roach off and that was the end of bites for a very long time.
Two hours in and about 1lb 4oz in the net, still nothing in the margin so time for the lead again with meat. I cast to the left of the platform again and again not a sign. I wondered if there had been a carp there it might have moved to the other side of the platform, I took the clip off and cast out and it landed just about where I wanted it to. I think it was only about 3 minutes before the tip took off and I was into a carp. I took this very carefully, and played the fish with care, it stayed on and I was bloody happy when I put it in the net, I estimated it at 9lb. I hoped that I might have found the carp but there were no more signs on the lead here, so I cast further to the right along the bank to search for them, but no signs.
Ron and Dick were doing well opposite and I thought surely there must be another carp on my side, but it seemed not. I hardly had a bite on anything for two hours, I did have an 8oz perch on caster in the margin, but really it was rancid. About an hour to go I had a few small roach on the long pole on maggot which might be useful to get me an extra point or two at the wrong end of the section lol. I went through the motions on the lead and in the margin on the pole, then about 20 mins to go I tried a single maggot over the caster margin line, stupid really as I should have used my dobbing rig, because yes I hooked a lump. Had it on for about 40 seconds before it snapped me as it plodded off to peg 121. That was the end of that.
It was obvious I was going to do poor but was not sure how bad. My carp was weighed in at 8lb 11oz, and the silvers just 2lb 4oz, so 10lb 15oz. This ended up giving me 8 points out of 18. The lost carp did not cost me much as Trig had 9 points with 18lb 14oz. I beat a couple of 10lbs so the few roach did help a bit. Mat struggled with just under 7lb, and it was generally poor int he middle of the lake.
No surprise that peg 110 won the lake and the match, but well done to Ben Broxon who had 186lb. Ron did well on 118 and his 13 carp weighed 99lb and he was second. There was a surprise though in the silvers, Thatchers team mate Luke Sorokin caught a brilliant 42lb of skimmers on peg 129 to win the silvers and his travelling partner Rob Jones was second in silvers with 27lb from peg 98 on Carey, skimmers on the wag and corn. Picture of Luke and his net...
Well today I finally copped a bad one, and there was no get out of jail. I was 7th individual in the league after 3 rounds, but that will be gone for a burton now. I still can't complain, some anglers have had four bad draws and I always knew Campbell would be more or less decided at the drawbag and that's winter fishing.
Next weekend I am fishing the ATWL final, it is on Saturday but the blog won't be done till Sunday. Five of us on the drains, five of us on Decoy Lakes. I am on the lakes and fishing it for the first time, so a flyer would be very helpful, lol!
There was a little speech made at Viaduct by Nicky Collins for Charlie and we held a minutes silence, then it was time for the draw. Myself and travelling partner Ron Hardiman were on Campbell and both praying for peg 110. Tony Gilbert was drawing for my team, and when his turn came 110 was still in (peg 1 team draw) but Tony drew peg 10, oh shite.... This is probably the worst team draw, Tony Rixon's team were last off it first round with possibly a record low score! We had peg 1 on Spring, peg 11 on Spring, peg 60 on Lodge, peg 88 on Carey and I was on peg 123 on Campbell, so as far from peg 110 as possible lol!
I looked at the previous weights off the peg and wished I hadn't, last round John Moody had 1lb 12oz off it and yesterday the angler in the open packed up. I got myself settled in and surveyed the swim, straight in front of me were Dick Bull on 119, and Ron was on 118.
Of course I was in a corner so had a long margin and end bank to fish to where I was hoping that some carp may have considered taking up residence.
I didn't set up a lot of gear today as the wind got up and was smack in my face, at least it was not freezing cold or raining. A straight lead for meat or bread was set up, a 0.4g wire stem silvers for fishing at 14.5m with 0.11 to 18 PR412. A 4x12 F1 maggot with 0.12 for 13m down the margin. Also set up a 4x12 for dobbing down the margin with 0.16 to 16 PR456.
I started the match by feeding casters on 2 lines at 14,5m and at 13m in the margin. I then chucked the lead out towards the pallet in peg 122. By this stage Ron had already hooked a couple of carp in his margin but had lost them. I had bread on the lead and after about 10 mins the tip sort of twanged and dropped back a bit, I struck but nothing there. Cast out again and next chuck another indication of sorts, nothing on the end again. Was wondering now if it was liners or roach taking the bread, so I cast out with meat on. Never had a rap on this so wound in and went dobbing in the margin just past my caster feed and all down to 16m. Not a sign at all and so after an hour I went out on the long caster lines. At this stage not much had been caught by the anglers to my right, no carp, and most were now on the pole looking for silvers. Matty Toomes was next to me on 125, then Chris Fox, then Dan White, and on the spit on 128 was Craig Trigger Edmunds.
The long pole caster line to the left initially was a bite a chuck but only from tiny roach which were hard to hit on the caster. Going onto the right line the float sat there, good sign that there were no roach I thought. Then a proper slow bite and a little 6oz skimmer, next drop in and a 10oz skimmer, next drop in and I bumped something. Well I never had another skimmer all match! The pole lines were now just full of plippy roach so I fed more casters, I fed the roach off and that was the end of bites for a very long time.
Two hours in and about 1lb 4oz in the net, still nothing in the margin so time for the lead again with meat. I cast to the left of the platform again and again not a sign. I wondered if there had been a carp there it might have moved to the other side of the platform, I took the clip off and cast out and it landed just about where I wanted it to. I think it was only about 3 minutes before the tip took off and I was into a carp. I took this very carefully, and played the fish with care, it stayed on and I was bloody happy when I put it in the net, I estimated it at 9lb. I hoped that I might have found the carp but there were no more signs on the lead here, so I cast further to the right along the bank to search for them, but no signs.
Ron and Dick were doing well opposite and I thought surely there must be another carp on my side, but it seemed not. I hardly had a bite on anything for two hours, I did have an 8oz perch on caster in the margin, but really it was rancid. About an hour to go I had a few small roach on the long pole on maggot which might be useful to get me an extra point or two at the wrong end of the section lol. I went through the motions on the lead and in the margin on the pole, then about 20 mins to go I tried a single maggot over the caster margin line, stupid really as I should have used my dobbing rig, because yes I hooked a lump. Had it on for about 40 seconds before it snapped me as it plodded off to peg 121. That was the end of that.
It was obvious I was going to do poor but was not sure how bad. My carp was weighed in at 8lb 11oz, and the silvers just 2lb 4oz, so 10lb 15oz. This ended up giving me 8 points out of 18. The lost carp did not cost me much as Trig had 9 points with 18lb 14oz. I beat a couple of 10lbs so the few roach did help a bit. Mat struggled with just under 7lb, and it was generally poor int he middle of the lake.
No surprise that peg 110 won the lake and the match, but well done to Ben Broxon who had 186lb. Ron did well on 118 and his 13 carp weighed 99lb and he was second. There was a surprise though in the silvers, Thatchers team mate Luke Sorokin caught a brilliant 42lb of skimmers on peg 129 to win the silvers and his travelling partner Rob Jones was second in silvers with 27lb from peg 98 on Carey, skimmers on the wag and corn. Picture of Luke and his net...
Well today I finally copped a bad one, and there was no get out of jail. I was 7th individual in the league after 3 rounds, but that will be gone for a burton now. I still can't complain, some anglers have had four bad draws and I always knew Campbell would be more or less decided at the drawbag and that's winter fishing.
Next weekend I am fishing the ATWL final, it is on Saturday but the blog won't be done till Sunday. Five of us on the drains, five of us on Decoy Lakes. I am on the lakes and fishing it for the first time, so a flyer would be very helpful, lol!
Sunday 11 February 2018
January / February 1999
As planned another weekend off fishing and I got to spend some time with my family, a nice trip to Oxford yesterday, UTG! Just back from a nice walk with the wife, so time to warm up with a nice cuppa and a blog post from the past, just as 1999 was beginning.
Sunday 3rd January 1999 ATWL at Newbridge on the Bristol Avon. The river was very high and rising so conditions were poor and a draw on a deep peg with a bit of slack would do. Unfortunatley the team draw put me on peg 22 which was and is still, behind the pumphouse. I cannot think of a much worse peg to draw in flood on that stretch as there is no slack water and lots of snags. I was blanking for 4 hours and then had an eel on a lobworm, I managed two more in the last hour and that was it. I didn't record my weight, but just the fact that I only beat two people in the section, but as the team won on the day it ended OK.
The following Sunday and the Commercial House was on the K&A canal near Dundas, the weather had been very cold all week and on the day of the match after -4C in the morning it got to 4C in the day, brrrr. I was drawn at Limpley Stoke, a peg walking down from the road bridge past the straight and round the bend a bit. I didn't know if it was any good but it had a nice bit of a bush on the far bank. The match was a grueller. I had a few small roach and gudgeon on punch bread, then on pinkie at 9m. I also took a few gudgeon on the whip as back then there were quite a few gudge in this stretch. Back on the 9m line and I had a 12oz perch on a pinkie but that killed that line. All tries around the bush had been fruitless on caster then late on I hit a good fish but pulled out, guess it was a perch. Unbelievably I later had a 1lb tench on a pinkie next to the bush, a real bonus on a very cold day. Roy Garland the Evening Post reporter walked up and said the canal had fished poor, and when I weighed in he took a photo of me as he said I would frame with my 3lb 6oz, but I couldn't see that. However, Roy was correct, and in fact I won the match which was a shock. Sadly I cannot find a paper cutting of the photo Roy took.
Sunday 17th January and the final round of the ATWL with my team in first place but anything could happen. The match was on the canal again as the river was still flooded. Some of the lads in the team had fished the canal in the week, and one of them Pete Sivell told us the fish were shying off the gbait and not to feed too much, and that he had caught dripping in just squatt. I was pegged just past Dundas Aqueduct on the end of the bend before the old lock, not the best. I fed a little bit of liquidized bread down the middle to my left and one small ball of gbait to my right. I had 4 roach on bread and that was it. It was very tough, and bank runners confirmed my section was fishing poorly so plugged away catching the odd gudgeon and also two tiny perch on chopped worm. I had 1lb 4 1/2oz and that was good enough for second in the section and team job done. The team did well and we came second on the day and that ensured we won the league and would be fishing a ATWL semifinal on the Avon at Newbridge in February where we thought we would have our best ever chance of getting to the final on the Trent. I think some of us sank quite a lot of beer that night lol.
Only had a little match the following Sunday at Keynsham AA Century Ponds, I blanked and left early so not much to say. On the very last day of January 1999 I fished the penultimate round of the Commercial House League, it was back on the river, at Frys so another tough match to look forward to as every peg would be in. I was the downstream end peg but one, and an area that was pacey and not noted for bream in such conditions. However, all I could do was fish a feeder, so I went with a gbait version as I was confident catching everything on this. During the match bites were at a premium, and all I managed was 1 dace, 2 roach and 2 chub, but I did get snapped by a big chub near the end of the match, serves me right for fishing 0.12... I got 12 points from 14 and the team were now winning the league with one final match to go.
The final match of the CH league was the very next week and we were back on the canal at Limpley, oh dear. I was on the straight past beeches bay and past the old lock. A dire match for many, remember none of us had (or were allowed) to have bloodworm and joker back then as it was against the fishery rules. I took 3 roach straight away on the bread and then had to endure a long 5 hours nicking the odd gudgeon from all over the peg. I could only must 14oz but incredibly I got 12 points from 14 for this. The team won on the day and so we won the league too, I topped the team and was 4th individual in the league. Happy days.
The next two matches were both at Newbridge to practice for the ATWL semi-final. My form was rubbish blanking in the first match. The second open was mired by toilet paper coming down the river and I had 4 bleak until the last 15 mins when I had a 3lb bream from right in close. That bream though may have given the selectors a good vibe and I was picked to fish the semi.
February 27th ATWL semi final at Newbridge. The river was in a better state than it had been for ages but would be dominated by the feeder we though. Mark "Podge" Jefferies was the captain of our Avon Angling team and he did the draw and put me on peg 134 in the trees. This brought back dreaded memories of my last semi when I drew the trees and blanked, I had to catch this time. There were 21 teams fishing this match, and the top two teams would qualify for the final so it was going to be an intensive day. I threw some balls of gbait in at about 11m but started on the gbait feeder down the middle. Two hours in on a 16 to 0.14 and I had not had a sign of a bite and nerves and bad thoughts were creeping in. I dropped the feeder over the gbait at 11m and had one good bite but didn't connect, it was the only bite on that line, damn. Two hours to go and I dropped down to an 18 to 0.12 a few casts later a drop back, I netted a chub of about 1lb and felt a lot better. An hour later I had another slightly smaller chub and then I hit a big un, I could not get it under control and eventually I lost it, gutted. As we had no mobile phones you relied on runners and people watching the match, I was told there were a lot of blanks in my section so I hoped I would do OK for the team. My two small chub weighed 1lb 13oz, that was enough for 15 points out of 21, OK but the lost chub would have put me in the top two in the section for sure, I hoped it would cost the team. Back at the results the section winners and frame were read out, with the winner on the day being captain Podge who had 36lb of bream from about peg 26 I recall, that was great. Then the long reverse order of the team position.... we were called out in third place and had not qualified, gutted is an understatement and all I could think about was the chub I lost. However, we had a lifeline, as after all the semis (more than two lol) of all the teams in third place the one with the best points would go into the final, and after all the matches that was us! We scraped in to the final yay!!!
Back to 2018 and next week I am on the Viaduct league on Campbell lake, currently pegs at the bottom end (110, 111, 132, 131) have been where all the carp are holed up. A draw away from there will mean a very hard day.
Sunday 3rd January 1999 ATWL at Newbridge on the Bristol Avon. The river was very high and rising so conditions were poor and a draw on a deep peg with a bit of slack would do. Unfortunatley the team draw put me on peg 22 which was and is still, behind the pumphouse. I cannot think of a much worse peg to draw in flood on that stretch as there is no slack water and lots of snags. I was blanking for 4 hours and then had an eel on a lobworm, I managed two more in the last hour and that was it. I didn't record my weight, but just the fact that I only beat two people in the section, but as the team won on the day it ended OK.
The following Sunday and the Commercial House was on the K&A canal near Dundas, the weather had been very cold all week and on the day of the match after -4C in the morning it got to 4C in the day, brrrr. I was drawn at Limpley Stoke, a peg walking down from the road bridge past the straight and round the bend a bit. I didn't know if it was any good but it had a nice bit of a bush on the far bank. The match was a grueller. I had a few small roach and gudgeon on punch bread, then on pinkie at 9m. I also took a few gudgeon on the whip as back then there were quite a few gudge in this stretch. Back on the 9m line and I had a 12oz perch on a pinkie but that killed that line. All tries around the bush had been fruitless on caster then late on I hit a good fish but pulled out, guess it was a perch. Unbelievably I later had a 1lb tench on a pinkie next to the bush, a real bonus on a very cold day. Roy Garland the Evening Post reporter walked up and said the canal had fished poor, and when I weighed in he took a photo of me as he said I would frame with my 3lb 6oz, but I couldn't see that. However, Roy was correct, and in fact I won the match which was a shock. Sadly I cannot find a paper cutting of the photo Roy took.
Sunday 17th January and the final round of the ATWL with my team in first place but anything could happen. The match was on the canal again as the river was still flooded. Some of the lads in the team had fished the canal in the week, and one of them Pete Sivell told us the fish were shying off the gbait and not to feed too much, and that he had caught dripping in just squatt. I was pegged just past Dundas Aqueduct on the end of the bend before the old lock, not the best. I fed a little bit of liquidized bread down the middle to my left and one small ball of gbait to my right. I had 4 roach on bread and that was it. It was very tough, and bank runners confirmed my section was fishing poorly so plugged away catching the odd gudgeon and also two tiny perch on chopped worm. I had 1lb 4 1/2oz and that was good enough for second in the section and team job done. The team did well and we came second on the day and that ensured we won the league and would be fishing a ATWL semifinal on the Avon at Newbridge in February where we thought we would have our best ever chance of getting to the final on the Trent. I think some of us sank quite a lot of beer that night lol.
Only had a little match the following Sunday at Keynsham AA Century Ponds, I blanked and left early so not much to say. On the very last day of January 1999 I fished the penultimate round of the Commercial House League, it was back on the river, at Frys so another tough match to look forward to as every peg would be in. I was the downstream end peg but one, and an area that was pacey and not noted for bream in such conditions. However, all I could do was fish a feeder, so I went with a gbait version as I was confident catching everything on this. During the match bites were at a premium, and all I managed was 1 dace, 2 roach and 2 chub, but I did get snapped by a big chub near the end of the match, serves me right for fishing 0.12... I got 12 points from 14 and the team were now winning the league with one final match to go.
The final match of the CH league was the very next week and we were back on the canal at Limpley, oh dear. I was on the straight past beeches bay and past the old lock. A dire match for many, remember none of us had (or were allowed) to have bloodworm and joker back then as it was against the fishery rules. I took 3 roach straight away on the bread and then had to endure a long 5 hours nicking the odd gudgeon from all over the peg. I could only must 14oz but incredibly I got 12 points from 14 for this. The team won on the day and so we won the league too, I topped the team and was 4th individual in the league. Happy days.
The next two matches were both at Newbridge to practice for the ATWL semi-final. My form was rubbish blanking in the first match. The second open was mired by toilet paper coming down the river and I had 4 bleak until the last 15 mins when I had a 3lb bream from right in close. That bream though may have given the selectors a good vibe and I was picked to fish the semi.
February 27th ATWL semi final at Newbridge. The river was in a better state than it had been for ages but would be dominated by the feeder we though. Mark "Podge" Jefferies was the captain of our Avon Angling team and he did the draw and put me on peg 134 in the trees. This brought back dreaded memories of my last semi when I drew the trees and blanked, I had to catch this time. There were 21 teams fishing this match, and the top two teams would qualify for the final so it was going to be an intensive day. I threw some balls of gbait in at about 11m but started on the gbait feeder down the middle. Two hours in on a 16 to 0.14 and I had not had a sign of a bite and nerves and bad thoughts were creeping in. I dropped the feeder over the gbait at 11m and had one good bite but didn't connect, it was the only bite on that line, damn. Two hours to go and I dropped down to an 18 to 0.12 a few casts later a drop back, I netted a chub of about 1lb and felt a lot better. An hour later I had another slightly smaller chub and then I hit a big un, I could not get it under control and eventually I lost it, gutted. As we had no mobile phones you relied on runners and people watching the match, I was told there were a lot of blanks in my section so I hoped I would do OK for the team. My two small chub weighed 1lb 13oz, that was enough for 15 points out of 21, OK but the lost chub would have put me in the top two in the section for sure, I hoped it would cost the team. Back at the results the section winners and frame were read out, with the winner on the day being captain Podge who had 36lb of bream from about peg 26 I recall, that was great. Then the long reverse order of the team position.... we were called out in third place and had not qualified, gutted is an understatement and all I could think about was the chub I lost. However, we had a lifeline, as after all the semis (more than two lol) of all the teams in third place the one with the best points would go into the final, and after all the matches that was us! We scraped in to the final yay!!!
Back to 2018 and next week I am on the Viaduct league on Campbell lake, currently pegs at the bottom end (110, 111, 132, 131) have been where all the carp are holed up. A draw away from there will mean a very hard day.
Sunday 4 February 2018
Viaduct Winter League Round 3
Having had a weekend off I was or should have been well prepared for the third round of this popular league. I was on Spring Lake this week and that meant fishing for some big carp, some skimmers, and if on a real shite peg trying to catch roach on caster. I tied a few hooks for silvers and redid those rigs as I needed deeper rigs than I used on Match Lake last time. I made a few rigs for fishing in the margins in case I drew one of the corner pegs, and mixed up my favourite gbait mix, Sonubaits F1 Dark and Worm Fishmeal, plus a little Supercrumb black. All done off to watch the Gas lose, balls...
6:40 and Ron Hardiman arrives to pick me up, and we were soon tucking in to large breakfasts at Cannards Well. I swapped beans for an extra hash brown as beans and me don't get on well, must say it was probably the best one so far. Ron is a great driver and great companion, the drive there and back goes quick as we discuss many topics, must say Ron is not having any luck at the draw in this league and today was no different as he was on 20 on Spring, crap. I was asked to pull for my team, but I think there were only 2 or 3 pegs left when it was my go, by this time Steve Long and Simon Hebditch were having a right old laugh as the last 6 pegs were all poor but each time it seemed the best of them came out! I could see only 8,9 and I think 10 on Spring when I drew the team peg, luckily I got the one with 8, definitely better than the others I think. We had a poor draw though, and the writing was on the wall for a bad un.
Got to my peg and started setting up, nobody on peg 7 yet, and they took a long time to arrive, should have guessed really as for the third time I was next to Dan White! People will start to think we are an item lol! I thought I had better include of pic of Dan sat like gnome, all he could do was fish a top set for carp on his peg for whole of the match.
Not really any point of showing a view of my peg straight out in front as I was not planning on fishing there unless I really had to. My match was going to be all about fishing down to the right towards the corner under the branches.
I set up a couple of silvers rigs for out in front, 4x14 silvers and a 4x12, but as I only had two tiny roach for 1oz not worth mentioning these. For the margin to my right I set a 4x12 Maggot Float (all floats from the Des Shipp range) with 0.17 Powerline direct to a size 16 PR456. I also set up a lead rod with a size 16 PR38 to 0.19 Powerline for hair rigging baits if I felt the need to chuck right to the end of the bank. Ready to start I checked the results sheet of the last two matches to see what my peg had produced, a blank and 12oz, ooer mother I said, or something similar.
On my left today was John Howell, another angler who has had an awful run at the drawbag, I didn't rate his chances at all. On the all in at 10:30 I fed 4 balls of gbait out to 14m, I think I had fed 2 of these when Dan hooked and landed a 10lb+ carp, good start Dan! OK my turn I thought, I stuck a piece of bread on the 16 PR456 and shipped out to 12m, I didn't want to go past any fish and so I thought this was a good place to start. Sadly the carp were not in residence, at least not here, so I gradually worked my way along the bank to 14.5m but not a sign. Undeterred I decided on a change of hookbait and went with 5 dead maggots, I did this as the lake was not clear, I guess the rain from the last week or two put a bit of colour in it. Anyway, I followed the same routine, and started at 12m, when I got to 14m I thought the float dipped, I struck but the float came up and out of the water 6" and I dropped it in again when it seemed to sink. Another lift and the float came up and didn't move, I pulled hard to the left and thought I was in a snag and then the pole jerked a bit and I felt the kick of a fish. Shipped back steady but the carp put up no fight and I soon scooped up a 8lb mirror, phew some points. An hour had gone.
It was another blank hour and I was on the maggot again and out at 14.5m when the float shot under, but when I struck nothing. A slight dip and nothing, so I shipped back and changed to bread. Ten minutes later and another bite and this was hooked, but bloody hell this fish ran to the corner, and a carp jumped out of the water, but not sure it was the one I hooked. I pulled as hard as I dared and the fish came out into the open water and kept going, luckily I managed to stop it and turn it and gradually got it back to about 8m of pole where I struggled to get my sections apart. I knew this was fouled, and when I got onto my topset it was all a bit tense as the fish came up tail / back first. After what seemed an age I got the next under a long common approaching 15lb. It was hooked up the arse, lucky me.
All signs of fish stopped after this, and I could simply not get an indication. Meanwhile Dan took two more carp from the bush and was beating me. I chucked the lead for a bit, to give my back a rest as much as anything, but no bites.
There was not much going on, Craig Edmunds had one carp on peg 4 on the lead, but he lost two, I couldn't see much more as I had my back to more than half the section.
I had fed a bit of meat at 13m, never had a bite hear, and with an hour to go decided to put a full toss pot of maggots in at 14.5m. Twenty minutes to go and still no signs, I went to 16m which I had done a number of times, with 5 maggots again, and I had indication, when I struck there was a bit of swirl as a carp spooked off, damn that was my chance gone I thought. However, with less than 3 minutes to go I had a proper fast bite, and fish on. Once again I pulled hard and this fish came out, and whilst heavy was not going mad and was clearly hooked properly. I was playing it when the all out was called and soon after got another big long common in the landing net, it was a struggle to keep it in and I was a but nervous lifting it out. All went well and it was another fish of around 15lb I thought. Another late carp, even later than last match, and I am sure Dan must have thought not again lol.
Packed up and thought would I win the lake and whole section. The scales were coming round from peg 20, and I squinted to see if any carp were caught. When the scales got to peg 13 I saw that Mash was winning from opposite on peg 15 with 35lb, 3 carp and some bits. The lad on on 13 (Ben Bronson I think) also had 3 carp, his were a good size and he went into the lead with 38lb 6oz and I thought it would be very close with me. A couple of double figure silver weights followed, and then John struggled to 3lb. My turn, and the three carp were weighed by Steve Long, I could not see the scales dial and hoped to be lucky, I was as they went 39lb 7oz. As Dan's carp were smaller, he weighed 30lb, I knew I had won the lake, happy days. Luke Sorokin took a picture for me, he was supposed to get the Viaduct in the picture for Steve, but alas David Bailey he ain't.
Back to the Lodge and the team had done badly again sadly, thought I thought everyone did well from their pegs, and in winter you cannot beat the draw. As for me, well that is three bullets dodged and three pick ups so definitely luck on my side.
The match was won by Clint Wojtyla on Carey 102 with 125lb, he was closely followed by Chris Davis with 123lb from Campbell peg 110.
That man, Des Shipp, won the silvers with 24lb from peg 61 on Lodge. I wish I knew how he does it, he is on a different level.
That's it then, no fishing for me next weekend, then round four here at Viaduct when I will be on Campbell, at present a peg nearest to the car park bank is where you have to be, what will be will be.
Oh one last thing, today is World Cancer Day, and so my thoughts go out to all those people who are affected by this shitty disease, I've now been 7 years free of it, and that is my luckiest thing of all. Tight lines everyone.
6:40 and Ron Hardiman arrives to pick me up, and we were soon tucking in to large breakfasts at Cannards Well. I swapped beans for an extra hash brown as beans and me don't get on well, must say it was probably the best one so far. Ron is a great driver and great companion, the drive there and back goes quick as we discuss many topics, must say Ron is not having any luck at the draw in this league and today was no different as he was on 20 on Spring, crap. I was asked to pull for my team, but I think there were only 2 or 3 pegs left when it was my go, by this time Steve Long and Simon Hebditch were having a right old laugh as the last 6 pegs were all poor but each time it seemed the best of them came out! I could see only 8,9 and I think 10 on Spring when I drew the team peg, luckily I got the one with 8, definitely better than the others I think. We had a poor draw though, and the writing was on the wall for a bad un.
Got to my peg and started setting up, nobody on peg 7 yet, and they took a long time to arrive, should have guessed really as for the third time I was next to Dan White! People will start to think we are an item lol! I thought I had better include of pic of Dan sat like gnome, all he could do was fish a top set for carp on his peg for whole of the match.
Not really any point of showing a view of my peg straight out in front as I was not planning on fishing there unless I really had to. My match was going to be all about fishing down to the right towards the corner under the branches.
I set up a couple of silvers rigs for out in front, 4x14 silvers and a 4x12, but as I only had two tiny roach for 1oz not worth mentioning these. For the margin to my right I set a 4x12 Maggot Float (all floats from the Des Shipp range) with 0.17 Powerline direct to a size 16 PR456. I also set up a lead rod with a size 16 PR38 to 0.19 Powerline for hair rigging baits if I felt the need to chuck right to the end of the bank. Ready to start I checked the results sheet of the last two matches to see what my peg had produced, a blank and 12oz, ooer mother I said, or something similar.
On my left today was John Howell, another angler who has had an awful run at the drawbag, I didn't rate his chances at all. On the all in at 10:30 I fed 4 balls of gbait out to 14m, I think I had fed 2 of these when Dan hooked and landed a 10lb+ carp, good start Dan! OK my turn I thought, I stuck a piece of bread on the 16 PR456 and shipped out to 12m, I didn't want to go past any fish and so I thought this was a good place to start. Sadly the carp were not in residence, at least not here, so I gradually worked my way along the bank to 14.5m but not a sign. Undeterred I decided on a change of hookbait and went with 5 dead maggots, I did this as the lake was not clear, I guess the rain from the last week or two put a bit of colour in it. Anyway, I followed the same routine, and started at 12m, when I got to 14m I thought the float dipped, I struck but the float came up and out of the water 6" and I dropped it in again when it seemed to sink. Another lift and the float came up and didn't move, I pulled hard to the left and thought I was in a snag and then the pole jerked a bit and I felt the kick of a fish. Shipped back steady but the carp put up no fight and I soon scooped up a 8lb mirror, phew some points. An hour had gone.
It was another blank hour and I was on the maggot again and out at 14.5m when the float shot under, but when I struck nothing. A slight dip and nothing, so I shipped back and changed to bread. Ten minutes later and another bite and this was hooked, but bloody hell this fish ran to the corner, and a carp jumped out of the water, but not sure it was the one I hooked. I pulled as hard as I dared and the fish came out into the open water and kept going, luckily I managed to stop it and turn it and gradually got it back to about 8m of pole where I struggled to get my sections apart. I knew this was fouled, and when I got onto my topset it was all a bit tense as the fish came up tail / back first. After what seemed an age I got the next under a long common approaching 15lb. It was hooked up the arse, lucky me.
All signs of fish stopped after this, and I could simply not get an indication. Meanwhile Dan took two more carp from the bush and was beating me. I chucked the lead for a bit, to give my back a rest as much as anything, but no bites.
There was not much going on, Craig Edmunds had one carp on peg 4 on the lead, but he lost two, I couldn't see much more as I had my back to more than half the section.
I had fed a bit of meat at 13m, never had a bite hear, and with an hour to go decided to put a full toss pot of maggots in at 14.5m. Twenty minutes to go and still no signs, I went to 16m which I had done a number of times, with 5 maggots again, and I had indication, when I struck there was a bit of swirl as a carp spooked off, damn that was my chance gone I thought. However, with less than 3 minutes to go I had a proper fast bite, and fish on. Once again I pulled hard and this fish came out, and whilst heavy was not going mad and was clearly hooked properly. I was playing it when the all out was called and soon after got another big long common in the landing net, it was a struggle to keep it in and I was a but nervous lifting it out. All went well and it was another fish of around 15lb I thought. Another late carp, even later than last match, and I am sure Dan must have thought not again lol.
Packed up and thought would I win the lake and whole section. The scales were coming round from peg 20, and I squinted to see if any carp were caught. When the scales got to peg 13 I saw that Mash was winning from opposite on peg 15 with 35lb, 3 carp and some bits. The lad on on 13 (Ben Bronson I think) also had 3 carp, his were a good size and he went into the lead with 38lb 6oz and I thought it would be very close with me. A couple of double figure silver weights followed, and then John struggled to 3lb. My turn, and the three carp were weighed by Steve Long, I could not see the scales dial and hoped to be lucky, I was as they went 39lb 7oz. As Dan's carp were smaller, he weighed 30lb, I knew I had won the lake, happy days. Luke Sorokin took a picture for me, he was supposed to get the Viaduct in the picture for Steve, but alas David Bailey he ain't.
Back to the Lodge and the team had done badly again sadly, thought I thought everyone did well from their pegs, and in winter you cannot beat the draw. As for me, well that is three bullets dodged and three pick ups so definitely luck on my side.
The match was won by Clint Wojtyla on Carey 102 with 125lb, he was closely followed by Chris Davis with 123lb from Campbell peg 110.
That man, Des Shipp, won the silvers with 24lb from peg 61 on Lodge. I wish I knew how he does it, he is on a different level.
That's it then, no fishing for me next weekend, then round four here at Viaduct when I will be on Campbell, at present a peg nearest to the car park bank is where you have to be, what will be will be.
Oh one last thing, today is World Cancer Day, and so my thoughts go out to all those people who are affected by this shitty disease, I've now been 7 years free of it, and that is my luckiest thing of all. Tight lines everyone.
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