2003

 As I wrote last week, no fishing for me this weekend and my next trip out assuming the rules don't change will be just after Boxing Day. Had a few beers and a curry with some of the lads Saturday night, as expected the pubs and the Indian restaurant weren't that busy as some folk are avoiding social contact before Xmas, quite understandable. We had a great time, and some got in rather late. I managed to leave my glasses at the Indian, so I ran back to get them before the place closed. Got there in time, but running was a bad idea, as after that I basically had heartburn an couldn't drink my pint. A couple of Gaviscon tablets at home sorted it.

Back to 2003 and it was a Superleague double header fishing Saturday and Sunday at Porth reservoir for my team at the time Avon Angling. Digs in Newquay of course and a couple of good nights out were had. My first day saw me on the deep section on peg 67, and I made a very bad mistake that was to cost me big time. I fished a groundbait feeder and had 6 skimmers in the first 2 hours, after this I struggled, and either missed bites or didn't see the bites. My mistake was the set up on the feeder rig, I was using my old trusted loop to loops and clearly this was creating a bad angle on the line, but I didn't suss it till after the match. What a disaster, 1lb 10oz and only beat 1 person the section. The rest of the team didn't do that well and we had quite a debate about what we should do the following day, in the end we decided to feed positive with worm if we drew the pegs where skimmers showed well, but feed very little on the poor areas to start.

Day 2 and I was much further up the venue on peg 94, this had fished hard the day before so I was going with the negative approach. I cast a small gbait feeder out 30 yards, with a 20 to 0.10 and fished a single maggot as hookbait. In the feeder all I put in were 10 squatts and 3 casters every cast. The bites were tiny, and a marker was a necessity (I used a bank stick) to see the little taps. I knew I was doing OK in the section as there were a few bank runners, and I remember Eddie Wynne sitting behind me for a while telling me I had it sussed and was doing well as many were struggling for bites. In the end I had 1 perch, 2 roach and 22 skimmers for 6lb 5oz, this was 2nd in the section and worth a little pick up. I was delighted that after the previous disaster I had turned things around and got it right.

Two weeks later on June 7th I was at Viaduct Fishery for an open match, this was actually being used as a practice match for the following weeks Superleague round at the venue. I drew out peg 62 on Lodge lake, and noses were turned up when I asked for info on the peg. My then team mate Tony Rixon had already given me tips on the pellet approach here, feed 4mm's on pole and 6mm on waggler and have deep and shallow rigs set up. There was really no need for the waggler on 62, not enough room I thought, so I went down the pole route. I had a very slow start, but everyone around me did, but eventually I started to get bites from skimmers and carp. It was a case of mixing up the feed, cupping or catapulting, and trying both deep and shallow. Then joint fishery owner Ian Parsons came for a walk round and watched me, he said the lakes were having an off day and as a result it was a bit of a leveller, he said I was doing well and could spring a surprise. He was right, as I my 63lb 12oz was good enough to come second overall. It was a good positive result to take me into the Superleague.

The following week and the team draw done put Tony Rixon on about 115 on Campbell I think and people were saying he would break the match record again! I was given 126 on Campbell which I was happy with as I wanted to have a crack at Campbell again. I caught a few early carp and couple of skimmers on the pole but the fish just went. I had been feeding 6mm pellets on the waggler line all the time and switched to this, it wasn't good though and I was not getting many indications but Tony had told me to keep the feed going in! Tony was bagging on the pole and the fish seemed to more that side of the lake as my bank was really struggling. Eventually the carp came into my waggler line and it just got better and better, I started on 0.14 to a 14, and ended up fishing my 4lb reel line direct. If you wonder how did I band the pellet like this, I didn't, back then we were super gluing rubber bands to the pellets and hooking the rubber band. Team captain Mark Jefferies was running the bank on this day, and he commented that myself and Tony were the only 2 anglers on the whole lake feeding decent amounts of bait, and he couldn't believe others had not cottoned on. I had a nice day ending with 87lb 3oz which was 3rd and a good payout, beaten by Tony (who did break the record, and the guy next to him). Can't remember how the team did as I didn't write it in my diary.

At the end of June I went pleasure fishing to Plantation Carp Lake with Warren Bates. I wanted to use this as a practice at fishing pellets on the pole shallow and in the margins. It was stuffed with fish and I had 45 carp. I think this might have been the day when I went to pick up one of my rigs with a pellet on only to find the rig line was going into a hole and the pellet had been take off down there I guess by a mouse! It was stuck solid and I had to pull for a break lol!

The next match I fished (and last to mention today) was a Wednesday afternoon / evening match at Hillview Fishery in Tewksbury. Mark Jefferies had suggested we fish this as we could go to work and just take a half days holiday. The match was going to be on the lakes, and after my recent success of feeding heavy I was still in the same zone. I bought 3 bags of 4mm pellets from Keith who asked / joked if I was buying bait for another couple of matches? Well I got peg 17 on Moorhen so should be just right for fishing shallow, Mark told me to feed it at 13m for an hour before going in on it. However, 40 minutes into the match all I had short was a couple of silvers and I was getting battered by the local to my left. It was a bit windy so a chop on the water, and when I looked up once when I fed I saw a fish "porpoise". I saw the same again soon after and thought time to try this. I went shallow and never looked back as I my peg got better and the locals dried up. I am sure this was down to my heavy feeding. After the match the local moaned to me that I had fed way too much bait and it was not the right thing to do.. hmmm, well I weighed in 88lb and won the match lol! The grumpy local was soon to become more grumpy! At the result Keith paid me out and then said there was the draw for the golden peg, Keith held the bag up to the grumpy local who proceeded to pull my peg out!! An extra £250 thank you very much. You could have heard a pin drop, and Mark said he thought we ought to get in the car and get away pretty quick lol, we did laugh. Of course that feeding method didn't work for me again up there, but it was right on that day. It was a day I'll always remember.

All it remains is for me to  do now is wish those of you reading this a Happy Christmas. I hope you can have a very merry Christmas however you want to spend it, and fingers crossed we can all enjoy it.