Bathampton pairs series- Round 3

I had a busy week as I was up in Richmond at my new employers HQ for a week of induction and training. A thoroughly enjoyable experience and my fellow employees were very friendly. Despite having 3 months off I was able to get back into the routine.

Back to Newbridge for the third round of this 6 match series, and I picked up my bait and my partner Rich Lacey’s bait on Saturday. Didn’t need to do much prep as all my rigs were still in one piece. The weather forecast was showing it would be a hot sunny day, so made sure I had plenty of drinks, sun tan lotion and a hat ready.

Sunday morning and I was at Greggs Longwell Green for 7am, it was supposed to be open but it wasn’t ready, off to McDonalds then. I got to Newbridge in good time, paid my pools and gave Rich his bait. The pegging was going to be a little bit different to the first match due to some boats moored up, this despite a huge sign saying no mooring is allowed. In fact pegger Derek Coles had a bit of a run in with one of these boaters, but it got calmed down. Apparently Dean Harvey has now been on Amazon and has bought Derek a pair of boxing gloves 😂.

Anyway, the draw got underway and as before I let Rich go first, at the moment this boy can draw as he pulled A1 which was peg 18, my favourite peg. My turn and I got B4 which I didn’t know where it was but would soon find out. A nice warm walk along the river and I was soon sweating, I found my peg and I was on old peg 52. In the first match this section was dominated by bream, but with the hot sun I wondered if they would feed, however, the river did have a good colour again.

I set up a feeder rod for bream with 0.13 to 14, waggler, and two pole rigs, but they won’t get much of a mention. I mixed up some Sonubaits Dark F1 and Sweet Skimmer for the feeder, as well as roach and river for the pole.

I had Nick Coles below me on 54 and last match winner Warren Bates on 49, peg 50 in between us had a boat moored up and so Warren had a lot of room as Graham Hunt above him was on 46.

We started as per usual at 9:30 and I kicked off on the feeder having 10 fairly quick casts and did catch a roach and missed a couple of small fish bites. Bream trap set I went onto the pole and cupped in 4 balls, as I did this I thought I saw a bream roll across. Onto the pole and I had bites but it was only from small roach and bleak which were grabbing the bait on the drop. I’d seen another 3 bream roll during this, not over my feeder line but close enough. I wasn’t going to let that go and so went on the feeder again. First cast on 3 red maggots and ragged out, next cast on worm and ragged out. OK on with 2 worms to try to get past the bits, result proper pull round bite and bream on. Put that one in the net about 45 minutes into the match. A few casts later and just as a rowing boat was going in front of me the tip pulled round again, another bream on and had to keep the tip under water as the rowers went over. Fifteen minutes later another bream, and 15 minutes later another bream on, this time a large barge was closing in fast, I had to crank this bream in hard and just got it my side of the barge, phew! The lady on the boat said she’d seen another like that but mine was bigger, I thanked her and said it was nice of her 😂😂😂. Both her and her husband laughed 😂.

Warren must have heard that and rang me up to see what I had, my four bream was less than his 5 bream which he had in 5 casts, the first after 15 minutes! Nick Coles was only getting bits at this stage but did have a skimmer.

My next hour was quiet and I had just a few small perch and a 10oz chub, then a bream. I’d heard that a few bream were coming out, and Rich had started to get them so good news. Nick below me then had 3 bream in about 30 minutes, so after a good start I was struggling, but there was no point fishing for anything else other than bream now.

It was a struggle with no bites, but this is bream fishing and I just had to stick it out on the tip. I think about 2 hours to go when out of the blue I had 2 more bream in 2 casts. Very welcome fish on a worm and red maggot, but no more followed. Sadly other than a roach that was my lot, but Warren had done well and more bream on the feeder and waggler, could I get second in section?

Mike Weston on the end peg in the Norfolk reeds had the scales, and when he got to me Nick Coles was best with 21lb 10oz. My fish went 31lb 8oz, the first 4 bream in the picture went 16lb 14oz.

Warren then obliterated that and weighed 62lb 10oz, a great bag and well done mate. Above Warren the next angler Graham Hunt had 22lb 9oz which included 5 bream. Poor old Dean Harvey was on B1 and the peg I had first match (I beat 1 angler) and it was crap again as he came last in section with 2lb. Yet on A8 and A7 above Dean both anglers had bream. Top 4 anglers are paid out and I got 4th, hers the frame and section default winners. Well done Warren on winning two matches on the trot. 

Weigh sheets are below, and you’ll see that my partner Rich won A section, that meant we were top pair on the day and this has put us on top the league at the halfway stage with 35 points, Mike Weston and his partner Pete have 30 points and Jerry Pocock and Nick Coles have 29. All very close! I am chuffed to finally get amongst the bream after 2 tough matches, it’s certainly proving to be Peggy and so good draws will be needed in future rounds. Not sure if I will be fishing next Sunday, will all depend on the weather as I’m supposed to be watching cricket.