Windmill Fishery Open

 The keen eyed among you may have already spotted that I changed my plans and did not fish the river this weekend. I dearly wanted to give it a go (though I could not find any matches) and had a few ideas of where to go depending on the river condition. I had left it late to order any bait, and then I saw the forecast talking about heavy rain on Friday. I decided the river was probably going to be to high to fish and that sadly I was going to have to wait until June to get on it again.  For once I got the decision right, because it did rain heavy Friday and again Saturday night, and as I looked today the river up at Saltford was showing a level of 0.8m, to high for a decent day really.

The weather forecast for Sunday wasn't looking great, strong winds and showers, but being free of Covid at last (although my wife has got it now) I was looking forward to getting out. Having booked in with Gerry Welsh I spend a couple of hours Saturday morning prepping, with two tip rods made up, one for the lead and one for the method feeder. If it was windy those rods would be first out. Also made up a few new pole rigs and sorted some elastics out in my top sets. Spent the afternoon at the Memorial Stadium witnessing another fine display by the Gas, it has been like watching a different team in 2022, 10 games to go you never know!

Sunday morning and awake before my alarm (so the Thatchers cider and stuff was obviously not over done) and was soon sat down in Kingswood Wetherspoon having a large breakfast, it's been a while. Only 4 or 5 others in but I knew one of the lads but had not seen him for 3 years so was good to catch up. I think it took me longer to drive down the "track" to the car park than it to get to the fishery from Kingswood, pot hole hell. It seemed the weather forecast had kept the numbers down, with only 7 people showing up sadly. I paid my pools to Mandy Welsh and the draw was soon underway, very quickly there were a few groans when Nick Sanders drew 14 (he'd won off it the last match) and John Williams drew 10 (he won off it the week before). Apparently this is where the bulk of the carp are residing at the moment. I got peg 20, which is up at the wrong end at the moment but can be a decent area. I had nobody pegged anywhere near me so had lots of room.

I hadn't come to the match with any maggots or casters as the silver weights have been diabolical here all winter (1lb won last match) and all I had with me were, micros, 6mm pellets, expanders and corn. My view on peg 20 of the island.

I had the method feeder set up to fish towards the reedbed in the top left of the picture, and I had the bomb set up for casting off to the right. I had 0.17 to 16 GPM on both set ups.

The margin to the left looked lovely and was nearly 3 feet deep, but I never had a bite in the margin, think the water is still a bit clear.

As the wind was already a bit nasty and I assumed it would get worse, I only set up a token top set plus 1 pole rig. Obviously not far enough out as never had a bite on this either! 

We started at 10am, and I began on the topset plus one for no bites, and was quickly on to the method feeder with a 6mm pellet in a band, I was using Thatchers original groundbait for my mix to start. On either my second or third cast I had a jaggy bite which might have been a liner but it jagged again and I lifted into a fish, it was a skimmer of nearly 2lb. A couple of casts later and a similar bite and skimmer number two was netted, had I already won the silvers? I then had my first proper pull round and carp on, it was a lovely brightly coloured 3lb common. Things went quiet so I added some micros to some of the groundbait so feed a little something more. Soon after this I had an early visitor in the shape of Mike Nicholls, he saw me miss a bite (or liner) and then get my third skimmer. Mike went off to visit others and left me to it. I made a change to corn on the hook, and my first cast on this saw the rod ripped off and I could not stop the fish and it snapped the hook length. Back out on the corn and I had another near 2lb skimmer, but after this it went dead on this line.

I had been feeding small amounts of 6mm pellets with a catapult off to the right about 3m off the island, and now just after the hour I tried this line with the bomb. As Mike came back round he saw me casting out and said "what's that on your line a plummet" lol, I was using a Preston inline cube. I then had my first bite on the lead and netted my second carp, Mike wished me luck and went on his way. I stayed on the lead for the next hour and had 2 more small carp but was not getting any indications. After trying the pole lines I went back to the method feeder swim with corn on the hook again. No liners or indications for a couple of casts, but then a couple more skimmers graced the net. Sadly the method feeder line never threw up another bite after this.

Back on the lead and pellet and 2 carp in 2 casts, thought here we go but no, that was a real flash in the pan. I had tried feeding a bit of pellet off to my left once the method had died, but this only produced 1 bite, again from a skimmer. I was told that peg 22 often produces good skimmers, so maybe the odd one drifted down to me today, never caught one infront of me or to my right. I was struggling a bit now until with about 90 minutes to go I had 2 more carp in 2 casts on the lead, but as before no more followed. I endured a fruitless hour and 15 mins when I was thinking things would improve. Then with 15 mins to go I dropped the lead out on the right line and it went straight round as I was tightening the line, but it came off about 30 seconds later and I am sure It was fouled. Never mind next cast it went round after 5 minutes for another carp, and next cast it went round again! Then the whistle blew at 15:30 for the end of the match.

I had 40lb on my clicker for the carp, and the six skimmers I hoped would go 10lb. I had hear that Nick on 14 had bagged up on carp, and I could see John Osbourne on 25 had caught roach most of the day but no clue how I had done.

My clicker was working well today with my carp going 40lb 2oz, and the skimmers went 11lb 2oz. 51lb 4oz in total, not a bad day and I actually enjoyed it as I felt I had to work hard all day. I do think in hindsight that I could have fished the pole long, as although the wind strength did get up a few times it was not as bad as I expected. Still we will never know, and there certainly was not a lot of fish in front of me as the lack of liners for the last four hours proved.

As it turned out my net of skimmers was enough to pick up the silvers prize today, but it was close with John Osbourne having 10lb 2oz on 25, and Andy Gard 10lb on peg 1.

Once again Nick Sanders did the business on peg 14 with a great 81lb 5oz, some on the lead but most on the pole down his RH margin. Opposite on 10 John Williams also made no mistakes (though he was struggling early doors and went for a walk) to end with 63lb 7oz all on the lead. My weight overall was next.

I think some spring like weather is arriving, and certainly I felt very warm fishing today, needed a layer less. A few spring migrant birds have started to arrive. I heard a few chiff chaffs today, and noticed lots of birds paired up and the mallards were getting it on. It's only March but the nights are getting lighter and hopefully the fish will start to feel hungry again.

The best laid plans

 I was really looking forward to fishing the match at Newbridge Sunday, there were 40 booked on with reserves waiting. Monday night and just as I was going to bed I started to cough, and I seemed to have a bit of an irritated throat, I woke up 4 or 5 times coughing. Tuesday morning and still coughing and feeling a little unwell I did a Lateral Flow Test as my work would want me to before going in, test was negative. Wednesday and I was supposed to travel to Guildford for a customer meeting and so did another LFT, this time it came up positive, bugger. I stayed home and would have to do so for the rest of the week, I did a test Friday to see if I was over it, but the positive line came up quicker stronger. As I wasn't feeling great I made the decision to cancel all my plans for the weekend, so sold my ticket for football and called Ben Rendall to cancel Sunday. I know that we don't have to self isolate but to be honest out of respect for others I wouldn't want to pass it on, I also know I made the right decision as the energy levels are still low.

Having stayed in all week other than a short walk on Saturday, I decided to go for a walk up the river at Newbridge to watch the match, making sure I kept my self a good distance back from the anglers. I parked up in the old layby and wandered down to the river. I decided to not go up into the Little Field as I thought that might not be good today, so got to peg 14 and found match organiser Ben Rendall fishing the groundbait feeder. As we chatted for 6 or 7 minutes Ben told me he had 2 chub for 1lb in the first hour and we were now about 90 mins in when he had a proper bite and landed a bream of about 3 1/2lb which had taken a worm.

I moved on to  peg 16 and found Steve "Stretch" Saunders praying for a fish as he was blanking.

His prayers were answered though as within 5 minutes of sitting behind him he had a lovely drop back bite and was soon playing a bream. It wasn't far off 5lb and put a smile on his face. At this stage I had proven quite lucky to the first two guys I'd watched lol. I saw Darren Gillman walking along with his wife, and he told me it was all quiet further down bar a couple of anglers with early bream.

Rich Whitmarsh on 18 was blanking and then the lad on 20 had 1 bream, after this there was not a lot caught until I got to Jeff Surmon on peg 28. He told me had taken 7 small chublets but it had gone quiet, and within a few minutes of chatting his tip dropped back and he had a bream on too! I took a little video of Jeff landing the bream, it did make me laugh lol.

Off I went again walking downstream and I was really pleased to see Craig Pinker who I had not seen for ages. Craig had covid back last year and was in intensive care and was literally at deaths door. He's still struggling for energy but at least he's out and about. The pegs on the straight weren't great and there was just one bream at this stage that was caught. Shane Robinson on peg 44 was struggling and snagging up and looked a little fed up, but I told him his peg has produced bream as had the peg below 46 which Jerry Pocock was on with a 7lb bream in the net.  As I chatted to Jerry I looked up to see Shane strike and he was into his first bream, looked a 5 or 6lb fish to me. 

After Jerry there was nothing caught until a lad on peg 50 had 2 bream, and from here to peg 61 I expected to see bream as it's a very good area. It was quiet with 1 bream on 52, Nige Wyatt blank on 56 but then Dave Lewis had just landed a 6lb bream on 59, to go with 2 others and a estimated 2lb roach. Below Dave Derek Coles had just one 4oz chublet but being end peg I was sure he would get some bream later as it is often the case that the bream will start to show more in the last hour. By the time I walked back up to Nige Wyatt he told me he had just had 3 bream in 3 casts, and then as I saw him cast out again on his 4th cast he had another bite, we both thought another bream, but it wasn't it was a 1lb chub. Still Nigel was now right up there, but I had spoken to Dean Harvey who was down in the trees and he was probably winning the match with an estimated 18lb. As I left the anglers in the 50's they all had 3 bream in the net.

As I rounded the corner from the high 40's (which were rancid) I was back with Jerry Pocock, and within seconds he was into another bream, slightly smaller at 3lb and taken on maggots. Most fish seemed to be coming out on worms but Jer had changed that cast to maggots and it paid off.

Walking back upstream as I was, I really began to feel the cold wind which was blowing stronger and in my face, and I think everyone wished they had an extra layer or two on! Shane had 2 bream now and he missed a good bite whilst I was there, it was going to be close between him and Jerry. My walk back up the straight was quite fast as all the anglers were struggling with only 1 bream being the best it seemed. Kevin Dicks was on about peg 32 and only had 1 roach, but it was good to chat to him as I asked him about his recent matches on the River Wye, Kev has had some big weights over there with 99lb 1oz being his best (still didn't win the match wow). Catching on 6 to 8m whips is what is needed for these big weights.

Back at peg 18 and Rich Whitmarsh had 2 bream, and Stretch was on 2 but hooked one whilst I was there only for it to come off, the worm had doubled over the hook. Ben on 14 had done well to end up with 4 bream, the last one on the whistle and that would win him the 5 peg section with 16lb 9oz.

The little field had indeed fished really hard, Ivan Currie and Paul Purchase both caught 1 bream each and Ivan's was bigger and he won that section. The full result is in the picture below, and well done to Dean for winning the match with 33lb 10oz, not only bream but also a fair few roach on the feeder, probably more than the rest of the match put together. It looks like Dave Lewis peg must have died on him, and the early leaders name does not appear on the sheet. 

Well done all, I would have loved to have fished even though it was difficult for some. Now next Sunday is my last chance to get on the river before the season ends, it doesn't appear that there is a match on sadly, so I may have to get out pleasure fishing once more. Then after that I will have to get the gear changed around for a few months of commercials, assuming I can get on some matches.

A few hours in the Sun

 My weekend was well and truly turned on its head on Thursday. I had been preparing to fish the River Tone Two day festival, bait ordered, groundbait sorted, whip rigs etc, and then we had a lot more rain than was forecasted and the river went right up high. Organiser Simon Garbutt reluctantly had to let everyone know the match was off, this was the third attempt to fish this and each time flooding has wrecked it. The only consolation for me was that I would be able to watch Bristol Rovers again on Saturday and see the lads. I had a great away day last weekend at Stevenage watching the 4-0 win with my eldest daughter and her friends, didn't get back home to about 11:40pm. lol. Anyway back to this weekend, and the late cancellation left me in a bit of a dilemma with a fair bit of bait and no idea of any matches to fish. I decided to go on the Avon but would decide Sunday.

I still was undecided of where to fish when I got in my van, I tried to ring Warren Bates who I thought might be at Newbridge, but I got no answer so I stopped at Swineford. I knew the river was going to be pacey so not float fishable, but was hoping the colour would be OK. I took a bit more gear this week, rod hodall, box, net/bait bag and my accessory bag, and I decided to carry it rather than dick around with the trolley being loaded and unloaded for the gates. That wasn't one of my better ideas, I'm not 25 anymore and the gear weighs a lot more than it used to! I got to the outfall and had a few minutes breather whilst looking at the river, as I resumed my walk I thought I might fish a peg in this field as wasn't sure I could get much further lol. Just my luck then that there were anglers in those pegs, I managed to huff and puff my way to peg 15 and was probably a 1lb lighter than when I started the walk.

It was certainly going through a bit and just a bit more coloured than I would have liked for chub, so I decided on a 2 pronged feeder attack. groundbait and caster at about 14m out and a maggot feeder further across. I went with a Sonubaits sweet skimmer and and some crushed hemp mix, a 14 N50 to 0.17 powerline. I kicked this off with a big feeder to get some bait in there but with three maggots on the hook, it took 30 mins to get a bite that didn't develop. Two casts later and a drop back bite and I nailed a chublet.

It was quiet after this and I gave my team mate Martin Barrett a call to see how he was doing up river at Melksham, he was having a struggle too. As we talked I had a really big drop back and felt a fish on but then it was off straight away. I gave it 90 minutes on this but didn't have another fish but did miss a couple of small bites. Warren then rang me back to tell me he had a couple of bream and roach up at newbridge and he had made the better choice of venue I felt. I switched over to the maggot feeder and needed 50g to hold further across the river with a bow in the line. This was a bit slow to begin with, but I really wasn't that worried, it was just lovely being on the bank today in wonderful sunshine.

Eventually I had a really good bite on the maggot feeder, but did not connect, and when I reeled in all three maggots were gone. Two casts later and another missed bite, this time maggots smashed. I wasn't fishing a long hook length so I was a bit surprised to not find a fish on the end. All went quiet after this, and then on one cast I caught the hook in my finger (I was casting underarm) and straighten the hook out, ouch. I decided to change down to a 16 hook and but stay on 0.17. First cast on this and I had a fish, but not a real one, see picture lol.

Eventually I had another bite and this time the fish was on, it felt quite decent in the flow and I was really pulling hard, but when it popped up it was only a 1 1/2lb chub. Next cast and I had another chublet about 12oz.

I had another couple of missed bites which was annoying, and then when I snagged and lost the hook decided to call it a day and get prepared for the walk back. Not a lot of fish action today, may have had some more had I stayed on later but I wanted to get back to watch the League Cup final.

My team competed in the Angling Trust Winter League Final yesterday, 5 anglers at Decoy Lakes and 5 on the drains. Unfortunately the draw bag was very unkind to the lads on the lakes and the drains were not great. Shaun Townsend had 1 carp and 4 roach, he had Tom Scholey next peg and he had 1 perch. Andy Ottoway had a 10g perch 90 seconds before the end of the match on the drain, and in his section there was 1 blank and 6 anglers with 10g!! Geraint Powell's peg had been pleasure fished the day before and he came last in his section with the lad next to him was next to last. The tale of woe would continue, and only Kev Bennet had a decent day it seemed. It was the team's worst final ever and they ended 25th out of 27 teams, with Barnsley winning again. Very peggy place (as I know only too well from a prior experience on the lakes) and I guess it says something about the venues when Browning Ossett came last on the day, they got to the final by winning their winter league and beating Barnsley....

I believe I am booked in to fish a match at Newbridge this Sunday, there seems to be a fair bit of rain in the forecast this week, hopefully only light, so it will probably be a feeder match looking for bream, I will need to hit more bites though lol!

Man Against The Elements

 Would you believe that the last time I actually fished was January 9th when I won an open match at Windmill Fishery. I don't mind missing a bit of a fishing at this time of year if the weather and water conditions are not great, and sitting in the sun sipping rum is much more appealing. However, I was really itching to fish again this weekend knowing that Sunday was my only opportunity to go for another two weeks. The weather forecast was horrendous and I decided that rather than try to get on a match and maybe have the wind in my face, I would fish the river somewhere. I went with my wife to watch Rovers on Saturday and Glenn Bailey and Shaun Townsend were also there, and Shaun told me the river had been pants and he wasn't going on it till the last week or two. Hmmm that was not what I wanted to hear, but as I had purchased a pint of casters and maggots they weren't going to be wasted.

I've got to be honest when I woke up Sunday morning and heard the wind I wasn't feeling so keen on going. Not long after the rain began and I was really not sure this was going to be a good idea! The desire to go fishing was greater though and I decided to do one of my limited tackle approaches and get up to Swineford. I mixed some Sweet Skimmer and brown crumb up in my shed and popped that into my Preston EVA grounbait bowl along with my maggots, casters and some worms. In my little Preston Hardcase accessory bag (I've had this for about 7 years) I had my feeders, reel, some hooks, line, disgorger, scissors and a drink and a bit of grub. I took my 12 foot 6 Supera with 2oz tip, landing net and pole and that was it. When I got to Swineford the rain and wind was nasty and I could see by the direction that getting on a peg in the second field would give me a little protection from this, I got in 17 and the willow tree on my left would give a little respite from the elements. The river was clear but I was expecting a little colour to come in it as I fished, my view from the bank.

My minimal set up, everything I took with me is in this picture, I found a branch and used that as bank stick + rod rest. 

As I was threading the line through the rod eyes (I use some 8lb Korum line) I realised I had no glasses with me, but luckily I can still do things just about without them even if it takes me a little longer. I attached a 28g open end feeder with 0.17 powerline to 14 N50. It was just gone 11am and I had my first cast, I spent 25 minutes of regular casts down the middle to get some casters in and then had 35 minutes of waiting longer for a bite. I never had a bite on this, but no matter I thought this might come good later with more colour, but now switched to a 40g large maggot feeder. With the wind swirling around it makes just holding the rod at times tricky, well that's my excuse for the first cast going to far and over the branch in the water lol. Somehow I got everything back but had to tie a new hook length as it had gone curly. My first three casts in the water were uneventful, but on my fourth I had a hell of a drop back, but no fish attached and the bait was not touched. Next cast and after a short wait another drop back and before I could pick the rod up it pulled back round, fish on! I had to reel in a lot of line from the bow and I think I was a little slow on the uptake, and soon enough the fish was off and must have hit a snag as the line was snapped halfway back, grrrrr.

Next cast and the feeder rolled a couple of times so I decided to reel it back in soon after, as I was reeling back in the rod went over, what the hell? I had something on but it was fighting funny and not like a chub just slow, then it was gone. I thought must have foul hooked something, but then I sw the hook was gone, I reckon it was a pike went for the three spinning maggots on the hook and it bit me off. I was a bit naffed off having to tie another hook on straight after the other. A couple of casts later another decent bite and fish on, I was giving this one no quarter and even though it was trying to get further across I had it away from the snags, no further issues and a 2lb+ chub was panned, blank avoided.

The next few casts were all quiet and it seemed there was no chub fest going to happen, and I was thinking that this was going to be a one fish day. Out of the blue I had another bite and was attached to another chub but this one was much heavier and I was pleased to keep it under control in that first 8 or 10 second nervous tug of war. I gave it a fair bit of stick to keep it from going downstream and it was soon popping up and in the net. This one was a lovely bronze colour and I would have said it was a 4lb chub which is up there with the biggest I have had.

I think it was just a few casts later when I hooked another chub but sadly this one just came off for some reason, ah well chub 2 Tim 2. I wasn't giving up despite my hands being cold and everything being soaked, a couple of swans came up looking for food and I obliged them with some casters which they smashed down in no time. The flow was picking up and I needed to go to a 45g feeder to help keep everything in a place.

Things were quiet and I was thinking of going back on the groundbait feeder until I could take no more of the weather, but then another bite came and again the tug of war ensued! Again I got the fish away from the snags, but it was a good one and made me back wind on a few occasions, when it popped up the first time on the surface it looked bigger than the last one. When in the net I could see it was my best chub ever, and picking it up to get the hook out it was really heavy. I have no scales so can't be certain, but I would have said it was going to be a 5lb fish, very thick and fat bodied.  Being on my own and trying to protect the phone these are the best pictures I could take sadly.

I persevered with the maggot feeder, but then had a snag with damaged the hook length. It was 2pm and I thought this was the time to call it a day and pack up, so I never got to try the caster line after all. The swans were chuffed though with all the bait I gave them, and I 'd like to think I have helped them through the winter a little bit.

Walking back with the wind and rain my face was a challenge but other than my hands I was feeling warm and was oh so happy with my catch today. It just goes to show that having a bit of get up and go, or damn stupidity to go out in this weather, you can get a reward. Had I stayed at home I would have not had my biggest chub today and not had another memory to add to the collection. I cannot fish next weekend with more travels for football and a birthday, but then weather permitting I'll be fishing the River Tone festival and that will be my next blog post.

Back in Blighty / 2003

 Sorry there has been no blog for a few weeks but I was doing my best to keep myself to myself and not catch covid prior to going o holiday. It was a stressful couple of weeks in the lead up to going on holiday with one thing and another, many forms to fill out and documents to get. Then three days before my wife and I have the PCR tests and wait for the results.... Thankfully we were both negative and allowed to go to Barbados. Virgin were great at the airport checking that you had done everything right, as when you get into Barbados they require many things to allow you to have a normal holiday. I was very happy when I finally got into the hotel and had a rum punch to celebrate.

I stayed at the same place I did two years ago, and other than having to wear a mask when walking around the hotel everything else was pretty much the same. Daily temperatures rose to 30C max and 24C was the lowest at night. We often had some short showers but they didn't stop our enjoyment of the facilities. As an added bonus of our holiday England were playing T20 cricket against the West Indies in Barbados at the Kensington Oval, we watched the fourth game and saw England win. I wore my Bristol Rovers shirt and got to meet some other Gasheads who had travelled to watch all 5 T20 games, I also got to meet some city fans and we made each other laugh is all I will say lol. Really glad I went to the cricket, great views and fun, and great atmosphere.

I met another angler at the hotel I was staying at, his name was John and he came from Harrogate and fished the river Ure (we spotted each other wearing our fishing hats lol). John showed me some pictures of cracking fish from the river, perch to 4lb, 6lb chub and a near 20lb pike. It was great to meet to John and his wife Sue, and we made friends with many other people here too and that made the holiday even more special. We will be going back to Barbados that is for sure, absolutely love this place.

Looking up the beach to where the sunbeds are (John and Sue walking in front).

Sunset viewing time from the balcony.

Jason Roy was fielding right in front of us and took a great catch, he also smashed a few runs later.

Preston Innovations well travelled white cap, never gets hot in the sun, stops my bald patch from getting burnt too!

I got back home Friday morning and was all over the place after little or no sleep on the night flight, and even Saturday I was a bit light headed and need to get back into UK time and routine. I did think about fishing the river somewhere on Sunday, but the weather forecast for lots of heavy rain overnight and strong winds put me off and I wimped out. Hopefully I will get to go somewhere next Sunday whatever the weather!

Going back to 2003 now and it is 3rd August fishing an open match on Viaduct Campbell Lake. I drew peg 112 and never really got going on the day, having just 6 carp in the first 4 hours on paste, when I tried to make the margins work I hardly did, and instead people started bagging on the pellet wag and it was a smacked arse with just 58lb. Two weeks later I was back again but this time I was on Lodge Lake peg 62, not great usually. I had a steady first 2 1/2 hours catching fishing pellet on the deck, then an hour with nothing. I'd kept feeding and the carp returned but were up in the water and I caught shallow till the end of the match. My weight of just uner 84lb got me the section money.

I had some time off and my next match was one on a new venue for me called Sedges (very well known now). The match was being run by Jerry Pocock as a King Billy open match and would be a friendly affair. I had to ask Tony Rixon for some advice on the venue and he told me there were lots of skimmers and carp in there but to only fish pellets for everything. I had a really interesting day and one that showed me the power of pellets. Fishing a 4x16 rig with a 14 to 0.16 on the deck I caught skimmers quite quickly, and I would get the occasional carp. I then missed a few bites where the float seemed to go under at 45 degrees, I got the message in the end that there were some carp shallow. I would catch a few then they would go, so I would go back on the bottom until I had liners and then go shallow. It was as I said an interesting day, and to my right Kev Boltz had come to catch the skimmers and bream with groundbait and casters and worms, he only about 4 or 5 skimmers all match. My final catch was 185lb, which included 44lb of skimmers. Catches like that these days don't raise eyebrows at some venues, but back then it was by far my best day on a commercial fishery and would be for a while.

I had a couple of matches at Hill View in Tewkesbury and in both attempts I didn't catch very much at all and fed too much on one of the matches. Pretty sure it was also on one of these days when I was fishing the margin and had the pole laid on the reeds. I looked away and then heard that noise of pole on reed, looking back I saw the pole being pulled in, I instinctively jumped and grabbed the end of the pole as I landed in the lake. I dragged myself out soaking wet, and landed the carp. I think it was Andrew Murphy next to me who said he had never seen anything like it and was pissing himself.

Looking forward now, I have managed to get myself booked in for the two day festival on the River Tone in Taunton, this is taking place the last weekend of February. I have only fished the fast water stretch once (in summer) and never fished the tidal part, so I'm going with a big lack of knowledge other than I know chub are needed on the fast stretch and roach on the tidal part, so I am hoping to draw fliers lol. I have been saddened to see on social media that a large stretch of the Tone has been "landscaped" by the Environment Agency. They've basically removed all trees and vegetation and turned it into a ditch, claiming it was needed to stop flooding. I think it's a complete disgrace and in keeping with the environment agency who seem to be doing, well I don't know what, because they are letting all the water authorities pour raw sewage into our rivers for years now. If you are interested to read about the fight against river pollution etc, and are on twitter look up Feargal Sharkey (yes the singer from years past) and also RiverActionUK.  We need to up the anti on these organisations, rant over.