Author: Shane Lovell

 

Had my usual walk around the Pool which had coloured up somewhat, probably from the recent wind and rain. Not much signs of feeding fish though, except, around pegs 18, 19, 20 and 21 – as per usual. Fancied any of these pegs plus peg 1 which was occupied by Kev Winstone – pictured – where was he after the match?. 

Dave Gillard called me peg 27. Happy with this as it’s a great waggler peg. Arrived at the peg to find myself next to Paul Haines on peg 28. Dave Haines was on peg 29 one of my favourite Silvers pegs. Not to worry as I would be targeting the F1’s on the waggler and the odd stock Carp.

Firstly, I set up the Drennan 12 foot Carp waggler rod – I love this rod, wish Dad could have used it. Two Paste rigs a 0.4 gram for out in front on the top set and a 0.3 gram for the RH margin. Simple, well not quite as it would prove!

 

I started on the waggler with double DR hook bait over loose fed DR’s, however the wind had picked up making it impossible to fish it properly. Very disappointed when I had to abandon it. So out in front with paste over potted micro and had a run of five Skimmers and a small Tench but only one F1 – my real quarry. Meantime Paul was getting an F1 every chuck on the method feeder, but was having issues with the brambles loosing a few in the process as well as feeders. Nonetheless I was well behind with Carp and decided to try and build on the Silvers I had by setting up a short Ronnie rig for the LH bay where there was some shelter form the wind and a 4×14 Titan to fish over the paste line with GB and DR’s. The upshot was neither was producing any quality – mainly small Perch. So these were abandoned in favour a monk for the rest of the match in the RH margin with the paste. Things got emotional as I was foul hooking decent Carp and couldn’t work out why. As time progressed I started to land a few including some F1’s. With Paul now financially out of pocket by seven Method Feeders was also monking in his margins. I started to catch him up and the Carp I had just before all out did it for me – just. 

My Silvers weighed 10 b 15 oz and my Carp 47 lb 5 oz for a section win and second overall.

The match was won by Tony Ponting (pictured with the match winner) with 66 lb 6 oz from peg 20. Tony caught mostly from both margins using corn over corn – well done matey.

The overall Silvers was won by Dave Haines with 19-08-0 from peg 29. Dave caught in his usual manner – Short to hand using either maggot or caster hook bait over some GB and loose feed. Well done matey.

I think I might know why I was foul hooking so many, but need to do an experiment in the garage to confirm or otherwise.

A few suspects missing from the pub today – just the eight.

Result:

A Section:

1. Hughie Evans 45-07-0 peg 7

Silvers: John Fry 14-02-0 peg 4

B Section:

1. Ray Bazeley 49-01-0 peg 14

Silvers: Pete Greenslade 13-02-0 peg 16

C Section:

1. Tony Ponting 66-06-0 peg 20

Silvers: Paul Barnfield 18-04-0 peg 21

D Section:

1. Mike Nicholls 58-04-0 peg 27

Silvers: Dave Haines 19-08-0 peg 29

Weigh Sheets:

 

Last minute decision to fish today as I had planned to watch the local cricket 20/20 derby match, Somerset v Gloucestershire, which we cancelled due to some mates having to self isolate. My team won! 

Arrived in plenty of time for my usual wander round. The Pool looked in good nick with plenty of fish showing. I fancied peg 1 near the aerator. Good turn out of 25.

Dave Gillard pulled me peg 31, an area I just can’t get away from. For company I had Dave Poole on 32 and Dave Haines peg 30. This use to be a good area for a few better Carp, but not nowadays due to them being removed, just a handful left.

I set up the waggler for over to the opposite island incase of a struggle, not for F1’s as they don’t seem to hold up here, but Silvers. Then a short and long Ronnie rigs. The pole stayed in the case.

 

I fed the waggler line with LR’s and both short and long Ronnie lines with neat GB. Started on the short line with single LR and caught Ronnie’s straight away and had a really good couple of hours catching mainly Ronnie’s to 3 oz with a smattering of Perch which seem to have grown on some this year. Went out on the long rig and had two Skimmers one good one, I was soon back on the short line as the wait for a bite was far too long to catch similar size fish. I kept the GB going in on both lines and had a cast on the waggler and again was catching the same size fish and with the wind picking up it was soon retired. Back on the short line and found it quiet and was soon to find some F1’s had moved in over the GB and had three very quickly, still the Silvers were being canny so set up a paste rig and have two more F1’s then back on the Ronnie rig and started to catch again. As the match progressed the harder it became so by switching around I kept a few more coming including another decent Skimmer. Had there still been any number of Carp left in the Pool I would have one, very few caught today. I think it needs restocking with a mix of 2-3lb Carp. 

My Silvers weighed 20 lb 12 oz for a section Silvers win and top Silvers on the day. The five F1’s weighed 8 lb 7 oz definitely growing.

The match was won by Dave Wride (pictured with the Silvers winner) with 53 lb 10 oz from peg 27. Dave caught “on the pole in the water”.

Back to the pub with the usual suspects. Getting use to this table service one positive to come out of the epidemic.

Result:

A Section:

1. Bob Feltham 48-0-0 peg 1

Silvers: Paul Clayton 12-09-0 peg 6

B Section:

1. Rob Baker 38-0-0 peg 19

Silvers: Phil Morgan 9-04-0 peg 17

C Section:

1. Dave Wride 53-10-0 peg 27

Silvers: Paul Barnfield 13-06-0 peg 24

D Section:

1. Paul Haines 36-12-0 peg 29

Silvers: Mike Nicholls 20-12-0 peg 31

Weigh Sheets: