Sunday 26th June - SW Super League practice match Lower Bristol Avon

This was the first major match on the Lower Bristol Avon of the new season. The section used was Swineford to Jack Whites and 44 Anglers were booked in. The draw was at 08:30 with fishing 11:00 - 16:00 due to some long walks as there is only really three points of access and gear needs to be lifted over Kissing Gates and Styles. There were payouts for the top 4 and 4 sections of 5 and one of 4, each paying out £50 which is the way to go I believe.
4 of us from the Team were taking part, Chris, Lewis, Rob and myself even though Chris and I are away for a few weeks from 2nd July.
We were near the front of the due when the draw was called so a quick get away in order to park. Lewis was in front of me and pulled out peg 9 at Swineford, second field and I pulled 7 so we were both in the same section. I did fancy it even though these were not the usual permanent pegs.
On arrival and after we had loaded up we had to go through the first field of uncut grass which was knee high followed by doing a series of lifts with other anglers to get the gear over the Kissing Gate. I was a the first peg directly after the gate.
The river was well coloured due to the previous days storms and it was a very steep climb down the steps cut in the bank to get down near the water.

The picture does not give the full extent of the gradient down the bank.

I toyed with just standing up but made the decision to take the box down the bank and setting up more comfortably which resulted in straining my back.

I set up a feeder rod and a topper float for down the middle as straight out in front of me the river came back on itself and was very shallow compared to around 6' in the middle. The pole was out of the question as the bank behind me was too steep and close.

Due to the colour and location you had to give it a go for the bream. While fishing the tip for 2 hours I fed the middle with hemp and caster. 

it must have been on about my 8 cast with the tip I had a big drop back bite and I connected with something really solid on the strike which moved a few feet and then the line went slack. The hook length had been bitten through so Mr Pike must have liked the whole dendra. 

Lots of taps were experienced on the tip and I got plagued with tiny fish and not even hooking them.

The tip rod went up the bank and first trot down with the float I had a roach of around 4 ozs. 

Sensas 88 captain Lance Tucker who was below me came up for a walk. I knew he had been mainly concentrating on the tip but said he had only bits but did loose a bream.

I carried on with the float and after a while fed small nuggets of ground bait laced with hemp and caster and with caster on the hook started putting a few fish together although no netters.

I was enjoying the day even though in terms of the overall match I was going nowhere.

I know it was only a 5 peg section but as you can see from the weigh board it was very close. Nick Johns above me spent more time on the float and his swim lended more towards it.

On reflection ..... I should have spent more time on the float, stood up rather than take all my gear down the bank, perhaps set up a long whip.

The middle section threw up a couple of big bream weights as expected with a 44 lb plus net and there was a another with over 30 lbs and a couple of 20 lbs.

Fellow Blogger Tim Ford was also fishing, his report and view of the match can be found at cluckerspeg.blogspt.co.uk

Well I might get out this week before my trip to the States on Saturday but no more matches until Sunday 24th July, it will be on the River Huntspill.