The Avon League was a washout. Colin had pegged the River at Melksham the previous day and it wasn't too bad although he made the decision to fish it instead of the Canal on the Monday I believe. Well it pissed down on the Tuesday and the river was very dirty and fast as I followed Kev Abigail to my peg in the ''Forest Section''. I was on 2 and he was on 1. Huge rafts of weed were coming down and the water was boiling. It was a bit slacker close in and quite deep so just decided to set up the one Feeder Rod and 45grm was enough to hold it a rod length out.
I was ready nice and early and walked up to look at Kev's peg. He had a much better slack and was setting up a pole as well. Just before I walked back to my peg a fish rolled close in.
When we started I soon became frustrated with the amount of crap hitting and sticking to the line, the lobby hook bait was also covered.
I guess it was less than an hour into the match when Nicky Johns walked up, none of the anglers in our section had caught, he walked up to Kev and I heard him say he had one small roach.
Soon afterwards Chris Ozone walked up he was the peg below me and said he couldn't hold bottom.
Into the 2nd hour and Nicky came for another walk, he said nothing had changed below us.
Well...I blanked, Kev above me weighed one roach for 1oz, Chris below me blanked, Dave Baker had 6oz I believe, team mate Mike Martin had one small dace and wait for it....Nicky Johns won the section with a 1lb plus. Apparently as the river continued to rise a bit of a slack developed on the end of his keepnet and this is where he snared a few roach on the lobby.
Top weights were 2 x 4lbs and a 3lb down the Scotland Rd end so league over for me now.
Sat 22nd
I was hoping to fish the Help for Heros match at Newbridge on the Sunday but looking at the weather forecast I just couldn't bring myself to sit in the wet and fish another flooded river. Just as well I didn't confirm my entry as I couldn't get enough worm. The weather forecast was dry on the Saturday so decided to book in for the Christmas Open at Acorn Fishery which is local to me. I hadn't fished there since last May and as my Club has a Pairs Match on it Saturday 29th Dec I thought it would be useful plus the weights have dropped to a more sensible level.
Before the draw we were given hot cider and mince pies, always taste better when your not supposed to have them.
18 booked in for the match which is a nice number over the 40 available pegs so we were well spread out. I drew peg 9 and although I don't fish here much I knew it was a good bank. A couple of mates put me right on how to fish it and off I went in the van (all 50yds) to park behind the peg.
It was only 11 meters across but a good 3 foot about a metre out form the rushes. I had a bread dobbing rig set up for this line starting off 6'' off the deck. Next rig was for the bottom of the far shelf and a rig down the track, 5 sections where it was about 4 foot deep.
Didn't feed anything at the start and after a few minutes dobbing the bread I had an indication.
Had my first foul hooker across after 20 minutes and didn't land it. A few more foul hookers followed, all lost and frustration started to set in. Looking around I couldn't see anything being caught so hard fishing it was going to be.
I have to say it made a nice change and by altering depths and switching between bread and maggot I ended up with about 7 carp 3 roach and a crucian for 28lb dead which was enough for 5th overall but no cigar.
Weights as follows.....
I'm sure if a proper Commercial Angler had been on my peg they would have done a lot better.
I see the river at Newbridge fished quite hard for most on the Sunday but Paul Purchase managed 6 bream for 24lb plus, he's on great form at the moment.
Next up for me is the Roy Carter Memorial on the Glos Canal 28th Dec followed by the Clubs Blind Pairs Match at Acorn the day after.
Have a great Christmas and New Year all........
No comments:
Post a Comment