Sunday 28th July Open Match Bristol Avon

I was in two minds what to do this weekend and started searching around for Matches, when I saw that there was an Open Match on the Bristol Avon I was immediately drawn to it so gave Kevin Dicks a call on the Friday and booked in. Draw was at 10:00 at the Stoddard and Pitt Rugby Club on the A4 between Bristol and Bath with fishing 12:00 - 17:00. I guess the last time I fished this stretch was approx 10 years ago or more but I have been keen to get back fishing more natural venues so was looking forward to it. I done a little bit of research by looking at various blogs and old match reports and would also draw on past experience even though it was a bit dated. A phone call to Cadbury Angling http://www.cadburyangling.co.uk/ even though a little late secured me 2 pints of caster, I had plently of red worm in my wormery and a few kilo's of Noire and Green Swim Stime plus plently of brown crumb to help bulk it out a pint of red maggot and some hemp was also picked up when I called in on the Saturday to collect the caster. Sunday came and I was up early as if it was an ealier draw which gave me plent of time to get the worms nice and fresh and load up the car. I got to the Rugby Club about 09:15 and met up with Derek Coles from Frys a short while later James Gunter from Clevedon arrived who is also part of the new Maver Cadbury Angling Super League squad, James also won on Durleigh the week before and was here to practice for the last 2 Super League matches in August. Other Super League Teams had the same idea and I was soon in the company of Sensa Thyers, Preston Thatchers, Diawa Gordon League to name but a few, I also saw Richard Chave, another great natural venue angler. Not quite sure of the final number but there were around 35 plus anglers. A mug of tea and a bacon role for £2(bargain) passed the time while waiting for the draw. Kevin called the draw and explained the access points, only two, one was a walk from the Rugby Club for permanent pegs 101 - 61 and 1 - 60 from Newbridge. I was about the 15th to draw and pulled out 76 which was around the old railway bridge area, I was quite happy with this as I had come across a few reports about this area when doing my research.

So it was just a case of moving the car to the other end of the ruhby field, load up and then go for it, a 26 peg walk did not sound that far but it is on a river. I eventually got to my peg passing Derek Coles on 82, when I told him where I was he also said he fancied it. When I got there the bank was quite high and a tree did make casting awkward so I decided to get down in the water which came halfway up my waders, my trolley platform acted as a table for bait etc. Simple today, a wag for close in at about 3 meters and a feeder for halfway to two thirds across. I had not mixed up anygroundbait so set about this first, I made up approx 3.5 kilo's.

I was ready in plent of time for the all in. When the match started I put 6 big feeder fulls in two thirds across and a couple of tennis balls in on the wag line which I didn't take a look at all match. 2nd proper cast on the feeder line with mag and worm on a size 16 drennan super specialist I snared a small perch a few more followed in the first hour along with a chublet. It was about 90 mins in when the 3oz tip went around, I struck and nothing there, bait was in tact. Out again and the smae thing happened so cast a little sorter (not much) and it done it again, I struck and I knew it was a bream but alas it came off halfway. 15 mins passed and I finally got one, another 20 mins passed before I had another. I was casting out about every 5 mins at this stage. From about 2 hours in I caught one every so often and at just before 16:00 I had about 15 good bream, it was fantastic catching them on a deep flowing river. Bank walkers suggested I was on to win with only one angler in the 60's with 4 bream. Then some idiots on the cycle patch decided to jump into the river from the old railway bridge, I said nothing hoping they would go away, they did after about 20 mins and at least I had 2 pegs between them. I took one more bream in that last hour. At the weigh in I had 17 bream between 5lbs and 2lbs for 61lb 09ozs enough for a win and £140. I did not get any pics as it took 4 weighs on the small scales and it was hot so wanted to get them back in the water. Not sure who it was that came 2nd but they weighed 35lb odd and after that the weights dropped away however you needed around 10lb for a section. What a great day and a personal best for me on a river in England. Tuesday 30th Just got these results from Anglers Mail (almost accurate) Bathampton AA, Bristol Avon, Newbridge. Sun, 35. Ivan Curry (Clevedon AA) 61-9-0, 14 bream, feeder, worm and maggot, peg 76; Steve Ford (Daiwa Gordon League/Old Ghost) 36-7-0; Darren Gilman (Maver Bathampton) 14-8-0; Neil Richards (Daiwa Gordon League) 14-4-0; Paul Bick (Shakespeare Superteam) 11-4-0; Lee Trivett (Preston Innovations Thatchers) 10-8-0.