Sunday 29th September - Commercial House League Round 2

After returning from a weeks fishing in Ireland last Sunday I was delighted to receive a text asking me to fish for Maver Cadbury Angling in Round 2 of the Commercial House League which was to be fished on the Bristol Avon around Chippenham plus 2 sections at Christian Malford about 10 miles upstream of Chippenham. I was familiar with the 4 sections on the Chippenham stretch but had not fished Christian Malford for about 10 years or more. The good thing was I was able to offer some advice to the rest of the team who had little or no experience of the water. The draw was at a Social Club in Melksham so about an hours drive from home and then quite a drive to the Sections. On arrival it appeared most anglers were unfamiliar with this part of the Avon. I was the last to arrive, well not quite, on arrival our captain Chris Hook told me there was bad news, one of the team was not coming, apparently informed Chris at short notice, there were no other spare anglers so we were one down before we even started. In Round 1 we only fished with 5 as Toby was ill on the day and had to go home but we did finish 2nd.Chris jokingly said 'well we will just have to win 5 sections' hmmmm. Sam Johnson done the Team draw and came back with peg 7. Sections were allocated and I was given 'B' which was below the bridge at Christian Malford, we left 'A' blank so all the rest were on the Chippenham town sections. After the draw it was quite funny to see anglers working out how to get to their pegs and park. I hung back as I knew where I was going and gave James Gunter some directions on paper. By the time I got to Christian Malford most anglers were already in the dedicated car park provided by Amalgamated Fisheries who control the stretch. I was not concerned as there was plenty of time as the fishing was 11:00 - 16:00 and it was only 09:30 when I arrived. The river was very low but there was a bit of colour in it. As I walked down to my peg some parts of the river disappeared under vegetation and as I walked past some pegs I really was pleased I had not drawn them, but what would mine look like.
When I arrived at B7 I was quite happy, there was a fair bit of room between me and the Cardiff Nomads angler on B6 and below me the next angler was around a bend, happy days.
Although there was a little bit of colour I did not want to risk spooking any fish so decided not to set up a pole, instead I set up a light tip rod for fishing straight lead and worm (there are big chub in this stretch), a wag rod for down the middle where the depth was about 5 feet and another wag for the far shelf under some trees set about 3 feet. 18 drennan team england hooks to 0.09 and 0.10 on the wags and size 16 drennan supper specialist to 0.13 for the straight lead. The Cardiff Nomad angler only set up a pole! I decided on a hemp and caster approach with red mag on the hook feeding both lines regularly.
At the all in I chucked the wag across to the trees and within seconds the float buried and a 3oz roach was swung in, several more followed in the next 30 mins before it died so switched to the middle and began catching again, small roach all around 2 to 3oz. I could see the angler above catching but new I was ahead. Throughout the day I chopped and changed lines, I had a go with worm on the tip for about 15 mins but no signs at all. I thought at this stage it would be best to keep to the wag attack rather than take a chance and given that we were a man down. At the all out I was pleased to have caught for most of the day, although the fish were small. I walked down to the pegs below me after packing up, the two favourite end pegs done the business with 16lb odd each, 3 decent chub were included in each of their bags and made all the difference, the other pegs below me did not do so well with between 3 to 5lbs. I weighed in 7lb 7oz which just beat the Cardiff Nomads angler who weighed in 7lbs 3oz so just as well I did not stay on the tip, other weights above peg 6 were poor. A quick glance at the weigh board confirmed I won my section so job done for the team. Back at the car park the best weight I heard from above the bridge 'A' section was 5lb.
Back at the club in Melksham for the results, I was last back again (longest walk last match, longest drive this match). Out of the 5 of us we had 3 section wins, a section 2nd and the 5th member below halfway, what a result but how would we figure in the overall points?
Overall the river fished hard due to little flow and low water, 5lb was a good weight on the day.
When the results were announced Div A and Div B section winners were call out first so it was great to hear Maver Cadury Anglers names called out namely... Sam Johnson Chris Hook Myself £30 each Teams on the day, Thatchers A and B Teams took the top two places in A Div, when it came to B Div results we had won the day with 5 anglers so Chris's suggestion that we needed 5 section wins to win was not far out... who would have thought! In B Div overall we are now in first position but only one point separates the top 3 Teams, what a result. The next round in on the Bristol Avon at Newbridge, unfortunetly I will be away (cruising on the high sea's again). Not sure what is happening this weekend and still have to write up about the ireland trip. On another note have a look at this pic my boss took while on holiday in Croatia, seems there is another Ivan into fish!!

5 Sleeps to go

I did not go fishing this weekend for 2 reasons the 1st was due to taking my youngest daughters stuff up to North Acton where her student accommodation is and prior to her starting her degee course at the London College of fashion. The 2nd reason was I have started preparing my gear for Ireland, departing Saturday 14th Sept to 21st, 5 of us going in total. Lightening up the seat box is important and not carrying anything you don't need like carp rigs (they have still been in my box despite not fishing a commercial since June. Lines for hooklengths at 0.09 and 0.10 are also out as 0.13 is the minimum. Hook sizes of 12, 14 and 16 are all that's required plus big wagglers and 30g to 40b feeders. Braid and a braid / mono hybrid loaded on feeder reels and 0.15 on the float reels is a must due to the continuous casting. I have started to make up 2.5 and 5 g pole rigs as you can get a lot of fish at 10 to 13 meters. Location will be the Anglers Rest in Ballyconnell run by Irish International Francis McGoldrick, Francis has an excellet Tackle Shop and Resturant and give out good advice. I hope to provide a full update on my return sometime during week commencing 22nd September with photo's depending on how focused I will be as I have been known to have the odd Guiness!

Brackley Lough Ballyconnell - wonderful

Sunday 1st Sept Commercial House Winter League Bristol Avon, Swineford to Jack Whites

As stated in a previous post I showed an interest in becoming part of the Maver Cadbury Angling squad with a view to participating in the Bristol Commercial House Winter League. I received a text from Cadbury Angling http://www.cadburyangling.co.uk/ boss Toby Parker asking me if I was available to fish the first match, I was delighted to be asked especially as I now try and get out on natural venues as much as possible. A team meeting took place down at Cadbury on Saturday (Toby bought the coffee's)were we discussed the venue and tactics. The Team consisted of Toby, Sam Johnson, Glenn Calvert, James Gunter, Mark Bartlett and myself. There are 13 teams of 6 in the league another increase from last year and shows that the interst in rivers is returning, so 78 anglers in total each match. The venues are Sept, 1st match Bristol Avon Swinefore to Jack Whites, 2nd Match Bristol Avon Chippenham and Beanacre, Oct, Bristol Avon Newbridge, Nov, Bristol Avon Swineford to Jack Whites, Jan and Feb Kennet and Avon Canal Bath area. I have fished all of these venues in the past. When I asked what we get from Maver I was given a polo shirt, discount off catalogue prices and discount off bait for match days, that'll do for me.

Team logo

For bait I took 2 pints caster, 1 pint red mag, 1 pint hemp and some worm from the wormery at home plus a couple of kilo of Noire and some brown crumb.

We all met at the rugby club on the A4 between Saltford and Bath at 8 o'clock on the Sunday, Glenn was already tucking into a full fry up which is how I left him the day before down at Cadbury! Lot's of familiar faces around and some I knew from way back, great to be in this kind of company again. There are 2 Divisons in the league, as newcomers we were in B Division. Sam went up and paid the pools at £15 per angler and then performed the team draw, we drew peg 13 which would be the end peg in each section. You were mixed with Div A anglers but we only had to beat Div B anglers. I was to be in B Section which is almost or is half way down the stretch, with only two access points it was going to be a long walk. How come the oldest angler in the team gets the long walk?

I decided to park at the Swineford end and after breaking down the trolley 4 times in order to get over the fences I made it to my peg with 45 mins to go and feeling extremly hot and bothered.



Even the peg card was having a lie down off its nettle stalk!

The peg was just a little high off the water but managable, the flow looked ok down the middle as well. I set up a wag, pole at 11 meters and a feeder. I did ball in at the start but commenced an attack on the wag with maggot feeding hemp and caster, I had a fish first chuck, a small chublet. To cut a long story short I stayed on the wag all day but having to cast with my right hand over my left shoulder because of a tree but soon goyt the hang of it. I fished about one foot off bottom as did Neil Richards above me, I could see him catching as well so stuck with it.

View from B13

At the all out I knew I had double figures but as I had no bonus fish thought I would not come anywhere in the section. After packing up everyone I spoke to while waiting for the scales was admitting to low double figures at best. As the scales arrived I looked at the weights and needed to beat 16lb, 13lb was next. The peg above me weighed 19lb but that was ok as he was in A Division. I out mine on the scales and they went 14lb 10z so second in the section and third in the section overall all meant good team points. I was the last but one back at the rugby club and met up with the Team.

Sam had won A section with 12lb odd, Glenn was second in E section and the other guys had done ok ish. Unfortunetly Toby DNW due to being taken ill and was forced to go home. So to the announcements which was a bit hard to hear and a little confusing, however, Sam and Glenn both picked up section money, I was 6th overall and picked up £65 and as a team we finished second in B Div only 3 points behind Frys. Thatchers A won the A Div.

Overall

1st Graham Hunt 27lb odd from the first peg on Jack Whites, all roach and chublets

2nd Andy Ottoway 25lb odd, near the end in Jack Whites.

3rd Neil Richard 19lb odd, roach and 2 bonus chub

4th Tim Ford 17lb odd, behind marina with bonus 3lb ish bream

5th Warren Bates 16lb odd with bonus bream on stick float at swineford

6th Ivan Currie 14lb 10oz, all small roach and chub

So not a bad start to the league. No fishing next Sunday due to helping my daughter move into University accommodation and then off to Ballyconnell for a weeks fishing the following Saturday more wild fishing in big loughs, can't beat it.