Sunday 24th May - Fly Fishing Hawkridge Res Spaxton near Bridgwater

There were a couple of matches I would not have minded fishing this weekend but one was on Saturday and the other on BH Monday, I was only available on the Sunday so decided to head down to Hawkridge Res for a relaxing days fly fishing. We had friends over for a BBQ on the Saturday night so no need to get up early the next day.
I left home around 10:00 and arrived at the Reservoir just before 11:00, paid the £21 day ticket and had a look at some of the recent catches. I knew Kev Perry had been down a few times this year and he had told me about the golden trout he had caught, sure enough there was his picture with the 5 fish limit of around 26lb. Most of the bigger fish had been caught early season. There were a couple of anglers on the far bank and two were just sorting a boat out.

View from the Lodge looking toward the jetty.

I intended to drive around to a bit lay-by on the Lodge bank and head around toward the far bank and work my way back around.

When I parked up in the lay-by there were 3 anglers already fishing, they had been there a while but had not caught anything. There was lots of fish topping in front of them so I could not understand why they had not caught.

I tried to get one of the rises in front of this angler, you can just about see it at then end of his line.

I could have got in between them but decided to leave them to it.

I made my way through the woodland and could hear the Hawks screeching above the tree tops, pheasants also joined in so all in all very pleasant surroundings. I started immediately opposite the Lodge and began with a 'washing line' set up... orange booby on the point, followed by a black buzzer on a 12 and then a red dawl bach again on a 12. There were no obvious signs of fish in front of me so I was surprised getting a strong take second cast and had a good scrap with a rainbow about 2lb which had taken the buzzer.

My first fish, you can see the buzzer just on the top lip.

Although it was great that I got a fish I almost felt cheated to catch so early. It is a 5 fish limit and no catch and release so though at this rate I will be home by 14:00. I need not have worried as 3 hours passed with so much of a take. Another angler came down from the dam end and said he only had one since early morning, I could see others opposite me who had not had anything either. I worked my way down the bank changing flies every now and then without success and at around 15:30 decided to go back around to the lay-by area to see if the fish were still around. The 3 anglers were still there and when I enquired they still had not had any fish. One said they were still rising but just out of casting range. I could see lots of fish rising and there appeared to be a sedges hatch so they were feeding on big insects. I kept my basic set up but on the point put on a big white booby so it would stay up in the water and give me a big of an advantage in terms of casting distance.

I was only fishing for about 15 minutes when a fish rose to my left about 30 meters away, I quickly retrieved and covered the area where it broke the surface. After a couple of short quick pulls I had a take and a nice fish of around 3lb was landed much to the amazement of the other guys!

I took another at distance after it came up and had a nudge on the booby but a quick pull disturbing the water soon had a fish attacking it and it was on and landed in the presence of an audience by the ice cream van in the lay-by. 20 minute later I had a repeat performance. It was at this point the other 3 anglers packed up (around 16:15). One approached me to see what I was using, I don't think it was so much the type of fly but how it was used to disturb the water on the retrieve which in turn got them interested. 

The rise stopped soon after they went and I called it a day around 17:00. I had enjoyed the day, the surroundings make Hawkridge very special.

My 4 fish and the return card below after weighing them back at the Lodge

On the river next week, the river Ithon that is fishing for grayling near Llandrindod Wells as part of a long weekend including race night at Chepstow and UB40 in concert.

Sunday 17th May - Clevedon Club Match Paddock Lake Acorn Fisheries

12 of us booked in for this scheduled Club Match on home waters and we were sharing the 40 pegs with another Club as there has to be a balance between revenue and Club fixtures. We had the higher pegs 22 to 40 so there was still plenty of room. A £20 per head Match Secretary Adie Baker was paying out the top 4 overall (no silvers pool). In the week match weights had been around 100lb. Most of the entry was made up of regular match anglers which appears to be the case now on these types of venues a few guys were fishing down at Trinity Waters as well but I guess 12 is about the average these days.
Draw was at 09:00 with fishing 10:00 to 1600. I went into the kiddies school bag and pulled out peg 30, never fished this end before but Adie informed me there had been a lot of fish down that end mid week, we'll see.
The peg was like most pegs on Paddock but a little narrower that the mid teens and did not need my end section to reach the far shelf.

Peg 30 with the new stock pond that has been dug on the island, the overflow pipe has not been needed yet but still a feature.

For company to my left on Peg 31 was Sensas Thyers soft pellet and silvers king Mike Owens and to my right and an empty peg away on 28 was Sensas Thyers captain Lance Tucker. On Bridge pegs 33 and 34 were two other Sensa Thyers carp slayers Brian Slipper and Kev Perry, bridge pegs are a holding area for the fish and anyone who draws them are usually in the frame.

Map of Paddock Lake

Keeping things simple I had two rigs for the far shelf where there was around 2.5 feet and fishing banded pellet, one rig for the track, about 5 feet again banded pellet and an edge rig for fishing paste toward the pallet on peg 29. My 2 shelf rigs also could be fished down the edge.

On the all in generous helping of wetted 4 mm and micro were fed on all lines, there were a lot of fish moving but not always a good sign.

The first hour was quite slow and not a lot was being caught, I managed a couple of carp across but lost about 3 due to being foul hooked, Lance was doing a little bit better landing the ones he hooked.

An early look down the edge and I had one straight away on the paste but could not get another bite on it. I shallowed right up on the far shelf and had a few on the drop, feeding very little but making a noise dropping the rig in and continually lifting and dropping it. 

Loose feeding pellet via the catty down the edge and fishing banded over the top only brought a couple more although I did bump a few due to fishing heavy elastic and trying to prevent them going under the pallet.

After 4 hour I tried a pellet I had not tried before, hemp and sweetcorn flavour on the band across about a meter out from the far bank. The float dipped straight away and I began to catch fish more frequently but too late in the day to make any impression. 

The pegs prior to Lance did not weigh in that much and were exposed to a cold breeze most of the day.

Lance put 72lb 5oz on the scales to go into an early lead but had been watching Brian and Kev on the Bridge pegs and thought they had a lot more.

Lance with part of his catch

I weighed in next and thought I had around 45lb, was a little bit out and recorded 56lb 4oz.

My contribution

Mike Owens had a slow start but managed a few toward the end weighing in 32lb 12oz. Next was Brian Slipper who had 3 nets in on bridge peg 33. Brian weighed 71lb dead. Brian did comment that Kev next door had around 100lb. He was not far out with Kev putting 102lb 1oz on the scales.

 

Kev with part of his catch.

There was an indication that Mark Bromsgrove had also done well. Mark was not far off the mark (pardon the pun) with 100lb 14oz.

So.........a clean up by the Sensas Thyers guys.

1st      Kev Perry 102lb 1oz

2nd    Mark Bromsgrove 100lb 14oz

3rd     Lance Tucker 72lb 5oz

4th     Brian Slipper 71lb

I finished 6th, full results below.....

Not sure what is happening next week, was going to Summerhayes but there is a 2 day festival on and I am only free on the Sunday.

Sunday 10th May - Open Match Summerhayes Fishery near Bridgwater

I reached the grand old age of 59 on Saturday... how did that happen? I guess some of the Birthday Cards indicate what my hobby is.

I was undecided where to fish on the Sunday, I did fancy a trip down to Hawkridge Res to try and catch some of those Golden Trout but at around 15:00 I gave Pete a call at Summerhayes and booked myself in for the Sunday Open. Pete informed me it was to be on Longs Lake so I am yet to fish Sellicks Lake. This would be my 3rd trip to the venue this year.
Draw was at 09:45 so had a bit of a lie in after a few sherberts the night before with a couple of friends. I got there about 09:30 and it was rammed so had to double park. There was a club match on Sellecks Lake and 24 were booked in for the Open Match. A few regular faces from the Clevedon Club were also there, Dave Stevenson, Paul Faires, Rod Wootten and Nick Harvey.
I left the gear in the car until after the draw as some would no doubt move to the bottom car park depending on where they drew.
Pete prior to the draw announced he would be paying top 5 overall and top 3 silvers so money was well spread out.
I held back a bit and went into the bucket around the halfway mark and pulled out 15 which is down the bottom end towards the M5. I have never drawn down this end before so something different. Dave Stevenson had 17 and Rod had 11. I drove down to the bottom car park and had a very short walk. For some strange reason there was no Peg 16. Peg 15 was a huge platform commonly known as the helicopter pad.

Home for the day

Elevated part of the M5 directly behind me

I did fancy the peg, there were lots of reeds and carp were constantly moving in them but I have been in this situation before and it can be very fustrating loosing fish and tackle. I had been reading Mike Nicholls Blog ( Silverfox) who has done very well on paste recently so 2 identical rigs were set up to fish at various points in a bay to my left and nearside left margin. I only set up one other rig for open water at 5 meters to fish soft pellet over two lines micro and ground bait nice and simple today.

Dave Stevenson was ready before me and it was his first visit to the water.

Dave just before the 'all in' making that final text to Darren Nudd.

On the all in I fed wetted 4mm pellet on 3 lines for the paste and micro's and ground bait in my 2 open water swims but I never had a look on them all match. I thought the peg was crying out 'carp' so decided to go for it. I fished the paste short first, top 2 plus 2 on the inside and after 10 minutes the float sailed away and fish on, a nice little common of about 2lbs. I fed a little more were I had caught this fish and then tried my 13 meter line into the bay and about a foot out from the reed where it was about 3'. I think the paste must have just hit bottom and a carp grabbed it. This fish was better and I had to add force to keep it out from the jungle. The No.14 elastic soon tamed it and a 4lb common was netted. Fish were moving continuously but did not appear to be getting their heads down. I had another just short of the first hour. Looking around there did not appear to be much happening although the guy on 13 was getting a few on the method. I stuck it out on the paste until about 14:00 but changed one of my paste rigs for fishing banded pellet very shallow in the left hand margin after I saw peg 13 getting a couple down toward the empty pallet on 14. This was the turning point in the match for me and I started to put quite a few in the net for the remainder of the match. It was nerve racking stuff trying to get them out of the snags and reeds and  I did loose a few as well as trash 3 rigs.
In the final hour I was match the angler on 13 fish for fish so it was going to be close altough I had no idea if anything was being caught around the sides and top end of the lake. I was thinking I had around 40lb.
I walked up and met the scales around peg 8, up until then top weight was 39lb 3oz. Alvin Jones was on 8 and put 54lb 2oz on the scales so word was that would be hard to beat. Paul Jackson was the angler on 13 and he had 42lb 10oz so it was going to be tight. My weight of one small tench and carp went 39lb 4oz so 3rd overall at that point and thats the way it remained.

Birthday boy with his catch on reflection I should have won it!

Top 5 as follows then...

1st    Alvin Jones Summerhayes 54lb 2oz

2nd   Paul Jackson Summerhayes 42lb 10oz

3rd    Ivan Currie Maver Cadbury Angling 39lb 4oz

4th    M Addicott Sumerhayes 39lb 3oz

5th    Rod Wootten Clevedon 34lb 14oz

Silvers

1st    Nigel Wickham Summerhayes 15lb 4oz

2nd   Ray Wickham Summerhayes 6lb 15oz

3rd    Glyn Wickham & Roger Russell both 5lb 15oz

Full results below.

Sunday 3rd May Clevedon Club Match Avalon Fishery

I was aware of this match before I went off on the cruise to Norway but did not book my place before going as I was unsure if I would have time but due to the ship docking at around 07:30 and picking up the car in good time I was home by around 11:30 on Saturday so sent a text to Adie who confirmed a place.
The cruise was fantastic, I had been on the same one back in 2012 but a special offer tempted us and we were on a brand new ship the Britannia.

Took this pic when we were docked in Flam

Another bonus was winning the roll over on the Bingo during the final sea day back to Southampton!

£918 and... on a free ticket given to the wife when she bout £15's worth! Happy days.

So..... onto the match. I need not have worried about a place as there were only 8 booked in and we ended up with 6 due to a couple of no shows, but it was a day out and that's they way I look at it. The draw was at 09:30 due to requests from other anglers but it will take a couple of weeks for this to filter through and I also hear a few don't like the £20 membership fee, personally I can't see what the issue is, the club is run on a shoe string and no one has a honorarium. Fishing was to be 11:00 to 17:00. Proprietor Vic Bush told us it had been fishing well, never heard him say anything else or any other fishery owner. To be fair Vic allowed us to spread out and every other peg from 1 to 11 was put in.

Map of Moors Match lake.

I drew peg 5 and was told to watch out for carp trying to escape through the gap in the island and to cast to the right of the peg on the island due to a lot of roots if using the lead.

Peg 5 and plenty of room.

For company on peg 3 I had Scott Smallwood who hand a nice end of island peg and below me on 7 was Darren 'Nuddy' Vowles who I had to give 20p to to make up his £20 entry fee. Darren had also an end of island peg but the wind was blowing down the lake making it difficult. I decided on a simple approach... straight lead with banded pellet across to the island, banded pellet at 13 meters on the pole where I had about 7' of water, an up in the water rig in open water and and edge rig for fishing paste, the margin either side of me was about 5'. While setting up there were a few fish moving across but not much sign of them in open water. On the all in I cupped plenty of 6mm pellet in the margins and wetted 4mm at 13 meters. I started of on the straight lead with 8mm pellet tight to the island and fed via the catty just a couple at a time across and the odd pouch full of 4mm on the 13 meter line. At around 11:20 the tip went around and I soon had a very hard fighting 5lb common in the net, Scott on peg 3 had on on the pellet wag just before me and Nuddy was yet to score. I had one more fish on the lead in that first hour but I could see Scott getting a few, he was also using the 'baggin wag'. A couple more smaller fish followed during the second hour and I was still feeding the other two lines with good helpings of pellet. The wind was difficult at times and a nice bright warm morning started to change to an overcast sky and the threat of rain. Kev walked up from end peg 11 to get his waterproofs and said he had around 30lb so far. Nuddy finally got off the mark with a chub on the pellet wag but was also being pestered by roach. 

At about 14:00 I had a look in the margin with the paste but not an indication so threw that rig up the bank and went onto the 13 meter line with 6mm banded and had a decent skimmer straight away. I was also getting the odd foul hooked carp which I never landed and despite shallowing up never connected with any. Nuddy never had a carp all match on his up in the water rigs. It went a bit slow for a while and I was tempted to go back on the lead and sit it out when the float dipped and I had a right munter on. I don't think it new it was hooked and the No. 11 hollow elastic was at full stretch. I hung on and expected to loose it but in the end got it in close and was about to net it when it went around the back of the pallet and back out again with the line grinding on the upright post. I got off my box and fed the top two around the back of the pallet and out the front and was amazed to find it the fish was still on! Another 5 mins pissing about and I landed it, a common of around 9lbs.

I added one more on the pole line plus towards the end a few more skimmers. I knew I had not done enough and was sure Scott would take the coin.

1st     Scott Smallwood 71lb 5oz

2nd    Kev Perry 64lb 11oz

3rd     Ivan Currie 29lb 4 oz

4th     Andy Deveraux 27lb 10oz

5th     Steve Bonwick 18lb 5oz

Nuddy DWN but had mid teens worth of silvers.

Scott with part of his catch, well done.

Team meeting this Wednesday night to discuss up and coming SW Super League, not sure what's on next weekend but will be out some where.