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.