There have been good weights throughout the matches but there also have been some awful area's resulting in blanks for quite a few anglers. Due to family commitments I have only been able to fish two out of the four.
Personally I like the Gloucester Canal even though it's very peggy and if your not on the bream at this time of year then it can be a very long 5 hours. I have not fished it that much over the last couple of years and when I did it was for the odd 'open' or Super League match but I am picking up a fair bit of information as I go so hopefully it will stand me in good stead for the future.
Todays Team was Chris, Sam, Sean and myself and we all met up at the Gordon League RFC for the draw. As a Team were were near the end in the draw and Chris came back with 465 for me which was at Saul Junction an area that I had fished before plus there was plenty of parking. Due to most have to drive 7 plus miles and some long walks the fishing was 11:00 - 16:00.
I got there in plenty of time and parked up alongside Shaun Bryan who recognised me from my Facebook posts and this Blog. Shaun was on 462 and said we might be just in the bay. That's what I was hoping for as last year anyone above 460 (back towards Gloucester) struggled.
I got to my peg and was pretty happy, not in the middle of the bay but in a wide enough area. On my right was Gary Cross on 463 (Sensas Thyers 88) and on 464 was Sensas Strike rod Mark Jones who won the last match with 30lbs odd of bream.
I had a big willow opposite which would act as a marker for the feeder, i intended to start of with bread as it has served me well before on this canal, a just under top 5 deep rig 14 meters in front of me and a just under top 4 rig 11 meters at 2 o'clock.
When the all in was called 4 big balls containing chop worm and caster were put in on the 14 meter line and 2 containing dead pinkie and chop on my shorter line.
Most anglers who fish the bread give it and hour and I intended to do the same. A double 9 mm punch went not a 16 forged hook to 0.11. I had clipped up 2 meters short of the far bank. Leaving it no longer than 5 minutes before recasting I had my first bite 15 minutes in and missed it. Same again next cast, they were only small twitches so guessed they were roach. I did hit the next small bite and netted (just in case) a roach of around 4 ozs, at least I was not going to blank which is a real possibility here. Mark to my left soon had a bream so there were some around. About 11:45 the bread went in the bag and I filled the feeder up with chop and caster and put 2 dead fluro pinkies on the hook. Not long after casting Gary shouted up to me asking if I had caught yet, I said a small roach and looked down at the tip to see it slowly going around. The bite was hit and I had a bream on. it was carefully played in the deep water and it was a relief to net it. Bit of a scabby fish that had not long finished spawning and at around 4lbs, nice one.
Looking up and down the bank as you do to see what's happening I turned towards Gary whose rod was bent just as a boat was passing through, he did have a bream on but it came off near the net and his re-action was predictable. He actually lost another 2 straight after.
To my left I could see the odd fish being noted across about 4 pegs so it was starting to get interesting.
I added a small skimmer about 4 ozs along with another roach before trying the short pole line at around14:00. First put in the float sailed away but did not connect. Second and third put in's gave me two small perch about 4 to 5 ozs each on dead red. i had a look on the 14 meter line but nothing. from around 14:30 I decided to stick t out on the tip as Gary had caught a few bream and Mark added another. 40 minutes from the all out the tip flew around ( I had half a dendra on) and I was soon playing another bream. This one was a little smaller and too came to the net. Well that was it for me, I guessed I was out of the coin but would get good Section points.
After packing up I caught up with the scales heading my way at peg 463 to see 5 bream for 20lb 5ozs which was the best so far. Next to weigh was Mark on 464 and I was surprised to see his 4 bream weigh 9lb 2oz, I thought he had more than that.
I was next and my couple of bream and bits went 8lb 14oz.
Result of my efforts.
Gary ended up with over 12lbs but those 3 lost fish cost him.
As expected the whole Section was a mix of results with the early numbers failing to find bream as I thought they would. In terms of my position I was a credible 5th.
After making a few phone calls to my Team colleagues it was establish that Sam had a couple of skimmers, Sean had a bream and Chris had blanked so we all headed home instead of going back up to Gloucester. Gary had said Lance Tucker had caught 8 bream so I guess he would have won the match individually.
Diana Gordon League were holding the top tow positions going into the last match and I would be surprised if this had changed much.
Going pleasure fishing somewhere Tuesday and then back to the Bristol Docks Thursday evening.
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