The draw took place as usual (for the Avon) at the Stothert and Pitt Rugby Club who always make us welcome and provide a good service before and after the matches.
My first job was to shake the hand of the man below, Shaun Bryan who fished a great match on the Div 1 National on the Tidal Trent finishing up with 30 plus kilos for 2nd overall.
Shaun with his trophy and medal, well deserved.
So onto the match itself..... Glen Calvert fished for us due to not have any other league commitments on Commercials and we also had Jeff Surman standing in for Sam Johnson who was fishing a Feeder Fest qualifier further on down the river at Keynsham.
The previous couple of days there had been a fair bit of rain and I was expecting a good amount of colour in the river but took a look at it on the way to the draw and was surprised it was still quite clear, there was a bit more pace to it though.
The draw took place on time and I was allocated Peg 74, eleven pegs downstream from where I was the previous week and the peg Mark Bromsgrove won off with 14lb 4oz. I had fished the peg a couple of years ago and messed it up but knew what to do this time. I can only remember out of the team what peg Glen had as I was going in the same direction as him (he was on 92 and we both walked from the draw). My walk was a little shorter than the previous week but much more comfortable due to purchasing a Rigger Platform Barrow, what a great piece of kit.
I passed Mark Leader who was on 76, 75 was not in and saw my peg was down a very steep bank again but would be fine once I got down and erected the Rigger Platform. The added bonus was there was no one above me, the next angler Gary O'Shea was around the corner after the old railway bridge.
I had heard Mark caught on the waggler at full depth the previous week but due to the increased pace of the river decided against that. Two pole rigs were set up, top 4 at 10 meters with a 1.5 gram and top 5 at 13 meters with a 2.5 gram plus a feeder rod for fishing right across. Ground bait mix was Black Lake, Gross Gardons and River.
Nice peg
I was ready with about 20 mins to go so chopped up a fair bit of worm as I find I don't do it as much as I should once I start fishing.
On the ''all in'' 10 balls went in on the pole lines, 6 at 13 and 4 at 10. Des Shipp came 2nd the previous week so followed his approach. I only mixed in some chopped worm on the 10 meter line.
Starting on the 13 meter line and as expected I had a bite first put in and it was a decent roach of around 5 oz followed by smaller samples and then perch. I was going quite nicely on this line and then the dreaded wind picked up and 13 meters became difficult. I came in at 10 meters and started to pick up the odd small perch and very very small roach. An hour had passed and the wind was getting stronger and I felt I was going no where on the pole lines due to not being able to present the bait right. At this point i calculated I has around 3lbs at most.
I decided to pick up the feeder rod and give it a go, I think I heard a few other anglers plopping out the feeder so knew they too were having problems.
I had already clipped up to the edge of a tree on the far bank which was a fair old chuck but hit the target area first time with hemp and caster and double red on a drennan forged 16. I had a bite straight away but missed it due to the wind making me misjudge the strike. I re-postioned the rod rest and connected with a roach the next cast. Small chublets began to follow over the next hour, not many but a good sign. I kept putting the bait in regularly in the hope bigger chub might appear and in the third hour a few did, great bites and put up a good fight for their size. I kept to the 0.13 hook length but upped the hook to a 14 as I did't want to loosed any.
Mark shouted up to ask if I was catching and I replied that I had about 10lbs, he said he didn't have that.
The wind kept up and it made me stay on the feeder. I continued to add the odd fish changing the hook bait to small red worm or double caster to keep the fish coming, it was not fast and furious but my weight was going up.
On the ''all out'' I was pleased with my day.
Word down my 'section' was that 10lb was about the best but i have heard that before.
Gary O'Shea was the first to weigh in the Section and returned 9lb 10ozs which was better that the previous week off the same peg.
I thought I may have had around 15lbs, was not far off and registered 14lbs 4oz, already the guys were saying that was going to be good enough for the 'Section'.
It did turn out to be the best weight so chuffed with that.
some of the weights were quite tight
nice bag of chublets 14lb 4ozs
As I walked back downstream towards the Rugby Club I met up with Glen who was still packing up, he had smashed his 'section' with 9lbs plus of perch on the pole, happy days.
Back at the Club I met up with the rest of the guys who had mixed results. It wasn't until I asked them what won their 'section' that it dawned on me I might frame.
Turned out I came second overall, beaten by 10oz to first place! No worries though, £70 section and £75 for 2nd.
Our Team was 3rd on the day, we have been improving so lets hope it continues.
League overall was won by the consistent Thatchers.
2nd was Lobbys
3rd was Sensas 88
Pleasure session planned on Wednesday on the Gloucester Canal, no fishing next weekend and then the following weekend off to Ireland to fish the Arva Festival.
Nice net of fish and a great result Ivan, well done mate
ReplyDeleteLady Luck in the draw bag plays her part now and again.
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