Ray Bazley and his Team of helpers have been running the event for a few years now and they do a grand job.
The pegging was from Newbridge (Bathampton AA water) to the end of the Tree's and then from Swineford to the end of Jack Whites (Bristol and West Federation water).
A pegging guide was provided as a hand-out to minimise questions and save everyone crowding around a map.
I met up with Maver Team mate Sam Johnson and good friend Steve Vernon at the Rugby Club for breakfast and paid my £15 main pool, £5 super pool and bought £10 of raffle tickets. The draw was at 08:00 with fishing from 10:00 - 15:00. Just before the drawn Brian Lloyd from the British Legion read the citation and we had 2 minutes silence. Ray announced and confirmed that pike did count if caught by accident. Most anglers were favouring a draw at Swineford or Jack whites. I was about a third the way down in the draw que and was hoping I did not get a long walk today. Sam was a bit nearer the front and drew 68 below Bitton Brook which is a hell of a trek across 3 or four fields and kissing gates! Steve who was in front of me drew a couple of pegs above Bitton Brook. I pulled out 24 which is permanent peg 51 at Newbridge which was a long walk but at least it was fence free. I knew there had been some decent roach weights come out from this area in the Winter League so was happy enough.
I was at my peg by 08:45 so enough time to set up. Upstream of me was Thatchers Captain Mark Harper on 23 who has drawn in this area quite a bit lately.
The peg was comfortable with a lower piece of bank and allowed me to get down near the water with ample room.
I set up a feeder rod (never used all day), a crow quill for down the middle (never used all day) and one pole rig to fish 7 sections out, depth was just over top 4 deep with a 2.5 gram float to a drennan 20 maggot hook to .10 drennan flurocarbon hook length. 7 sections out there was a nice bit of flow and the bottom was clean, it did shallow up towards the end of the trot.
The water was very clear despite the bit of rain we had but the flow was a lot better compared to previous weeks, it was a bright sunny day.
On the "all in" I put in 8 balls on the pole line. I had a right old mix of offerings in the ground bait which included...squatt, hemp, caster and chopped worm.
While setting up I had seen no sign of fish but first trot down I had a sail away bite and swung in a 4 oz roach. Off and on during the first 30 minutes more roach followed and then I hit something solid which stayed deep. I thought it was a bream. it stayed deep for a while and when I managed to see it I thought it was a trout but when it turned I knew it was a pike. The 5 elastic done its job and I managed to play it to the net after about 5 to 10 minutes. It had taken a single pinkie and was hooked right on the edge of its lip. How that 20 hook held I don't know, it was around 2lbs...happy days.
The disturbance did not appear to have spooked the roach and I carried on getting a few along with a small skimmer of around 8 ozs.
I guess it was towards the end of the second hour when I was bringing in a small roach that pike number two had a go and it just kept hanging on. This was a much longer battle and at one point I think the no. 5 elastic bottomed out. It did make a dive for some nearside cover but managed to get it out and netted it on the third attempt. The small roach it had went for some how done a loop the loop around its mouth and snared it! So... I got the pike and the roach. the pike was decent one and worth having at around 5lbs.
Just before the halfway stage Mark came down for a walk (unusual I thought) and said he had around 5lbs of roach.
I carried on fishing the same line all day putting in a few balls now and then and kept the fish coming at irregular intervals. I did loose another two pike with one completely clearing the water and shaking the hook out.
At the "all out" I was happy with my performance and had a days fishing if nothing else.
The scales started at 21 and each section was 5 pegs. 11lbs was best when it came to me, I knew I had more than that but there was another angler in the section below me.
My total weight went 17lbs 10oz, the pike were weighed separately and went approx 7lbs together.
My catch
The angler below me had been on the feeder most of the day and weighed 12lbs 14oz of small fish. In the next section Sean Townsend was in the highly sought after Norfolk Reeds peg and had a few bream for 23lb 8oz. Well at least I had won my section and it was thought I might also frame as word was the other parts of the river had not fished so well.
My section and the section below
It turned out the angler on permanent peg 36 (Newbridge straight) had 9 or 10 bream so that would be hard to beat today.
Back at the results I met up with Sam and Steve. Sam had done 14lb 12oz of small fish and Steve 7lbs plus. Sam thought he had been beaten by 1/2 oz for his Section but turned out he had won it.
Barbel had showed for a few anglers at Jack whites but not the dace, Swineford and the Crane had fished hard so I was hopeful of framing.
The angler who had the bream at Newbridge won the match but.....had not done the pools as he only pleasure fishes.
Results as follows:
1st Terry Ellis, 32lbs 4ozs
2nd Sean Townsend, Mosella Bathampton 23lbs 8ozs
3rd P Knight 18lbs 9oz (barbel)
4th Bill Knight, Legion Club, 18lbs 2ozs (barbel)
5th Ivan Currie Maver 17lbs 10ozs
6th Nigel Evans, Thatchers, 14lbs 121/2 ozs
7th Sam Johnson, Maver, 14lbs 12oz
So and enjoyable and profitable day....
£20 section
£115 main pool
£70 super pool
Sam picked up in main pool as well.
and ... shed loads raised for the British Legion.
Next match for me is Sunday on the Canal at Bath guesting for Sensas Nomads in the last ATWL match.
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