Sunday 5th November - Angling Trust SW Winter League Round 5, Kennet and Avon Canal Kings Arms to Semmington

I was up earlier than usual for this match as the draw was in Spencers Club in Melksham so needed to allow an hour to get there. It was a cold morning and the in car temperature gauge indicated it was 5 degrees at 06:15. No sign of frost but as I drove towards Chippenham I could see some of the fields were white. A bright sunny day was also forecast ... oh dear.
I had only fished this area once before, last year and managed a section win by default with 2lb 14oz. The team I guest for in the Winter League (Sensas Nomads) also had the individual winner on the day, Jeff Sibley and as a team we also won the day.
I got to Spencers around 07:20 and lined up to order a sausage sandwich. The Upper Thames Winter League was also drawing at Spencers as they had there match on canal sections above us. It was nice to see some of the lads from this league and usually only see them on the Gloucester Canal in the Spring.
Sections with postcodes for parking and access had already been handed out which is very beneficial for those who are unfamiliar with the area i.e. me!

For the second week running team captain Mark aka ''the whippet'' Williams had be be reminded to go and do the team draw when Mark Harper called the team captains. Correction .... only this time as he missed the previous weeks call altogether. 

Draw done and I found myself on G4 at Semmington. A quick word with Mark who gave more info on the location and what to do in order to fish for perch.

I found the section easy enough and met up with Darren Gillman who made a quick call to find out which direction we should walk in once over the canal bridge.

Anglers in my Section were James ''canal basher'' Carty on G1, Dean ''the bream'' Harvey on G2, Shane Caswell on G3, me on G4, then Darren on G5.

I was able to get down in the water with my rigger platform which meant I was off the very narrow towpath. I made sure it was absolutely solid after last week near miss (drowning).

All pole rigs today. 13 metres across in about a foot of water with a 4x12 and 20 hook. Up the ledge at around 11 metres across in two foot with a 4x14 and 18 hook. Down the track at around 7 metres left and right with two 4x14's and 18 and a 20. Down my right hand edge to some reeds in about 15 inches of water with a 4x12 to a 15 hook in oder to fish worm for bonus perch.

The canal was heavily coloured but I started off on the bread down the track feeding a couple of small balls of liquidised. I also cupped in a big pot of chopped worm down the edge and left the other lines feed free.

Starting on the punch it too a while to get my first bite (around 10 minutes) but the float duly sailed away and the blank was avoided with a 2oz roach. During the first hour I stuck with the bread and although in was not fast and frequent I was getting the odd small fish supplemented by a net roach of around 4 to 5 oz. I could hear Shane and Dean chatting to each other and both appeared to be struggling. The trees that had been on the far bank opposite them had been cut back and I could see the pole out across and not coming back in with fish. Darren below me had switched across to the far bank very early in the match and was catching blades fairly regular. 

I had a look across and caught a few blades as well and then for some reason fed a ball of ground bait with dead pinkie and a few casters down the middle to my left. In hindsight I wish I had stayed on the bread as the fish were a better size and they did not really respond to the ground bait.

It must have been around halfway through the match when Shane walked past me with a mixing bowl in his hand. He was off for a clear-out in his van due to having a stomach bug!

I had a look down the edge with a lobby tail and missed a bite after 10 minutes. Shane came back a bit more relieved and while he was behind me the worm rig dipped and I had a perch around 4 ounces. He said he had next to nothing.

I re-fed the worm line again and put on a maggot on my track line. The float dipped and I had a small skimmer. No more followed but I stuck at it looking for better fish. I knew Darren was ahead of me due to catching a large amount of blades so felt this was my only option.

I did have a bonus perch down the edge around 1lb plus as well as a few smaller samples so the tactic was OK, just did not find any more larger ones.

James won the Section going for blades all day, he said he knew the area and how shit it was. 

Heres how the Section looked at the finish.......

So 3 point from 5 .... not a disaster but should have stuck on the bread longer. 

Back at the results the team sheet got filled in and we had 25.5 points. Rich won his Section again and we also had two second in Sections. Mike just missed out on a Section win due to loosing a large perch at the net.

Jeff has now got the Samaritans on speed dial due to and 1 point (well 1.5 this time).

After the draw in the morning I was heading to the van when I over heard Mark Harper informing someone that Tom (Moretti) was on a flyer.

That was very true as he won the day by a country mile.

Nice net of fish for Tom (courtesy of his Facebook page)

Here are the Section weights......

A  11lb 11oz

B   7lb 7oz

C   6lb 8oz

D   7lb 3oz

E    4lb 10oz

F    4lb 5oz

G   5lb 7oz

H   5lb 1oz

Individuals (paying top 4).....

1st   Tom Moretti P I Thatchers 11lb 11oz

2nd  Rob Jones P I Thatchers 7lb 7oz

3rd  Andrew Cranston Die Hards 6lb 8oz

4th  Mike Withey Sensas Nomads 5lb 13oz

Teams on the day......

1st   P I Thatchers

2nd  Mosella Bathampton

3rd   Sensa Nomads

4th   Die Hards

5th   M & N Electrical

League after 5 rounds......

1st   P I Thatchers

2nd  Mosella Bathampton

3rd   Sensa Nomads

4th   Die Hards

5th   M & N Electrical

The final round is week after next on the canal at Bath which I will miss due to going on holiday.

Next week is the biggest match of the year on the Bristol Avon, the Bill Milton Memorial (Poppy Match) so looking forward to that.