Tuesday 2nd January - Acorn Fisheries Open, Paddock Lake

After I retired 21 months ago i intended to fish the Tuesday Opens at this fishery for a bit of banter and company but only fished one of them up until now. I am not a ''Commercial Angler'' but due to my Club having a few matches on the venue recently and I did quite well decided to attend this first one after Christmas and New Year was done and dusted.

The matches are run by veteran Bristol match angler Ray Bazely and Mike Chapman on behalf of the fishery. No need to book, just turn up with the draw at 08:45 and fish 10:00 - 15:00.
Only 8 attended today and they all know the fishery very well as they fish it sometimes twice a week.

Entry fee is only £12 all in (peg fee included) so its a knock up more than a match although 20 odd attend when the weather is better.

The fishing has been very up and down despite the milder weather.

There had been 45 mph winds during the night and rain was also forecast but the rain was due to go off from around 10:30 but not the wind.

Pegs were put in to try and give us as much shelter as possible. Into the bag and I pull out ping pong ball 27 which is right down the bottom of the lake. The nearest anglers to me were Eddie Wynne on 11 and Mike Chapman on 31.

Billy no mates on 27

The rigs that I had for my Clubs Christmas and Pairs match were still OK.
Bread dobber for halfway down the far shelf left hand side were it was around 3 foot. Bottom of the shelf right hand side at around 4 foot, middle down the track to my right (same rig) and right hand margin 2.5 foot.
As I was plumbing up across to my right I hit a carp which tore off with my plumet so must have got caught in its fins. Well at least there was a fish around.

On the all in I started off on my dobbing rig and fed nothing anywhere else to see how it went.
Not a sign of a bite or a fish in the area I had targeted and I moved the rig up and down along a 6 foot piece of bank and altered the depth. I decided to feed a few micros with dead pinkies over were I had hit the carp while plumbing up and persevered with the bread another 10 minutes or so. I had a good view up the lake and couldn't see anything being caught yet.
Bored with the bread I brought it in and went over where I had fed the micros and pinkie. I suppose it had only been in 5 minutes when the float dipped and it was carp on. Not a bit fish but at around 3lb it was welcome. I then put some bait in down the track and right hand margin before going back over to try and nick another fish. I feed just a few micros every 5 minutes via the pole pot with a dead fluro maggot on the hook and was rewarded with another carp 20 minutes later a bit better at just over 5lbs.

I decided to rest this line now and had a look down the right hand margin.....nothing, looked down the track.....nothing.

Going back over on my dobbing line but at full depth with a fluro maggot on and the shot still spaced out as the last shot registered the float gently sailed away and carp number 3 was on. it seemed quite angry but I knew the 0.13 hook length and the 16  PR434 would handle it. A good scrap and it was safely netted.

We were about 1 hour 30 minutes in when Ray came walking around. When he asked how many I had and I told him he said I was ''pissing it'', he had one f1 and everyone else was struggling, it was rock hard.

Personally I don't mind it when its like this as its a great leveller.

Well the wind direction changed and it got stronger meaning I could not present across so had to settle for the right hand margin and down the track line. I only added 9 oz of sprats the rest of the match.

Fortunately my 3 early carp were still enough for the win on the day.

Out of 8 anglers only 6 carp were caught.

Result as follows:

1st    Ivan Currie Maver Cadbury Angling 12lb 5oz
2nd   Eddie Wynne Over 55's 6lb
3rd    Mike Owens Sensas 88 5lb 3oz

Sunday 7th Jan see's me on the Kennent and Avon Canal in Bath for the 5th Round of the Sensas Bristol Commercial House League.