Sunday 6th May - Gloucester Canal Spring League Round 3, Hempstead, Rea to Pilot, Splatt and Saul Junction

Neither Sam or Chris could fish today so we drafted in Glenn and Lewis to make up the 4 man team along with Leigh and myself.
Organiser Mark Treasure spread the Sections of 4 x 25 anglers out across miles of Canal in order to try and put anglers on fish in the clear and very bright and warm conditions.

Leigh ended up on 61 below the new bridge at Hempstead, Glenn was 223 I believe between Rea and Pilot,  Lewis just a few pegs out of the bay at Saul Junction and I was 2nd peg in downstream of the boats at Splatt near Frampton on Severn village.

My peg did not look too bad although it was very clear but I though I may nick a few fish across under the bush on the far side where it was a good 8 foot deep. It was also a full top 5 plus deep down the track.

peg 626 

Next to me to my left on the first peg was Sensas 88 Paul Nicholls (also a Clevedon Club member). Paul adopted a similar approach. Below me to my right was Diawa Gordon Leagues Neil Richards.

After 20 minutes on the tip I had a small rattle, not a proper bite. I didn't bother with the bread to start with and on reflection wish I had instead I went straight on the fishmeal with dead red or worm and pinkie on the hook. After 1 hour 40 mins and nothing on the tip I went out on the pole over my leam and ground bait mix with a dead red. The 2 gram float sailed away just as it settled and I had a 3oz roach and my friends that was it for me for the whole match, exciting lol.

Paul managed to snare a big skimmer on the pole and a couple of bits while Neil below me did not have a single bite all match, never known him not to catch.

Paul with his fish, think he weighed 3lb 12oz

I took a few calls from the rest of the team during the match, Leigh struggled at first but managed a couple of bream for 7lb 12oz breaking his bad run on the venue. 

Leigh with his couple of bream which earned him a few points but not good enough to compete with the pegs on the Hempstead Bend.

Glenn finished about halfway with a few small skimmers, think he had 2lb ish. 

Lewis ended up bottom in his section with ozs like me.

The Match winner came from my Section but on the end peg near the mouth of the Cam, Shane Williams had 43lb of bream I believe there was a 30lb as well.

Did not get any other results as we all went straight home rather than double back on ourselves going back into Gloucester.

This Sunday 13th May 9 of us are having another go on the Bristol Feeder Canal which will defo fish much better than our last outing there in April then the week after than I am fishing for Sensas Nomads on the K & A somewhere.