Its been over 6 weeks since my last proper outing. Early December saw me spending 5 days up in Scotland followed by a flight to Singapore and staying 4 nights and then off to New Zealand arriving back home on 13th January.
I got over my jet lag fairly quickly and decided to get out on the bank somewhere. A small match was advertised on Port Talbot Docks via Facebook and I noticed from the list of names already down an old friend of mine Mike Endicott was going to fish. I contacted him after I had booked in and we agreed to meet up at Gordano Services near Avonmouth so he could follow me over. Team mate Sam Johnson also decided to go for the first time.
I suggested we all meet at 06:00 and take a steady drive over due to the forecasted hard frost.
I was up at 05:15 and it was flipping cold, minus 3 in fact which was a far cry from 31 in Singapore and up to 26 in New Zealand. When I pulled open the van door handle it just stayed out. Even the maggots didn't want to come out of the fridge.
Mike and Sam were already in the services when I pulled in just after 06:00. Mike was in his shorts!!!
A steady drive over the 2nd Severn Crossing and a drive through the Principality saw us arrive at Bro's Cafe for the draw and breakfast after one wrong turn. Water in the pot holes was frozen over and inside the Cafe was freezing as well but the breakfast was top dollar as usual.
Organiser Steve O'Mara got the draw underway there were 13 down to fish but I think 2 dropped out.
Mike and Sam drew a couple of decent pegs, 18 Sam and Mike 19 so chance of bream and skimmers if they fed. I drew 15 which is average I think (only my 3rd time on the dock). Regular Steve Shaw was on end peg 20 which we thought would win it.
Parked up aside my peg and as I was unloading the van I could see Mike still in his shorts and polo shirt. I had 5 layers on my upper body and 3 below.
This is Mike.
Mike is standing on frost covered grass.
It's minus 1.
Mike fished the whole match in shorts and polo shirt.
Mike is nuts!
At 5 metres I had over 4 metres of water. My rig was a 3 gram Sensas Alberto float to 0.17 with 2 number 8's as bulk above the hook length. Hook length was 0.12 with a wide gape series 18 tubertini hook. Ground bait for the whip line .... Gros Gardons, River, Black crumb and heavy leam.
Feeder rig was a 30 gram with a B560 14 hook to 0.15. Ground bait was as above but no leam.
At the start I put 4 big balls in on the whip line laced with maggot, caster and hemp plus a sprinkling of corn. Starting off on the feeder at 25 turns it took about 15 minutes to get the first bite which was a 2 oz roach. A few more followed including a 6 oz hybrid. The fish appeared to have move in and were taking the bait on the drop, because they were quite small they were hard to hit and it became frustrating so the feeder rod went up the bank.
The whip line was full of fish, not big by any means but at least I could hit them. Corn on the hook did result in slightly better fish but a kept getting snagged in-between the rocks that make up the bed and side of the dock so had to stick with the maggot.
I feed small balls every other fish and thought I was doing ok judging by what was happening to my right.
The water was quite clear and pike were predicted to be a nuisance. I only had one on and did land it on the whip, a fish of around 6lbs but they don't count.
Weather wise it did turn out a nice day in the warm sunshine although it was difficult to see the float the last 1.5 hours.
The all out came at 15:30 and I was quite tired, the back was aching a bit due to being out of practice.
Steve O'Mara won the match with 29lb made up with a few bream and skimmer off point peg 8, fair play to him. It was tight for the rest of the field.
Sam did well on his first visit coming joint 3rd.
my 16lb 12oz, an enjoyable day
Port Talbot Docks Match Fishing have their own Facebook Page, its only 1 hour 20 mins away, you can park behind your peg and theres always plenty of bites. I'll be back again soon.
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