Sunday 23rd May - Gloucester Canal Spring League Round 3

 Back to the Glossy again for Round 3. As usual the draw was done remotely on the Saturday evening and the results came through to me around 7 p.m. Another poor set of pegs except Chris was on an end peg Castle Up due to one team dropping out. Sam was 2 pegs away from where he was before at Slimbridge Up, Leigh was in the Woods at Hempstead and I was at Sims, bang smack in the middle, not good. The only good thing was we all had an empty peg to our right.

ANGLER NAME	SEC.	DRAW (INC LENGTH)	WEIGHT & PTS
IVAN CURRIE	B2	S 22
CHRIS HOOK	C1	384
SAM JOHNSON	D2	725
LEIGH WAKEFIELD	A1	M 15

We met up in McD's at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol for breakfast, it was nice to sit in for a change. We all knew where we were going and apart fro concerns about our draw we also knew the weather would be a right b"tard as gales and heavy rain was forecast from around 14:00. In terms of our position in the League it was game over and today was about saving face, getting our heads down and restoring some pride.

Chris was in the bay at Castle Up but it had not produces for ages but it did have form. Sam's section at Slimbridge Up was a fore gone conclusion in that the end peg toward Gloucester would win it. Leigh's up in the Woods .... well he was at the wrong end. Mine at Sims bang smack in the middle did not have form and it has not been pegged this year. The end pegs nearest Rea Bridge usually win the section.

We headed up the M5 as positive as you can be given what I have already said. I got to Rea Bridge at 08:30 and parked up OK even though half the Car Park is taken up with Contractors equipment.

The weather was quite nice at this point and it was good to catch up with a couple of guys who were pretty positive about the section .... can't understand why!

It was a nice easy walk and the peg did scream bream, in fact quite a few of them did but they hardly show heart for some reason. it is a narrow part of the canal and not quite top 5 deep in the middle.

I set up 2 feeder rods for across left and right, one for bread the other for fishmeal etc, 1 short 6 metre rig and 1 for 11 metres out. Nothing more complicated than that.

To my left was Simon Hebditch, it was nice to see him again, smashing guy and excellent match organiser, Simon appeared to have the same set up.

Started off on the bread feeder and after several casts not an indication, I gave it 40 minutes, nothing happened! No one seemed to be catching although Simon swung in a small perch caught short and I applauded him. I think he was a bit nervous and remarked he should have netted it to be safe. I  had a look on the fishmeal line and again after 20 minutes not an indication.

Had a look on the short pole line as I saw a guy to my right swing in a fish, not a big one. After 10 minutes the 1.5 gram float went under and I swung in a small perch so off the mark. After we had the draw on Saturday evening Sam sent me some historical weigh sheets from this section and 4 oz came off my peg!

15 minutes gone and no more bites on this line.

Went out long and soon had another perch, must have been 4 oz but because of the depth my no. 6 elastic came out quite a bit and Simon thought I had a decent fish, I netted it anyway.

I was getting indications, little dips of the float but not going under. I put the smallest pinkie I could find and scaled down to a 20 hook. Bingo, float goes under and its a small hand sized skim bob.

I can't remember for the life of me how things went after that but applying the same as before I caught an eel, a blade roach and 3 more small perch.

I did take a look now and then on the feeder but nothing. Small fish were topping every now and then right the way across so I put on a small maggot feeder to try and caught some but nothing!

No one was walking the bank but looking up and down every now and then I could tell most were struggling.

It absolutely hammered down and the wind got up for the second half of the match and I was not sorry when 16:00 came and the all out.

Here's my section board, I had mega points for 1lb 1oz !!!!!!

The section winner had one big bream and some bits. So no surprises and it fished as I expected.

Mean while Chris on the end peg at Castle Up snared a few, weighing just over 19lb giving him 6th place overall. Sam and Leigh also managed decent points to give us 11th place on the day out of 34 teams, we'll take that.

Full results as follows.....the draw is so important......

2021 DAIWA GORDON LEAGUE GLOUCESTER CANAL SPRING LEAGUE RESULTS ROUND 3
	TEAM	WEIGHT	POINTS
1	DGL Black		64
2	Sensas Lobbys Red		62
3	Sensas Lobbys Green		58
4	Milo Bait Tech Midlands Black		54
5	Sensas Devizes		51
6	Team Hereford	45-6-0	49
7	DGL Gold	39-5-0	49
8	Sensas 88 A	20-4-0	49
9	Mix and Match		48
10	Preston Innovations Thatchers		45
11	Sensas Nomads A		44
12	GBMV Gold		43
13	GBMV		42
14	Browing West Midlands Sphere	8-15-0	41
15	Browning West Midlands Xitan	18-5-0	41
16	Drennan Oxford	8-2-0	41
17	Sensas Lobbys Black		40
18	Sensas 88 B	12-6-0	39
19	Maver Harescombe	12-9-0	39
20	Glevum Old Boys	9-13-8	39
21	Sensas Smithies		38
22	DGL Red		37
23	Garbolino/Dynamite Baits Diddymen		34
24	Gowna Dreamers	10-1-8	33
25	Milo Bait Tech Midlands Red	6-1-8	33
26	Evolved Baits Midlands Match		32
27	DGL Blue		31
28	DGL Avon		30
29	Sonubaits Thatchers	6-10-0	29
30	Misfits	5-7-0	29
31	Burts Baits	6-3-0	25
32	Rive Fishermania	1-15-8	25
33	Browning Central	4-8-5	25
34	Nomads B		18
35	Woody’s Tackle		0

One more round to go in a couple of weeks but back on the Bristol Feeder Canal on Wednesday and Port Talbot Dock on Sunday, weather getting better.

Sunday 16th May - Port Talbot Dock Open

I did fish the Glossy Spring League on the 9th May and drew Castle Up which turned out to be another disaster. All around me fished shite and once again you needed to be towards the end of the Section (towards Gloucester in this case). Team mate Sam Johnson finished 2nd in his Section at Slimbridge Up with 5 or 6 pounds but he had most of that in his first few casts. It's Round 3 this coming Sunday and I see there are a few teams looking for anglers due to others starting to drop out, can't blame them. The organisation is superb but the fishing crap. 

On to more positive fishing.......

I was keen to get back to Port Talbot on Sunday, it has been fishing harder than usual but at least you get a few bites. Dai the fishery owner gave organiser Steve O'Mara pegs 1 to 21 and 18 were booked in. When I looked at the list of anglers it was a quality field but in my opinion its a very fair venue.

They had a lot of rain during the week and more was forecast for Sunday. I sort of knew the fishing would be affected as the cold water comes off the mountains into a river and then into the dock. The dock sluices then let water out so it does not get a chance to warm up. The fish don't like this too much and the bream and skimmers switch off, the roach, particularly the bigger roach also back off a bit.

It was 08:00 at the dock gate with fishing 10 - 4.

On the way over the weather was ok but when I reached Cardiff the rain came on but cleared by the time I got to Port Talbot.

Steve O'Mara was well organised as usual and got the safe draw under way. Eventually it came to me and I was allocated peg 1. Never fished it before and it of course was an end peg. I gleaned some information of Team mates Rich Candy and Clive Roberts who have been framing a lot on the venue recently. Other Nomad anglers Andy Thomas and Paul Manley were also fishing. I also volunteered to help with the weigh in.

A strong line up (Steve put me down as the hot variety)

My peg turned up to very comfortable and I was able to set up on a big concrete slab.

The Dock is not the most attractive place but it's starting to green up a bit now. 

Alan Godrich was next to me on peg 2 and with his strong Swansea accent plus a bit of wind noise it was a tad difficult to understand him. I know he was not over joyed with being up this end of the dock.

The Dock is one of them venues were I think you have to make an early decision concerning your approach and stick to it i.e feeder or whip. I did set up a feeder rod but also set up 2 whips, one at full depth 5 metres out and one at half dept 5 metres out. I done ok on the whip 2 weeks ago here but the 5 elastic was too weak when you are striking into fish 4 metres deep! I was sorted this week stepping up the elastic to a 6.

The sun was shining and there was a warm breeze.

I put 3 balls in at 5 metres, went out on the 2 gram deep rig expecting the float to disappear and it just sat there. I feared the worst.

20 minutes in it went under and a 4 oz roach was swung in. Back out expecting another and there was not a sign of any fish. Looking down the line up to peg 8 there was little action. At this point I thought that if the roach are not responding then the skimmers and bream won't either.

Little soft balls of ground bait brought a few fish in but I could get a run of 5 fish or so then nothing.

Alan next door was on the tip and wasn't having anything. 90 minutes in I had 25 roach. For the first time ever in a match I started counting the fish.

I decided that when the fish backed off I would have a chuck with the feeder for 10 minutes but soon got bored with that due to no indications.

Swapping to the shallow 1.5 gram rig brought a few fish but it wasn't right due to the tow on the water so binned that idea and just focused on the deep heavier rig.

I changed from feeding ground bait to just loose feeding and it did seem to make a difference. 

Alan on peg 2 and Shaun on peg 3 packed up early.

I went down to Steve on peg 16 to collect the scales. Steve said he chucked back about 5lb of fish, the skimmers and bream that usually hang around on this peg did not respond and if he can't get them then no one can.

The weights overall were very mixed and a few DNW. Nige Evans managed to snare a couple of bream in the last hour which boosted his weight but it was fellow Nomad Clive Roberts that won the day with nearly 22lb of roach. I managed a level 15lb, I thought I had more and ended up 2 out of the money.

Least I had a few bites

Steve took a photo of me doing the weigh in, he said I was very meticulous and concentrated lol.

Back on the Feeder Canal Wednesday and the Glossy Sunday for Round 3 !!!!!!

Sunday 2nd May - Port Talbot Dock Open

 I think most of us are aware that COVID restriction and guidance in Wales has been slightly different to England and that did affect travelling and fishing.

Looking back the last time I fished the Dock was on 22nd March 2020, I ran that match on behalf of Steve O'Mara and then the Lock Downs began. As restrictions eased in Wales some of the locals have been fishing the Dock organising a few Knock Ups. Team mate and founder member of Nomads Rich Candy had been doing well.

With nothing else on this Sunday I sent Steve O'Mara a message asking if he was organising a match on the Dock, Steve came back straight away confirming that he was and I was more than welcome. In fact Steve has started the Port Talbot Docks Match Fishing page again on FaceBook where notification of matches will be published as well as results etc.

Meet up was on the Dock itself at 08:00, for some reason I was running a little late but rang Andy Thomas to say I was almost there just before 8. I need not of have worried as Rich Candy and Clive Roberts arrived after me. On the way into the Dock Dai Morgan who runs the Fishery recognised me and gave me the thumbs up and a welcome back.

As I parked up Steve Shaw asked me what pie I wanted, Beef or Lamb and Mint, apparently his shop was closing so he brought a load of pies to give out to the lads. Well, when in Wales its got to be lamb hasn't it!

Paid my pools to Steve who gave me a warm welcome as did some of the other lads. A good turn out today and a strong Nomads presence namely....Andy Thomas, Rich Candy, Clive Roberts, Nige Evans (also a member of DGL) and myself. 

I phoned Richy in the week once I had booked in to get some information on the Docks form, skimmers and roach had been feeding well. It did seem that the whip was working well but there had been the odd big bream / skimmer weight to.

The random draw saw my peg drawn out about halfway down the list, peg 6 it was to be and I have fished between 8 and 5 quite a few times. I must have known I was going to draw there as my van was parked about 30 metres away. I was actually the end peg with Paul Waddington (DGL) on 7 and a local angler on peg 8 which is out on a small point.

You don't need a lot of tackle to fish the Dock, I only had a 6 metre whip and 2 feeder rods, one with braid and one with mono.

It was a glorious morning, bright sunshine and flat calm, roach were topping as well.

Plenty of time to set up with fishing 10 - 4.

I had a load of ground bait today, 2.5 kilo of Sensas Black Lake / Black Magic for the Whip line (roach) and 2 Kilo of Fishmeal for the Feeder.

6 big jaffa's went in at 6 metres laced with dead red, hemp, caster and corn. Starting on the feeder second chuck at 30 turns I had a rattle and knew it was a roach, a few more followed and I was re-casting every 5 minutes for the first 30. I did feel it wasn't right though as normally you can pick up skimmers fairly early.

Picking up the whip it was a roach first put in with corn. Corn usually sorts out the better roach. Paul on peg 7 was fishing the whip as well but more like 7 to 8 metres and it did appear to be slow on his peg. Both of us were getting loads of bites but only hitting 1 in 8. It was amazing watching the float sail under and keep going in the clear water but when you struck there was nothing there.

I could see the local angler on peg 8 was just fishing the tip and there wasn't much happening on his peg.

A change to double maggot on the whip made a difference but the roach were small. You could catch 3 or 4 in as many put in's but then nothing. I kept feeding little balls  every other cast but they were not lining up for it. Paul started getting plagued by pike as did I so perhaps that was the problem. I did land one on the whip when it just took a maggot, a long lean bugger of around 7 to 8lbs. 

Every hour for the first 4 I took the odd look on the feeder but it was no good.

Andy Thomas came up for a walk and said most were struggling, Rich and Nige were admitting to double figures. A few skimmers were caught by a couple of the feeder lads but none in any numbers.

With 2 hours to go I decided just to stay on the whip.

Paul reckoned I had around 15lb and thought I would frame, he had a good last hour or so and I thought it would be close between us as his fish were a slightly better stamp.

The scales came up to us and Rich was winning with 21lb 9oz, helped by a mullet of around 4lbs, Nige was lying 2nd with 19lb. Paul on peg 7 weighed 15lb 4oz, I thought he had done me. My net went 15lb 7oz, that was close.

So 3rd overall for me and with my team mates filling 1st and 2nd place it was a good day.

Rich likes the mullet, here's one he caught a couple of weeks ago which helped him win the match.

Many thanks to Steve for running the matches again, I'll be back in a couple of weeks but first i have to fish the Gloucester Canal next Sunday in round 2 of the league, a good draw is needed.