Wednesday 23rd June - Evesham Qualifier

 I decided to go up to Evesham today instead of Staverton as I might be fishing in a Team Qualifier on the venue at the end of July. The venue can be rock hard and it's a real test in terms of fishing and at times mental stability!

Last year was the first time I went to the Warks Avon at Evesham and I done ok. The matches were well attended mid week due to loads of people furloughed but today saw an entry of 45, still a great turnout.

I didn't know anyone else that was fishing today but it doesn't matter as its all very friendly but on arrival I soon got chatting to John Tocknell and Rob McKenzie. Rob especially knows the venue very well and is very free with advice.

Last year I picked A5 on the battleship type grid to reveal my peg but by the time it was my turn to select it had already gone. I can't for the life of me remember what I picked but I ended up on peg 26 my first time in the lowish numbers and just below the town bridge.

Team mate Sam Johnson showed me this area on my first visit last year. It's very shallow and therefore a much faster pace than the pegs below. Across were the permanent manicured moorings but no boats, lets hope they stayed away. Downstream on the far side was an inviting willow tree.

When I drew I spoke to Rob McKenzie who told me there were lots of pandocks in the peg and he was correct. when I was plumbing up they went beyond a third the way across so so nearside line today.

I set up 2 waggler rods one at full depth which was barely 3.5 foot and one at 2 foot. A maggot feeder rod and a 10 x no4 stick for down the middle.

Chublets were topping across and bleak were all over the place but very very small.

The draw was at 09:00 with fishing from 12 - 5 so plenty of time to set up. The trouble is you can set up too much because you have time.

It was a pretty warm day 22 degrees and was forecast to get warmer.

Starting off on the waggler shallow right across I had some small chublets straight away (3 to 4oz) and the odd bleak. I was able to feed pretty tight across with maggot and hemp but also fed caster down the middle for later on.

The first hour passed and it was pretty good but as expected the bites tailed off. Going on the deeper waggler produced some small roach but at least I was putting something in the net. 

Halfway through and just below the willow tress was a boat and the guy decided to do some maintenance so lots of banging just were I was nicking a few fish.

Coming in on the stick float line I had some perch and more small roach every now and then but it was hard work.

The guy in the boat then decided to hang his feet out over the boat and wash them! Once he done that he started playing a guitar ffs.

Anyway ......

I thought I gave it 100% and my fingers are sore due to feathering the line, goodness knows how many casts I made. I had a little look on the feeder but no joy.

The results board speaks for itself ....I got battered both sides but looking at their pegs they did not have any pandocks.

You have got to report the bad as well as the good, lets hope there are not too many of these.

KDS on Sunday for the first round of the S W Super League.