This is the biggest match of the year on the Bristol Avon. It did not take place last year due to COVID restrictions but thankfully it was able to go ahead this year in order to raise money for our service men and families who need support.
Ray Bazeley is the CEO and co-ordinator of this event supported by quite a few others who do a great job. A few years ago the event was renamed the Bill Milton Memorial following Bill's passing, Bill used to run the match and was very passionate about the cause.
I got my ticket weeks ago via Rich Lacey who was selling them on one the of Commercial House League matches.
4 of my Sensas Nomads Team fishing today, Chris Hook, Sam Johnson, Leigh Wakefield and myself.
With little or no rain for a couple of weeks we thought Swineford would be the place to draw in order to target the roach and chub. However it had also been very mild so anything could happen. Given the length of river that was pegged along with the variation in pegs you had to take everything.
I packed the pole, 2 feeder rods, 16 foot rod, 13 foot waggler and a 6 metre whip. Depending on where i drew I could lighten the gear down or on the other hand have to take the lot.
The Pavillon Club in the old Fry's Chocolate Factory development was the draw venue and we got there at 07:30 in plenty of time. A lot of the anglers were already there, some who don't fish that much but always support this match, a few from well outside the area as well as those who fish the Bristol Avon on a regular basis.
Pegging for the match
Prior to the draw Brian Lloyd from the Legion Club read out the citation and there was two minutes silence. I am very proud of my time in the Royal Navy and wore my Submariners Dolphins, it was also lovely to see Sam wearing his Dads Dolphins.
We said before the draw that we would meet up after we had drawn but Sam was gone like Billy Whiz out of the car park, we didn't even know where he was going lol. Chris and I drew Newbridge, I was on 11 behind the Pump House (permanent peg 22a) and Chris was on 13 (permanent peg 24 a good chub area), Leigh was down in the Tree's by the Rugby Club (permanent peg 122 I think).
I got to Newbridge by 08:30 and was able to park a short distance from the Pump House. I took a look at the peg before unloading and decided it was not necessary to take the pole gear. It's a fairly steep bank here but you can get down in the water.
Jeff Surman was above me on 10, no one drew 12 so I had plenty of room. I had fished this peg many years ago but that was in the summer. a couple of boats were moored on the far side were most of the flow was but it was steady from the middle right across. I knew this was a chub and roach area, you need a bit of water on it with colour for skimmers and bream.
With that in mind I decided to set up a 4 gram bolo for down the middle, a 3AAA waggler for right across and a maggot feeder for across as well. Nice a simple.
I had also pre mixed a bag of Sensas River and Gros Gardons so just had to dampen it down.
I had trees above me but setting up the platform in the water gave me plenty of room, however I was sat in the shade all day.
The rowers were out in force today, many under tuition, too many in fact and they do come very close on the near bank as there is a bend to my right but you just got to get your head down and get on with it.
I had the scales and board for pegs 11 to 20 so shouted the all in at 10:00. I was ready with 10 minutes to go.
5 balls went in laced with dead reds and caster down the middle were it was 12 foot deep, I didn't put in anything that wriggled on this line. 2 pouch full's of red maggot and hemp were also fed in the gap between the boats.
Starting off on the bolo with a single maggot I had an 8 oz roach first run through, lovely. The next few trots I missed bites towards the end of the run so put double maggot on. This made a big difference and the bites were very positive, numerous 3 to 4 oz roach were swung in.
I got a good rhythm going feeding small nuggets down the middle and feeding across with generous amounts of maggot and hemp.
I took a couple of chublet's on the bolo so started to loose feed caster which gave me a few more, not big and they look heavier than what they weigh but worth having.
The bolo line produced well for nearly 2 hours and even though I was still catching, not as much as the first hour and you should never come off feeding fish I decided to give the far waggler line a go.
First cast the float buried and it was solid, a decent chub which took me down river into nearside reeds but got him out. A great bonus fish of around 2lbs.
Sam rang me and asked where I was and how I was doing, he was at Swineford and said he was catching chub and roach on the crowquill.
Darren Gillman came walking along the bank (he wasn't fishing) and said my mate Chris on 13 was admitting to 10lbs. I thought I might have near that or just under at this stage. No more big chub showed but I did have a run of 10oz chublet's.
I was still feeding down the middle and swapped around between the bolo and the waggler every 15 minutes or so for the remainder of the match.
I had a great day's fishing on the running line fishing fairly positive with a B560 18 to 0.11 power line on both rigs. I only bumped a couple of fish all day.
I called the ''all out'' at 15:00 and packed up before starting at peg 20 to weigh in etc.
As I walked down there didn't appear to me much caught down the straight and the best weight before I got to Chris was Kevin Boltz with 7lbs.
When I got to Chris and he pulled his net out I knew I had a bit more than him. Chris weighed 9lb 9oz.
I got Paul Randell to weigh my net which went 18lb 3oz so a section win at least.
My board
Today's catch, with the light fading fast and the overhead tree's its a little dark.
Word on the bank suggested there were a few huge bream weights down in the Tree's.
Sam done well at Swineford catching 26lb plus which got him 6th overall, Leigh also won his section with 13lb odd. Those bream weights did happen, here is the results (top 6).......
1st Chris Parr 181-04 bream in the Tree's section
2nd Tony Goodland 98-04 bream in the Tree's section
3rd Derek Cole 78-04 bream in the Tree's section
4th John Smith 36-02 bream at Swineford
5th Paul Purchase 34-11 roach and 2 pike which count on the Crane
6th Sam Johnson 26-07 Swineford
I think I was about 11th overall, the best I have done in this event is 5th but felt I couldn't have done anymore.
It was a great event and when all the money comes in it will have raised in excess of £2000.
That's it from me for a few weeks as I'm off on hols.
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