This match attracts anglers from all over the South West and beyond, even anglers who just fish Commercials most of the year come together to support this worthy cause.
As usual the organisation was superb and lead by Ray Bazely and Paul Benson with support from a number of others who regularly give up their time to ensure the match is a success.
Team mates Sam Johnson, Leigh Wakefield and I bought our tickets some time ago from Rich Lacey who promotes the match and sells them during the Sensas Bristol Commercial House League.
I met Sam at McDonalds on the Bath Rd around 06:45 before going to the Somerdale Pavilion on the old Fry's Chocolate site at Keynsham which is a great location for the draw.
We met up with Leigh and paid our pools. 100 pegs today and completely sold out.
The pegs were well spread out with decent access and parking for such a huge match.
We thought there would be a big bream weight today and Newbridge would be the place to draw especially after the rain in the week. Some of the pegs at Chequers could throw up a weight as well.
Brian Lloyd from the British Legion read the citation and after the 2 minutes silence the draw got under way. Sam was early in the queue while Leigh and I were a little way back.
I drew 62 and initially I was quite excited but then thought you idiot its not permanent peg 62 at Newbridge your up the Crane which I didn't really want. Leigh was also up the Crane upstream of the High Wall. Leigh and I briefly caught up with Sam before he went and found that he was on permeant peg 59 at Newbridge 20 something in todays match and where I had a 31lb bag of bream and roach in a league match a few weeks ago.
It was only a couple of minutes drive for Leigh and I to park up before heading up the Crane. The only person ahead of me up the Crane was Dean Harvey and I caught up with him on the gate just before the Little Ash Tip field. We helped each other with the gear over the style. Dean had helped peg the match the day before and said we were both in the Big Ash Tip Field so another fence to go over. Dean was on 63.
Once I got to my peg I recognised it as I had 27 lb of roach from it a few years ago in a league match.
The bank was a bit steep but steps were cut out and I was able to get my platform in the water and set up nice and comfy.
I had take the pole with me but it wasn't an option today so just set up a 4 gram bolo, 2 feeder rods, one maggot and one open ended.
The river looked spot on although a bit pacey.
I had already pre mixed up 3 kilo of ground bait consisting of Sensas black river, gros gardons noire and a little black magic. Before adding more water I put 4 pints aside for the open ended feeder before adding more water and a little lean for a real heavy mix to get it down to the bottom in the 9 foot deep swim.
8 balls laced with caster, hemp, dead reds and a little worm went in a third the way out followed by 6 feeder fulls of caster and worm just past the middle and downstream for bream.
I started on the bolo with the 16 foot rod and had a roach straight away on the size 18 B560 to 0.11. I started to spray red maggot up against the boat opposite.
I was catching fairly regular not huge roach but good weight builders if they continued to stay. I was surprised to see Ray and Paul come behind me about 40 minutes in. They watched me for a while and said I was doing it right as most of the others on the Crane were just fishing the feeder and not catching.
To my right going out a good rod length was a sunken reed bed and after about 2 hours while I was bringing a roach alongside it from downstream I had a pike attack. Pike count in this match but I had no chance of landing it took me back into the reed bed and bit me off.
This was the first of many pike attacks.
I put a few more balls in a bit further out to try and keep away from the reed bed on the retrieve and it worked for a while before the pike cottoned on.
Changing to loose feeding did give me some respite but also meant I had to trot further down the peg to connect with the fish.
I still had been spraying maggot across and took a look on the bolo, it was easy to cast the 4 gram rig across as the wind was light.
The float went under and it was a chub just over a pound. No more followed but I had some roach.
Up until the last 30 minutes I just chopped and changed the bolo down the middle and across. The last 30 minutes I put the maggot feeder across by the boat looking for more chub but it didn't happen.
I ended up with 11 lb 9 oz which was 2nd in the section to Jon Tocknell who had 12 lb 14 oz.
my bag
Jon Tocknell
Dean was making a few phone calls and found that the bream hadn't shown at Newbridge or anywhere else. The Tree's section had fished really hard as did Chequers.
I caught up with Leigh back at the van and he said he had 7lb odd helped by a small pike.
Back at the Club I spoke to Tim Ford briefly and when I told him my weight he said I might frame as they were paying the top 10.
Well I didn't make the top 10 but Jon did so got the section by default and ended up one out of the main money so 11th out of 100 isn't bad.
Sam done really well coming 2nd overall with 15 lb 12 oz.
Paul Issac's won from the Jack Whites section with 19 lb 1 oz and Kev Dicks was 3rd with 15 lb 2 oz from behind the pump house at Newbridge.
The top three, well done chaps
Results including section winners
Ray announced that over £2000 had been raised but today (Monday) I see that the figure now stands at £2780.
Up to fish a qualifier at Evesham on Wednesday and working on the River Kenn with a few guys on Friday doing repairs to pegs and pruning.
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