Tuesday 11th January - Tuesday Tenners Open Acorn Fishery Kingston Seymour

The tides on the River Kenn were not right for a bit of local river fishing so it was back to Acorn Fishery for this friendly match.

I booked in with Mike Chapman the evening before as I believe its always best to let organisers know in advance if you can.

I was there nice and early (07:45) for the draw which takes place around 08:15. There was a fine drizzle but it was mild and most were expecting it to fish well. Most of the regulars were there and I soon got talking to a chap who reads my blog and who also knows "Turtle" who travels with me to Ireland fishing. 

As we were talking the draw was done and I was informed I was on Island peg 1. Judging by past form it was not great but I though with the mild weather it would still produce a few bites.

There were only 3 of the 5 Island pegs in, 1 (me), 3 Kev Perry and 5 Bob Smith. With Bob fishing here most weeks (sometimes twice) I thought he would at least beat Kev and myself. Last time I fished here I was on 5 and won the match with 70lb.

The fishery had been well used of late with a couple of matches over the Christmas period plus every Sunday and Tuesday. There has also been a bit of wet weather so the pegs were a bit muddy despite the substantial platforms.

I have never been on this peg before but knew carp are caught on the nearside point to my right so plumbed up down this edge which was about 2 foot deep.

Right across at 13 metres against the rushes I had just over 2 foot which would be my bread sobbing area.

At 2 plus 3 it was around 3 foot plus to my right in the bowl area so planned to fish 2 area's here for silvers as no one was on 35.

So ... bread and corn for dobbing across and pinkie in ground bait for silvers and maggot for nearside edge, simples.

On the all in I fed my silvers lines with Sweet Fishmeal and a bit of Thatchers Original plus dead pinkie and finely chopped worm.

I went straight across with the bread fishing about 4 inches off bottom. I got indications within minutes and soon had a foul hooker on which at first seemed pretty placid but then took off around the corner to my right and came off.

Back out again dobbing and more liners. About another 20 minutes went by and I had another foul hooker on, how do they manage to get hooked in the tail ?. 

I was just about loosing patience with the bloody thing when it started to give up and I eventually netted it. A good fish of around 7lbs.

Another 2 carp came and were more straight forward, one about 3lb and the other about 2lb. I estimated I had 12lb in the first hour so on target.

Glancing around I couldn't see much being caught.

I decided to rest the sobbing line and have a look for silvers, it didn't take long for the float to bury and net a 6oz roach, much prefer catching these. More roach followed plus a skimmer before the bites dried up so re-fed and went dobbing again. 

No indications at all from carp on the bread or corn skin so after 20 minutes back to the silvers and fed a bit of maggot down my right hand edge for later.

I had a few more skimmers (not big) and roach fairly quickly but again they backed off. A couple of looks down the edge produced nothing. 

I heard Graham Smith behind me talking to Paul Faiers and saying Bob on 5 was having a few. At this point I more or less decided to go for silvers the rest of the match.

I was happy getting a few bites and opened up another silvers line in front of me just feeding pinkie.

Come the end my carp went 11lb and my silvers just under 6lb, neither was any good.

Bob on 5 had the best silvers net with 14lb 11oz made up of a lot of Carasso which count as silvers. Paul was 2nd in the silvers with 11lb plus which included 3 tench off peg 40.

The best carp weight was Chris Gay who I believe caught late of peg 14. Chris won the match with 44lb 5oz.

Full results as follows ....

1. Chris Gay 44-05 p14
2. Paul Faiers 41-07 p40
3. Dave Wride 36-00 p31
4. Bob Smith 26-13 p5
5. John Thompson 23-05 p24
6. Graham Smith 22-07 p37
Silver's
1. Bob Smith 14-11 p5
2. Paul Faiers 11-12 p40

The 2 day River Tone Festival which was scheduled for this weekend has been put back again due to river levels and I can't make the new date in February. I am however going to a match on the Gloucester Canal instead with team mates Chris Hook and Sam Johnson. 

Please let the draw gods be good to me.

Tuesday 21st December - Acorn Fishery Open (aka a look on the dark side)

Those of you who follow my blog already know that I rarely visit a Commercial Fishery. I used to mix and match it a bit at Club level but since moving on to Team Fishing quite a few years ago I decided to concentrate on running line plus Canals.

Prior to lockdown last year I had tied a few Commercial Rigs and kept them  in a lunch box. I only got to use them once before lockdown came in and was second in the match at Acorn with a low weight on a cold day.

A few weeks ago I went back again and concentrated on silvers, I came second.

I decided to book in again this Tuesday and contacted Mike Chapman to book in. Mike told me I wouldn't need much bait as the winner on Sunday came from peg 5 with 70lb plus, 74 I think.

I was there in plenty of time and Mike aided by Eddie Wynne were master of ceremonies sorting out the draw masked up in line with Fishery Rules inside the cabin.

Clevedon Club mates Kev Perry and Paul Faiers also turned up as expected and we had a good old moan about our Christmas match on the Kenn a couple of days ago.

22 booked in and paid, its only £13 so you won't get rich on the winnings. The match on Tuesdays is an Open and generally well attended by regulars who are retired, self employed or skiving lol.

The Acorn Tackle Shop is open every day from 07:30 so fresh bait is available. I only topped up with half a pint of fluro pinkie. A small Warburton's Toastie Loaf was picked up from my local garage on the way as well ( I had plenty of maggot and worm plus half a tin of corn). 

The temperature was 4 degree's on arrival and it would not rise much above that all day.

The draw got under way and I was given peg 5, well you should have heard it ... lol ......

Despite the winner coming from it a couple of days ago (with carp) I was planning to fish for silvers so what do I do now.

Paul and Kev were on pegs 6 and 7. Fair play to Paul he walked over on the Island with me to the peg and pointed out where to fish for silvers or right across for carp. There are 5 pegs on the Island and all of them were in for some reason. The good thing was I was end peg with plenty of room to my left, peg 8 was not in.

A certain Mr Des Shipp was also fishing so know pressure, Des was over on peg 17, he usually does very well on this venue.

I did mix up some Sensas Black Lake for one silvers line and potted in a ball with caster and pinkie on the all in. My two other silver lines had loose fed pinkie and just finely chopped worm, all top 2 plus 3.

Before I finish baiting up young Freddie Clarke was netting a carp on peg 4.

I then went across at 13 metres towards the corner of the Island fishing bread (6mm punch) in 3 foot of water. I got an indication straight away and soon had a foul hooker on. A bit of a beast but I did land him. A big common of around 7lbs.

I was on 0.11 power line hook length to an old Preston 434 16 but the 11 elastic more than compensated the runs the fish took.

The float went under again right across and this time it was properly hooked. I calculated I had around 20lb in the first hour so on track for a decent weight. On the odd occasion when I did look around I couldn't see that much being caught.

I put a little bit more bait on my silvers lines though just in case.

Back over with the bread and a Carrasso was hooked, these count as silvers and come in really easy. A few more carp followed some caught on the bread, some on a corn skin but lost a few as well due to being mould hooked.

Trying my silvers line out in front with pinkie I was surprised to catch a small tench, gave it another 10 minutes but no indications. Tried by other 2 silver lines and nothing. That was it I was forced to continue to fish for carp.

I had a big skimmer on the bread plus a decent crucian.

My arms were aching on the all out, Paul and Kev reckoned I'd done enough to win.

I had, 70lb 4oz (part of my catch above)

Here are the weigh sheets.....

Thankfully Des decided to fish for silvers due to the peg he was on, had he been on mine he would have emptied it as would most of the regulars on here but as Paul said a win's a win.

Paul came second in the silvers and Kev sixth overall.

Next up is the Roy Carter on 28th Dec Gloucester Canal.

Tuesday 9th November - Tuesday Tenners Open, Acorn Fishery Kingston Seymour near Clevedon

 During the week I usually fish somewhere on a Wednesday but this week I promised to go up my daughters and help her prepare to move house.

I was thinking of fishing the River Kenn but the tide was all wrong in order to get a full days fishing.

In the end I decided to book into the Tuesday Open at Acorn Fishery, yes it's a Commercial which I rarely visit but I do fish the odd match here over the winter period. I also made the decision to simply fish for silvers and planned just to use left over worm, pinkie, maggot and caster from the weekend. Plus the fact I'm not that familiar with carp fishing.

The draw was from 08:00 - 08:20 and Eddie Wynne was in charge. 

When I turned up I got the usual response .... are you lost, there's no flow here you know etc etc....

It's a very friendly crowd and 21 were booked in.

Quite a few would be going for the carp as they are regular slayers and fish here quite often but I did think I could compete for the silvers.

I already had a box of Commercial rigs made up and a wallet of barbless hooks that I made up just before the first lockdown.

Eddie pulled me out peg 2 on the Island, I also had the scales and board as peg 1 was not drawn. 

I know its a decent peg for carp but that didn't matter to me as I was already committed to go for silvers.

Even though I have fished here before I have never been on the Island. Plumbing up I had around 3 foot at the bottom of the far shelf straight in front. 11:00 at 11 metres it was a little deeper so put on another rig. I plumbed up another line 6 metres in front of me and it was just slightly deeper again so another rig. All the rigs were 4 x 14's with 20 hooks to 0.11.

That was all the lines I was going to fish as any more just confuses me.

A decent pot of chopped worm and caster went in neat on my 11:00 line, one ball of black lake with caster and pinkie in at 6 metres and one ball of black lake, chopped worm and pinkie at the bottom of the far shelf.

First put in across I only had to wait a few minutes for my first roach which was about 6 ozs. In the next 30 minutes I had a few skim bobs and a couple of stockie carp which are only a few ounces. I re-fed the bottom of the shelf and went on my 11:00 line. Another decent roach and a small skimmer but that slowed pretty quick so put a little more worm and caster in.

Having a look at 6 metres for the first time produced more roach and skimmers plus a 6lb carp which I landed on a No.6 elastic but not what I wanted.

I felt things were going along nicely but I could see Paul Faiers across on peg 18 net what looked to be decent skimmers on a regular basis.

On my second look at 11:00 the float went under quite quickly and I hooked what I thought was a carp and it raced off. I managed to turn it and got it under control. I was surprised to see it was a tench and a decent one at around 3lbs. The light elastic stopped it smashing me up and I was quite relieved to net it, back in contention I thought. I put another bit of choppy and caster in on that line and went back in the middle catching a skimmer. 

It was one of those days when you could catch a couple of fish, re-feed, rotate to another line, catch, re-feed etc but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had another 2 tench from the 6 metre line and lost one.

I weighed 15lb 4oz which got me 2nd in the silvers. Paul won the silvers with 16lb 11oz mainly made up of carrissio carp which count as silvers, never seen these before.

So happy enough with that result.

Fellow Club mate Kev Perry won over all with 75lb of big munter carp.

Tuesday 3rd March - Acorn Open, Paddock Snake Lake

Quick summary.....

Looking ahead the best day of the week was going to be Tuesday but with the tide wrong on the local river and also it was still a bit of a mess I decided to go along to the Tuesday Open at Acorn Fishery run by Mike Chapman.
I haven't done any good for a long time on this venue and a lot of the guys who fish it go twice a week, Tuesday and Sunday so they are ultra familiar with the pegs.

I had a look at my carp top 2's and the elastic was err...rotten so decided I would just fish for silvers.

I did get there in plenty of time but missed the draw as I was waiting down at the site office where it used to be done but Mike put another 3 ping pong balls in the bag and I drew out 27 which is pretty rubbish if you wanted carp this time of year but no worries for me.

3 lines today, 6 sections straight out in front, 7 sections down to my right a meter out from the bank and 7 sections at 2 o'clock all lines had the same depth, about 3.5 foot. Two top kits with 6 elastic, one with a 4x12 and the other 4x14  as the wind was blowing up a bit. Size 20 wide gape hook on both rigs.

Dead chopped worm (that's another story) with caster and pinkie and Clive Bransons Black Bream mix for ground bait.


I settled in and began carefully preparing my 3 lines with a small ball on each.

I picked up fish, skimmers, roach, perch and a couple of small tench off and on during the 5 hours. I did loose what I think was a couple of bigger tench which may have made a difference.  It was an enjoyable day and made a change from chucking the feeder out which is all I have done so far this year.

I weighed 9lb 9oz, 17lb won the silvers by organiser and venue regular Mike Chapman off island peg 2.

1. Ant Piekielniak 40-00 p35.
2. John Andreas 37-04 p40
3. Mike Owens 33-13 p15
4. Mike Chapman 28-14 p2
5. Bob Smith 21-06 p13
6. Eddie Wynne 19-00 p7
Silver's
1. Mike Chapman 17-00 p2

So a nice day and it stayed dry for once.

Prepping now for the Team Qualifier with Nomads at Evesham on Sunday.

Tuesday 5th February - Tuesday £10 er's Paddock Lake Acorn Fishery Kingston Seymour near Clevedon

I usually fish a few of these matches during the winter run by Mike Chapman and Ray Bazeley. The weights are not stupid and if you have around 30lb you can usually frame. I didn't fish at the weekend as we were due to go off to Mid Wales but the snow kept us at home so was looking forward to wetting a line.

11 turned up which is about average this time of year and Mike spread the pegs out around the lake so we all had plenty of room. Rain was forecast later in the day and with a bit of luck we would miss it. There was a brisk wind though and I ended up right in the thick of it after drawing peg 15. I did set up a sobbing rig for right across but after about 10 minutes or so I gave up as presentation was crap and there was a danger of the pole breaking in the wind. Instead I fished the track for most of the day feeding micro and maggot with maggot on the hook with 6 sections using a 4 x14 to a wide gape 18 to 0.11. I had another rig down to the pallet on my right.

It was slow going and for the first hour not a lot was happening and then I started to get a few small dips on the float but nothing positive. I shallowed up slightly and found the culprits were small roach and skimmers. I did have a couple and then they backed off.

Near the end of the second hour a good bite and it went solid before screaming off pulling out the white hydro. It was a foul hooked 5lb carp (in the tail). I didn't rush it and managed to net it.
I saw Eddie Wynne have a few below me on peg 21 and the guy up on peg 6 but that was it.
A few more skimmers followed after adjusting the depth and a couple of roach and perch were taken down by the pallet.
I lost another carp at the net and then next put in had a right lump, it took ages to get in and must have went 10lbs plus and felt I was back in it. I added a pasty carp and another of about 4lbs before the all out.

The scales started at peg 40 and worked around to the low numbers. I walked down to Eddie to met them were Paul Faiers was also waiting. Paul fished for silvers all day and weighed 7lbs. I took a look at the weigh board and 20lb was best with 5 pegs left to weigh. Eddie put a great net of carp together and weighed 39lbs, I think we all knew at that point that he won it.

Eddie Wynne (UTG)

I weighed in 4lbs of silvers and 19lbs 11 oz of carp for 23lbs 11oz so lying 2nd at this point but I thought peg 6 had more and Cadbury Angling boss Dan Hurley on peg 9 said he had about 25lbs.

Well it was close but I hung on in 2nd place to cover my costs plus a small profit.

Results:

1st   Eddie Wynne 39lb 9oz
2nd  Ivan Currie 23lb 11oz
3rd   Dan Hurley 23lb 7oz
4th   John Mills 23lb 2oz

Silvers:

1st   Bob Smith 11lb 2oz
2nd  Mike Chapman 8lb 11oz

This Sunday I am fishing with my Club, Clevedon Freshwater A C against Fry's A C on Horseshoe Lake which is part of the Plantations complex at Kingston Seymour, think it will be hard.

Tuesday 23rd January - Tuesday ''knock up'' Paddock Lake Acorn Fisheries

There was nothing on at the weekend, just as well as it persisted down all weekend so I had a tackle maintenance day on the Sunday.
I did plan to fish the Tuesday ''knock up'' at Acorn Fisheries run by Mike Chapman and Ray Bazley, not my scene really but nice to have a bit of company and all very friendly.
It was nice to get out again and the weather forecast was reasonable for most of the day.
Only 7 turned up so we were well spread out around the 40 pegs on Paddock Lake (Snake Lake). It had been fishing very hard but with a rise in temperatures to a barmy 11 or 12 degrees we were hoping for a few fish.
I drew peg 40 which is right near the car park and by a bridge.

The peg does through up a few weights now and then but not recently. The wind was blowing right to left so I set up a dobbing rig to fish along the middle of the bridge as the carp usually lie under it. Another rig for just up off the bottom of the far shelf and finally one for down the track at 5 metres.

Micro's with a few dead pinkies for the track and far line and no feed for along the bridge. I also set up a bomb rod for fishing popped up bread.

Dan Hurley the joint owner of the on site Tackle Shop was on the other side of the bridge, peg 6 and Mike Chapman was on 37 to my right. The only other angers I could really see was Ray on 34 and Eddie Wynne on 9.

I fed my track and far line on the all in and then went on the dobbing rig fishing 6'' off the bottom. After 20 minutes not a sniff on the bread but during this time Eddie managed at least 3 carp right across.

First put in down the track I had a small micro tench and then some small roach. I also had an F1 around 2lb before resting the line and going across to a line I hadn't fed in the corner were the bridge meets the bank. A couple of small pasty carp around 10oz each came quickly before bites dried up.

Going on the the far line I had fed I connected with a lump but it came off halfway across. I had another decent fish on within 10 minutes or so and it came up to the surface before coming off as well, it was a big skimmer.

I could see Eddie continually landing fish so followed suit by re-plumping and going further across about halfway up the shelf. Quite a few pasty carp came on this line and I also had a decent carp of around 4lbs. 

Unfortunately the wind got up and it became impossible to present so had to stay down the track or up against the bridge nicking the odd small fish.

A helicopter appeared just to the north of the fishery following the motorway up, a big yellow one, might have been a Western Power aircraft, thought it was going to land it was that low.

Just before the match ended the heavens opened and it lashed down again so did not waste any time packing up.

Mike to my left also struggled today and tipped back around 4lb fish.

As expected Eddie done enough to win by a comfortable margin. I ended up with just over 13lbs.

Eddie with his catch made up with F1's

Results as follows:

1st     Eddie Wynne. 46-02 
2nd   Ray Bazeley. 28-14 
3rd    Mike Owens. 24-05 
4th    John Barker. 17-09 

Silvers
1st    John Barker. 6-02 
2nd   Ray Bazeley. 3-04 

Was going to fish the Taunton Open at the weekend on the Tone but due to all the rain and more to come I thought it would be called off so booked in on our Club Match on the Main Lake Plantation Fisheries. 

Tuesday 2nd January - Acorn Fisheries Open, Paddock Lake

After I retired 21 months ago i intended to fish the Tuesday Opens at this fishery for a bit of banter and company but only fished one of them up until now. I am not a ''Commercial Angler'' but due to my Club having a few matches on the venue recently and I did quite well decided to attend this first one after Christmas and New Year was done and dusted.

The matches are run by veteran Bristol match angler Ray Bazely and Mike Chapman on behalf of the fishery. No need to book, just turn up with the draw at 08:45 and fish 10:00 - 15:00.
Only 8 attended today and they all know the fishery very well as they fish it sometimes twice a week.

Entry fee is only £12 all in (peg fee included) so its a knock up more than a match although 20 odd attend when the weather is better.

The fishing has been very up and down despite the milder weather.

There had been 45 mph winds during the night and rain was also forecast but the rain was due to go off from around 10:30 but not the wind.

Pegs were put in to try and give us as much shelter as possible. Into the bag and I pull out ping pong ball 27 which is right down the bottom of the lake. The nearest anglers to me were Eddie Wynne on 11 and Mike Chapman on 31.

Billy no mates on 27

The rigs that I had for my Clubs Christmas and Pairs match were still OK.
Bread dobber for halfway down the far shelf left hand side were it was around 3 foot. Bottom of the shelf right hand side at around 4 foot, middle down the track to my right (same rig) and right hand margin 2.5 foot.
As I was plumbing up across to my right I hit a carp which tore off with my plumet so must have got caught in its fins. Well at least there was a fish around.

On the all in I started off on my dobbing rig and fed nothing anywhere else to see how it went.
Not a sign of a bite or a fish in the area I had targeted and I moved the rig up and down along a 6 foot piece of bank and altered the depth. I decided to feed a few micros with dead pinkies over were I had hit the carp while plumbing up and persevered with the bread another 10 minutes or so. I had a good view up the lake and couldn't see anything being caught yet.
Bored with the bread I brought it in and went over where I had fed the micros and pinkie. I suppose it had only been in 5 minutes when the float dipped and it was carp on. Not a bit fish but at around 3lb it was welcome. I then put some bait in down the track and right hand margin before going back over to try and nick another fish. I feed just a few micros every 5 minutes via the pole pot with a dead fluro maggot on the hook and was rewarded with another carp 20 minutes later a bit better at just over 5lbs.

I decided to rest this line now and had a look down the right hand margin.....nothing, looked down the track.....nothing.

Going back over on my dobbing line but at full depth with a fluro maggot on and the shot still spaced out as the last shot registered the float gently sailed away and carp number 3 was on. it seemed quite angry but I knew the 0.13 hook length and the 16  PR434 would handle it. A good scrap and it was safely netted.

We were about 1 hour 30 minutes in when Ray came walking around. When he asked how many I had and I told him he said I was ''pissing it'', he had one f1 and everyone else was struggling, it was rock hard.

Personally I don't mind it when its like this as its a great leveller.

Well the wind direction changed and it got stronger meaning I could not present across so had to settle for the right hand margin and down the track line. I only added 9 oz of sprats the rest of the match.

Fortunately my 3 early carp were still enough for the win on the day.

Out of 8 anglers only 6 carp were caught.

Result as follows:

1st    Ivan Currie Maver Cadbury Angling 12lb 5oz
2nd   Eddie Wynne Over 55's 6lb
3rd    Mike Owens Sensas 88 5lb 3oz

Sunday 7th Jan see's me on the Kennent and Avon Canal in Bath for the 5th Round of the Sensas Bristol Commercial House League.

Saturday 30th December - Clevedon FWAC Blind Pairs, Paddock Lake Acorn Fishery, Kingston Seymour

So it was on to the last match of the year and one I always look forward to .... my Clubs ''blind pairs'' match. In years gone by it used to be held on Boxing Day but recently its been held on the first weekend after Christmas usually Sunday but as the first Sunday was New Years Eve Adie scheduled it for the Saturday. Not sure if this affected the numbers but only 10 attended.

Draw was 08:30 at the Fishery and Adie was able to put pegs in which were less affected by the strong winds although they did reduce during the day from an initial 45 mph.

We had to draw our pegs first and I was well pleased with 34, a bridge peg which usually produces. Then we had to dip into another tin and draw out a peg with a number on it. Two No.1's, two No. 2's up to 5. So both anglers who drew the same number would form a pair.
I was teamed up with all round nice guy Mike Pickering who drew peg 21, another bridge peg. Well pleased with that.

My peg 34 and sheltered from the wind.

On the other side of my bridge was Matt Roden on 35 who was paired up with Mark Walsh who more or less lives on the venue.....and does very well.

Three rigs today, one for dobbing bread along the middle of the bridge with the option to also fish full depth if required against the bridge or down the track in front of me, bottom of the far shelf full depth or shallower with bread and finally a right hand margin rig for the end of the bridge.

We were fishing 10:00 - 15:00 and on the all in I started on the bread 6'' off the bottom in the middle of the bridge, I fed nothing anywhere else to see how it went. 

Lifting the 6mm punched bread up and down slowly after a few minutes produced no indications at all until 20 minutes in when the float shot under and I missed the bite. The tow was taking me away from the bridge so not ideal. I think Matt also missed a few small bites and we both concluded it was going to be hard. A short spell went by and this time when the float shot under I connected with a 8oz carp. I persevered with the bread along the bridge at different depths but no bites whatsoever. Matt was now on the maggot or pinkie and had the odd blade silver fish.

Going across to the bottom of the far shelf 6'' off the bottom with bread produced nothing. Looking around I had not seen anyone catch a carp.

I fed my right hand margin with a few micro's for later and also fed some micro's and dead pinkies at the bottom of the far shelf and went over it with a dead red at full depth. Roach and a few small skimmers came on this line now and then but there were long periods of inactivity. 

It was the same all around the lake. We couldn't understand it as it had been mild for a couple of days.

It was around 13:30 when I saw Mark Walsh on peg 2 latch into a carp, he seemed to play it for ages and i thought it was foul hooked, but no it was a lump. Shortly afterwards next to Mark on peg 4 Mike Owens was also into one. 

Five minutes passed and blow me I had one but only about 3lbs at most. Mark and Mike went on to put a few more in the net before the all out. 

I just added a few more silvers from all lines, Matt did not have a single carp neither did 5 other anglers.

At the weigh in it was tight between Mark and Mike with Mark weighing 23lb 7oz and Mike 23lb 12oz so it would be tight as neither of their partners had carp.

It was tight but Mike Owens and Mark Bromsgrove ended victorious....

                 

1st Mike Owens (left) and Mark Bromsgrove 27lb 12oz

                   

2nd Mark Walsh (left) and Matt Roden  25lb 15oz

Here are a couple more pics and the weigh sheet......

Lee Williams

Me

I plan to give it another go next Tuesday on the Open Match.

In the meantime happy new year all.

Sunday 17th December - Clevedon Club Christmas Match, Acorn Fisheries - Paddock Lake

HO HO HO and a merry Christmas all.

This was my first match since the 12th November as I have been on holiday in Devon, the Caribbean and in Norther Ireland seeing family before Christmas.

Due to the match being held on a ''Commercial'' I had to replace elastic in my power top 2's as well as tie rigs and hook lengths. A visit to Cadbury Angling soon had me with all I needed for the ''dark side''. The gear will also come into play for our Clubs ''Blind Pairs match'' on the 30th December at the same fishery.

I had been following the match results on the lake and saw that a few carp had been caught ''dobbing'' bread. I have never done this before so spent a few hours watching how its done on You Tube. There were a few different approaches to this method but it was useful to watch.

The draw and breakfast was at the Bridge Inn half a mile from the fishery and I belief 31 were booked in but 29 turned up. We opened the match up to non members as long as they were happy to pay the addition £5 and quite a few did. A large breakfast was ordered and it was not worth waiting for, ended up leaving half of it. I sat with Mark Walsh to more or less lives at the fishery and does very well, so was able to pick his brains a bit as he fished a match on it the previous day.

Match Secretary Adie Baker was well organised and the draw began just after 09:00 with rising 10:30 - 15:30 then back to the Bridge Inn for the results and prize giving plus the raffle.
As far as the cash pay-outs were concerned there were 5 section pay outs, each £50 and then the top 3 would receive Meat Hampers, everyone else would receive a prize in the form of Christmas Fare (mainly alcohol lol).
I was about a third the way down in the disorderly due to the draw bucket but well happy when I opened up my peg card to reveal peg 6. I have had this peg a few times and done well of it. You can fish to the bridge and a couple of features in the corners.

Map of Paddock Lake, peg 6 bottom left hand corner

Next to me on peg 7 was Somerset Bagger Paul Purchase who like me prefers natural venues so we were both a bit out of touch with this carp fishing lark. To my right on the other side of the bridge, peg 40 was UK Carp Champion and England Carp Team member Mark Bartlett whose family also own the fishery. 

Maver Cadbury Angling Team mate Glenn Calvert wo won the match the previous day with 57lb (from peg 40 dobbing bread) came around to me and put me right on a couple of things concerning the peg as 37lb had come off it the previous day.....dobbing bread! Glenn was on peg 14 and Scott Smallwood who also fishes for us occasionally was on bridge peg 34.

The air was very still and there was a small amount of cat on our corner of the lake but soon went by the time we were due to start. Mark on the other side of the bridge did spend a bit of time clearing ice from his peg. I set up 3 rigs, one to fish bread against the middle part of the bridge, I had to put a dolly butt extension on so it was about 14 metres across. While I was plumbing up I could feel a fish rubbing up against the line. One for the middle at 11 metres and one for my right had margin. Micro's, dead maggot and eat pinkie plus the bread was in the bait tray.

I was ready when the ''all in'' was shouted but decided to go for a pee in the on site toilet as I was directly in front of the house.

On my return I pole potted in a few samples on my middle and margin lines before going across with a double 7mm punch of bread against the middle of the bridge and starting off 6 inches of the bottom. I hadn't shipped out properly when Paul next to me on 7 could be seen playing a fish straight away.  I had the rig bulk shotted with 3 no. 8 at this point and one number 10 dropper.  As soon as it settled the float sailed away and it was also carp on for me. The no. 11 hollow was just right and a 3lb fish was soon safely in the net, happy days. I looked around as far as I could see and didn't see any other early fish being caught. Mark on 40 was fishing right across into the corner of the bridge his side and I saw him bump a few early fish. I think about 30 mins went by before I had my second bite and I believe it was foul hooked as it came off half way across and didn't feel right. Another bite followed and I missed it, more of a liner.  I shallowed up a couple of inches and started to slowly lift and drag the bait towards the right hand side of the bridge and this brought me a few fish within a 20 min spell.  The angler on 39 had a couple of fish down the track and also missed a few bites (not surprised as I could see his elastic hanging out the end of the pole). Mark also had a few in the middle of the bridge, he was feeding and I wasn't.

I altered the shooting on my rig spacing them out to allow a slow fall and this worked better giving me more fish. I really couldn't see much being caught and by 2 pm thought I was in with a shout as I had 9 carp with the best part of the day to come. I had a look on my other lines briefly but not a sign so didn't waste any more time on them and went back on the bread across. I added another 6 fish before 15:30 some of them were 8lb ish and I had one just before the all out. 

I estimated I had around 60lb, 11 carp in one net and 4 in the other.

Paul on 7 had 3 carp and I think Mark had around 4 or 5.

While packing up Mark came around and said you must have about 30lb, I said no, 60lb plus. He said he kept missing bites as he was watching me....lol...

Keith May who was on island peg 1 came across to his van behind me with his gear and said...how many you got ...15... (how did he know that?), he said there had been a few fish caught on the island. I couldn't tell as my big furry hat that I wore during the match blanked my view to the island out.

3 of the 4 island pegs that were in did fish ok and my peg was in with them for the section money, it was tight but I did manage the section with 71lb 4oz, peg 1 had 60lb and peg 2 had 66lb.

part of my catch 

It also turned out I had won the match overall.

Scott down on bridge peg 34 also had a good day with 42lb plus but also lost 15 carp!!!!

Scott with his catch in his small landing net 

5 Section payouts of £50

A - Ivan Currie 71lb 4oz (Maver Cadbury Angling)

B - Tony Rixon 23lb (Mosella)

C - Darren North 39lb 8oz (PSV)

D - Glenn Calvert 14lb (Maver Cadbury Angling)

E - Scott Smallwood 42lb 10oz (Maver Cadbury Angling)

Top 3 receiving meat hampers

1st    Ivan Currie 71lb 4oz (Maver Cadbury Angling)

2nd  Adie Baker 66lb 15oz (Clevedon)

3rd   Keith May 60lb 10oz (Over 55's)

a good day and kept the wife happy

Given that there was a match on the previous day it did fish well. The weight sheets are copied below but quality not good.

Next match for me is the Roy Carter Memorial on the Glos Canal 28th December then Pairs Match on 30th.

Thursday 4th May - Cadbury Angling Open, Paddock Lake Acorn Fishery

Cadbury Angling who are now located at the Acorn Fishery Complex are running a series of Thursday evening opens during May and June and possibly into August, here are the details......

I have just returned from a fabulous week in Cuba and booked in prior to going. I had enough pellet and only needed some Swim Stim to make up paste.

I was always going to fish short as my No. 8 Section was not coming back until Friday after standing on it a few weeks ago.

I got to the Fishery at around 16:40 and there were a few there already. Toby and Dan who own Cadbury Angling were also fishing making 11 in total. 

The draw was done a little early and we were to start fishing when everyone was ready.

I had already loaded the trolley to walk to my peg wherever I drew which was just as well as I drew peg 2 on the island. Some of the other guys ran to there vans / cars lol in order to get set up quickly.

The only other angler on the island was Rob Fogg on peg 5 and I had team mate Sam Johnson to my right on bridge peg 34.

I set up 2 identical rigs for down the edge to my right for paste as there was a strong cold wind blowing left to right and 1 for top 2 plus 2 out in front for soft pellet. 

Not sure when we started but it was before 18:30 and I cupped in 2 big pots of pellet down the edge starting out in front with soft pellet over micro fed via a cad pot.

Lots of fish were showing along the far bank ledge but I was quite happy to fish short, no other choice really.

After 10 minutes I had a small 5oz carp followed by a few more and a crucian, then I had a proper carp around 4lb. I was only getting dips of the float indicating small fish so switched down the edge with paste after 45 mins.

It did not take long for the float to disappear and I was soon playing a carp which I landed quickly.

I was getting lots of bites but missed them and then lost a foul hooker.

I made a few adjustments to my rig and put on a bigger bit of paste which was much better taking a few more 4lb fish.

Then disaster.... I hooked a carp and it tore off toward Sam and my No. 5 section snapped. All I could see was my top 4 and 1/2 heading down the track. I shouted to Sam as it was being towed towards his bank. Sam managed to grab it and I ran over to him. As I got there he was playing the fish on my puller bung and I netted it. It was properly hooked and I put it back.

I came back and put the 2 parts of the No.5 inside each other, shipped out and caught another carp much to Rob Foggs surprise.

A couple more followed but I was nervous using my sleeved broken section. I had another No.5 but it was not a power section. 

I was first to weigh and had just under 26lbs, I could have done a lot better. Rob did not weigh as he only had 1 carp and some bits.

Top 3 were.....

1st Paul Nichols 97lb 14oz - peg 17

2nd Mark Bartlett 88lb 9oz - peg 10

3rd Rich Lovering 54lb - peg 8

Paul also won the first golden peg.

Toby and Dan laid on hot dogs and cider after the match which was well received.

Looking forward to next week.

No. 8 section which I stood on Good Friday is now back after being repaired and power No. 5 ordered.

Teams of 4 match on the Gloucester Canal this Sunday.

Christmas period 2016

Sunday 18th December Clevedon Club Christmas Match - Acorn Fishery Paddock Lake

It was almost a year since I fished a Commercial but the Clubs Christmas Match is our Flagship Event so it had to be done. With 35 booked in for the 40 peg venue it was always going to be tough due to numbers and the cold weather. I had been looking at the recent match results and bread or maggot seemed to be the way to go.
I drew peg 25 and had Mike Pickering on 26 and Paul Nicholls on 23 for company (24 was vacant).
3 rigs were set up.... one for dobbing the bread, one for bottom of the far shelf and one for the middle.
The bottom of the far shelf rig was ok for down by the pallet on 24.
The day was very frustrating with 8 carp lost, 7 were foul hooked so it was a blankety blank cheque book and pen for me. Mike also lost a shed load of foul hookers but did manage to get a few in the net. Paul had a similar experience.
Weights were generally poor as expected but a few noted pegs produced.

Ist on the day was Mike Laird with 53lbs 7oz (peg 5)

2nd was Mike Wilson with 48lbs 4ozs (peg 22)

3rd was Rich Heatley with 38lbs (not sure which peg)
No photo available

Monday 19th - 28th December P & O Cruise Ship Arcadia
So off we went to Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Oslo, Bruge and Le Harve. So nice to be away for Christmas after 38 years working for Royal Mail.

Julie and I just before Christmas Dinner

Saturday 31st December - Clevedon Club Pairs Match Acorn Fishery Paddock Lake.

This match is always a good bit of fun as you don't know who you are paired up with until the draw is done. Louis Jones and I won it last year and the year before I came 3rd with Darren ''Nuddy'' Vowles.
18 anglers were booked in which made it nice and simple. When you drew your peg you could see which other peg your partner was on so there was a lot of similar questions among the anglers...what you got Ive? who's got ......? and so on.
My peg card showed I was on 7 and my partners was on 33 and it turned out to be Mark Bromsgrove who usually picks up where ever he goes. Mark was on a bridge peg and 7 was ok as well.  We had a quick chat before we headed off to our pegs.
Most anglers had a vacant peg next to them, I had a lot of room with 6 and 8 being left out. Due to the cold weather I decided to dob bread across, fish the bottom of the far shelf with pinkie and a rig for the middle. All three rigs would be used to search around their respective lines over next to no feed.
Carp Slayer and venue regular Mark Walsh was on 9 and across the other side of the bridge on 40 was another venue regular Mike Owens. Kev Perry was across on the corner of the island on 5. I had a good view of most of the lake from my peg.
Starting off on a double 6mm punch I started searching up on the far shelf. I did get a couple of indications which seemed promising but did not want any foul hookers. I had 3 x No. 10's down the line to a 16 hook and just kept lifting and dropping the bait along the shelf. 10 minutes in and I was playing a good fish which took the bread on the drop. I am not used to carp on the pole so took it steady and won the fight after around 8 minutes. It was a good common around 8lbs. I continued to dob and was soon playing another good fish but it was foul hooked. It did seem like an eternity but I successfully netted it and added another 5lbs to my keep net.  Nearing the end of the first hour I lost a fish, think it was hooked in the mouth but too lightly.
I gave the bread line a rest for a while and started working the bottom of the shelf with pinkie. Again there were indications of fish moving but it took about an hour to get a positive bite and carp number 3 was captured.
Mike over on 40 was getting a few fish against the bridge and Kev added a couple fishing right across on 5. Elsewhere it looked very quiet.
I tried the middle 6 meters out and the float did disappear a few times but it was just liners. The middle period of the match was fairly non eventful for me but Kev said Rich Heatly on 21was sacking.
With 90 minutes to go I went back on the bread and shallowed the rig up a few inches to fish further up the shelf as I saw Dom Sullivan on 3 take a couple of fish right over. This proved to be the right decision as I hooked another 5 carp but only landed 3 but they were OK and was happy enough with my performance.
I thought that if Rich was sacking on 21 it would be him and his partner that would win and Mike Owens and his partner would be second (pay out was top two pairs).
The scales recorded my weight as 28lbs 2oz so happy with that and it was the best from 1 to 11 as Scott Smallwood on 12 done 38lbs.
Back in the car park I met up with Mark and he had weighed 21lbs odd so we thought we would be just out of the money.
Rich Heatley did sack up weighing 89lbs and his partner Andy Devereux has 3oz. Mike Owens weighed 32lbs, I though he had more and his partner had about 5lbs so that changed things a bit.
Turned out we did come second so £50 each and a good way to end the year.

1st in the pairs Rich and Andy

2nd Mark and I

Next match for me is Sunday 8th January on the Kennet and Avon Canal in Bath (Commercial House League Round 5).

Happy New Year to all my readers.

Sunday 3rd January - Clevedon Pairs Open Paddock Lake Acorn Fishery

This match was billed as the Boxing Day Pairs Match in the calendar, I guess it must have been held on Boxing Day at some point but more recently it has been on the Sunday following Boxing Day due to most people having family committments. It is not normally an 'Open' but it was decided to and in the main invite the SW Over 55's and Disabled Club to take part as they fish the lake most weeks a few of them took part in our Christmas Match as well. On another note it fills the pegs and reduces the advantage of some having too much room.
Weather wise when I left the Nailsea area it did not seem too bad but by the time I got to Kingston Seymour it was blowing a hooley and raining hard.
I think we started off with 24 anglers but on the morning this increased to 27 making the pairs a little difficult but Match Secretary Adie worked out a way and it meant that one angler was paired up twice giving them two bites at the cherry. Adie and SW Over 55 match organiser worked out which pegs would be paired up and the draw took place as normal. I was surprised of the reasonably high number of anglers given the conditions. The top 3 pairs were to be paid out based on total weight. I tried willing myself to draw peg 6 again but it did not happen and I was not that pleased with drawing 18 but I soon cheered up when I found my partner was young Lewis Jones who is a bit of a carp slayer and he had drawn a good bridge peg... 34.
I was able to drive around to my peg with care and had to do a few manouvers along the way to let others pass and you could not drive on the grass as it was so soft. I had a blank peg to my right (17) and club colleague Scott Smallwood was on 16, to my left was SW DAC member Geoff Stone. The wind was severe and the rain was lashing down to sitting it out was the only option but at least it would put our new team gortex clothing to the test. I set up one rig to fish half way at about 2 o'clock with dead maggot over micro and dead maggot, another about a meter out from the pallet on 17 to fish banded pellet at the bottom of the near shelf and a popped up bread rig for the lead across or anywhere else to search around the peg. This seemed the only sensible options due to the wind. Feed was to be very little and not that often. Popped up bread on the lead was the first line of attack on the all in while I watched others struggle on the pole across. Over on pegs 1 and 2 I noticed that Paul Faires and Mark Bromhall were into fish straight away.  After a few casts and 15 minutes in I had a liner and then another before and after 30 minutes the tip flew around a a 3lb common was safely netted but that was it on the tip and after an hour I tried the middle line were I had put in a few dead reds and mirco at the start of the match. The wind was still strong and I had to look twice as the float sailed away and a solid thump was experienced followed by the number 10 hollow streaming out as the fish woke up. It was a bit hairy due to the wind but another half tidy common was landed. I put in again in the same place and the float went under again but I lost that one just before the net, I was only using an 18 hook. I persevered with this line for about an hour but no more indications. A look opposite the pallet on peg 17 produced a sail away bite on the banded 4 mm pellet and after a short scrap another common of around 4lb was netted, again nothing more on this line afterwards.
About just over halfway through the match the wind eased and the rain went off so I set up another rig for the far shelf to dob bread. I had one dip but it look more like a liner from a passing fish. I adjusted my banded pellet rig for the bottom of the far shelf and drip feed in a pinch of micros, the float dipped and a crucian of around a 1lb was had, that was my match really. Either side of me weighed in .... peg 16: 8oz, peg 19: 8lb 2oz, My 3 carp and crucian went 11lb 2oz and out of the 9 pegs on my bank I was the 4th best weight, peg 25 was the best with 27lb odd.
Lewis came over to see how I got on and I found out he had done 50lb plus on the bread. Listening to other anglers and the weights that had been caught I felt we were in with a chance of framing.
I gave Adie a hand to tally up the pairs weights and the results were as follows......

1st   Lewis Jones Sensas Thyers and Ivan Currie Maver Cadbury Angling 61lb 10oz and £120
2nd  Brian Slipper and Kev Perry Sensas Thyers 57lb 9oz and £90
3rd  Paul Faires Sensas Thyers and Matt Roden Clevedon 54lb 4oz and £60

1st Lewis and I, he is happy honest

2nd the Sensas twins Kev and Brian

3rd fellow Royal Mail Colleague Paul and his partner (not civil) Matt

Weight sheets as follows:

Next Sunday is the last round of the Somerset Teams of 4 League, was hoping the River Tone would not be flooded but as I write this the rain continues to fall so more than likely on the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal which I quite like.

Happy New Year all.