27th & 29th August - Evesham Festival, Wychavon Final and Team Final, Warks Avon.

Saturday the 27th August was the Wychavon Final and I qualified for this match on 17th August with over 13lb of roach and chub, my best ever weight at Evesham.

Team Nomads was well represented with Sam Johnson, Clive Branson, Chris Smith, Kev Ellaby and myself.

I met with Sam at Hampton Ferry for breakfast nice and early as we had to register for the match by 08:45.

This was the first day of the Festival and when we arrived to register at the Crown Meadow the Angling Stalls, Beer Tent, Food Vans etc were all setting up.

80 anglers fishing so all but 8 pegs in along the Town and Ferry length but there had not been a match on it for over a week.

I was fairly well up the draw queue and picked out disc A5 on the Battle Ship Matrix, when it was turned over it was peg 20. I had been on 21 before which was the peg upstream of the bridge.

Pegs 19 and 18 above me were not in so a bit of room but 21 was in. I was happy enough with the draw but would not be a match winner.

It was a bright warm day but I was confident I could catch. 

There was some cover across so a waggler was set up but not used much as there was a downstream wind which made presentation difficult. I also had a maggot feeder for the same line.

My main line was going to be between 13 and 14 metres with 3 hemp rigs between 0.3 and 0.4 grams and a 1 gram rig at full depth.

As I was setting up my board was placed behind me. When I completed my forms a week before the match under notable achievements (which really is for angling achievements) I put "married to the same woman for 44 years" lol and they actually put that on the board !!!!

Thanks to Rich Whitmarsh for the photo

As members of the public walked passed I could hear them laughing when they read it.

On the "all in" at 11:30 I started off on the waggler while pinging in hemp down the middle. I was soon chucking that up the bank due to the wind and cast out the maggot feeder still pinging in hemp.

A couple of rattles on the tip saw me catch a small perch and a few sprats. 

30 minutes in and I went on the pole with caster on the hook. First run down on the 0.3 gram rig I had a 1 oz roach followed by a slightly better one which I netted. The wooden bannister at the side of me was a problem with the 4 metre net handle but there was no rush.

I was ticking over nicely during the next hour, not bagging but getting bites and taking small roach. Then .... it went quiet and sun was overhead not ideal.

A couple of chucks with the feeder didn't produce anything either.

Back on the pole I fed a few casters with the hemp and with hemp on the hook got a few more roach but very small. 

At the halfway stage I had no more than 1.5 pounds.

It didn't get much better for the rest of the match but in the last 30 minutes I put the hemp rig about 10 inches over depth and held back a little which got me a few decent gudgeon.

Only weighed 2lb 3oz but if you look at the board below you will see how hard it fished.

No real surprise where the winning weights came from.

Results below......

I was really shattered when I got home due to shipping back above my shoulder all day, went to bed at 11p.m. and woke up at 11:30 the next morning.

Sunday 28th August was the Evesham Final, I don't think I would have been fit to fish it had I qualified. We had Clive Branson and Terry Parrott from Team Nomads on the bank. 

Clive done ok with a big 5lb and won his section and only a pound away from a framing place.

Monday 29th was the Team match and we had what I believe was a strong line up against the best.

Team Nomads was ...

Me

Clive Branson

Kev Ellaby

Terry Parrot

Chris Smith

Registration was supposed to open at 08:00 but when I got there at 07:30 nine Teams had already registered meaning we would be 10th out of 16 to draw.

Before I went up to draw some of the guys said don't draw set .......... as if I could influence what I drew.

Luckily I drew set 15 which they were happy with, thank goodness lol.

Clive was on 15, Chris on 34, Terry on 50, Kev on 67 and I was on 85. 

A discussion on the approach for each peg was had and off we went to do our best.

Peg 85 was the furthest I had been down the 89 peg match length. 2lb odd had come off it the day before which wasn't bad down that end so 3lb plus was my target to do well.

Chris gave me a low down on the peg and said it was deep in the middle and then shallowed up from there to the far side.

It would be a lot quieter down this end as most spectators would be on the Crown Meadow and the Ferry sections.

I did set up a waggler for across - not used all day.

Maggot feeder - not used all day.

3 hemp rigs as used on the Saturday for 13 /14 metres.

A 2 gram bulk rig for the middle 13/14 metres.

0.6 rig with number 8"s as bulk for down the edge 6 sections out for the worm line.

While setting up an Evesham regular came down and said he was on the peg the day before and caught very small skimmers in the last hour down the middle over ground bait. Thanks mate.

At the start I put 2 bait droppers full of chopped worm in short and 2 balls of ground bait with choppy and dead pinkie plus a few casters  down the middle I also pinged a few grains of hemp in on the same line as it wouldn't do any harm.

Starting with a worm head on a 16 down the side I had a dumpy perch 2nd run down so blank avoided.

That first hour was great, I caught perch right down the peg and landed a couple of 6oz fish which I was more than happy with and estimated I had 1.5 lbs which was well on the way to my target.

Team mate Andy Thomas turned up as bank runner for us and when I told him what I had he said I was doing really well.

A look over the ground bait after putting in some more worm with maggot got me a small skimmer straight away. I was also regularly pinging in hemp.

Small roach also turned up and more small skimmers. I topped up with another ball of ground bait and had a look over the worm again but no more perch.

Back over the ground bait with caster or maggot still brought me the odd fish and I lost a couple of good fish (probably big perch) when the hook pulled out. I could have stepped up from the 18 hook but it might have cost me some smaller fish and every ounce was important today.

Andy kept me up to date with what was going on in my Section of 16 and I was doing quite well.

A look on the hemp brought me a couple of roach but they were very small and due to there size I missed a lot of bites so abandoned that and went back looking for small skimmers.

This was a good move and they were easier to hit.

The scales started on the end peg and as expected 89 done well putting over 7lb in the net which is mega down this end, the next peg up had 5lb. Below me weighed 2lb plus and I had a nice 4lb 8oz.

Andy was up the other end of the section and phoned me to say I had come 3rd so 14 points from 16, that'll do I thought.

Kev done very well taking 10 points from the worst peg in the team draw, Terry had a bummer, Chris done great contributing 12 points and Clive had a tough day after loosing a barbel on the whip above all things and 3 points.

We ended up 10th from 16 but we go again next year.

That's the end of Evesham for this year, I'm already looking forward to the campaign next year after having a lot of success on the venue over the last 2 months.

Next up is the Area Festival in Co. Cavan next week ...... to be sure 

Wednesday 17th August - Ray South Memorial, Evesham (Town and Ferry)

This match in memory of local angler Ray South would be the last match before the Evesham Angling Festival weekend (27th, 28th and 29th August), the South family also put in a generous donation of £500 which is added to the prize money. It is also a "veteran's match" and you need to be 60 plus to enter.

As usual I had my breakfast in Wetherspoons and while eating it a number of emergency vehicles raced down the High St. immediately outside the pub.

When I arrived at Hampton Ferry nice and early I took my usual walk along the river.

There was a nice bit of pace on it and a tinge of colour after the thunderstorm the day before. As I walked up near peg 40 I could see some blue flashing lights in the Corporation Meadow, as I got closer I could also see an Air Ambulance so walked back.

The draw was delayed a little because of the the incident, it turned out a 94 year old man had to be taken out of the river. I later heard he had died by the time he got to hospital and there were no suspicious circumstances. Very sad.

A few of my Nomad's Team mates were at the match today, real Welsh angling royalty in the form of ....

Rich Candy

Clive Branson

Clive Roberts

and of course me (did you hear the one about 3 Welshmen and an Irishman, lol).

60 anglers had booked in and all of them turned up so the draw got underway once the police gave the go ahead after dealing with the incident.

Clive (B) some how managed to get right at the front of the draw queue and ended up on 61, I was halfway in the line up and to my amazement got peg 6, same as the Wednesday before so well happy with that. Richy ended up on 21 and Clive R on end peg 88, so not a bad draw.

No one was on 5 or 4 above me so a bit of room and I felt that peg 1 would be my main threat in the zone. Peg 7 and 8 were in directly below me. There would be a few qualifying places going today for the Saturday or Sunday of the Festival.

After doing well last week and with some additional information I set up 2 x 0.3 gram rigs, one on top 4 and one on top 5 long lining as it was only 4 foot deep at the most. One was just off bottom and the other just 2 foot deep. I also set up a 0.4 rig again long lining on a top 5.

I also set up a maggot feeder and that was it. There was a gusty downstream breeze so the waggler wouldn't work plus the flow was too fast.

It is a lovely peg but you do have to ship back above shoulder height.

Here's the view looking up the bank directly behind my seat box.

Before the all in I was still thinking about the approach and decided to set up a 2 gram rig just in case.

At the start of the match I began on the maggot feeder across while putting in some hemp and a few casters at 11 metres. 

The tip rattled straight away and came back with smashed maggots. When I cast in the tip went again before I could pick up the catapult to feed hemp and caster. Chublet about 2 ounces so up and running.

The bites on the tip were fast and furious but the fish were of no size so after 20 minutes picked up the 0.4 rig at full depth and ran it through with a caster on a B511 size 18. Boom and nice roach.

I was catching at the end of the peg, not ideal so started feeding slightly upstream of me. Still putting caster on the hook I had a run of small chublet's, a much better stamp that those on the feeder.

The fishing seemed to back off a little so I put the 13 metre section on and changed to a 0.3 rig up in the water. First run down, float slid away and the number 4 elastic came out quite a bit, a decent chub of around 1.5 lbs, simply lovely as Mike Martin used to say.

About 2 hours in a line of dirty water came down the middle but after 30 minutes cleared and the pace of the river appeared to slow up a little, not much but better for presentation.

I was having a busy session and also caught a few hybrids which seem to respond well to the condition of the river.

I stayed on the up in the water rig the rest of the match occasionally putting hemp on the hook instead of caster. At one point I had to go out to 14 metres following the fish which was hard work but very rewarding.

No one was walking the bank so I didn't have a clue how it was fishing above or below me.

At the all out I knew I had double figures at least.

With only pegs 1 and 2 in above me it didn't take long for the scales to arrive, I was told peg 1 had 19lb which included 2 big bream and some bits.

My net went 13lb 9oz, the peg below had 4lb odd and peg 8 had 7lb plus. I guessed that peg 1 would frame so would get the section by default at least (£50).

I went back to Hampton Ferry for the results and as they came in it was clear the river had fished it's nuts off.

I ended up with the section by default and 7th overall. They paid out top 6 so missed out on a framing place by ounces.

The angler on peg 1 won my zone but didn't want the ticket for the Wynchavon Final on the Saturday so that was offered to me, which I accepted.

Here is the board and overall results ......

Richy and Clive also won their sections, Clive R also done well in his area but just not enough.

Well that's it now at Evesham until Saturday 27th August for the Wynchavon Final and then the Team Final on Monday 29th.

Team Nomads have a strong presence over all 3 days so fingers crossed for some good results, it will be a tough gig especially on the Monday.

This Sunday I am fishing the Angling Trust Canal Pairs Qualifier on the Gloucester Canal with team mate Chris Hook.

Sunday 31st July - Avon Team Qualifier, Warks Avon, Evesham

 This was our second and final chance to try and qualify for the Team Championship Match on the Warks Avon at Evesham on the 29th August. On the first qualifier we just missed out by a couple of points.

12 Teams of 5 fishing today with the top 6 going through to the final (6 qualified from the first match plus the top 4 Teams from last years final so there will be 16 Teams fishing on 29th August).

Todays Teams.........

Diawa Gordon League

Burt Baits

Alcester Sports

Cadence North West

Diawa Trentmen

Colmic A4

Sensas Smithy's

Evesham Youth

Manor Leisure

Sensas Allens Tackle

IFFERS Match Group

Sensas Nomads

We had one change in the Team today from the last qualifier. Kev Ellaby couldn't fish so in stepped Chris Smith.

Our Sensas Nomads Team was ...

Clive Branson, Terry Parrott, Chris Smith, Russell Millward and myself.

I was up at Evesham just before 08:00 waiting for Spoons to open as were a few other anglers. There was a Riverfest Match further upstream and some of the Drennan Oxford lads who had already qualified for the Evesham Team Match were there.

During breakfast I had a quick chat with Paul Passmore (Drennan Oxford) who does well at Evesham and asked if I was fishing the Team Match. The Saturday match was dire and Paul said it would be unlikely to catch on the hemp but wished me good luck.

I was down at Hampton Ferry by 08:30 and surprised to find that we were the last but one to register. The Team draw is done in order of registration.

The draw got underway just before 09:00, fishing would be 11:30 - 16:30.

When it was our turn I went up and picked an envelope with the 5 discs inside with the peg numbers on them. With the discs upside down I picked one out in turn for each of the Team in the order they were written on the Team Sheet.

Clive            53 (which won Saturdays match)

Me                22 (immediately below the bridge and not a bad peg)

Terry             88 (end peg)

Chris             69 (in the deeps)

Russell          41

It was a decent draw to be honest and after a Team chat off we went to our pegs.

I have never had the same peg in any of the Evesham matches and today was no exception. 21 the upstream side of the bridge was free as was 23 below me so plenty of room. Based on my knowledge of the peg it can throw up a few perch. 

My 12 man section went from peg 1 to 22 so it was important to do well.

As you can see I was literally on the bridge.

Tackle shop set up to cover all options.......

1 gram rig to fish over worm down the side 6 metres out.

0.3 and 0.4 gram hemp rigs to fish 11 and 13 metres were most of the flow was.

Shallow and full depth wanglers.

Maggot feeder.

It was very shallow across and I had to come out from the far bank about 2 metres to clear the weed were it was about 3.5 foot deep. The inside line depth was the same.

At 11 and 13 metres it was about 4 foot.

It was warm but showery fine rain now and then sometimes becoming heavy. It did look as if it put a tinge of colour in the water but soon dropped out.

At the start I bait dropped in some finely chopped worm on the inside and then feed some hemp down the middle and maggots across.

I was expecting the worm line to produce bites immediately (well it has done every match I've fished here) but it didn't. Not a bite after 20 minutes, couldn't believe it!

I had still been pinging hemp in as well as maggots across.

I had a couple of chucks with the waggler but only caught chub minnows. Fry were being chased right across were I was fishing with the waggler so guessed it was perch. A guy had 9lb of them recently from this peg.

I picked up the maggot feeder and first cast had a good bite. It felt a good fish, a jack pike which in turn bit me off. I decided to leave that line for now.

About 35 minutes of the match had gone now and although a little early I had a look with the 0.3 gram hemp rig at 11 metres about 10 inches off the bottom. The float sailed away and I connected with a small roach, only about an ounce but a good sign.

I have been practicing and researching hemp fishing as I don't do enough of it. It has been getting better and I have been using Kamasan B511 hooks. Another thing I have been trying is hair rigged hemp. Sir Bob Nudd has a great little video on Youtube concerning how to do it.

I tied about 30 grains for the match.

Anyway back to the fishing ......

I was getting a bite most run downs with the hemp but not hitting them so put on a hair rigged grain. Boom, started to hit them more often and they started to get bigger.

I was doing reasonably well but without the aid of a bank runner it was impossible to know how everyone else in the section was doing. I was thinking of looking across again with the waggler or maggot feeder but that old saying .... "don't come away from feeding fish" sprung to mind.

Unless the bites completely dried up I decided to stick with the hemp given the previous days weights.

Well the line did get better and I had a few decent roach, I netted most of them as a lost ounce here and there could cost me.

They did back off the 11 metre line but by putting on another section I had them back. Altering the depth also kept fish coming.

The flow changed throughout the session from being steady to almost still. When there was a bit more flow I let the rig run at the same pace. When it was slower I held back which seemed to work.

During the match I actually caught on the small loop of cotton when it pulled through the grain. The most fish I had on a single hair rigged grain was about 4 or 5.

30 minutes from the end I trashed the 0.3 gram rig and ran out of grains, picked up the 0.4 gram rig, pushed the hook into a grain conventional style and  caught straight away!

I didn't know how much I had but thought it was more than 4lbs.

It didn't take the scales long to come down which suggested there hadn't been much caught above me. 

I was the last to weigh in the section and the best weight above me was 5lb 7oz from peg 1.

My roach went 6lb 4oz, so chuffed, maximum points for the team (I won the section in the last Team qualifier as well).

I drove back up the road to Hampton Ferry and the first one of the team I met was Russell who congratulated me as the results were coming in and the board marked up.

Russell apologised as he had weighed 14oz to come last in his Section.

Clive arrived next and said well done to me as well, he was halfway in his Section.

Chris came up saying he was second in his Section and also said he thought Terry had won his with 6lb odd.

Chris caught on the hemp late.

Terry finally arrived and said he had 6lb 14oz which was second in the Section, Clive Feddery had 8lb plus above him.

The Team sheet looked like this......

53    Clive 2lb 2oz         6 points

22    Me 6lb 4oz            12 points

88    Terry 6lb 14oz       11 points

69    Chris 4lb 2oz         11 points

41    Russell 14oz           1 point

Total          20lb 4oz        41 points

Alcester Sports won the day and we ended up 2nd on weight after 3 Teams tied on 41 points. A great result for us.

We had lots of envelops as well amassing £355 in cash which we divided among us.

I can't fish Evesham this Wednesday but will probably go up Sunday as you need to keep in touch with this challenging venue which really needs some rain.

Apart from cleaning up my kit today and tying rigs I have been cooking more hemp as well as hair rigging some more grains.Looks like it's going to be a busy month.

Looking forward to the final as are the rest of the guys.

Wednesday 27th July - Anglers Choice Qualifier, Warks Avon, Evesham

 Back up to Evesham for this Qualifier, I didn't go last week due to other commitments. We have another Team Qualifier this Sunday on the venue so it was important to fish it.

The fishing hasn't been too bad at Evesham given the lack of rain, bright sunshine and a low river.

I was up there early again and had the usual breakfast in Wetherspoons.

After that down to Hampton Ferry and walked the bank.

Two big buzzards were flying around and magnificent specimens they were too, managed to get a photo of one of them.

The swans and signets were on the river as well

I walked up to peg 35 and had a good look at 36 as well, both these pegs would be in and are the ones you want on most matches along with the early 50's.

No fish showing at all which was a bit of a concern.

I walked down to the Cafe and registered and had a chat with a few of the regulars which I seem to be now lol.

10:00 soon came around and Diana announced the draw, she had to shout instead of using the mike as the electric had gone off.

49 were booked in today which is a great turnout for a Wednesday.

When I got to the "battleship" draw matrix I picked my usual A5 disc, turned it over and revealed peg 46. Another peg I haven't been on and I knew it did not have any form this year and if I was in the section with the 50's it would be game over.

I went to the peg with the attitude to do reasonably well as if it was a team match and would try to catch on hemp which I need the practice on.

All the pegs look nice at Evesham and its a very pleasant place to be for the day.

Peg 46 was no exception but it was very shallow.

I plumped up 5 metres out on my worm line and it was no more than 3 foot deep. Still ok as I had an over hanging tree downstream and would put on a couple of sections for fishing long to my right rather than close to the peg.

At 11 and 13 metres out in front it wasn't much deeper, I set up two hemp rigs, one about 6 inches off bottom and one around a foot off bottom. I was trying the DH14 floats 0.3 gram recommend to me by Tony Davis for this type of fishing.

I had some undercooked hemp and some pinned done ready for these lines.

Two waggler rods one shallow one at full depth, hardly used tbh.

Finally a maggot feeder rod, again not really used.

One my worm line I have mixed it up a bit feeding with a small bait dropper as well as cupping. I usually chop up a few red maggots along with the worm.

The inside line had a bit more pace on it compared to where I have been before so used the bait dropper.

I edged the 1 gram float down while pinging in some hemp out in front, I had a worm head on and it didn't take long for the float to go under. The 6 elastic came out quite a bit and a perch of around 6 oz was netted. Good little weight builders these fish but it's unusual to catch them all match. 

Fishing down the edge was quite enjoyable, no snags and the perch responded to a little feed every 15 minutes. I must have had around 10 of them in the first hour which is usually the norm. They were not big but total weight was around 1.5 lbs.

The bites dried up and I was out on the hemp line.

I have been watching numerous YouTube video's on fishing hemp, presentation and hooking the seeds so hopefully could put some of the tips into practice.

The floats Tony Davis recommended were brilliant and I had them shotted spot on.

First run through on a piece of pinned hemp (you need to put a hole in the flat end of the hemp with a knot picker, put the hook through this and then out the side of the seed).

I don't know why but I was not expecting to get a bite first run through ..... but ..... I did.

It was very positive and I had a roach on. Lovely little fish of around 4oz.

Straight back out using the same seed as it hadn't come off. More indication but I think the fish were nudging the small shot strung out shirt button style down the line.

It is quite frustrating fishing hemp but I stuck at it. In the next hour I put about 5 small roach in the net but felt it should have been more, I was missing bites almost every run through. 

I may have been holding the rig back too hard ad when I let it go through at the pace of the river it was better.

I had better success on the shallower hemp rig and then the dreaded pike attacks started, one after the other. What a nightmare, I trashed 4 rigs on them, the air was blue.

The guy above me who was first in my section on 44 weighed 4lb 11oz, my net went 4lb 3oz, the guy below me packed up and DNW. I think i was 2nd in the mini section of 5.

I didn't stay to get the results as it takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to get home.

I believe venue expert Leigh Gardner on 36 won it with high double figures.

Well the hemp rigs have been re- tied, new hook lengths done and some hair rigged hemp done as well in preparation for Sundays Team Match.

I will crack the hemp as its worth a few important fish on a challenging venue.

Sunday 3rd July - Evesham Team Qualifier, Warks Avon Evesham (Town and Ferry)

We were a late entry into this Team Qualifier as not many were interested initially but it happened and we only got in as a team had dropped out.

16 Team of 5 fishing today and immediately after a Saturday Match on the same venues we knew it would be rock hard.

Our Sensas Nomads Team today was......

- Clive Branson

- Kevin Ellaby

- Terry Parrot

- Russell Millward

- Myself

I arrived first and registered our Team as Diane does the draw in the order Team's register, we were 4th to draw.

I went and had a look at the river before going for a sausage sandwich and coffee. Peg 63 is the one most look at on arrival as its right by the field were we park. There was a little bit of flow on it following the rain they had in the area on Saturday and I could see a few bubbles coming up in about 3 or 4 area's. Tench have been coming out in this area the last few matches.

The others arrived in plenty of time for the draw at 09:00, fishing today would be 11:30 - 16:30.

Clive asked me to do the draw for the Team as he wanted to video it, oh the responsibility.

When it was our turn drew..........

Kevin peg 11

Clive peg 31

Terry peg 47

Me peg 63

Russell peg 80

All in all not great on paper but it was a scratching match so you never know.

Well it didn't take me long to get to my peg, I had more or less parked behind it already. Terry came over to my van to collect a couple of boxes of ground bait, a bib and brace plus a fleece, all Sensas from M5 Angling.

I had loads of time to set up but I didn't need much.

Peg 63 is as near as an end peg as you will get as the Ferry is in-between 63 and 64. I wasn't sure what pegs were in my section at this point but found out later my 16 peg section was 55 - 71.

Its a fairly wide peg but generally doesn't produce a weight unless there is colour in it, then the bream show.

I set up a 1 gram float to 0.14 with 0.13 hook length with a size 16 B611 hook, elastic was 12 hollow - tench gear to fish by the weed and lilies 5 metres out.

Another 1 gram float to 0.13 with 0.12 fluro  hook length with a size 18 B560 hook, elastic was number 8 to fish about 6 metres out where there was a bit more flow.

A 2.5 gram float to 0.13 with 0.10 fluro hook length with a size 20 drennan match, elastic was a number 6.

Finally a feeder rod for anywhere.

I mixed up a little ground bait, Sensas Black Lake and Black Bream just in case.

At 11:30 I bait dropped in some worm and caster with a few chopped up reds at 5 metres and then fed 2 small balls of ground bait with chopped worm and pinkie at 13 metres.

I was well prepared and focused for a tough match.

I picked up the tench rig first and put on a maggot only to see the float fail to settle, minnow like chub were having a go at it on the way down, this happened several times.

A change to a worm head and there was no problem, I just inched it through and had a small perch so blank avoided, The same happened again next put in. The perch were only about 2oz but good enough for me.

The float went under again and I thought it was a bigger perch but then the violent sharp nodding told me it was a tench. The 12 hollow elastic came out quite a bit as it was only set very soft. I didn't rush it as this was THE bonus fish you needed today.

Safely netted it wasn't big going probably just under 2lbs.

I refed the 5 metre line again with the bait dropper and worm, not too much and had a look on the 6 metre line where I had fed nothing. 

Fishing with red maggot I had another perch about 4oz right at the end of the slow trott.

The first hour went by and Tony Davis who was walking the bank asked me how I was doing, I told him what I had and he said I was walking the section, the pegs below and above me were struggling for ounces.

I had a look at 13 metres and nothing so came back in over the worm. A few more perch followed and they were a bit more chunky than the earlier ones but bites tailed off again.

I bait dropped some red maggot at 6 metres to try and revive the swim. It didn't work initially but I did catch more perch right down the peg by adding a couple more sections on and just feeding the pole slowly through my hands.

More bank walkers followed and they confirmed it was fishing rock hard.

A look on the feeder with maggot down the middle produced nothing nor did my 13 metre line. I sort of knew I had decent points but wanted a few more fish to be safe.

Over the worm line again after feeding it I managed to snare a 8oz perch which was a bonus.

In the last hour I didn't have a bite.

I packed up nice and slow at 16:30 sorting everything out properly as the scales would take some time to arrive.

I walked up to peg 61 to meet them and see the weights so far, 3lb 1oz was the best from peg 55.

62 immediately above me weighted 2lb 7oz, I knew I had more than that. I weighed 3lb 14oz. Leigh Gardener who was weighing said that weight would be mega in the section.

Tom Boulton kindly took a catch shot for me.

Lovely little tinca but those perch were important as well.

Here's my section weights.....

55   0-08-0

56   0-08-0

57   0-15-08

58   3-01-12

59   0-11-0

60   0-04-0

61   0-04-08

62   2-07-08

63   3-14-08

65   0-15-12

66   1-13-0

67   3-03-08

68   0-03-08

69   2-07-08

70   0-05-0

71   0-04-08

Tough or what, anyway maximum 16 points for me and £50.

Back at the results cabin the rest of the Team came back. Terry was first and said he weighed 1lb 7oz which gave him 9 points from 16, he said Clive had gone home straight after weighing in as he didn't feel well. Clive struggled big time in another tough section.

Kevin was next to arrive and said he had won his section with 5lb 3oz, he had hemp roach.

Kevin with some quality roach.

Russell was last to arrive and it was not good news but he landed a 12lb pike on red maggot!!!

The results were announce and we had missed out on qualifying by 2 points, the draw definitely cost us today.

Well done to all the qualifiers (6 teams went through) and we'll have another go on 31st July.

Wednesday 29th June - Evesham Festival Qualifier, Warks Avon

 Back up the M5 again, off at Tewksbury and on to Evesham for another bash at qualifying. We (Sensas Nomads) have also a Team in on the venue this coming Sunday 3rd July so it's important to stay in touch with the water.

The forecast was light rain showers and a fresh breeze but on arrival the wind was quite strong and blowing downstream.

As I was early I walked up from the Ferry up to pegs 35 and 36 to have a look as these have been the in form pegs, the early 50's looked nice as well.

The river had a nice flow on it as usual but very low and clear.

I spoke to Nomads Team mate Kevin Ellaby while waiting for the draw discussing options for Sundays match. Kevin has a fair bit of experience on Evesham.

For a change I was in the first quarter of the queue for the draw and when it came to my turn A5 was still there. I was going to pick another disc but decided to stick with A5 (Sam picked it in my absence last Sunday and drew a flyer). Could it happen again?

Well not too bad to be honest as when Diane turned the disc over it revealed peg 52. Now from my experience so far peg 52 hasn't featured that much lately, it used to but I believe 50 and 51 are the pegs to draw in this area,

With 50 anglers fishing just about every other peg was left out so 51 was free above me and 53 below, Kev Ellaby was on 54.

I got some advice from venue expert Leigh Gardner before heading off to my peg. He told me it was very shallow across with pandocks coming out a fair way but deep in the middle and the inside. 

Peg 50 won the match last Sunday 10lbs so I was in the right area.

When I got to my peg it did look nice but due to the clear water you could see the pandocks on the far side coming out quite a bit.

The wind had more or less stopped at this point so I set up a 3AAA waggler at full depth down the middle, it was about 6 foot deep. I had 2 x No.10's as bulk and another 4 strung out below. 18 B611 hook to 0.11 power line as if I managed to hook a chub they would head straight into the pandocks.

Another waggler (same) was set up at 3 foot deep for fishing the same line or closer to the tree.

Next I set up a 20 gram maggot feeder with a size 16 B611 to 0.13, animal gear for fishing to the snags.

My perch inside line was quite deep, almost match top 3 at 5 metres, the bottom was nice and clean. A 1 gram float went through lovely, a size 18 B560 was at the business end to 0.12 fluro.

Finally a hemp rig at 11 metres.

Starting off I bait dropped in 2 lots of choppy, a few casters and red maggot on the inside and then fed some maggots across as well as pinging a few grains of hemp at 11 metres.

I am conscious of keeping the feed going in on all lines and it can be hard to discipline yourself to do this but I am improving.

I started off on my inside line just inching a maggot through. Second or third trot down a small perch was hooked so up and running. I was getting bites at then end of the trot and felt i was over stretching a bit so put another section on. Much better but wanted them closer so fed another half bait dropper full.

I put another inch on the depth and held back a bit harder, bingo a better perch short and gave me a bit of a run around, a nice fish about 10oz.

I had more small perch and then just before the first hour was up hooked another better fish which took me out into the middle. The 6 elastic done the trick, I knew it wasn't a perch. Lucky as well I had a 4 metre landing net. Chuffed to bits when I netted a chub just under 2lbs, you don't get many of them on the inside.

Another bait dropper went in and I managed a few more perch but by 13:20 the line had died.

I had been feeding the other lines so had a look on the deep waggler line down the middle. The wind had got stronger again but by casting downstream, holding back hard and then controlling it as best I could I managed a couple of small roach.

Time and time again I trotted down and it must have been another hour before I got a bite on the drop, thought it was a bleak but then the line tightened right up, chub. thank goodness I had the strong gear as he went into the pandocks, but not for long. Another nice fish just under 2lbs fish.

The hemp line produces nothing all match.

Another look now and then on the inside gave me nothing more.

A cast with the maggot feeder to the snags gave me 2 more perch, only about 3ozs each but welcome.

The last 2 hours I just swapped around while keeping the feed going in.

A couple more puppy chub were caught, one on the maggot feeder one on the shallow waggler.

Bank walkers suggested it was fishing really hard.

At the end of the match Kev asked me what I had and i said about 5lb plus, he said he had the same.

When the scales came down I walked up to peg 50 to see him weigh in, the best weight from peg 1 to 50 was 8lb 6oz (Mark on 50 weighed 4lb odd).

I ended up with a level 8lb which I was really pleased about, Kev below me weighed 7lb 7oz.

Not a bad effort

Mark Newman on peg 61 (which never wins) had 2 tench !!!!! and ended up with a combined weight of 10lb 7oz and he was in my section.

Luckily he won the match so it was a £40 section win by default.

I ended up joint 5th equal but they pay top 4 on a Wednesday.

It was a really tight match, just one more chub would have helped.

Results and weigh board below.....

1    Mark Newman 10-7

2    Rob McKenzie 8-06

3    Tony Davis 8-03

4    Mark Valentine 8-01

Team match on Sunday which will be rock hard with just about every peg in.