Wednesday 28th December - Roy Carter Memorial, Gloucester Canal

 This match is held annually between Christmas and New Year and organised by Steve Long and Dave Clapton. It's £25 to enter with £10 going to the Stroke Association, no peg fee and the rest in section and overall pools.

It is usually well supported with anglers looking to get out of the house after 2 or 3 days of festivities.

I kept checking the weather forecast leading up to the match and it didn't look good. Heavy rain and strong SW winds were coming our way.

I was up just before 06:00 and heading up the M5 at 06:40 to the draw in Widden Rugby Club. The forecast was spot on. Heavy rain, strong winds and spray, I did question my sanity but carried on.

I stopped in McDonalds in Hardwick and the only other anglers there were Jon Tocknell and Andy Jane which was a bit concerning as there are normally quite a few who call in there before a match on the Glossy.

When I got to the Rugby Club and booked in with Steve he said he originally had 46 but it was now down to 37. The weather plus sickness had put a few off, it was also the day of the funeral for Mike Pollard so some would be going to that. Still a decent match with 37 fishing.

Pegging today was simple, every peg in from 23 to 65. Obviously you needed to draw on the bend and anywhere between 45 and 49 would be nice plus 63 or 64.

I was 3rd in the draw queue and my drawing arm let me down again badly on the Glossy, peg 32 was my home for 5 hours in the wind and rain, bloody hell I thought, must have killed a robin on the way up.

I hate this area of the canal and have drawn it several times now and never, never done any good.

Simple set up today, bread feeder, ground bait feeder and short pole (top 7) due to the wind.

I fed all lines with a little bait before starting off on the bread, 30 minutes went by and not a sniff. Dale Maplas to my right on 33 landed a small roach as did the guy on 31 to my left, hmmm. 

Went on the ground bait feeder for 30 minutes still nothing, saw a couple of fish caught on the feeder to my left but nothing substantial. Had a look on the pole when the wind allowed and not a touch either.

Was thinking of packing up just before 13:00 when the tip went round, couldn't believe it, a small skimmer. Knowing that my section was fishing rock hard I'd have to stay.

I had another bite which I missed at 14:50 and that was it. I weighed in 11 oz.

There were blanks in my section but it was won by Chris Jones who took a few fish on the pole and tip for 2lb 3ozs.

It was a different story down in the 40's as you will see by the results.......

1st Tony Davis 27 - 05 peg 43

2nd Mark Brush 24 - 06 peg 48

3rd Nigellas Baker 24 - 01 peg 45

Sections ....

23 - 32 C Jones 2 - 03 peg 30

33 - 42 A Storkey 20 - 12 peg 41 

43 - 52 N Pickering 18 - 12 peg 46 default

56 - 65 N Richards 7 - 02 peg 64

The draw beat me today but £375 was raised for the Stroke Association.

Well done the legend that is Tony Davis, Tony has helped me up at Evesham this summer which I am grateful for.

No more matches this year. 

I have had an enjoyable year again and looking ahead I'll be on my local river Kenn, a few trips to Evesham and perhaps fish the Glossy over the next few months.

Happy New Year everyone and tight lines.

Sunday 22nd May - Gloucester Canal Teams of 4 League Round 3

 I put my name forward for this round (it's the only one I can fish this year) and was pleased to get a place.

It's the first time this year the Boy Band of Chris Hook, Sam Johnson and myself have fished together as a team, Russell Millward made up the the fourth member.

We met up at the Gordon League Rugby Club for the draw for a breakfast roll and coffee, paid our Pools and completed the Team Sheet plus entered the Super Pools. Unfortunately the draw went under way before everyone had a chance to enter the Super Pools, some anglers were also still arriving when the draw was taking place so a lack of co-ordination. Not a criticism on my part, it's a big League and takes a huge amount of organising and perhaps needs a little more admin support on the day.

Sam, Russell and I waited outside for Chris to come out with the draw.

I had a premonition that I would be on Permali High Wall (I had packed the 4 metre keepnet) and this was the case ...... peg P3. Sam was laughing as he knew I didn't want that area, it was even worse when I was informed 4oz had come off it the previous match.

On paper the draw was probably below average especially Russell at Sims 17, Sam needed to be further along at Castle Down and Chris needed to be about 10 pegs short of where he was down the Pilot end.

The drive to my peg from the Rugby Club was no more than 5 minutes. I had never seen this area of the Canal before. Parking was easy as well and I only had to carry the gear about 30 metres from the van.

There were houses directly behind me and I was told to expect lots of walkers and cyclists.

Sam informed me the depth was pretty even all the way across and it was. Top 4 deep at 13 and the same at 7 metres. A couple of metres out from the tins across I had around 8 foot.

Given the atrocious weight that came off the peg the previous match I scaled down to 0.09 hook lengths with 20's and only fed one ball on both pole lines at the start then it was across with fishmeal and a couple of dead reds towards the tins.

Lee Green on P2 had an early bream on the tip within the first 15 minutes so the pressure was on straight away. He followed it up with another fairly quickly .... oh dear.

Then on the 30 minute mark I had a rattle and managed a small hybrid of around 4 oz so blank avoided.

90 minutes in I was still on the tip when Sam rang me, he had had a few skimmers including one about 2lbs. As we spoke the tip flew around and I connected with a great fish, the phone ended up in the maggot box. It took quite a while to net it as it stayed very deep. A great fish at 4lb plus.

I rang Sam back to tell him the good news.

A few casts later I had a couple of liners so definitely fish in the peg.

I had a look on the short pole line and missed a sail away bite, put it back in again and hooked a boot lace eel. Next put in another!! I thought sod that and had a look at 13 metres.

Not a sniff and then just as I was about to ship back and go on the tip again I had an eel.

By this time Lee was catching bream on the pole and the angler below him on the end peg by the woods.

I had another bream on the tip which gave me a bit of a lift and thought I was now only 2 fish behind Lee.

Well the rest of the match I hardly had another bite but Lee and Andy Jane on the end continued to catch bream on the pole.

I did think though that given how the section had fished the match before I would still get good points.

Well I dd get 10 points from 17 which wasn't bad but the surprise was 30lb won the section, well done Steve Long and there was also a few 20lb plus weights. The lad to my right also done well and the thing is I only saw him net one bream, must go to Specsavers.

Sam ended up last in Section with 7lb plus, unheard of tbh with that weight.

Overall the Canal has fished its head off with regular glossy anglers saying they never seen anything like it. 

Several weights over 30lb, loads of 20's and good mid teen weights.

49lb won the match from the best peg on the canal, 456 upstream of Saul Junct.

As a team we bombed out big time so it's taxi for Nomads.

The last round of the league is on 12 June but I'll be on Llandegfedd.

Sunday 1st May - Gloucester Canal Spring League Practice / Open

 Even though I cannot fish the Spring League on the Glossy this year (except one of the four matches on 22nd May but may not get selected) I will try and fish the practice / open matches.

Dave Clapton, Liz Stone and Jon Tocknell are kindly running this matches and it is much appreciated. Thanks must also go to Kev Forty from the Canal and River Trust who maintains the pegs and sorts out parking etc.

I made team mates Chris and Sam aware of this match and 3 of us booked in.

The sections to be fished were Castle Up, Castle Down and Pegthorne Bay depending on numbers.

33 booked in so it was just the Castle sections.

I had a look through my Glos Canal Blogs just to refresh myself on pegs and weights over the last few years. When we met at McDonalds near Cribbs Causeway and shared this with Chris and Sam.

It was then off up the M5 coming off at Junct 13 as the draw was in the Whitminster Hotel.

Pools / Peg fee was £25 but there was also a £5 Super Pool which we all entered.

At this time of year it can be very hit and miss on the Glossy as the bream huddle up in pockets ready for spawning. Everyone knew it would be "bream bingo" and the draw would be important.

Sam drew Castle Up (can't remember his peg, Chris drew 370 which had a decent weight the previous week, 18lbs I believe, also Castle Up. I did inform him it was a good peg. I drew 442 which I was more than happy with, Castle Down.

I would have preferred 440 or 441 as these pegs have plenty of cover across but the lily pads are showing now and if the bream are around they won't be far off them.

It's a fairly long walk to the peg but all on the flat. There was a bit of drizzle but little wind and the temperature wasn't too bad.

Fishing was 11 - 4.

Tins and the odd lily across

The famous sunken barge peg (440) Liz Stone was on that.

Standard Glossy set up today, 2 pole rigs middle and 7 metres but apart from plumbing up and cupping in at the start I never picked the pole up after that!

I started off on the fishmeal ground bait cage feeder, 20 gram with 8lb shock leader, 0.11 power line hook length and a 16 B560 hook.

Bait and feed is very simple, dead reds, dead pinkie, live maggot and pinkie, worm and caster.

At the start after feeding the pole lines it was straight out in front about a metre off the lilies where it was about 6 foot deep. There was a slight tinge of colour but only just.

I had 2 dead reds on the hook and dead pinkie and dead red in the feeder but only a few.

A few minutes after casting I brought it in and found the maggots had been smashed, didn't see any indication but a good sign.

3 casts later I had my first skimmer going about 2lb. 15 minutes later another about the same size.

Mark Brush who wasn't fishing came along for a walk with his wife and asked how I was doing. I told him and he said Liz on 440 had one as well so there were a few about. Other than that nothing the upstream side of the sunken barge.

I had however seen Andy Pollard to my right net a couple of fish but didn't know what they were.

10 minutes or so passed and I had another skimmer.

Mark came back along after going up to end peg 456 and said there wasn't a lot happening and Andy's fish were small skimmers.

While he was with me I had a small knock a slight pull round which I missed, think it was a liner.

I was getting a few bites (liners again) so tried worm on the hook tipped with a pinkie and chopped a little worm up as well.

As a substantial barge went through the tip flew round and it was a better fish but had to dip the rod end in the water to avoid the boat, thankfully it stayed on.

Sam rang me after an hour and I told him I had 6 fish at that point.

Looking down to my right I couldn't see a lot being caught and Liz on 440 was fairly quiet.

Towards the end of the second hour added another few big skimmers but it definitely slowed up, it was also getting colder.

Sam rang again at the halfway point and I told him I had 11 decent fish now, he said Chris was getting a few as well. Sam however was struggling with a few small skimmers and bits.

It got even colder and I was shivering at one point, there was a very fresh upstream breeze.

Bites were few and far between now but reducing the feed right down and swapping the hook bait I did get a further 6 fish and a couple of rudd.

The "all out"was called but just before that Gloucester Legend Tony Davis came walking down after packing up and said it was poor to my right except for the end peg (456) who had a good weight and Andy Pollard who had about 12lbs.

The scales and board came down and I saw that peg 456 had weighed 58lbs !

I knew I didn't have that and as I only knew of Chris having a few besides me I hoped to frame.

My Section board, it would be section by default as a minimum.

My catch, thanks to Chris Jones for the photo

As I got back to the car park Liz informed me I was 3rd overall, Chris had weighed 41lb and was 2nd so a good day for Sensas Nomads.

Here is a video Sam took of Chris weighing in ........

Here are the results, including section winners....

Hope to fish the Bristol Feeder Canal on Tuesday.

Sunday 10th April - Gloucester Canal Open, Slimbridge Up and Down

 I was pleased to see this match advertised on Diawa Gordon League's FaceBook page as I had nothing else on, Charlie Vallender was in charge.

The Slimbridge section of the Gloucester Canal is not used that much for matches. Access is good and there is plenty of parking now since the local Council have provided a large free car park, there is more parking directly over the Canal Bridge on the left hand side.

Team mate Sam Johnson and I booked in. Entry was £20 all in so very sensible and its only around 40 minutes up the road from me. Although it can be a very frustrating and challenging venue we both like it.

I was up nice and early and yet again had to scrape the frost off the van, when I started it up the temperature was -3 brrrrr, it was also going to be a bright day.

We made our own way up, I was first to arrive in the Council Car Park at 07:10 and there were only two other vehicles there, the draw was at 08:00.

Charlie arrived soon after as did the others, 33 names on the FB list but unknown to me there was one angler who pulled out. Plenty of regular Glossy Canal anglers present, some of which will be fishing the Spring League on the venue in a couple of weeks time.

I can't fish three of the four Spring League Matches so have stood aside this year but will try and fish as many of the Practice / Open matches.

Charlie got the draw underway bang on time and announced the fishing would be 10:30 - 15:30 so plenty of time to set up. 

Pegs 1 - 19 were above the bridge heading toward Gloucester and 20 - 33 below.

I drew peg 2 and was happy with that as last year in the Spring there were some decent nets of bream caught and there was plenty of cover across. Sam pulled out 18 so was also one from the end, both of us above the bridge.

Walking up the towpath we could see the water was fairly clear so we both predicted a hard match. Sam had a fair bit of room due to a couple of boats.

I carried on up to peg 2 and was pleased to see plenty of cover across providing shade.

I had Glossy regular and a fantastic bread angler next to me on peg 3 in the form of Brian Pollard, no one had turned up on peg 1 to my left!

Sam came up for a walk with 30 minutes to go and couldn't believe I was end peg apparently Charlie took out peg 1 due to an angler dropping out. Brilliant I thought, haven't had an end peg for ages.

My set up today was a small 20 gram cage feeder for across, 2 metres out from the far bank, one bread line one fishmeal line.

2 pole rigs today one at 14 metres where it was top 4 and a half deep, 1.5 gram float and 0.09 fluro carbon hook length to a size 20, 5 elastic. My other line was at about 8 metres where it was top 4 deep (just at the bottom of the near side shelf. 1 gram float, 0.09 fluro hook length to a 20, elastic was no. 6.

I don't normally use fluro that much but due to the clarity of the water I felt it was necessary.

Slimbridge is a lot quieter compared to Hempstead and Rea and there is a good bit of room between the bank and the towpath.

A group of rowers came down and the coach on a bike asked if it was a competition, I said yes above and below Slimbridge. Fair play to her she said ok well turn around and stay well above you.

Brian below me shouted the "all in" so I fed 4 feeder fulls of fishmeal with dead reds and dead pinkie across to my left, then fed my pole lines with 2 ball each of black lake and sived gardons noire with dead pinkie and a few casters.

I started off across on the feeder straight in front of me with the bread, double 7mm punch on a 16 to 0.11 hook length. I noticed Brian had fed bread on his short pole line but also started off the on bread across.

I had a few chucks on the bread and was expecting the tip to fly round but 20 minutes in not a sign. It was about then than Brian had a roach on the tip, always nice to get the first one in the net. I stuck it out for another 20 minutes but still no sign.

I went out on my long pole line and had a 10 minute look, nothing so just cupped in a few pinkie and caster on it before have a look on the fishmeal line. Another 15 minutes and not a sign, Brian had another roach on the tip. Looking down the line of anglers it appeared to be very quiet, no sign of landing nets going out.

Back out on the 14 metre line I had a lovely bite and netted a decent roach, blank avoided. Back out again and a small skimmer .... hooray. No more bites on that line so put another few pinkie in before coming in short.

It didn't take long before the float went under and it was a better skimmer which surprised me. Staying short I had a few dips of the float and bumped a few fish but they were very small.

The feeder lines produced nothing.

At the halfway stage Sam gave me a call and was struggling. He told me the angler on the end peg below him had a couple of decent skimmers within the first 45 minutes but had nothing since. He said everyone his end seemed to be having a hard day with many just sitting it out on the pole.

I got my head down and in the main just rotated on my two pole lines. I had another couple of skimmers, small roach and a tidy perch. The best approach I found was loose feeding very little and using a very small red worm on the hook.

Dave Micklewright came up with the scales and asked if I had more than 2lb, I said probably a bit more, he said you've pissed the section then.

I weighed 4lb 4oz, Brian next to me weighed a level 2lbs.

   I walked down and caught up with the scales and up until peg 17 I was top weight. James on 17 weighed

5lb 9oz, I ended up second best weight above the bridge.

The weights below the bridge were generally better but as you can see not that great.

At least I picked up my £40 section money which helped toward the cost of the day.

Overall.......

1st   James Allen 5-9

2nd  Andy Earl 5-7

3rd   Dave Clapton 5-5

Back on the Bristol Feeder Canal this Wednesday for the 3rd Head to Head with Leigh Wakefield and a visit to the Feeder Rd Munch for breakfast. 

Sunday 3rd April - Gloucester Canal Championship

 I booked myself and team mate Chris Hook into this match last Monday. It was £25 a ticket to be paid up front and an optional £5 Super Pool on the day. Bloodworm and Joker was permitted and I was asked if I wanted any. A match pack via Gloucester Angling Centre was £18.

At this point in time it was unknown as to what Sections would be used so we declined the BW & J. Our plan was to draw a bream peg lol .... but seriously were does the cost end?  With fuel prices and the cost of tackle now it is getting too expensive.

Chris and I met in our usual haunt for breakfast, McDonalds at Hardwick. 

We then headed for the draw at Widden Old Boys Rugby Club in Gloucester. 

50 anglers had booked in and paid. We soon discovered that the match was pegged from the Woods plus above and below Hempstead Bridge, plus a section at Simms. The famous ''bend'' either side of the Swing bridge was not in.

Had we know this then we would have probably got some BW & J as Hempstead Straight can be a very tough gig.

The payout was very good .........

The draw got underway at 08:00 and it was announced that Zander count and fishing was 10:30 - 15:30.

Chris and I were about 2/3rd's the way down the queue. When it was our turn I pulled out 24 and Chris 32, both of us on Hempstead Straight so not great.

After parking up and unloading I headed down the tow path.

Welsh International / Colmic Superstar / all round nice guy Nige Evans (you can pay me later Nige) was on peg 1 immediately below Hempstead Bridge. He was smiling at this point and asked were I was heading. Peg 24 I said. Just before the Car Wash then Nige said, you'll get plenty of bites on all lines there!

The angler above me on 23 was the first one past the Rowing Club and had lots of tree's opposite. It's a great peg for bream later in the Spring. I had one bush right over to my left so that would be the area I would concentrate on for the tip.

I only set up two pole rigs ....1 at 14 metres where it was top 5 deep with a 2 gram float to help combat any tow. My other rig was a 1.5 gram at 7 metres.

Both pole rigs had 0.09 hook lengths to 20 hooks.

Ground bait was Sensas leam and black lake.

I took a positive approach and cupped in 2 big balls on each line with dead pinkie, minced worm and I mean minced plus a few caster.

Starting off on the tip (20 gram cage feeder) with liqqy bread and a 7mm punch on a 16 hook I had a little knock second cast which was encouraging. The next few casts ..... nothing. 30 minutes in a proper wrap round and nothing on the other end when I struck. I thought it may have been a liner. 

10 minutes later I had a proper roach to get me off the mark.

The angler on 23 was now on the pole and had a couple of small fish using BW & J.

I had another couple of knocks on the bread but nothing positive so decided to switch to fishmeal ground bait and dead red / pinkie. I put in 4 cage fulls before going on my long pole line.

I was expecting a bite straight away but it didn't happen. I did stick to it for about 30 minutes before putting another small ball in. I came in on the 7 metre line and had a small perch.

Peg 23 was having a run of small fish long, they looked like small perch so not a good sign.

We were about 2 hours in now, the fish on 23 seemed to have dried up and I took a look with the ground bait feeder with a dead red and a dead pinkie on the hook. A very small knock on the tip after 5 minutes didn't connect and I brought back the bait all smashed. Small fish were topping occasionally right across so I guessed it was them having a go.  I put a small worm on trying to find something bigger but no joy.

Back out on the long line and a lovely sail away bite produced a hand sized skimmer plus a roach, encouraging but that was it.

I did keep feeding the long and the short line regularly but the 7 metre line was the best. I caught an eel just as Nige came down for a walk. A big boat had come through and as he was on a narrow part of the canal it messed up his peg so he re-fed and left it to settle.

I had another eel, a couple of perch a roach and ..... a small zander !!!

I weighed 3lb 7oz. Gary Townsend below me had 4lb odd of perch mainly caught short and peg 23 had 3lb. Chris had 3lb 9oz but our section had a couple of 6lbs so no coin today.

A lot of anglers struggled today.

Young Andrew Cranston won the match of peg 10 with 13lb plus. A lovely bag of fish on Blood Worm and Joker, he's a great angler.

Next up is Round 2 of Ivan Currie v Leigh Wakefield on the Bristol Feeder Canal this Tuesday.

Tuesday 28th December - Roy Carter Memorial Gloucester Canal, Hempstead to Netheridge

This match reminds a lot of West Country anglers of Roy who sadly passed away much too early a few years ago following a stroke. He was a very popular character on the local Match Circuit. Two memories I have of him is trying to draw bream away from me at Newbridge (he didn't and was the first to congratulate me on the win) and the other is giving a cyclist a "bollocking" for passing him on the inside when he was indicating to pull over at Rea Bridge on the Glossy, guess who won the argument.

Gloucestershire Match Ace Steve Long aided by Dave Clapton (Library photo's below) have been running a Match on the Gloucester Canal (a venue Roy loved) in his memory since his passing in order to raise money for the Stroke Association. 

Steve Long

Dave Clapton

The match is advertised quite early and is always held between Christmas Day and the New Year. I have fished all but one of them and as the 28th did not impact on any last minute family Christmas plans I booked in 2 weeks ago. Team mate Chris Hook was also booked in.

I arranged to meet Chris at McDonalds in Hardwick around 7 a.m before going to the Draw at Widden Old Boys Rugby Club. I was there before 7 and shortly after was joined by Jon Tocknell before Chris turned up. 

We were at the Rugby Club in plenty of time and eagerly waited for the draw, team mate Andy Thomas also turned up. 40 plus anglers were booked in and the pegging was from Hempstead Bridge to permanent peg 65 at Netheridge. There were quite a few boats on Hempstead Straight and the last couple of pegs on the old bend but generally all pegs were in.

Those that are familiar with the Glossy know that pegs 45 - 49 and 62 - 65 would be the favourable draw.

Steve called everyone to order and explained the procedure and rules for the day (not everyone listens) before getting on with the draw.

Chris and I were probably a third the way from the front of the queue and it was pleasing to see most of the scales and boards had gone before it was our turn to put our hand in the tray of dreams.

Chris pulled out peg 30 on the Straight and I had 43, hmmmmm. Andy was on 59 which is a bit of a bugger peg.

I have never draw 43 before and knew I was close to the "pegs of breams" but not close enough. At best I thought if all of the pegs on the bend framed then I might pick up a default section win.

I parked at Netheridge OK for the short walk to 43. It's always hard walking past the likes of 48, 47, 46 and 45 and there were some good anglers on them. As I approached my peg I saw Jon Tocknell on 44. 

A pretty stiff breeze was blowing up the Canal and there was a fair bit of colour in it.

I set up a 20 gram bread feeder for straight in front of me about a meter from the far bank tins, hair rigged 7mm discs on a 16 would be the first rig in the water trying to get some early fish. I also set up a 25 gram ground bait feeder for fishing dead reds or live maggot / pinkie on a 16 B560 about 5 meters to the left of the bread line.

Due to the strong breeze I only set up a pole line at top 7 with a 2 grammer. At this length it was still almost top 5 deep which I was happy about as on the "Bend pegs" it is also this depth close in and fish frequent the inside line toward the end of the day.

The "all in" was shouted at 10:00 and I cupped in Sensas Black Lake and Leam on my pole lines ( 10 and 2 o'clock) laced with dead reds, dead pinkie and a little chopped worm.

Starting off on the bread feeder I was expecting a bite, not right away but at least 20 minutes in. Nothing!

I saw Jon swing in a small fish on the feeder.

Still persevering on the bread I gave it a good 50 minutes and not a single indication. 

So time to give the ground bait feeder a go, mix was Sweet Skimmer and a little Thatchers Dark with just a few dead reds and pinkie with double red on the hook. Well another 20 minutes went by and nothing. Jon had a net fish on the feeder but was now having a look on his short pole line.

It wasn't long before he had a couple of net skimmers so it was time to follow suit.

The float reassuringly went under and I had a hand sized skimmer so blank avoided. 2 more small ones followed before it went dead. Jon however had added another couple of net fish.

I re-fed the lines again and put a bit more worm in before having a look on the gb feeder again.

Time was going on now and word from passers by suggested it was fishing hard.

Before going back out on the pole again I added a couple of inches more depth to the rig.

It wasn't long before it went under and I had a better fish a skimmer of around 1.5 pounds, phew.

It went quiet after that and once again Jon was into a fish on the pole.

The pole seemed to be the way to go today so got my head down and just patiently waited for a bite feeding very little but topping up both lines. The wind had dropped a lot now and Jon was up setting up a longer line (this did pay off for him as he nicked a few more skimmers). I did as well and bumped a couple as well late in the match. There must have been fish moving through on the inside as I got a few liners as well.

I have thought quite a lot about the match and how I approached it. I would certainly do a few things differently next time I draw in that area.

From nowhere at the halfway stage I managed a respectable 8lb 11oz.

As expected the Bend produced the winner but I did beat 2 of the Bend pegs.

Here is my board my Section was 43 - 48

Full results as follows, Jon was last in the frame and on reflection I could have possible made the frame as well, next time eh.

1st Neal Pickering peg 47
17-10-0
2nd Charlie Vallender peg 36
14-10-0
3rd Andy Jane peg 64
13-8-0
4th Jon Tocknell peg 44
12-9-0
Section winners:-
60-65 Pete Goulding peg 62. 11-0-0
54-59 Geoff Knight peg 55. 3-0-0
48-43 Nigel Baker peg 45. 11-2-0
42-37 Andrew Richings peg 39. 11-3-0
36-31 ade Baldwin peg 32. 5-3-0
30-25 Shaun grange peg 26. 9-11-0
1-6 David Clapton peg 3. 3-15-0

In total £420 raised for the Stroke Association.

Well that's it from me for 2021, my next planned outing is the River Tone 2 day Festival on 8th and 9th January which is a sell out.

Happy New Year all and all the best for 2022.

Sunday 11th July - S W Super League Round 3 Gloucester Canal

 It's been a few weeks since I blogged and I have been out match fishing but it has been pretty uneventful.

A Wednesday match at Evesham saw me draw peg 66 which is worse than not very good when the river is clear and it was, I weighed 1lb 15oz!

The second round of the Super League last Sunday was not great either. I drew below the benches on the downstream section at Parchy and had 3lb 15oz for 4 points from 8. The team bombed out as well.

On Wednesday just gone I just went pleasure fishing on my local River Kenn and thoroughly enjoyed myself catching net roach on the waggler and maggot feeding hemp and maggot.

The 3rd Round of the Super League was supposed to be on the Bristol Avon, 2 sections at Staverton, 1 at Melksham and 1 at Bradford on Avon. Unfortunately there was a booking error so the Glossy was brought forward a week.

2 sections Rea to Pilot and 2 Saul Junction towards Castle. No venue was available for breakfast etc but the Whitminster Hotel just off junction 13 on the M5 allowed the draw to be done in their car pk and we would be back inside for the results after the match.

Due to the Football Final in the evening the draw was at 0730 with fishing 1030 - 1530 so an early start.

I think we were last but one to draw due to arriving just in time.

The draw gave.....

Sam 197 (Rea)

Leigh 229 (Rea)

Me 456 (Saul)

Chris 467 (Saul)

Rea was a bit of an unknown as it had not been match fished for some time due to towpath work. The Saul Junction area was fished during the Glos Canal Spring League and you definitely need to be in the bay or immediately above the wires heading toward the sunken barge.

On paper it looked a decent draw as Chris was just in the bay at Saul and my peg had produced the winner of two of the matches in the Spring League as the bream spawn in this area, but that was in the spring!

When I drew peg 456 Mark Brush of DGL gave me a few tips and confirmed it was a good peg as did Dale. I was told I did not need to take much kit but I did anyway.

It was a fairly long walk up the towpath from the Rowing Club where we parked but that doesn't matter if you are on a form peg.

Although not an end peg on paper it was as there was a huge gap due to a bay under power lines between my peg and 458 (there was no 457). The fish spawn in the bay which is shallow and lined with reeds. Opposite my peg there was a bush and I was advised to fish as close to this as possible.

Lobby's Andy Powell was to my left on 455 and said I would catch and he would struggle even though we were only 1 peg apart.

I had bread with me but decided to leave it in the bag and just go with the fishmeal approach given the pegs form. I did set up 2 feeder rods, 1 clipped up tight against the bush and one clipped up towards the edge of the bay to my right. 20 gram cage feeders were attached as I wanted a softly softly approach in the shallow water as it was no more than a count of 4 deep. 

2 pole lines short and long were also set up and fed at the start but never used.

Casting regular, every 5 minutes after the all in with choppy, dead reds and caster with worm and maggot on the hook it took exactly 1 hour and 10 minutes to get my first bite. It was a skimmer around 1.5 lbs. From what I could see and hear there was not much being caught. I soon got another pull but did not connect. There were definitely fish in the peg as I started to get a few liners and what appeared to be snatches at the bait. At times the bait came back completely ragged. 

I soon found out who the culprits were ....rudd. I had a few by tightening up really hard and not sinking the braid after casting. They were worth having .... the ones I hooked and the best one went 1lb 8oz.

By putting on a bigger bait i.e double worm I managed a few more skimmers and a proper bream. Had I been able to fish a waggler across and feed I could have had a great day on the rudd.

I had a lovely match, the best one on the Glossy for 2 years or more with plenty of bites ending up with 19lb 1oz which won my 8 peg section and 6th overall in the match.

That's one of the most uncomplicated matches I have every fished.

Overall.....

1st    Kev Perry 67lb 10oz peg 211

2nd  Charlie Vallender 30lb 14oz peg 471

3rd   Rob Jones 27lb 5oz peg 213

4th   Kev Bennet 20lb 10oz peg 441

5th   Troy Weaver 19lb 10oz 205

6th    Ivan Currie 19lb 1oz peg 456

Team wise not great but ended up 5th on the day and now lie 11th overall so some work to do.

Here are the weight sheets as you will see it was feast or famine.

On the Bristol Avon next week where we should have been this week but it looks very very hot according to the forecast.

Not sure about this Wednesday as still undecided......Staverton or Evesham or pleasure fishing.

Sunday 3rd June - Gloucester Canal Spring League Final Round (4)

 Firstly a huge thanks to Mark Treasure and all his helpers who have made this League possible including Kev Forty from the Canal and River Trust and the Farmers who gave permission to park on their land. It has taken a lot of organising, I applaud you all, simply brilliant.

On a personal level the League had done my head in as I have had a diabolical draw every time. The fish have not played ball due to an unseasonal May but even if they had I would still have not been on fish.

Team mates Sam and Chris have drawn pretty well and have done very well with Chris having a section win and a 6th overall. Sam has had a section placing and a 3rd overall. Leigh and I have been blocked from phoning the Samaritans its been that bad. In fact a comment from Lobby's Andy Jane summed it up....as the draw is done and communicated on the Saturday evening you have over 12 hours to think about your bad draw!

This latest round was no different for me, peg 33 on Hempstead Straight. I was gutted, Sam had this peg in an earlier match and 1lb was good ffs!

Sam had an end peg at Castle Down, Leigh was just out of the bay at Saul Junction and Chris was just out of the bend at Hempstead peg 50.

Meeting up at McD's Cribbs Causeway Bristol for breakfast the guys knew I was a bit down, the tell tale sign was probably the bandages around my wrists. 

The night before it was made worse when Clevedon Club mate Kev Perry text me to say he had an end peg (Kev fishes for Sensas 88 and rarely goes up to the Glossy unless someone puts his arm up his back).

So up the M5 we go and I parked up at Hempstead Bridge to walk down past the better pegs (nothing unusual about that). Peg 33 is the Gas Pipe peg, there is a valve or something in the hedge almost directly behind you and you do smell gas all day. You are also right on the tow path so care is needed. 

While tackling up a baby rabbit kept coming out of the hedge......

Usual Glossy set up (2 pole rigs short and long and 2 feeder rods).

I was set up in plenty of time and took a walk down to see Chris. Spoke to DGL's Lee Green on the way who was on 37 and he said Skimmers should feed and we'll get a few bites, I said I'd hold him to that. Stopped to talk to Gary Gross who was on 43 and prevented him stepping on a pole section. On the bend was Dave Micklewright and Mark Harper so no mistakes are going to be made there. Got to Chris who said bream were rolling in his peg and 51!

I never walk the bank before the match but looking at the other anglers set up's confirmed mine was the same (just needed a better peg).

I started off on the bread right across about 2 metres out from the tins and after 20 minutes and 3 chucks had a 6oz roach which surprised me. 10 minutes later another roach but around 3oz. 2 more chucks and a drop back resulting in a 12 oz skimmer. I thought it must have been lost.

After an hour and 15 minutes I was out on the long pole line which I had fed. The float disappeared but when I struck ....nothing. Put in again and the same thing happened but I had it this time, a boot lace eel.

Over the period of the match I put a few boot lace eels in the net a small perch and a few skimmer blades.

I knew I would be way down in the section due to the peg but was pleased that my 3lb 1oz beat 5. I thought I fished a good match and don't think I could have done any better.

I had knew Sam had had a good match but was surprised when he told me he had 12 big skimmers for 28lb plus, this gave hime 3rd place in the whole match. Leigh got out of jail with a bream in the closing minutes beating 8 in his tough section and Chris had 4lb odd, the bream didn't play ball in his peg.

Overall and Section results as follows.....

GLOUCESTER CANAL SPRING LEAGUE RESULTS SHEET ROUND 4 

INDIVIDUAL WINNERS

	NAME	TEAM	WEIGHT	PEG
1	Mark Brush	DGL Black	36-13-0	440
2	Paul Kaye	Team Hereford	31-10-0	456
3	Sam Johnson	Sensas Nomads A	28-2-0	443
4	Rob Kerslake	Maver Harescombe	27-15-0	471
5	Tim Frampton	Misfits	27-3-0	65
6	Mick Nowicki	GBMV	24-0-0	472

SECTION WINNERS

		NAME	TEAM	WEIGHT
A1	1	Nigel Baker	Sensas Lobbys Red	14-10-0
	2	Chris Rushton	GBMV	14-5-0
	3	Sean Grange	Misfits	11-14-0
A2	1	Pete Goulding	Team Hereford	18-3-0
	2	Kev Perry	Sensas 88 A	13-0-0
	3	Lee Trevitt	Preston Innovation Thatchers	12-4-0
B1	1	Mark Harper	Preston Innovation Thatchers	16-15-0
	2	Andy Powell	Sensas Lobbys Red	16-12-0
	3	Dave Micklewright	DGL Black	15-7-0
B2	1	Mark Bisset	Gowna Dreamers	13-12-0
	2	John Hanna	Browning West Midlands Xitan	12-4-0
	3	Glen Calvert	Sensas 88B	12-1-0
C1	1	Scott Geens	Woodys Tackle	21-5-0
	2	Luke Downing	Rive Fishermania	20-9-0
	3	Steve Ward	Browning West Midlands Sphere	19-8-0
C2	1	Ian Hingley	Milo Bait Tech Midlands Red	19-3-0
	2	Paul Jeffrey	Evolved Baits Midlands Match	12-2-0
	3	Guy Manton	Preston Innovation Thatchers	9-12-0
D1	1	Adam Palmer	DGL Red	23-10-0
	2	John Pantrey	Browning West Midlands Sphere	19-5-0
	3	Rob McKenzie	Mix and Match	8-12-0
D2	1	Mark Gaylard	Sensas Lobbys Green	10-11-0
	2	Ian Didcote	Garbolino/Dynamite Baits Diddymen	9-13-0
	3	Clive Raynor	Gowna Dreamers	8-3-0

Final League Table........

So that's it well done to DGL Black for the win.

The SW Super League starts soon so that's summer sorted along with Evesham and Staverton matches plus s bit of pleasure fishing on the Kenn.