Sunday 15th May - Angling Trust / Canal and River Trust Pairs Qualifier, Bridgwater and Taunton Canal

 Team mate Chris Hook and I usually enter this competition, we made the Final a few years ago qualifying on the Gloucester Canal and fished the big money match on the Staffs Worcs / Trent and Mersey up near Stafford. We done well but missed out on the money by one place.

We didn't fish any qualifiers last year due to clashes with League Matches.

The first Qualifier in our area was done near Taunton on the Taunton & Bridgwater Canal. We had not fished the Canal for a number of years and that would have been in the autumn in the Teams of 4.

After booking us both in I contacted Dan Baldwin who runs the matches for Taunton AA to see what sections were being used. Dan informed me one section would be at Creech and the other at Charlton. He also gave me a little bit of info on each section. Big fish (Perch and Tench at Charlton and silvers at Creech.

A few days prior to the match Dan contacted all entrants to say there would be 2 sections at Charlton due to a low entry (13 pairs), one above the bridge (a section)  and one below (b).

I had just returned from a Cruise and had done some prep before I went plus Chris and I both had a late night on the Saturday. 

It was an early start as the draw was at 08:15 aside the Canal. We met at Sedgemoor Services for a coffee before following Sat nav.

Just after going through the village of North Petherton I could see a couple of people walking in the middle of my carriageway a short distance away. Surely they will move to the side I thought ... no they didn't. It soon became obvious why, both had big bottles of alcohol and looked totally bombed out. Not sure if they also had a late night or was it an early morning.

Sat nav took us more or less right to the venue and I recognised the location, been here once before.

As we parked up in the field I could see it was in the main local anglers so in terms of knowledge of the venue and methods we were up against it a little bit.

It was nice to finally meet Russell Hilton, Russell used to write a blog when he fished the Grand Western Canal. He had a break from fishing but it now back fishing local matches again in Somerset.

Prior to the draw Chris and I agreed I would fish A section and he would fish B not that it made a lot of difference.

3 pairs would qualify for the National Final today which is on the Leeds Liverpool Canal in October.

The draw got underway and I was well towards the back. I drew peg 2 for me and peg 20 for Chris.

Paul Purchase asked me what I drew and when I told him he said not great as my section has been fished quite a lot. 

It was an easy walk along the tow path and the pegs were well prepared and trimmed.

A nice reed bed across, apparently the field across used to be a Golf Course.

Plenty of space between the pegs.

The rigger platform barrow came in handy in order to set up down in the waters edge, the long legs at the front were just about sufficient.

It was only 12 metres right across so nice and comfortable plus the reed bed on the inside acted as a pole roller.

The Canal flows left to right but not hard. 

There were lots of small fish topping and signs of feeding. Down the track I had about 4 foot and set up a 4 x 14 with 0.12 fluro hooklength and a drennan 20 carbon match, elastic was a number 4 to catch anything. Inside and downstream about a metre out from the bank was a 4 x 12 in 2.5 foot of water with a B611 18 to 0.11 power line, elastic was a number 6 for perch over worm. Across in 2 area's was a 4 x12 in 2.5 foot of water (tucked into the reeds) with a B611 18 to 0.11 power line, elastic was a hollow 12.

I had just set up with 15 minutes to go and another angler came walking up suggesting I was fishing a bit light. I decided to stick with what I had and would play it by ear as the match progressed.

At the start chopped worm and caster went in on one line across and the same with some chopped sweetcorn on another line across. 2 balls of Sensas Black Lake and a little Black Magic went in down the track with caster and dead pinkie and neat chopped worm on the inside.

Starting off down the track it took a while to get a bite and the firs fish was a bleak. I got it sorted and fished about a metre downstream of the ground bait a soon had small silver bream. They were small, not even hand sized. Some guys were fishing the whip so would be a lot quicker than me if they continued to feed. I gave a track a good hour and had about a pound of small fish but bites had slowed up so re fed one ball and put a little bit of chopped worm in it.

First look straight across on the 2 lines and no indications at all after about 20 minutes so a top up was done and then a look on the inside with a worm head, nothing there either so topped up again.

It was hard to tell if anything was being caught as I could see anyone properly.

First slow trot down on the track with pinkie gave me a dumpy roach about 4oz, that's better I thought and a few more smaller ones followed. I then hit something solid, thought it was weed and then it started to move, remember I only had a number 4 elastic. At first I thought it was a big perch but soon realised it was a tench. The number 4 elastic performed exceptionally well and I just hoped the small hook held. I managed to break down to the top 3 and use the puller to control it safety into the net. Lovely tench around 3lbs.

I fed more worm in the ground bait and left the track line after the commotion.

No one was walking the bank and I hadn't spoke to Chris so you didn't know how it was fishing although i did hear a bit of splashing on end peg 1 to my left.

We were about 2 hours in now and a look across and nearside didn't give any hint of fish, it also started to rain.

When I came back on the track line it was also pretty dead but then a sail away bite (on pinkie which looked like a bream or skimmer bite) was hit and it was solid again, another tench. This one gave me the run around going right over and it came up to the top. Bigger than the last one and took longer to get back. When it finally came on the inside it went into vegetation but swam out. So 2 tench in the net and a couple of pound of bits, got to be worth good points I thought.

Topped up the track again and went over with maggot on the heavy gear.

The float dipped and big fish on, another tench and much easier to get in with the 12 elastic.

The track produced next to nothing the rest of the match and I had nothing on the inside, I did however snare another small tench across. 

I knew I had double figures which would be good on the day.

My bag went a level 14lbs

As I walked back to the van the only person to beat me with 15lb 1oz was the angler on the end peg downstream.

I ended up 2nd in the match but sadly Chris struggled so no qualification for us.

Section boards and pairs overall as follows....

Good luck to those pairs who qualified.

Sunday 10th January - Somerset Teams of 4 League Bridgwater and Taunton Canal

This was the last match in the series. It was the reserve date due to a match on the River Tone being cancelled before Christmas. We all were hoping the Tone would be fishable for the last match but it was not to be and a real shame. So the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal it was then and down at the Taunton end again as there are not enough fishable pegs at the more prolific Bridgwater sections. The team of 4 was Sam, Sean, Glen and myself. The draw was in the Princess Royal Pub again not far from the County Cricket Ground and the Sections were already on display.

3 Sections were put in at Creech St. Michael where I got lost last time and it did fish quire well with lots of roach showing, although last time there was only one section in.
The 4th Section was somewhere called Charlton, I didn't want o draw this area as I was sure to get lost again. Chris Parr (aka Gappy) put it in as he was finding it hard to identify a Section without too much pull on it and colour due to all the rain so a bit of an unknown to us.
Guess which Section I drew..... yep 'Charlton' peg 47 but hey I had a postcode so what could possibly go wrong! Setting off out of Taunton on the Bridgwater Road I was soon (according to Sat Nav) driving across fields due to a huge brand new development that was not on my Sat Nav yet. Getting back onto a recognised road I came across a sign saying Charlton something and a stop and a chat with some lady joggers in very (very) tight lycra confirmed there was indeed a canal at the end of the road.
Parking was fine and I was soon on the canal bank with Mike Owens downstream of me on 48 and Steve Kedge upstream of me on 46, above him was Gappy who confirmed our end of the Section was better than those around the bend but not sure if the roach would show.

Some views around the peg as follows:

Flooded fields behind me and cars were actually driving directly behind us as there were houses at one end.

Very pretty area looking downstream

 

Peg 47 looking across

Tactics were in very simple, bread punch down the track over liqqy and worm or maggot over chop for far and near shelf. Lcould see Mile and Steve setting up light wagglers and a whip. Apprarently they set up a wag just in case they have to chase fish down the peg. I didn't have a wag with me and I do not own a whip (must get one though) and I have note the value of a wag on this venue (due to flow).

I know I lost valuable time on the last canal match due to not having a whip missing out on an envelope by a few grams.

I started off on the punch and soon had a couple of blades and very small roach but after 30 mins noticed fry were scattering and jumping out of the water probably being chased by perch or pike so I put on a maggot in the hope of catching a perch. Instead I got bleak after bleak after bleak and more bleak. I looked around and could not see much being caught so stuck with it. Gappy then took 2 decent perch fishing across to the bottom of the far shelf and I heard Steve on 46 chopping up worm on a regular basis. Steve then took what looked like a huge perch to it was over my worm lines for a look. Not a sign over my worm line throughout the match. I even tried a tail of a worm jigging it all over the peg, a bit like dobbing bread but nothing. Steve then took another good perch and lost one about 30 minutes from the end.

I had the scales so saw the whole Section. The pegs around the bend from Gappy fished really hard with one angler weighing in 100 fish for 600 grams others were not much better with 1kg 100grms being the best.  Just above Gappy and on the bend was Brian Slipper who had a large number of small fish for 1kg 300grms  think (gave him 3rd in the Section) next was Gappy with 2kg plus mainly made up of those 2 early perch. Steve Kedges perch were right lumps and he put 3kg plus for a runaway Section win. I had 900 grms which was about 6th out of a 12 man Section. Mike above me had just over 1kg for 4th.

On refection and had I knew what the Section was going to be like I would have sat it out with the worm, although there were only 4 perch caught. 

The other Sections fished a lot better with 7kg winning overall backed up by 6kgs and 5kg weights made up of quality roach and some big rudd.

We finish 6th on the day out of 12 so ok ish and 10th overall in the League but we have learned a lot about the T & BW Canal. One of the Sensas Team won the League not sure which one as there was about 3. We did walk away with some groundbait and towels provided by Sensas M5 so thanks to them as well as Gappy and his mates for organising the events.

Next Sunday I am at Viaduct for the Teams of 5 League. Not confident as I have not fished there for about 15 years and have no idea of the pegs, should be interesting.

Somerset Teams of 4 - Taunton and Bridgwater Canal (Taunton end)

This match was scheduled for the River Tone but due to the heavy rain it was chocolate brown on the Wednesday so the decision to switch to the Canal was made.
I had never fished the Taunton end of the Canal but after making enquiries it was likely to turn out to be a roach match as most of the bigger skimmers and bream plus tench are at the Bridgwater end. Although I fished the Grand Western Canal the previous week I had to do a bit of prep as 4 of my rigs got trashed due to the strong winds. I enjoy fishing a canal, I think it is a great leveller. Our team was made up of captain Chris Hook, Sam Johnson, Lewis Walker and myself. Another Team tried to poach Lewis in the week.......cheek of it.
I met up by accident with Sam in MacDonald's in Taunton for breakfast, he also had a look at the Tone and said it appeared to be OK, not so sure the 'fast stretch' would have been though. A phone call from Chris around 07:50 telling us he had just woke up but was on his way.
I did not have a clue were the section were but fortunately Chris Parr had postcodes on display in the pub.

Chris arrived just in time for the draw and young Lewis done the honour's for us. I was in D Section at Creech St Michael wherever that was but no panic Sat Nav would get me there!
I let the stampead leave the car park first and programmed Sat Nav which gave me a travelling time of 12 minutes, no worries and headed back toward the M5, underneath it, then left turn toward Creech St. Michael, all the while Sat Nav updating me. The flag soon appeared and I turned of as instructed and then continued to go around the houses even though I could see the canal on the display I could not get anywhere near it. Went back on the main road to try and find someone to ask but as my mum used to say 'there was not a sinner about'. A phone call to Chris to see if he had Chris Parrs number to be guided in. Chris didn't but someone else said he did and gave me the number off his own phone. I called it and got some guy out of bed, not happy. Phoned Chris back and explained, checked the number again and yes I had phoned the number given! Chris managed to find another angler who talked me from where I was to the canal. I had to go up a lane and at the end was a car park, as I entered I saw one angler heading through a gate to the toe path, lovely. After I loaded up I went the same way, could not see another angler (I knew they were there somewhere). A walker came from my right and confirmed there were no anglers from where he had been so left it was then and after 10 mins who is on the end peg but Chris Parr who I was trying to talk to. Good effort but improvement required on directions. I had about 45 mins to set up and was pretty pissed off as well as hot and bothered.
I got to my peg (41) and it was a bit narrow compared to the rest and as such the canal was pulling a little faster left to right but it did look inviting.
I set up a punch rig for the middle which was really 'V' shaped and about 3 foot and two rigs for the bottom of the far shelf where it was about 2 foot intending to fish worm, caster or maggot in the hope of a bonus fish.
I was just about ready at 10 o'clock and feed two lines across, one at 12 o'clock with chop and caster and the other a bit longer at 2 o'clock with just caster. In went a cup of liqqy in the middle and I soon had a small roach, looking up and down the canal others were in to small fish quickly and using the whip (I don't have one). The roach kept coming on the punch and when they backed off a little I put on a maggot and got a few more regularly feeding small balls of liqqy. I did bump a decent fish about a pound but most were in the 2oz to 3oz range, I was happy with my lot.
After about two hours I was intending to try the far lines and had topped them up sparingly but a few swans came along and took a liking to the bait.

I did manage to shoo them on by putting the pole cup over them but the damage was done. I did top up the lines and had the odd look but nothing.
The middle it was then and looking up and down I thought I was doing ok and in the last hour I had the odd better roach putting out a 10mm piece of punch.
The two end pegs done 5kg plus and one peg from the end done 3kg 340grms. I was more or less in the middle and was happy with my 3kg 120grms compared to the anglers each side of me.

My section.

The top weight on the day was 6kg plus. We finished 4th out of 11 on the day with Sam having a section 2nd and Lewis weighing the same as me and also getting a section 4th. Chris was 6th or 7th in his.

Somerset Angling won on the day and Thyers Silver I believe are top of the league.

Once I found the place I enjoyed it.

No fishing this weekend and the week after its the Clevedon Christmas Match on Paddock Lake Acorn Fisheries.