Sunday 27 November 2011

Open - Road Side / Cottages / Iron Bridge and Potters

  • H1 (end peg)
  • 2nd section
  • 5th overall
  • 10lb 7oz

The canal is full of big perch and the moment.

The match

There was eight end pegs and I was lucky enough to draw one of them, with the canal been clear and could be difficult because of no boat traffic and therefore an end peg with extra room is always going to be a great benefit to me. However Iron Bridge is the favoured section as it can throw large weights of perch, as Alan Jones in the spring had over 30lb of perch in a match and a 3lb 14oz!  Iron Bridge is full of tiny roach and a good chance of catching skimmers as well. On arrival to my peg, after dropping Alan Jones off to A1 (another end peg) I had two of my team mates Neil Richards and Mark Saunders in my section, so was in for a changeling day.  I was concerned of lack of activity,  as there was no little fish topping and after speaking to Neil Richards he informed me that it should be good as he had fished it in the week and caught plenty of little fish, but even he agreed he was surprised to see very few fish topping.  The colour is like a weak tea colour which is like it throughout the whole match length.

I was going to have two chop worm lines, one at 13 meters down the track at a 45 degree angle and one at 11 meters to the left of my tiny bush on the far bank in two foot of water.  Both of these chop worm lines were going to be feed with lob worms and fish a lob worm tail on the hook with 0.112 hooklength and a 16 B611.  I had one squatt line at seven meters in three foot of water on the shelf, which I had six rigs for that one line, with was 0.2-0.4 gram Sensas series 21 floats with 0.0075 and 0.064 to 22, 24 and 26 IM1 hooks.

The match didn’t go to plan to start with and ended up fishing in 18 inches of water, right in the bush on the chop worm line and had four perch for about 6lb – 7lb.  I was disappointed with my match, as couldn’t line up the roach and they were tiny 35-40 to the pound.  I needed one more perch to win the match, it was so close bewteen the top eight.

H1 10lb 7oz                myself
H2 5lb 3oz                  Mark Saunders
H3 7lb 10oz                Pete Collins
H4 4lb 14oz                Mr Bonnie
H5 10lb 15oz 8           Neil Richards (2lb 9oz perch)
H6 4lb                         Jamie Cox
H7 5lb 14oz                Andover guy (sorry I forgot your name) (2lb 4oz perch)
Neil Richards fished really well, 10lb 15.8oz (4th overall and won H section)

Pete Collins

Mark Saunders


Open at Wharf 30/11/11
  • 8lb 9oz
  • 1st place
  • 8 people fished

Best days fishing i've had for ages!  Loads of bites (makes a change)

Jamie Cox with a nice bag of small fish (4lb plus)

Neil Richards was 2nd with 7lb

Why I couldn't catch this perch during the match?
Lost a BIG perch, which snagged me in the middle of the canal!
peg 1 6lb
peg 2 4lb 8oz
peg 3 4lb 14oz
peg 4 4lb7oz
peg 5 2lb 13oz
peg 6 8lb 9oz
peg 7 6lb 7oz
Peg 8 7lb

Midweek Open

I was so eager to fish this midweek match, even though it was only an eight pegger as I wanted to prove to myself that I could do better.  Also had some banter with Neil and had a pound side bet with him and with him drawing the end peg (peg 8) in the bay I was up against it.  The other side of me I had Nigel Franks who is no mug on the canal.  I felt confident of catching on the squatt and planned to feed squatt and fish squatt at 7 meters again.  Now the feeding on the squatt was important as I planned to lose feed to every 2 – 3 fish and try and build up their confidence of squats falling through the water and then hopefully a couple of hours in I would be able to up the feed to every fish and this would hopefully increase my catch rate, as the fish weren’t settle and you couldn’t line them up.  This worked well and I did start to motor in the third hour and was doing well.  The chop worm lines, weren’t as productive as hoped for, but all fish caught across against the boat.  In the last twenty minutes saw me get very frustrated as I lost a big fish on the squatt gear that broke me!  So decided to try and catch some proper fish, and went on the chop worm ten minutes to go a bump one perch and then hooked another one with two minutes to go and this was big and it snagged me in the middle of the canal which was frustrating and despite me trying to dislodge it, which didn’t work and in the end I had to pull for a break!  So I was relived to win the match, but should have had double figures.


It fished harder than we all expected, the water was very clear and with no boats, it was difficult to catch.  Last tewenty minutes saw me lose something rather large on the squatt gear, which broke me after 1 minute.  Then lost a big perch on the gear right at the death, which snagged me in the middle of the canal, so disappointed and therefore fished on afterwards and had two big perch and bumped one! Just shows when that light faded the bigger fish switched on and they wouldn't feed when we were fishing the match.

My thoughts
Chop Worm
I WOULDN’T go crazy on chop worm, as it was surprising how little big fish were caught and we were in the Wharf.  You have to have open mind to catch these fish, but you could cost the team by fishing it too long.  I would suggest feeding a chop worm line in three foot of water, and I would be positive in the way I feed it, and your only looking for one fish at a time, unless you’re on a shedful then you need to reefed it and move onto a productive line.  There is no, well very little caught down the track, fished two matches and feed it and caught nothing, so I wouldn’t waste your time fishing it.  If you draw a feature peg, then these big perch are going to be under them.  I would suggest fishing 4 x 12 float with 0.11 hook length and 16 B611 and a springy Vespe pink hollow.  Lob worms would be better and fish a tail, and don’t be frighten to put a tiny piece on, like the size of maggot.  DON’T drag you bait around to start with, as you could spook the fish your feeding for.  ONLY drag it around after a couple of minutes.  Fish a longer line than normal, as you don’t want the pole over there heads.  You should get an indication straight away within 5 minutes. Remember to keep feeding your squatt line regular as this is your bread and butter.  I can’t believe how many anglers stop feeding their squatt line when fishing the chop.  At 2.30pm I would put a big pot of worms in somewhere, and 2.55pm I would be one that line.  I had 1lb perch on Sunday a minute to go and lost a fuc$ing munter yesterday at the same time, which snagged me.
Squatt Line
ONE line, I know a lot of people wouldn’t agree with this, but believe me if you have lines everywhere you are going to get wasted!  I suggest marking your pole at three foot, don’t guess it know it!  This should be about 7 meters and hopefully be on the slope, and you can vary your presentation by fishing half a meter further and therefore fishing 6 inches over depth and drop back half a meter and then you will be maybe up to 10 inches off bottom.  If things don’t go to plan, then maybe start another line somewhere else.  I would suggest fishing 0.2 gram floats with bulk 1 foot away from hook and fish 24 IM1’s and 0.06.  Feeding two balls of black groundbait, with a little lose to create a cloud.  Loose feed squats every two to three fish and try to up the feeding of squatt after a couple of hours, the fish don’t want it to start with, as you need to build their confidence up.  I start to bag yesterday in the middle of the match.  ALSO be careful of bank runners, I had a go at Gary Williamson (he’s off my Christmas card list, but still love him) as he stood right behind me and then my swim slowed up and caught two eyes in ten mintues and then had a women with a small child said “look fatty caught a fish” and never had a bite for 5 minutes.  
see links


my new website


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Wednesday 23 November 2011

Thoughts of 2011

Fish O mania

As your likely to be aware I didn't win the final as I still driving my limited edition van, it's not limited because it's fast or special!  In fact it's just the opposite, it's limited in what it can do!   After driving miles around the country trying to qualify I almost came close as I was 2nd at Tunnel Barn Farm. I will try and get through to the final of 2012, so I won’t give up!   Hopefully this year I will get more tickets.....


To get tickets you will need to go through the Angling Trust:

See link

http://www.anglingtrust.net/landing.asp?section=25&sectionTitle=Angling Trust Competitions

Maver Match This


Had some enjoyable fishing on these matches, as you do get to fish against some of the best anglers in the country and got to fish venues that I hadn’t fished or even seen before.  However I didn't even get close to getting through, and all the matches I fished (5 of them) were incredibly hard and struggled to catch on all of them.  Again hopefully I will had a little more luck with the draw bag.

Well Done to Andy Power winning the event!

to see write up, see link


White Acres

Fred Parker, aka grandad

Richard Stevens,  a man that stayed in high spirts

Neil Richards

White Acres was a real laugh with a great bunch of guys, and I can't wait to go there again.  Iv'e already paid my depoist.


see link

Achievements
.
2011 has been a dispointing year as I felt I hadn't really achieved anything.  Looking through my own blog pages there wasn't anything that really stood out for me.  I was pleased for the "Gordon League A" team to win the Thames Championships and myslef winning my section and coming 5th overall, but I was dropped and therefore wasn't part of that team.  I also set a new silvers venue record at Rolfs lake, with 75lb, which was a great days fishing.


Me at Rolfs lake, I was keen to try and brake the 100lb barrier, but didn't do it.


Winter League

I've fished winter leagues for a long time (14 years) and the canal matches is more enjoyable for me, as most not always you will get plenty of bites.  However, Piles wasn't the case, infact I fished the method feeder for three hours of the match!  However I was rewarded with this carp:
This was the hardest fighting carp iv'e ever caught, then I had to wrestle it.

The first winter league whereby I took a method feeder, so of my team mates thought I was mad, but they ALL took one the following week.

Oxford Canal

I decided not to fish the Angling Trust winter league on the River Avon, as I didn't fish the practice match, and felt it was unfair for me to fish the winter league for Gordon League despite been picked.  I was worried that I would upset my team mates, but upset my team captain, so I didn't win.  The team was six points clear of third place and one point off winning the league, so therefore should be ok?  So after been on the phone to Mick Denton, I decied to fish the Oxford canal, as I really do enjoy fishing canal matches.

This match turned out to be one of my best performances of the year.  It was a match whereby everything went right.  I didn't loose any fish and my thought process went to plan, as I only feed bread line and lob worm lines first.  I hadn't put any joker.  So I was one of the first to be fishing the bread, and I had caught fish before people had even finished in cupping?  Perch are becoming good friends of mine and I caught early fish on lob worms, and therefore catching bonus fish and over 100 fish in total I was well pleased to win my section by 5lb and almost beat everybody put together.  However, I was disapointed not to frame, my friend Mick Denton had beat me and put me down to sixth place.


Tough matches, means taking no risks, so anything over 2oz is getting netted.

Perch and I becoming my favourite fish

A lucky bream at the death, I thought that maybe I would frame...... no where near!


My Plans for 2012

My number one proirty is to enjoy my fishing and not concerned if it's a 6 pegger or 60 pegger!  I would like to get into the fish o maina final, as the last couple of years iv'e been close, but no cigar! So I will foucs of alot of attention on that in the early summer.  Then once fish o's are over I am going to focus a lot of my efforts to Solhampton.   Solhampton is a place that has really opened my eyes, as it's got some stunning lakes and fish.  So I would like to see if I could win the festival there in May and also see if I could break some venue records on the lakes.  The sunday evening opens are great fishing, you will not believe how many fish come down the edge and you at times just cannot catch them!

Team fishing, not entirely sure what to do, have enjoyed some of the fishing through our Upper Thames winter league but haven't had a major sucess in it.  Some of venues haven't been very good and have been very poor. To be honest I think the weather has playd a major part in this, as it's been so dry!

Thanks

Andy from Vespe, who helps me with my fishing.

Mark Treasure for runing Daiwa Gordon League team and ordering our gear.

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Sunday 20 November 2011

Avington - Open

  • About 1lb 8oz
  • Peg 14
  • Err.... last
  • Well done to Charlie Summerton who had 6lb 1oz 8 Drams (think he would of won the section)






Charlie, whooped my ass again!

Couldn't catch any of my friends (big billies)
Peg 11 5lb 15oz
Peg 12 3lb 10oz
Peg 13 4lb 14oz
Peg 14 1lb 8oz
Peg 15 6lb 1oz 8 drams
Peg 16 not drawn
Peg 17 7lb 14oz
Peg 18 3lb ish
Peg 19lb 3lb ish
Peg 20 3lb 10oz
Considering the canal was 18 inches - 2 foot down.  Lock gates shut and therefore the canal is clear, I think the canal fished really well.  WHY didn't I catch, well I felt I would need 8lb to do any good today and therefore fished for big fish for at three hours of the match and it just didn't happen.  Not sure what I would do if I could fish it again......  My peg was worth 4lb of tiny fish, but been an open I was going to fish very postivily which didn't pay off.


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Sunday 13 November 2011

Oxford Canal

  • 7lb 15oz
  • Section Win
  • 6th overall out of 54 anglers

I love canal fishing, and when I got the chance to fish the Oxford Canal I jumped at the chance. 



Micky Ellyatt in action and was always a threat.  Came 2nd in the section with 2lb 14oz






my last fish, a lucky 2lb 8oz bream




Two bonus fish boosted my weight by 4lb.

  • Kevin Holmes won the match with 12lb 2oz.
  • Darren Light 10lb 4oz.
  • Mark Bowenman had 10lb 2oz.
  • Mick Denton had 8lb 11oz and was joint with his team mate Tony Hobbs.
  • Me with 7lb 15oz
see link for write up

http://www.vespe.com/blog/oxford-canal/
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Sunday 6 November 2011

Avington - Ron Benjamin Open

  • Peg 31
  • 5lb 2oz
  • Won section, by default and was 5th overall
  • 40 anglers fished

Introduction

I have always loved fishing canals since I was a boy, and Avington is one of best I have ever fished!  So when Micky Ellyatt told me that there was an open there, I jumped at the chance.

On arrival to my peg, I noticed it was low and clear, but what worked in my favour was I was lucky enough to be on the end peg, however I was over 200 yards away from the railway bridge which would of been solid and after been on the phone to Micky, he advised me that I could get blown away from the pegs to my left.

My match

I decided to only have one line at 6 meters, in 2 foot of water and felt if I fished the track, it would be too close togther 4 and 6 meter lines would conflict.  So therefore I would feed down the swin, if nothing went to plan (a back up) and I would feed lob worms down the peg, which was 13 meters at a 30 degree angle out of the way. Simple.  Far bank was inches deep and I couldn't see the fish settling there!

I fed my lines, and started at 6 meters after cupping a few balls of G5 groundbait, but it was slow and got rewarded a tiny roach after a long 5 minutes.  So I felt that this needed to settle, and therefore went of my lob worm lines and caught nothing for 30 minutes and went back on my squatt line, and it was steady, but fish very small.  So I kept roatating my lines, and fed a new deep line down the track but it was devoid of fish.  So resting the squatt line to let it settle was a good move, and built it up by feeding squatts regualr.  However the biggest error and cost me a frame place, was me not bringing any bread!!

It a good days fishing, despite the canal been low (18 iches down) and clear, with no boats.  This made it fish really hard.  There was lots of gudgeon and tiny roach to be caught, but they will 40-50 to the pound!  So it was nice to have plenty of bites, and caugt some billies on lob worms late, but they weren't as big as I hoped for! I never gave up on the worm line and topped it up regular.

I won £20 for my section, some got my pools money back (bonus), but was a little gutted to be one out of the money by 6oz.   That bread would of made ALL the difference. 

Thanks to Chris Wilson for running the match and his wife making chilli con carne for us all after the match.

see link

http://kintburyfishingclub.co.uk/

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Saturday 5 November 2011

Manor Farm, Middle Pool

  • Peg 7 (flyer- messed it up, lost three proper carp at the net)
  • 50lb
  • 66lb won it, Andy Pollard



Match Results – Saturday 5th November – Middle Pool

1ST ANDY POLLARD                  66-2-0
DGL Peg 11
2ND RICH HOSKINS                   62-12-0
DGL Peg 3
3RD IAN WHEELDON              54-10-0
Mosella Peg 9
11 fished. Carp and tench caught on pole and pellet, waggler and feeder.

See link

http://www.manorfarmleisure.co.uk/latest-news/

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Thursday 3 November 2011

Manor Farm, Middle Pool


  • Peg 13
  • 7 F1's and a Skimmer
  • DNW (12lb-14lb)



In for a tough day........


Paul in full action, on his way to 3rd place


Ian on peg 3


Match Results – Thursday 3rd November – Middle Pool – Affordable Open

1ST CHRIS FRENCH                     69-8-0
Swindon Peg 7
2ND ANDY BEASLEY                   60-8-0
Mosella RAF Peg 9
3RD PAUL ALDER                        38-8-0
MFL Peg 26
Carp and tench caught on pole and pellet and pellet feeder

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