With 29 due to fish it was pretty popular.
On Saturday, early afternoon, I took a quick look at the drain to see what condition it was in, it was down by a few feet and flowing out with the tide, it looked good. There were several pleasure anglers fishing between the 2 bridges and were catching plenty of roach and small silver bream or hybrids.
I hoped for similar conditions for the match, I didn't really want it to be 'backing up' all day as it tends to fish tricky when it does. Target weight for the day would be around 18lb for a chance of picking up an envelope.
Back to today, I arrived in plenty of time for the draw and was greeted my several guys, some new faces were in attendance, plus a few who only fish with the club occasionally.
We had Baz Morgan and Bruce Hunt in attendance as newbie members, also Martin Heard and Dave Nash made rare turnouts with us.
A lot of chit chat went on about where would be preferred, but the bay area above the bridge, the 1st couple pegs on the permanent pegs past the EA building and the first 3 or 4 pegs below the road bridge were favoured.
The least favoured areas would be those furthest away from the bridge, on the permanent pegs ie pegs 5 to 9.
We had pegs 1 to 9 on the perma pegs, 10 to 19 on the downstream pegs towards the footbridge and 20 to 29 were pegged on the north bank opposite the EA building.
As usual I waited until near the end of the queue at the draw and with 3 left in the tub, 2 bay pegs and peg 9, I really didn't want peg 9, the furthest walk. I drew peg 9..!!
I made the comfortable walk along the footpath to my peg, most of the anglers I passed wished my luck as it wasn't a 'wanted' peg.
For company I found that peg 8 was taken by Barry Morgan, that's the only other angler I could see. But I knew I'd have my work cut out to better Barry's weight, he's not a bad fisherman.
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| Looking downstream to Barry Morgan on peg 8, Bradney. Ksd. |
A 3aaa waggler rod, a couple of topkits for the pole, one with tench in mind at 6m in the 10am direction, and the other for small fish at 13m in front.
Lastly 2 whips were assembled, a 4.5m with a 4x18 float on to fish on the deck (unused) and a 4m whip with a 4x14 float to fish off bottom.
For bait I had 2kg of groundbait, 3 pints of hemp, 2pts of caster and some maggots just in case, lastly I had a few grains of corn for a change bait and to try and temp the tench!!
At the all in I balled 8 big jaffas of groundbait on the long pole line and threw some hemp/caster on the whip line.
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| View of peg 9, KSD Bradney. |
Once I had drank my tea I tried the waggler, I kept feeding the whip lines and threw the odd few bits of corn over where I hoped for a tinca.
The first 90 minutes of the match, while the water was still, was a struggle for me and Barry, I had a chunky perch of 5oz and a couple 3oz roach.
Once 12pm arrived, the drain started to trickle along from right to left, so I tried the whip and had a 3oz roach right away, another soon followed. This was the pattern for the rest of the match, though occasionally I did go out on the long pole line as to rest the whip swim, the pole line gave me a bite a chuck, but wouldn't be quick enough at that distance to build a weight.
While fishing the whip I shallowed up and down during the match and this managed to trick a nice rudd of around 1lb.
I didn't feed any groundbait on the whip line, experience taught me that this isn't always best and only to try it when things get really tough. I was feeding pretty heavy with hemp and casters, using caster on the hook. Maggot would only bring baby skimmers and small hybrids.
We also had an a spell where quite a few far-eastern people walked along the path behind me, killing my whip line dead for a lengthy spell, a switch to the pole saw me keep catching a few fish.
At around 2pm I had a look over my spot where I had been feeding corn and hemp, my double corn bait bought an instant response, from a 4oz roach. That was the last time I tried that spot in anger.
The last 2.5hrs was spent mostly on the whip, generally fishing 18 inches deep, occasionally deeper, occasionally shallower. This kept me busy with mostly roach from 2oz to 6oz, these fish looked slightly larger than the ones Barry had been catching on his whip, he'd been feeding groundbait...!!
As the light dropped at 4pm bites were coming quickly and at 12" deep, mostly 3oz roach, but they were adding to my net.
The all out was called at 4:30pm and I began to pack away, I would be 1st to weigh. But before the scales arrived, I went and had a chat with a few guys, most admitted to around 10lb, except Steve Fouracre who didn't want to guess his net. Rumour was that Jamie Cook had 30lb or more and Vic Bush was well over 20lb, both guys were in the favoured bay area.
I couldn't put a weight on my net, maybe mid-teens, I really didn't have a clue as I just get into a routine when whip fishing.
The scales arrived at me, and as I lifted my net out I knew that I had around 20lb+, the scales showed 26lb 12oz, nice enough and plenty more than I expected.
Next was Barry, he put 12lb 6oz on the board, between him and Steve Fouracre on peg 2, the weights were between around 10lb and 16lb, Steve's fish weighed 21lb 5oz and had a big perch in the catch.
So I sure of a section envelope.
I went and loaded the car and stood around chatting to Eric and Steve Fouracre, plus Phil Clapp. The scales were busy weighing pegs 10 to 19, only Dave Nash on peg 12 (golden peg no.1) had a tench, but the top weigh from these pegs was Mike Bendell's 19lb+ from peg 10, which was made up mostly 1-2oz silvers of various species.
I joined the scales as we headed to weigh in the North Bank, pegs 20 to 29. Peg 29, Ian King DNW'd, before the guys from 28 back to 23 had weights between 11lb and 14lb.
Then we arrived at Jamie Cook's peg, peg 22, a nice peg that's done me well in years gone by, he had some big rudd in his net, plus plenty of roach, skimmers, hybrids of various sizes. He weighed a fantastic 36lb 3oz to take the lead. Last to weigh was Vic Bush on peg 20, he'd had lots of fish, but mostly blades and small hybrids, these tend to weigh less than they look.
As he lifted his net it looked like he had around 30lb, but it came in at 24lb 5oz. Confirming my surprising 2nd spot.
Results:
1st, Jamie Cook, p22, 36lb 3oz
2nd, Lee Williams, p9, 26lb 12oz
3rd, Vic Bush, p20, 24lb 5oz
4th, Steve Fouracre, p2, 21lb 5oz.
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| Weigh Sheet, consistent figures. Bradney Ksd. |
I managed to feed all my groundbait, that long pole line probably gave me 2lb of fish.
I also fed 3 pints of hemp and nearly 2 pints of caster to keep the roach coming.
Next up for me is a match at Avalon with the PSV guys.
Until then, take care.
Lee
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