Avalon Lakes Glastonbury.

Avalon Charity Match.

Sunday 25^th September.

Peg 17.

The match today was in aid of the Macmillan Cancer Support Group run by Andy Gurd a.k.a The Jacket who got his name for wearing fluorescent yellow site jacket fishing.

I enjoy fishing Avalon as the fish do not give them self up easily but it one of the few venues with an island about 30 metres which makes it perfect for a waggler approach.

24 people fishing today so peg 1 to 33 were used I was last but one to draw and pick peg 17 end of the 5^th island with the wind blow up the lake I had sheltered water off the point of the island.

Waggler/lead (not used) /paste 14 metres(not used) / 5 metres meat line and a margin were set up everything was sorted for the all in where I fed the long pole line with pellets and fired some 8mm to the island which was followed by a dumpy waggler set 2 feet deep. In the first 15 minutes I put 3 Carp in the net for 18lb during the first hour I had 4 Carp and lost 5 others probably foul  with no one really catching that I could see and the wind picking up I decide to stick on the waggler. Time seems to fly by as I end up fishing it for 2 more hours but not put any more fish in the net but still have signs of fish over there and just as you’ve had your fill of it you hook a carp and lose it.

Disaster strikes as I hook a branch and pull for break losing the wag and leaving branch striking out from the bank and like a magnet I hook it on another 3 occasions and waste about ¾ hour resetting up.

Time to try somewhere else it 2 windy to hold 14 metres leaving the 5 metre meat swim I didn’t hold much hope for this swim as I’ve fed this line in the past and never had a bite but still I religiously fed it from the start every time I fed the wag line. First drop on the meat I shocked when the float goes under but somehow miss it. Over the next hour catching skimmer up to a 1 1/2 lb not quickly but steady.

Going into the last hour I try to force the meat line by increasing the fed rate and the swim dies so down the margin with double corn miss a bite then hook and lose a Carp which trashes the rig.

Back out at 5 metres the extra fed has put the skimmer of but 2 carp are caught and in the last 10 minutes the skimmers return then the whistle goes the scales arrive and I have 11lb 13oz Silvers and 32lb 6oz of carp 44lb 3oz total for another section default pick up £30.00.

A lot of fish had been caught on worm today which has never happen before with Eric Fouracres winning the silvers 40lb 2oz on Chop worm and Caster a bait I did not have due to it never working and Vic Bush (the owner) trying to make it work on numerous occasion to no avail and he import worms from Holland to sell throughout the south West.

 Overall.

1^st. Chris Derrick         peg 26          80-06-00. Paste edge/waggler.

2^nd . Eric Fourachres peg 11        79-10-00. Chop worm caster 13 metres.

3^rd. Bryan Clark.       peg 14           62-00-00. Feeder.

4^th. Mike Walker.      Peg 6             58-05-00 ?

Silvers.

1^st. Eric Fourachres  peg 11          40-02-00. Chop worm.

2^nd. Paul Smith            peg 30.      21-12-00. Chop worm.

3^rd. Vic Bush                 peg 32.      13-01-00. Chop worm.

4^th. Clayton Hudson. Peg 17.        11-13-00. Meat.

According to Andy Gurd over £2000.00 was rasised for Macmillan Cancer Support Group today and he want to run one every year.

Cost cutter Viaduct.

Cost Cutter Viaduct.

Thursday 22^nd September

Peg 85 Cary [flyer].

Taken another day’s holiday with the weather to be nice but a little breezy. Did my usual Viaduct drawing technique of waiting to the last few pegs and pick a flyer on Cary 85.

Race to the peg I’ve wanted to draw Cary for ages ever since I made some large loaded waggler to fish it sliding the way Roger Young was taking the place apart and peg 85 is a perfect place to perfect it well it would be if the floats were with me not back home in the shed!!!!!

So shallow pellet waggler / deep waggler / lead rod where assembled as well as a 5 metre meat rig and a margin rig for later on.

Not the best of start what with leave my special floats at home then kneeling down on the platform so how trapping my no4 section and snapping it.

It took 35minutes to get a carp in the net but foul hook 2 on the deep waggler and missed a wrap round on the lead after about 3 hours I have had 4 carp for 40lb one in the tail on the waggler losing 4 others and 3 on the lead on double soft pellet so I decided to persevere with the shallow wag catching 2 more carp and losing 4 more frustratingly missing bites when you see line tightening but connecting with thin air.

During this time meat has been fed at 5 metre and with 2 hours 2 go I’ve tried it and had a skimmer then hook a carp which snapped  0.16 hook length so a new hook length was attached and hook and  lose another carp so the 5 metre line solid with big lumps I just can’t land them. Drop into the margin with worm have 3 Perch then dump so more bait in. Then land a 17lb on my 5 metre meat line then get busted next put in. In hind sight a new hook length after the lump would have been advisable. Lose a big Mirror carp after having near the net only to see it power off and bust me then catch a 15lb Common Carp from the margin then hook and lose 3 more 4 if you count and on and off.

All in all very frustrating a lot of fish on the pole were lip hook just one of those days. Ryan Jordon on 86 sat it out on the lead all match only losing 1 fish to beat me and win the lake with 103lb I weighed 7lb of silvers and 84lb of carp for 91 lb 7oz.

Overall.

1^st. Martin Lenaghan  Campbell peg 116 shallow on the pole with 8mm pellets.

2^nd. Glen Radford     Campbell peg  127 shallow pellets.

3^rd. John Green        Campbell peg 123.

4^th. Ryan Jordon       Cary peg 86. Lead 11mm pellets.

5^th Ray Hayworth.   Cary peg 74.

Silvers.

1^st.John Bradford. Cary peg 97. Chop worm and caster.

Avon Angling Teams of Four.

ROUND 2 TEAMS OF FOUR .LANDS END FARM FISHERY. SUNDAY 18^TH SEPTEMBER.

Round 2 was on Lands end fished across all 4 lakes with 11 anglers on each lake we will all have loads of room with strong north westerly winds blowing and allot of the pegs requiring 16 metres plus to reach the far bank features the room will come in handy.

Andy Byant drew for the team today and handed me 17 on match lake 16 metres to the island and reasonably sheltered. With the carp on match lake match fished for 3 times a week they are normally quiet hard to tempt and foul hookers are quiet common. With the overnight rain and the temperature down I decided to fish chop worm and caster across to the island trying to catch anything that swims a 5 metre soft pellet line and a 16 metre soft pellet line at 2 o’clock just as it starts to slop up to the far bank and a margin swim for later.

With the all in at 11:00 I was ready with plenty of time to spare which makes a change I fed the far bank with a good pot of chop worm and caster the 2 o clock swim with soft pellet and 4mm. Started fishing the 5 metre line feeding soft pellet by hand. Within 10 minutes I caught a 3 lb carp and lost one and after ½ an hour had 1 carp 2 skimmers and lost 2.

First put in on the 2 o clock swim I have another carp for about 4 lb then get plague with phantom bites and put this down to small fish and with it being 16 metres it a long way to go for a missed bite and a hard ship back so this line was reefed with pellets but not fished again and re fed the chop worm swim.

Drop back to the 5 metres had another skimmer then when across to my banker swim with worm and a small pot filled with worm and caster caught a carp first put in then a run of perch and a nice Orfe of about 2lb which didn’t fight you could build a massive weight of these if you could get them lined up. This was the pattern the next 3 hours catch fish across then nicking some at 5 metres.

During this time trigger aka Craig Edmonds was flying on peg 19 catching on hard pellet on the island.

I’ve fed a margin swim with corn and pellets and 20 minutes later had a Trench then an 8lb carp then reefed and went across and had a 3lb Tench. Went back down the margin on double corn missed a bite fished there for a further 10 minutes bite less then filled it in with a pint of casters and Trigger followed suit.

Had a few more across and now had about 50lb so with a good hour in the margins an I could frame. Trigger went into his margin and caught 6 carp in 6 put chucks I go into mine have a 1lb Perch a Tench and lose a Carp in the last 5 minutes.

Weighed 57lb 7oz 17lb of Silvers 40lb of Carp for a section default pick up £60.00 which was a small consultation as Trigger won the match and I got lucky.

Overall Result.

1^st Craig Edmonds aka Trigger 155-13 peg 19 Carp where ever he put bait.

2^nd Ryan Shipp.                           101-09 peg 41.

3^rd Tony Rixon.                              80-10 {see his blog Tony Rixon Days Out.}

Silvers.

1^st Tom Thick. 45-04. Soft pellet.

In hind sight filling it in down the edge was probably a bit ambitious and 2 more carp would have got me 2^nd in the section.

Cost cutter Viaduct.

COST CUTTER MATCH AT VIADUCT THURSDAY 8^TH SEPTEMBER.

I needed a fish injection after Sunday’s match at Trinity so with Camron at nursery in the afternoon and with a day’s holiday booked permission was granted by Mandy and Beth the cost cutter at viaduct Lodge and Cary lakes was my destination. Being the most prolific venue in the South west possible the country what could go wrong.

Last but one to draw with 53 and 73 left so two fliers left. I drew 53 leavening 73 for Charlie Barns.

I’ve had 53 a few times and every time struggled for fish but it’s easily the best peg on Lodge winning the lake most especially in the winter but it’s my nemesis.

Set up a paste rig to fish at 17 ½ metres straight out into the tree and to the left at the end of the tree and a margin rig to fish worm just past the wooden post.

All in at 11.00 and it took me an hour to get a bite from left-hand swim but at midday just as Ken Bruce handed over to Jeremy Vine the float shoot under and Carp number one was on and netted. I’m not too worried as the under the tree swim should be my banker and you should always catch a few stragglers before you knock on the front door.

Fed the left-hand swim and went straight out into their home had an 8pounder first put in here we go then. Well that was a false dawn went the remainder of the match catching one more Carp and losing four others one after changing the left hand swim to chop worm and caster.

Never had a bite from the margin.

Weighed 3 carp for 17lb 11oz peg 53 still hold a voodoo curse on me. But saying that Lodge fished hard with Silver specialist struggling for bites and talking to Steve Long after he reckons that it’s to do with the algae dyeing off reducing the oxygen and he should know he owns the place. Even the best venues off days I just wish it happen when I’ve taken a day holiday to fish there.

Overall Results.

1^st. Roger Winter 103-0-0 peg 90 Cary. Margin meat.

2^nd Glen Radford 99-04-0 peg 102 Cary. Waggler/lead pellet.

3^rd Mash               92-10-0 peg 103 Cary. Waggler pellet

Silvers

1^st Dave Wride      32-15-0 peg 97

2^nd Mash                 12-02-0 peg 103.

Good news my new digital radio bought out my winning from Tony’s float only series works at viaduct the old one didn’t and may be next time I’ll try maltesers as me and Carmon the carp in the Lake at Lego land yesterday and they went mental for them.

PEG 53 LODGE.

Avon Angling Teams of Four.

ROUND 1 TEAMS OF FOUR. SUNDAY 4^th SEPTEMBER.

Trinity Waters Wild Marsh Lake. A superb lake for the match or pleasure angler. A truly traditional water of 6 acres, with 77 swims, (10 on the island), Glorious bays, spit, Lillie pads to name some of the features. Stocked with Carp to 25lb plus, Bream to 15lb, skimmers, Tench, quality Roach to 2½, Chub, Barbel to 4 1/2 lb. Ideal for all abilities and methods of fishing. (Taken from web site). www.trinitywaters.co.uk/

Peg 50. Right-hand side of Lake 49 and 51 are peg with Vince Shipp in 51 and a Harriers angler in 49.

The last couple of matches on wild marsh I have caught late on paste at 16 metres so I couldn’t see it not working today with the added advantage of lead fishing being allowed as the other matches where float only.

So a paste rig at 16 metres a 0.4 gram sensas paste float later part of the match and a 24 gram inline method feeder (the free one that came with the Angling Times with the mould)for the start.

I started by feeding the pole line with dampened 4 mm coarse pellets and a bit of paste. Then chuck the method to the middle of the lake recasting every 5 minutes with different hook bait but not a bite to be had.

During the first ½ hour Vince on 51 has caught 4 Skimmers and foul hooked a Carp and Bela opposite has caught a Carp from his left hand margin.

After sorting the correct depth out on the paste float which normally takes 5 minutes I have a bite on my first proper cast resulting in a 1 ½ lb Skimmer and the next three put in’s result in indication.

Then I miss 2 positive bites and have a 1lb Skimmer. Re feeding the swim with another pot of 4mm causing me not to have any more bites for the next 2 hours apart from 6 or 7 ½ ounce Roach fouled hook. A group of them must sit on the Paste feeding until you lift the hook point into one of them.

Refeeding  the swim again for the grand stand finish and have a 3 ½ Bream  straight away then 20 minute later  the float lift like it been doing when the paste comes off and I connect with a big carp 2 feet off bottom it fight like it’s mouth hooked not going anywhere just plodding around. Broke down to the top set saw the carp tail on the surface like it was fouled but it was more likely in its mouth but wrap under the body then the hook pulled. I’ve never been sure of hook holds when striking at lift bites.

Never had another indication even though had some fizzing.

Weighed 5lb 11oz beating half the section. Vince Shipp weighed 16lb odd with 10lb skimmers and 2 carp loses a few others so they where in the area.

Had a splitting headache on the way home why is it so when you struggle for bites and you never happens when you caught.

Full Results.

1^st Tom Thick 48-10-0 peg 12 paste/margin.

2^nd Paul Elmes 42-13-0 peg 21 paste.

3^rd Richard Coles 41-07-0 peg 7.

4^th Tony Rixon. 27-02-0 peg 67.

Silvers.

1^st Steve Kedge 18-06-0 peg 47 caster short pole 9 Chub lots of small Roach. He had 6 chub in 6 chucks.

2^nd Gary Etheridge 13-05-0 peg 22.

MURDER IN THE GARDEN.

During the writing of the first my blog sat at the kitchen table with the back door open listening to the bird feeding on the bird feeders.

This happened:-

Looks like a female Sparrow hawk with a dead Starling bird feeders very quiet. Shame I missed the strike but it did take a long time for her to kill it nature is cruel. All from a back garden in Bath who needs the Discovery Channel.

AT THE START.

I have been fishing for as long as I can remember the first fish that I caught was a Dace (eel but they didn't count back then because they were easy.) from Conham on the Lower Bristol Avon. Join the Silver Dace Jnr Fishing Club fish my first match at Chequers again the lower Bristol Avon drew peg 1  caught about  5lb came 4^th and was well and truly hooked . Fast forward 30ish year and a few thousand fishing matches and it about time I started to write my results and thoughts down.