Apologies for the lack of updates, however as some of you know Sue's health hasn't been good recently and thanks for the messages of support, it is appreciated.
2 emergency trips to the hospital, CT scans and MRI scans have revealed no bleeds on the brain or growths, which is the good news. However we are no further forward in identifying the problem, which is causing Sue mobility issues and a lot of head bobbing. She has nicknamed it 'Bobby Jerkins'. If you don't laugh you would cry.
As a consequence, I have very little spare time at the moment and rather than provide a half hearted, late blog I would rather temporarily suspend my writings, until Sue's condition improves.
The irony is in the last 3 matches I've managed a section win and 2 2nd's
Monday 28 September 2015
Sunday 6 September 2015
05/09/15 - Lands End - Match
Weight - 59lb 7oz (10lb 15oz - silvers)
Catch - 9 Carp, 3 Skimmers, 1 Tench, 1 F1, 1 Ide
Weather - Mostly cloudy, following cool start
Match - Open - 7th out of 10 (3rd silvers)
Following Monday's match I was looking forward to today and was pleased to draw p19, which usually provides a few fish and I came 2nd from it 2 months go.
With only 1 silvers pay out today, I didn't see any point setting up any silvers rigs on this peg and decided to focus on the carp, using similar tactics to Monday. The only difference was the inclusion of a meat line at 5m to my right.
Well 5 days is a long time. Starting on the long line pellet rig I hooked a carp after 5mins only for it to fall off. Then I couldn't get another.
A switch to the paste rig down the track failed to produce despite plenty of fizzing in the peg. In fact the paste failed to produce anything down the track all match.
I eventually landed my first fish, a skimmer after 45mins tight to the island toss potting pellet. However I was already falling behind Clint on p18 who catching next to the island bush and Russ on p1.
Must admit the next couple hours was really frustrating. I tried the long line swinging rig and fishing tight to the island with either pellet or paste. Also tried varying the feed, cupping bait in, toss potting and catapulting, but just couldn't get into any rhythm or work how the fish wanted it. In the end I decided to just keep catapulting bait to the point of the island, hoping they would settle later in the match - they didn't and I probably overfed trying to force the peg.
My meat line was also disappointingly slow, producing a tench and only 1 carp. I had also fed my right hand margin with 6s from the off, but only caught 2 carp. I really wasn't going any where.
After catching the tench, I had a F1 and an Ide on pellet fishing across, I considered targeting the silvers, but couldn't see the benefit since I expected someone to be catching silvers. However, hindsight is a wonderful thing. The big skimmers hadn't feed in any numbers and no one was putting together a decent weight.
With an hour to go, I opened a bag of caster that I had left in my carryall not expecting to use them. 3 handfuls were deposited to my left on my top 3. 10mins later fishing double caster, I caught a decent carp, followed by a good skimmer. I then pulled out of what felt like a decent skimmer. I did the same thing to my right with the same result and ended up only 2lb winning the silvers.
A disappointing day, but I don't think the paste will be coming out again this year and I'm not sure the meat will either. Also need to keep my hands out of the bait tubs.
1st 152- 7 - Russ Peck - p1
2nd 150- 6 - Clint Wotlyla - p18
3rd 96- 2 - Matt Tomes - p11
4th 88-11 - Mike West - p15
Silvers
1st 12-13 - Dave Wescott - p7
2nd 11- 0 - Dave Sawyer - p24
3rd 10-15 - Ken Rayner - p19
Catch - 9 Carp, 3 Skimmers, 1 Tench, 1 F1, 1 Ide
Weather - Mostly cloudy, following cool start
Match - Open - 7th out of 10 (3rd silvers)
Following Monday's match I was looking forward to today and was pleased to draw p19, which usually provides a few fish and I came 2nd from it 2 months go.
With only 1 silvers pay out today, I didn't see any point setting up any silvers rigs on this peg and decided to focus on the carp, using similar tactics to Monday. The only difference was the inclusion of a meat line at 5m to my right.
Well 5 days is a long time. Starting on the long line pellet rig I hooked a carp after 5mins only for it to fall off. Then I couldn't get another.
A switch to the paste rig down the track failed to produce despite plenty of fizzing in the peg. In fact the paste failed to produce anything down the track all match.
I eventually landed my first fish, a skimmer after 45mins tight to the island toss potting pellet. However I was already falling behind Clint on p18 who catching next to the island bush and Russ on p1.
Must admit the next couple hours was really frustrating. I tried the long line swinging rig and fishing tight to the island with either pellet or paste. Also tried varying the feed, cupping bait in, toss potting and catapulting, but just couldn't get into any rhythm or work how the fish wanted it. In the end I decided to just keep catapulting bait to the point of the island, hoping they would settle later in the match - they didn't and I probably overfed trying to force the peg.
My meat line was also disappointingly slow, producing a tench and only 1 carp. I had also fed my right hand margin with 6s from the off, but only caught 2 carp. I really wasn't going any where.
After catching the tench, I had a F1 and an Ide on pellet fishing across, I considered targeting the silvers, but couldn't see the benefit since I expected someone to be catching silvers. However, hindsight is a wonderful thing. The big skimmers hadn't feed in any numbers and no one was putting together a decent weight.
With an hour to go, I opened a bag of caster that I had left in my carryall not expecting to use them. 3 handfuls were deposited to my left on my top 3. 10mins later fishing double caster, I caught a decent carp, followed by a good skimmer. I then pulled out of what felt like a decent skimmer. I did the same thing to my right with the same result and ended up only 2lb winning the silvers.
A disappointing day, but I don't think the paste will be coming out again this year and I'm not sure the meat will either. Also need to keep my hands out of the bait tubs.
1st 152- 7 - Russ Peck - p1
2nd 150- 6 - Clint Wotlyla - p18
3rd 96- 2 - Matt Tomes - p11
4th 88-11 - Mike West - p15
Silvers
1st 12-13 - Dave Wescott - p7
2nd 11- 0 - Dave Sawyer - p24
3rd 10-15 - Ken Rayner - p19
Wednesday 2 September 2015
31/08/15 - Lands End - Match
Weight - 135lb 13oz
Catch - 32 Carp, 2 Skimmers
Weather - Damp start, but mostly cloudy and dry
Match - Garry Wall Memorial - 6th out of 28
With 28 fishing today, we were split evenly between Match and Johns Lake. Like yesterday, I wanted to keep it simple, either fishing for silvers or carp. Although not my favourite, p13 was my home for day, which has been very consistent this summer (well they say summer, more like the wet and windy season) and decided to focus on the carp, which meant the silvers rigs could stay on the winders.
I also kept the bait tray simple, focusing on pellet and paste, leaving the meat in the tins since I haven't had much success on it recently. However, it would be interesting to see what effect the extra water would have on the fishing following the lake top up yesterday.
Starting on paste (HB redneck 0.3g > .17 > 12 carp feeder), feeding a few 6s in the toss pot at 10m under the left hand tree, I had 5 carp and a skimmer in the first hour, which was a decent enough start, but moving into the 2nd hour it just felt like the swim was fading.
I had already started feeding 6s to the island and down the right hand margin, ignoring the left hand bank. Whilst the left hand bank at 14-16m looking inviting, I envisaged getting caught in the overhanging branches and I didn't want the hassle. So it was a place of last resort that wasn't required.
A switch to the island with a conventional pellet rig only produced liners, so switched down the right hand margin with the same rig and caught a small carp immediately on 8mm pellet. A switch to paste (HB redneck 0.2g > .17 > 12 carp feeder) produced more positive bites, plus I could pull a bit harder to keep the fish from getting under the p14 platform.
By the half way point it looked like Anton Page on p18 was easily winning. Russ Peck on p15 was slightly ahead of me thanks to some better fish, but at least I was heading in the right direction. To rest my margin I targeted the island again, this time with a long line pellet rig and caught a few carp on 8mm pellet, but it was hard work. I got the impression the fish would have preferred it had I been able to present the rig tight to the island, because Russ was catching (and losing) plenty fishing tight. I was a metre short and a 17m pole extension will be ordered soon!
Back under the left hand tree only produced 1 more carp, whilst a 6m swim fed from the off with 6s was providing plenty of blows, but no actual fish on either pellet or paste. they just didn't want to settle in the deeper water.
With 2 hours to go, I suffered a dodgy 30min spell where I couldn't catch, then lost 3 fish on the bounce, before the fish returned.
In the end I had nice days fishing, plenty of banter with Russ, over 100lb and it even stayed dry. I could have done a few more bigger fish to get into the frame, but otherwise felt I fished a decent match - haven't been able to say that too many times recently.
1st 197- 2 Anton Page - p13
2nd 176- 4 - Tom Mangnall - p21
3rd 154- 7 - Craig Edmunds - p62
4th 149-11 - Russ Peck - p15
5th 136- 2 - Nick Duckett - p19
6th 135-13 - Ken Rayner - p13
Silvers
1st 30- 4 - Chris Fox - p9
2nd 17- 7 - Nigel Bartlett - p22
3rd 17- 5 - Ryan J - p11
Catch - 32 Carp, 2 Skimmers
Weather - Damp start, but mostly cloudy and dry
Match - Garry Wall Memorial - 6th out of 28
With 28 fishing today, we were split evenly between Match and Johns Lake. Like yesterday, I wanted to keep it simple, either fishing for silvers or carp. Although not my favourite, p13 was my home for day, which has been very consistent this summer (well they say summer, more like the wet and windy season) and decided to focus on the carp, which meant the silvers rigs could stay on the winders.
I also kept the bait tray simple, focusing on pellet and paste, leaving the meat in the tins since I haven't had much success on it recently. However, it would be interesting to see what effect the extra water would have on the fishing following the lake top up yesterday.
Starting on paste (HB redneck 0.3g > .17 > 12 carp feeder), feeding a few 6s in the toss pot at 10m under the left hand tree, I had 5 carp and a skimmer in the first hour, which was a decent enough start, but moving into the 2nd hour it just felt like the swim was fading.
I had already started feeding 6s to the island and down the right hand margin, ignoring the left hand bank. Whilst the left hand bank at 14-16m looking inviting, I envisaged getting caught in the overhanging branches and I didn't want the hassle. So it was a place of last resort that wasn't required.
A switch to the island with a conventional pellet rig only produced liners, so switched down the right hand margin with the same rig and caught a small carp immediately on 8mm pellet. A switch to paste (HB redneck 0.2g > .17 > 12 carp feeder) produced more positive bites, plus I could pull a bit harder to keep the fish from getting under the p14 platform.
By the half way point it looked like Anton Page on p18 was easily winning. Russ Peck on p15 was slightly ahead of me thanks to some better fish, but at least I was heading in the right direction. To rest my margin I targeted the island again, this time with a long line pellet rig and caught a few carp on 8mm pellet, but it was hard work. I got the impression the fish would have preferred it had I been able to present the rig tight to the island, because Russ was catching (and losing) plenty fishing tight. I was a metre short and a 17m pole extension will be ordered soon!
Back under the left hand tree only produced 1 more carp, whilst a 6m swim fed from the off with 6s was providing plenty of blows, but no actual fish on either pellet or paste. they just didn't want to settle in the deeper water.
With 2 hours to go, I suffered a dodgy 30min spell where I couldn't catch, then lost 3 fish on the bounce, before the fish returned.
In the end I had nice days fishing, plenty of banter with Russ, over 100lb and it even stayed dry. I could have done a few more bigger fish to get into the frame, but otherwise felt I fished a decent match - haven't been able to say that too many times recently.
1st 197- 2 Anton Page - p13
2nd 176- 4 - Tom Mangnall - p21
3rd 154- 7 - Craig Edmunds - p62
4th 149-11 - Russ Peck - p15
5th 136- 2 - Nick Duckett - p19
6th 135-13 - Ken Rayner - p13
Silvers
1st 30- 4 - Chris Fox - p9
2nd 17- 7 - Nigel Bartlett - p22
3rd 17- 5 - Ryan J - p11
Tuesday 1 September 2015
30/08/15 - Viaduct - Campbell
Weight - 43lb 11oz (18lb 10oz - silvers)
Catch - 5 Carp, 25 Skimmers, 10 Roach, 3 Tench
Weather - Mostly cloudy, heavy showers and sunny periods
Match - Float Only - final round - 4th out of 38 - silvers
I nearly didn't make this match, because Sapphire has pulled a muscle in her one and only front leg whist chasing foxes out of the garden. As a consequence I have had to carry her in and out of the garden for toilet duties. Fortunately on Saturday she was a little more mobile, even if she was uncomfortable.
This blog wont be long, because I cocked up the last 2 hours trying to force the peg. Being the final round of Tony's Float Only League and with nothing to fish for following a poor series I just wanted to catch a few fish, be that carp or silvers. P125 put me in the right area for silvers. A quick chat with Steve Long confirmed my thoughts, so unless I was sat on a load of carp I settled on the idea of catching a few silvers. To be honest I wanted a day on the silvers to rest my back which was playing me up recently. A trip to the osteopath has been booked.
The first hour was spent looking for carp on paste at 5m and 14m, however despite hooking 4 (not necessarily in the right place) only landing 1, plus a big skimmer.
A switch to the 11m line where I fed 2 balls of special G groundbait and I soon started catching mostly hand size skimmers on 6mm pellet, with the occasional slightly bigger fish. Topping up with a nugget of groundbait kept the fish coming, although the lack of any decent skimmers was a concern, particularly since I could see Paul Blake on p124 and Gordon Cannings on p127 catching good skimmers on meat in amongst their carp. I had also set up a 5m line, but this never got going, only producing a couple of small skimmers and a 9lb carp.
My right hand margin had been fed with caster/corn and only corn down the left, hoping for some tench later on. I had a run of small roach on caster, but felt I needed some better fish, so stuck with worm or corn on the hook which produced a couple of skimmers and 3 tench.
In an effort to pull in some better skimmers and with 2 hours left, I fed some 4s in my groundbait. This was a mistake, because the swim started fizzing too much and I struggled to get a proper bite. The skimmers just wouldn't settle. In hindsight had I stuck with simply topping up with a nugget of plain groundbait I could have caught the extra 3lb needed to claim 2nd in silvers. All the silvers weights above me were accidental big skimmers on meat.
Speaking to Steve after the match, he confirmed the skimmers have been tricky to catch recently and have been shying away from too much pellet.
1st 175- 4 - Craig Edmunds - p76
2nd 173-14 - Chris Fox - p115
3rd 170- 13 - Chris Davis - p116
4th 162- 2 - Steve Seagar - p118
5th 159-11 - Neil Mercer - p97
6th 158- 3 - Shaun Townsend - p100
Silvers
1st 31- 5 - Gordon Cannings - p127
2nd 21-12 - Paul Blake - p124
3rd 20- 2 - Mike Walker - p112
4th 18-10 - Ken Rayner - p125
Catch - 5 Carp, 25 Skimmers, 10 Roach, 3 Tench
Weather - Mostly cloudy, heavy showers and sunny periods
Match - Float Only - final round - 4th out of 38 - silvers
I nearly didn't make this match, because Sapphire has pulled a muscle in her one and only front leg whist chasing foxes out of the garden. As a consequence I have had to carry her in and out of the garden for toilet duties. Fortunately on Saturday she was a little more mobile, even if she was uncomfortable.
This blog wont be long, because I cocked up the last 2 hours trying to force the peg. Being the final round of Tony's Float Only League and with nothing to fish for following a poor series I just wanted to catch a few fish, be that carp or silvers. P125 put me in the right area for silvers. A quick chat with Steve Long confirmed my thoughts, so unless I was sat on a load of carp I settled on the idea of catching a few silvers. To be honest I wanted a day on the silvers to rest my back which was playing me up recently. A trip to the osteopath has been booked.
The first hour was spent looking for carp on paste at 5m and 14m, however despite hooking 4 (not necessarily in the right place) only landing 1, plus a big skimmer.
A switch to the 11m line where I fed 2 balls of special G groundbait and I soon started catching mostly hand size skimmers on 6mm pellet, with the occasional slightly bigger fish. Topping up with a nugget of groundbait kept the fish coming, although the lack of any decent skimmers was a concern, particularly since I could see Paul Blake on p124 and Gordon Cannings on p127 catching good skimmers on meat in amongst their carp. I had also set up a 5m line, but this never got going, only producing a couple of small skimmers and a 9lb carp.
My right hand margin had been fed with caster/corn and only corn down the left, hoping for some tench later on. I had a run of small roach on caster, but felt I needed some better fish, so stuck with worm or corn on the hook which produced a couple of skimmers and 3 tench.
In an effort to pull in some better skimmers and with 2 hours left, I fed some 4s in my groundbait. This was a mistake, because the swim started fizzing too much and I struggled to get a proper bite. The skimmers just wouldn't settle. In hindsight had I stuck with simply topping up with a nugget of plain groundbait I could have caught the extra 3lb needed to claim 2nd in silvers. All the silvers weights above me were accidental big skimmers on meat.
Speaking to Steve after the match, he confirmed the skimmers have been tricky to catch recently and have been shying away from too much pellet.
1st 175- 4 - Craig Edmunds - p76
2nd 173-14 - Chris Fox - p115
3rd 170- 13 - Chris Davis - p116
4th 162- 2 - Steve Seagar - p118
5th 159-11 - Neil Mercer - p97
6th 158- 3 - Shaun Townsend - p100
Silvers
1st 31- 5 - Gordon Cannings - p127
2nd 21-12 - Paul Blake - p124
3rd 20- 2 - Mike Walker - p112
4th 18-10 - Ken Rayner - p125
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