29/05/21 - Todber Manor - Hillview

Weight - 237lb 12oz

Catch - 61 Carp, 2 Skimmers

Weather - Warm & sunny, light breeze

Match - Open 

I had hoped to be fishing Saturday and Sunday, however waking up on Sunday with what turned into the worst migraine I have ever experienced, meant a day in bed and no good for anything.

So, back to Saturday and there were 35 of us over Hillview and Homeground, with everyone wanting to draw Homeground, but I wasn’t disappointed to draw 49 (again!) and following a month of frosts, following by a month of rain, it was also nice to slap on the sun cream rather than the fleeces and waterproofs.

On the all in I started short (1+2) on 6mm pellet and after an hour had 9 carp, but was already 20lb behind Ben Hagg on p50. To be honest I wasn’t going to compete with Ben fishing short as it’s a style he is very good at, although I did pick up on a couple of points for next time. So a switch to fishing down the left margin was required sooner than anticipated, fishing corn over blue ice micros and I caught straight away, but Ben in the meantime caught a 19lber putting me further behind.

Down the margin I soon started foul hooking fish and I felt there were a number of silvers nipping at the corn and switched to fishing Blue Ice Paste over 4s, this was much better and I was also catching a better stamp of fish. I stayed on this for a couple of hours, but it was noticeable the fish were drifting in and out of the swim, but at least I was catching.

With 90mins to go, a switch to fishing meat on my top kit produced a nice run of fish quite quickly which was very welcome, before they drifted off again. The last 30mins was just swapping between the top kit line and the margin.

I weighed 237lb12oz, just behind Ben who had 259lb. I finished 2^nd in section and 3^rd on Hillview, however Homeground fished very well as expected, which meant I came 8^th overall. Looking back the difference between Ben and myself was falling behind in that first hour, plus his big fish, after that I probably made up about half the deficit so was not too disappointed.

1st: Ash Tomkins 325lb 6oz (47 HV)

2nd: Simon Dimment 310lb 12oz (78 HG)

3rd: Tony Gilbert 283lb 6oz (83 HG)

4th: Mark Wynne 269lb 14oz (80 HG)

5th: Andy Cranston 262lb 12oz (85 HG) 

Section A: Greg Welsby 233lb 14oz (44 HV)

Section B: Ben Hagg 259lb 6oz (50 HV)

Section C: Martin Rayet 247lb 6oz (88 HG)

23/05/21 - Glebe - Pool 1

Weight - 83lb (16lb 4oz - silvers)

Catch - 10 Carp, 25 Skimmers, 1 F1, 1 Gudgeon,1 Perch, 1 Roach

Weather - Wind, becoming stronger and rain later.

Match - Sue Marlow MacMillan Caner Charity - day 2

With the already strong breeze likely to strengthen and rain later in the day, I wanted to avoid lakes 1, 4 & 5 as the wind would be blowing straight down them. Sadly, I drew p23 on pool 1, which even on a good day isn’t the best.

120lb came off peg 24 yesterday for 2^nd in section, catching on pellet at 13m, but there was no way that was going to happen today. Fishing 11m was going to be struggle, so settled at 10m, fishing blue ice paste and 2nd put in I had a 7lber. 4th put in I’ve hooked and lost a carp, and that was it, no further bites.

A switch to the feeder, cast to the far bank, with blue ice groundbait and micros only produced a carp and a F1 on 4 dead maggots.

I had set up a 0.7g chimp for skimmers as I suspected it might be difficult and following an unsuccessful spell on the paste, decided to switch to fishing for skimmers, in the hope I could snare a carp or 2 along the way. Initially tried 4mm expander, but the fish were just nipping at the bait, probably because there was quite a bit of tow and a switch to double dead reds was much better. By toss potting a ball of micros with corn, every other put in I caught hand sized skimmers, with the occasional bigger one, plus 1 carp, losing a 2nd.

With 2hrs to go the wind had really picked up and any sort of presentation at 10m was difficult.

A switch to the straight lead and 8mm red gonut pellet 2/3rd across where I had been pinging 8s, produced a further 2 carp.

I had also been feeding 4mm pellet and corn, 2m off my margin in 2½ft and in the last 45mins had 6 decent carp on corn. To be honest, I wondered whether I should have tried the margin earlier, but I needed another 4 more carp to challenge 2nd in section.

Overall happy with the way my match went, it’s just a shame the weather ruined it a little.

1. 204-  7 - Sam Collett - p107 (pool 7)

2. 199-  8 - James Fowkes - p81 (pool 5)

3. 191-  8 - Dom Lanni - p83 (pool 5)

4. 172-  7 - Colin Mercer - p86 (pool 6)

5. 164-  9 - Andy Findlay - p16 (pool 1)

6. 146-  6 - Andy Williams - p1 (pool 1)

22/05/21 - Glebe - Pool 5

Weight - 70lb 5oz (19lb 4oz - silvers)

Catch - 10 Carp, 9 Skimmers, 2 Gudgeon

Weather - Mostly cloudy, sunny periods and showers

Match - Sue Marlow MacMillan Charity - day 1

After last week’s success, I was looking forward to spending the weekend at the Glebe to fish the Sue Marlow MacMillian Cancer charity match. However, heavy rain for most of Friday was likely to put a dampener on proceedings.

Well, my day started well being handed p80 in the middle of pool 5 which I was told was a good draw, although I had 2 good locals at either end of the lake.

I started short on 6mm pellet and had 2 carp in 15mins, and then 2 gudgeon! Which wasn’t a good sign. A switch to the feeder towards the far bank with blue ice micros and groundbait only produced 1 carp, but it was noticeable there was a bit of blanket weed on the far bank, which is a sure sign the fish haven’t started feeding on this line yet.

Coming back on the short line only produced 1 skimmer on pellet and nothing on the paste.

With the sun coming out, I started pinging a few 8s long, but couldn’t get a bite on the waggler, although I had 1 on the straight lead over the same line. After 2hrs I was going nowhere fast with only 4 carp in the net, whilst both ends were catching.

A switch down the margin, tosspotting micros and blue ice flavoured corn, with corn on the hook, produced a few decent skimmers and a couple more carp.

At the halfway stage I had 30lb and was falling behind the 2 end pegs; I manged a couple more skimmers & carp from the margins but I couldn’t keep the line going and needed to rotate.

I tried forcing the peg in an attempt to catch up, including dumping 2 pots of bait over a new short line, which did produce 2 carp on paste but it was a struggle and I was scratching my head wondering what to do next.

In the end I came 4th in section and was glad when the match finished hoping for a better day Sunday.

1. 149-  0 - James Fowkes - p2 (pool 1)
2. 145-  8 - Jamie Adcock - p100 (pool 7)

3. 143-15 - Ian Shore - p92 (pool 6)

4. 140-  3 - Ian Simpson - p73 (pool 4)

5. 138-15 - Steve Porter - p85 (pool 5)

6. 132-  2 - Mark Robinson - p76 (pool 5)

15/05/21 - Glebe - Pool 1

Weight - 151lb 12oz

Catch - 28 Carp, 3 Gudgeon, 1 Skimmer

Weather - Showers most of the day. Breezy to start, calming later

Match - Ivan Marks Memorial - Day 1

Today was the first day of the Ivan Marks Memorial weekend, with 67 anglers over the whole complex, so plenty of room for everyone.

I was handed p4 on pool 1. The lake hasn’t fished well recently, although I was at the right end, but my section included p1 which is normally the flyer.

Started on the cage feeder loaded with So Simple blue ice groundbait and micros, with 3 or 4 dead maggots. After 70 mins I had 4 carp, plus a couple of silvers, which was slow going, but no one else was really catching except for p1.

I had been pinging 6s at 13m and when I switched to my pellet rig, I had 1 carp and lost 2 foul hookers. After cupping in a few pellets, a switch back to the feeder only produced 1 more carp and back on the pellet rig at 13m produced another foul hooker.

There was a breeze blowing right to left and I had decided against fishing paste long as I thought it might be a bit awkward but felt I needed to at least give it a go. This was the first time I had used the So Simple blue ice paste and it was certainly blue, colouring my hands, but it also left a lovely blue cloud in the water.

After making the switch to paste, I never looked back and caught steadily throughout the rest of the match, including one spell where I added 8 fish for 60lb. It became obvious the fish didn’t want much feed and found it best to feed a few 6s with the paste.

Surprisingly I never had a bite down my margin or 5m line. Come the weigh in I was surprised when p1 only weighed 117lb as I thought he had caught more, but he did say he had lost a few. So pleased to have won my section, but it wasn’t until I collected my winnings that I found out I had won the match overall and was presented with a crystal goblet trophy by Linda Marks, Ivan's wife.

It was a shame I couldn’t fish the 2^nd day, but will be back at the Glebe next weekend for another 2 day charity weekend.

1-      151-12 – Ken Rayner – p4 (pool 1)

      2-      146-  0 – Arthur Billcroft – p100 (pool  7)

      3-      144-  2 – Carl Williams – p84 (pool 5)

      4-      143-  7 – Daz Sly – p95 (pool 6)

      5-      142-  0 – Dave Bailey – p86 (pool 6)

      6-      124-  9 – Mark Griffiths – p89 (pool 6)

09/05/21 - Lands End - Match Lake

Weight - 47lb 8oz (15lb 7oz - silvers)

Catch - 7 Carp, 44 Tench, Crucians, F1s, Skimmers, Roach & Rudd

Weather - Strong southerly breeze, mostly sunny, becoming increasingly cloudy.

Match - Haines Summer Series - rd 1 

Today was the first round of the Haines Summer Series run by Steve Martin and we were at a much changed Lands End, a venue where I was previously a regular, but stopped going following my move to Melksham from Bristol. This was my first visit since Gary made some significant changes. So the venue looked great with much of the bushes and trees cut back as well as new platforms. Also 170 carp had been removed from Match lake and put into I believe no.4 lake and replaced with F1s, crucians and tench. I think resolving the low water levels and silt should be the next task.

Originally, we were supposed to be on Match and Speci lake, but due to a booking error we only had Match lake. Fortunately, a couple dropped out today leaving 17, which still meant the pegging would be a little tight, but not too bad.

I found myself on p11 and my section ran from p10 to p17. Looking at past results p11 best weight was 37lb, with the better weights typically coming from between 13 to 17. That said the southerly wind was blowing into my bank and I fancied it for a few.

On the all-in I started short on pellet, hoping for an early carp, but only caught tench, crucians and F1s. I tried by the island, which resulted in very little. So, decided to concentrate on the short line and later an 11m swim at the bottom of the far shelf, feeding 4s (flavoured with So Simple Blue Ice) and occasionally micros, fishing a 4mm expander. To be fair it’s been quite good, catching mostly tench, a few crucians and F1s, plus a big skimmer. However, I noticed that those opposite in my section were now regularly catching carp and I really to catch a few myself.

I had been pinging pellet towards the rope at 14m and started to feed pellet by the p12 pallet in preparation, but unfortunately the long pinging line only produced more small tench and I never had a bite by the p12 pallet.

In the end I managed to find some carp in the last 90mins (5.5hr match) toss potting 6s, with a hair rigged 6mm kriller pellet 16m along the end bank, although the wind made things a little uncomfortable at times.

Come the end, I had the best weight on my bank, but struggled to compete with the pegs opposite, who had also lost as much as they caught! To be honest I was left wondering whether I should have switched to fishing the end bank sooner, as I was only 12lb off claiming 2^nd in section, instead of 5th.  On reflection the fact I had so many small fish in front of me and the fact I could only catch carp in one area would suggest I was on the fringe of the main school.

1. 87-  0 - Cosmo - p16

2. 59-  1 - Nigel Reeves - p13

3. 57-  5 - Steve Martin- p17

4. 54-  6 - Allan Oram - p15

5. 47-  8 - Ken Rayner - p11

 

02/05/2021 - Rood Ashton

Weight - 24lb 7oz

Catch - 6 Carp

Weather - Cold start, sunshine and showers.

Match - Wiltshire Angling Open - 8th out of 21, 1st in section.

A Wiltshire Angling open at Rood Ashton today and with 21 fishing it was always going to be difficult.

Peg 6 put me on the left-hand side of the lawns, which can be a good area, but with 3 of us squeezed onto the lawns we didn’t have much space. Therefore, decided on a simple plan of fishing the feeder at 45m and feed 8mm pellet at 20m to fish the straight lead later, which has always done well for me in the past. I also set up the 2 pole rigs but wasn’t confident I would catch due to the cold and tight pegging. In fact, only I spent 5mins on the pole.

So started on a small 30g method, fishing micros flavoured with So Simple blue ice and eventually caught my first carp after 40mins on a pink 6mm gofter. I caught steadily throughout at a fish every hour! Most came to the pink gofter and 1 on a yellow.

Despite the lack of action, it was noticeable if I got a bite it would be after approximately 10mins, despite leaving the feeder for 30mins on one occasion. I also had to cast beyond my original line to catch my next fish.

My 20m pellet line never produced a bite and it was obvious the bulk of the fish were on the far side of the lake, where most of the weights came from. Fortunately, I won my section with everyone else only having 2 fish each. I think 59lb won the match, unfortunately no photos as dropped my phone in the lake - not for the first time!

At least today, I managed to restock my hooklength box.

01/05/2021 - Todber - Hillview

Weight - 142lb 7oz

Catch - 43 Carp

Weather - Frosty start, sunny, showers later. cold northerly breeze.

Match - Open - 6th out of 42, 2nd in section

So, the blog is back! After nearly 4yrs since my last entry. There were a number of reasons for stopping following some major changes in my life and during lockdown I enjoyed reminiscing when reading through some of my old blogs.

Today’s match was at Todber with 42 anglers over Ash, Hillview and Homeground, and was pleased to draw p49 on the right side of the spit. This was my first match at Todber since last year and John had decided to reduce the match times from 6hrs to 5hrs, which will save time for the weigh ins and the number of required keepnets!

On the all in decided to start on 6mm pellet, dampened with So Simple new Blue Ice boost juice, which I was trialling for Andy. Despite its name the liquid was clear rather than blue and smelt really sweet. Fishing at 9m, I initially thought I had made a mistake as most of those around me who started shorter, started better, whilst it took me 15mins to get my first fish. However, by regularly toss potting pellet I kept going for 90mins, pulling ahead of those that started short. It was steady, rather than hectic and when the swim started to die a switch to corn produced a couple more fish, before pushing out to 11m feeding pellet & corn and fishing corn that I had another run of fish.

By the half way stage my swim completely died, but it felt colder under the increased cloud cover and northerly breeze. I had started feeding meat short, which didn’t produce and the left hand margin, where I fed blue ice flavoured micros and corn only produced 1 fish. Mind you it did weigh 19lb 9oz, which beat my PB by 1oz.

During this mid match period, I was thinking I need to chuck the feeder, but resisted fully expecting the short lines to come to life. Eventually, I got the rod out of the holdall and promptly caught 7 carp on yellow 6mm so simple gofters and micros. Just feel I made this decision a bit too late and probably cost me 5^th or maybe 4^th in the match.

With just under 2hrs to go my margin line started to come to life, toss potting corn and micros fishing double corn, occasionally switching to the short meat line when the margin needed a rest. I know I pulled ahead of Ash Tomkins (p52) and Roy Worth (p55) during those last hours, however Simon Stacey (p60) won the section with 164-11, which was 3^rd overall giving me the section money.

1-      179-  0 – Ash Blunt – p88 (HG)
2-      172-  0 – Joe McMahon – p70 (Ash)
3-      164-12 – Simon Stacey – p60 (HV)
4-      162-  0 – Dave Willmott – p89 (HG)
5-      156-  8 – Callum Dicks – p43 (HV)
6-      142-  7 – Ken Rayner – p49 (HV)