11/01/26 - Hillview - Canal 4

Weight - 35lb 6oz

Catch - 8 Carp, 4 F1, 1 Perch

Weather - Lakes stilled ice over, became increasingly mild and windy

Match - Tackle Den (15 fished) - 4th overall, 2nd on lake.

The first Tackle Den match of the year and we were at Hillview on the Canals 2, 3 & 4.

Although the weather forecast was for much milder conditions, there would be gale force winds and still the expectation of breaking ice. As a result, we had a few dropouts, with only 15 fishing, which meant we were now on Canals 3 & 4.

I was quite pleased to draw p87 on canal 4, as it meant I wouldn’t be at the windward end of the lake where the wind would blow any ice.

After breaking the ice, creating a channel to the far bank I set up my rigs. On the all-in I shouldn’t have been surprised the ice was shifting already. I started across tapping in a few maggots and soon caught an F1, by which point my channel had nearly closed up.

The ice was already clearing from the pegs to my right, and a pair of ducks arrived. So, I started feeding maggot on the ice letting the ducks break the rest of the ice for me. In the meantime, I caught a perch and a small carp on maggot fishing next to the p88 platform. Surprisingly these were the only fish I caught here.

After an hour the ice had pretty much cleared my swim, however the issue was the wind had picked up making presentation on the pole difficult to the point I couldn’t fish tight to the far bank, so I concentrated on fishing the deep water in front of the pampas grass.

Since I was struggling to get a bite on the pole, I thought I would try the straight lead catching a carp on maggot, but it was much slower than expected and I only had 1 more carp late on. I even tried dobbin bread and then maggot, but the wind was a problem and I didn’t have any bites.

With an hour remaining I probably had 15lb, level with Luke and Pete to my left, whilst Matt and Simon were both ahead of me. The wind dropped slightly so I concentrated on the deep water in front of the pampas grass, tapping in maggot and started to get some regular bites, having a strong finish the match, catching 2 carp in the last 5mins allowing me to sneak into 2^nd on the lake. The best rig fishing 0.09 bottom to a 20 F1 pellet hook and 8 elastic.

1.    44-13 – Matt Greaves – p91 (canal 4)

2.    40-15 – Andy Bartlett – p73 (canal 3)

3.    35-10 – Andy Dixie – p82 (canal 3)

4.    35-  6 – Ken Rayner – p87 (canal 4)

5.    34-  2 – Simon Collins – p89 (canal 4)

10/01/26 - Harescombe - Match

Weight - 10lb 13oz

Catch - 5 Carp, 1 F1

Weather - Cold & sunny. Swim iced over

Match - Winter League - rd 6 (14 fished) - 9th overall, 4th in section

Another cold week and the final round of the Winter League on Match Lake. After another freezing night the question was had the lake refrozen after defrosting the previous day. On arrival pegs 15 & 16 were covered in ice, but otherwise the lake was clear.

Match results during the week suggested the majority of the fish had been caught in the early numbers, so I wasn’t sure where I wanted to draw. Normally I would have been over the moon to draw p15, however I needed to break the ice and the peg has struggled in the last 2 matches.

Breaking the ice was relatively straightforward, although I was concerned about creating too much disturbance and only broke the ice to the bridge. I didn’t bother breaking the ice towards the point of the island, as I expected the ice to melt away when the sun came out. Sadly, this was a mistake, as the ice started to reform in the area I had cleared whilst I was setting up and the temperature during the day didn’t get above 3-4c and there was no wind to help the melting process.

On the all-in I started at 10m over a small ball of groundbait, fishing a single pinkie or maggot, but I couldn’t get a bite. Eventually, I caught my first fish on maggot after 2hrs fishing further towards the bridge but couldn’t catch as quickly as Phil opposite on p16 as the fish just didn’t want to come my side of the lake.

A switch to fishing a 4mm expander, produced a couple of better stamp fish and with an hour remaining, Allan on p14 thought I might be leading the section. Unfortunately, I only had 1 fish in the last hour, really regretting not breaking the ice towards the island as I needed somewhere else to go.

I finished the match 4^th in section, dropping from 3^rd to 7^th in the league which was disappointing.

Well done to top 3 Chris, Nigel and Allan. This series just hasn’t gone my way, with some difficult draws and even when I drew spot-on, I couldn’t fish my peg as I wanted.

1.    27-12 – Phil Stone – p16

2.    27-10 – Andy Fry – p2

3.    24-  0 – Rich Churchill – p6

4.    20-11 – Allan Oram – p14

03/01/26 - Harescombe - Doughnut

Weight - 13lb 1oz

Catch - 4 Carp

Weather - Cold, sunny, northerly breeze.

Match - Winter League (13 fished) - 11th overall, 4th in section

Another cold week and a forecast heavy overnight frost meant the ice breaker was packed into the car.

At the draw we had 2 no shows and the draw was completed with all pegs in. I drew p17, with my section running from p11 to p19. I was reasonably happy, although I would have preferred p19 as its closer to the ‘hot’ pegs in the 20s. I was a little concerned as p13 hadn’t been drawn with Nigel Reeves on p11 (who was lying 2^nd in the league) and Allan Oram on p15.

When I arrived at the lake, there was ice from p11 round to p26. Fortunately, it was fairly thin, and I wasn’t concerned about breaking it up as I felt it would drift around anyway as it melted and any fish, I hooked from the far side I could use the pole to break the ice. Also, I was hoping everyone throwing their ice breakers would push the fish towards me.

On the all-in I started dobbin bread, before switching to maggot, hooking a carp that came off as I was shipping back.

With an hour gone I hooked another carp fishing on the deck (in 3ft of water) with double pinkie that was safely landed. I soon hooked another on the maggot dobbin rig, but as the fish kited left the pole jammed against a thick piece of ice and the hook pulled.

Soon after the ice had completely cleared from my peg drifting into the 20s. The northerly breeze was proving to be a real pain, as I had to fish the full 16m to get to the far side, however the wind was just strong enough to make it very awkward.

I tried the straight lead, a tiny cage feeder and a maggot feeder, but other than 1 lost fish I was struggling to get a bite. In the meantime, Allan and Nigel both started catching on the maggot feeder, and Sean on p19 had also caught a couple of fish on the method.

I knew there were fish under the small bush opposite me, but the wind and later the sun meant I couldn’t ether present the rig properly or I couldn’t see the float! Eventually I caught 2 more carp on the straight lead and maggot tight to the far bank, right of the small bush, but knew I would be bottom of my section.

Somehow (more by luck than judgement) other results went my way and I’m still lying 3^rd in the league, but it is now very tight for the final round.

1.    55-  9 – Rich Churchill – p5

2.    46-13 – Tom Driver – p23

3.    44-13 – Simon Duke – p20

4.    43-  1 – Paul Dunford – p21

29/12/25 - Todber Manor - Hillview

Weight - 32lb 0oz (2lb 8oz - silvers)

Catch - 9 Carp, 9 Skimmers

Weather - Cold & cloudy. Cold north easterly

Match - Open (20 fished) - 1st overall

Mark had a full house today thanks to an equal pay out for overall and silver winners per section of 5. I quite fancied a day on the silvers and when I drew p45 thought that’s what I would be doing.

However, I soon found out that the previous match had been won from p44. The question was would the fish still be here following the change in weather. Today, the north easterly breeze was blowing off my left shoulder, and the water temperature was only 3.7c.

On the all-in I started on the bomb and bread cast ¾ of the away across to the island. Within a minute the tip rapped round, but the fish came off halfway across. With no more indications, a switch to the maggot feeder produced a few liners, but no carp, so I went back to the lead fishing corn this time and at last netted a carp.

No more followed and I decided to try the pole at 13m fishing corn (boosted with baninion) over micros (boosted with BMG) pinging 4mm baninion pellet over the top, catching 2 carp. Despite trying later in the match these were the only carp I caught over this line.

Back out on the lead and corn, I stayed on this for a couple of hours and knew I was comfortably winning my section. With an 1hr 45mins to go I stopped catching and all the liners had also stopped. I felt the fish had moved off to my right settling in front of the silver fish anglers on p47 and 48.

After unsuccessfully trying the corn line at 13m, I fed a small ball of groundbait (BMGX: GCS) with BMG micros at 13m to my left. Fishing double reds I caught 9 small skimmers in 45mins, before returning to the straight lead and corn for the last 45mins, but I never had another fish.

On the all-out I think everyone was relieved for the match to finish as the fishing had been extremely hard. Roll on spring.

1.    32-  0 – Ken Rayner – p45

2.    30-14 – Simon Stacey – p37

3.    26-  8 – Rich Yeo – p42

4.    22-  9 – Lee Jan – p51

5.    20-  2 – Barry Robson – p52

Silvers

1.    10-  8 – Guy Manton – p54

2.      7-  6 – Mark Blake – p47

3.      7-  3 – Jack Stamp – p57

28/12/25 - Harescombe - Doughnut

Weight - 11lb 7oz

Catch - 4 Carp, 1 F1

Weather - Cold and cloudy

Match - Open (12 fished) - 9th overall, 4th in section

The first match since Christmas and I decided to fish the Doughnut Lake with next weeks winter league match in mind.

I drew p28 at the narrowest end of the lake. Although a few fish had been caught in the area during the previous weeks, I felt I might be a week late, as the wind has switched to a north easterly, blowing down this end of the lake and it was certainly feeling cold.

Arriving at my peg confirmed my fears as the colour had dropped out of the lake, the water temperature had dropped to 5.7c and water was gushing in from the inlet pipe (this was turned off before the match started).

Well, the first 3hrs was uneventful, losing 3 foul hookers fishing tight to the far bank. In fact, you could see the fish just swimming around the island but not stopping.

With 2hs remaining I caught my first carp on maggot over a nugget of groundbait (Top G: Crushed Expander) from the far bank, adding a second soon after. I had 2 more in quick succession fishing at 14.5m to the point of the island off to my right and an F1 on the straight lead.

I just felt the fish didn’t want to stay in the peg and I couldn’t compete, preferring the wider areas of the lake.

1.    60-15 – George Organ – p24

2.    53-  7 – Simon Duke – p18

3.    43-12 – Steve Ford – p8

4.    34-10 – Allan Oram – p21

21/12/25 - Harescombe - Doughnut

Weight - 33lb 12oz

Catch - 14 F1s, 9 Carp

Weather - Mild, cloudy, light breeze.

Match - Knock-up (8 fished) - 3rd overall

Steve Venn ran a knock up on Doughnut, although I think he was hoping for a few more than the 8 that turned up. At least it meant the lake should fish better than yesterday. Also, the wind was much lighter than yesterday, that would make the fishing more comfortable.

P22 for me which was in the right area. I couldn’t fish tight to the far bank due to the sedges in the water and overhanging branches which would limit where I could fish.

I tried dobbin maggot where I could along the far bank without success and soon switched to fishing maggot (covered in red multi bait dye) over a nugget of groundbait (Top G : Crushed Expander).

I soon started catching some of the newly stocked F1s (8oz each) but was already falling behind Simon and Steve to my right who both started catching carp.

I tried a short maggot line, but I only had 1 carp, so most of the match was spent fishing across over 2 spots. I had to keep alternating between tapping in maggot or feeding nuggets of groundbait to keep the fish coming.

As the match progressed, more carp started to put in an appearance, landing 3 in the last 15mins, but it was a case of too little, too late.

1.    41-  3 – Simon Collins – p20

2.    36-  0 – Steve Venn – p18

3.    33-12 – Ken Rayner – p22

20/12/25 - Harescombe - Doughnut

Weight - 18lb 11oz

Catch - 7 Carp

Weather - Bright & sunny. Blustery wind.

Match - Christmas Match (37 fished) - 10th overall, 1st in section

The Harescombe Christmas match with 18 on Match Lake and 19 on Doughnut. I drew p5 on Doughnut and knew I was fishing for section only, as combined with a gusty right to left wind, it would make for a tricky day.

On the in-all I started on bomb and bread, then tried fishing across on the pole in 3ft of water tapping in maggot and nuggets of Top G groundbait, before switching to a maggot feeder without success.

The wind combined with the tow, that was going with the wind was making presentation difficult. Eventually I netted my first fish on the pole after 1hr 45min that was foul hooked, soon followed by a 2^nd that was hooked properly, before the wind got too much again.

It was frustrating because there were fish in the area, as I would get liners when fishing the tip, but couldn’t get a bite.

I had been feeding a short maggot line from the start and halfway through the match I gave it a go and caught 3 carp in 15mins. Unfortunately, and surprisingly I never had another fish off this line.

Towards the end the match the wind dropped a little, adding a further 2 carp from the far line. I knew I had won my section, as no one else had more than 2 carp.

Back at the café, Cathryn had laid on pork rolls, apple sauce, stuffing and chips that was very welcome after a cold, challenging day.

1.    56-  9 – Chris Cameron – p25 (Doughnut)

2.    33-13 – Allan Oram – p28 (Doughnut)

3.    31-  9 – Simon Penny – p17 (Match)

4.    30-13 – Steve Ford – p17 (Doughnut)

5.    21-13 – Ian Didcote – p20 (Doughnut)

6.    21-12 – Kev Parry – p15 (Match)