26/07/26 - Hillview - Canal 4

Weight - 129lb 13oz

Catch - 43 Carp, 3 F1, 1 Tench, 1 Perch

Weather - Warm & sunny, but windy. 

Match - Tackle Den (17 fished) - 4th overall, 2nd in section

For today’s match we were over canals 2, 3 and 4 and I was very happy to draw p83, an end peg on canal 4, particularly as the wind was blowing into my end of the lake.

I had bought 5pts of caster expecting to catch shallow and there were plenty of fish showing themselves.

On the all-in I tried mugging a couple of fish early without success, not least helped by loads of branches and cut reeds that had blown into my swim. So, I switched to fishing 6mm pellet over 4s, down the right margin and down the end bank at 5m. This only produced a couple of fish, so I was soon trying to catch shallow on caster, but the wind was proving to be a real pain.

I caught a couple of fish, before one snagged me in a branch, prompting me to go round to try and clear the worst of the snags. To be honest I was pretty annoyed as I lost 4 fish to

various snags, which was clearly avoidable had more care been taken when gardening.

Back to the shallow line and I couldn’t catch, although the wind was increasingly getting stronger making feeding difficult. Looking down the lake, I could see John Brady who is a good shallow angler also struggling so I didn’t feel too bad about not catching.

I decided to return to my pellet swims and started to catch well. Due to the snags and the fact, I was catching more carp than F1s I switched from 4x10 rig to 4x12 and stronger elastic.

I kept going alternating between the 2 swims for a couple of hours, before I started foul hooking fish. I had pre-soaked some micros just in case I wanted to fish paste (the rule being you can only use fishery pellet and you can’t cup in the paste). First drop into the right margin I had a 8lber and stayed on this for a couple hours alternating between the right margin and a new swim down the left side of my nets.

With 30mins my paste rig snapped above the float, so I reverted back to fishing pellet and kept catching but the swims had slowed. As a back-up, I had fed pellet at 5m down the track resulting in a final run of fish before the end of the match.

I was fairly sure I had won my lake with about 150-155lb. The weigh in started at the other end of the canal and I followed the scales. When we got to my peg I realised one of my 5 nets had been blown into the water by a strong gust of wind. When I recovered it there were only 4 fish remaining and I reckon I lost about 20-25lb.

So instead of winning the match I ended up 4^th overall – gutted but I only have myself to blame.

1.    143-  4 – John Brady – p88 (canal 4)

2.    139-  9 – Steve Venn – p76 (canal 3)

3.    132-14 – Andy Dixey – p74 (canal 3)

4.    129-13 – Ken Rayner – p83 (canal 4)

5.    122-11 – Darren Lawrence – p79 (canal 3)

6.    111-12 – Vince Grillo – p72 (canal 3)                                                                                                         

25/07/26 - Harescombe - Match Lake

Weight - 121lb 6oz

Catch - 27 Carp, 14 F1, 4 Skimmers

Weather - Warm & sunny

Match - Summer Series rd4 (12 fished) - 2nd in section, 3rd overall

The 4^th round of the Summer Series and I really needed a good draw and result to put me back in the running for the league.

P6 was not what was required and felt p1 and p14 would be tough to beat.

I decided against taking meat and brought caster to fish shallow instead. I still mixed up some So Simple Kriller paste and started tight to the island but couldn’t get a clean bite so didn’t waste too much time making it work.

A switch to fishing 6mm baninion pellet over 4mm pellet at 2+2 to my left at the bottom of the shelf resulted in my first fish. Over the first hour I picked up the occasional fish mostly on pellet from the left-hand swim or down the right margin.

In the meantime, I had been prepping a shallow caster line and when I went over this line I couldn’t catch, giving up after 15mins, not least because the wind was proving to be a pain.

This meant, the 2^nd hour was slow and I felt I was overcomplicating things. So, I just focused on fishing pellet, returning to my right- and left-hand swims. The left-hand swim proved to be the best, whilst the right margin didn’t feel right so I switched to fishing at the bottom of the marginal shelf which proved to be much better.

With 2 hours remaining I moved to my margins over 3 swims (pinging 4s to the p5 pallet, down the left side of my keepnets and the right margin where I fed micros, hemp and 4s) fishing paste.

With 45mins remaining the swims closest to me just dried up. Fortunately, I could still catch by the p5 pallet and the occasional fish over the left-hand pellet swim. Since the margins had stopped, I decided to start a new swim at 2+2 feeding micros and 4s, resulting in a final good run.

Unfortunately for me Andy Jane won my section breaking the lake match record by 4oz, catching mostly on caster. I at least finished 2^nd in section weighing a PB for this lake.

1.    170-11 – Andy Jane – p13

2.    152-  3 – Steve Brown – p18

3.    121-  6 – Ken  Rayner – p6

4.    114-  7 – Steve Partington – p15

23/07/26 - Harescombe - Match Lake

Weight - 75lb 7oz

Catch - 21 Carp, 11 F1, 1 Roach

Weather - Warm & sunny

Match - Open (14 fished) - 8th overall

I fished todays open in preparation for next Saturdays Summer League and the lake has been fishing well with a new match of 170lb 7oz had been set a couple of days ago.

I drew p25 and to be honest I wasn’t happy as you are pegged next to the end bank, which would reduce my options. I would have preferred to have been on p24, however the platform was a bit wobbly (Gary has since repaired it).

So far fishing paste has been a bit hit and miss, and not as productive as last year. The same applied to fishing meat, but I was sure with the lake now fishing so well these baits would come into their own. Just in case they didn’t I set up a couple of pellet rigs as back up.

On the all-in I started on So Simple Kriller paste down the left margin, but only had knocks from small fish, in fact the tiny roach were a right pain at times.

I eventually caught a carp after 30mins on meat against the end bank but couldn’t catch another.

2 hours into the match I had 3 fish in the net and I really wondered what was going on.

I had been pinging 4mm baninion pellet towards p24, and when I switched fishing a 6mm baninion I at last started to catch. When the swim needed a rest, I caught a couple of fish fishing to the far bank corner with paste (I couldn’t fish a pellet rig due to scum blowing into the swim).

Going into the last hour I had been feeding micros and 4s either side on a top kit +1 and had a really good late run all on paste.

Sadly, the poor start cost me as I was only 9lb off claiming the section.

1.    139-  5 – Mick O’Brien – p10

2.    132-  8 – Ian Sutton – p15

3.      89-  3 – Martin Hook – p14

4.      87-  7 – Phil Auger – p8

5.      84-12 – Gary Townsend – p22

18/06/26 - Ivy House - Old Match Lake

Weight - 94lb 14oz (11lb 10oz - silvers)

Catch - 38 Carp, 25 Skimmers, 3 Roach

Weather - Warm & sunny

Match - Open (12 fished) - 6th overall

I had originally intended to go to Harescombe today, however with only 3 booked in the match was cancelled. So, I booked into Ivy House on the Old Match Lake instead.

P16 for me, only one away from where I was last Sunday and the rigs were pretty much the same.

On the all-in I started at 13m fishing So Simple Kriller paste, feeding a few damped fishery 4s boosted with Kriller Sludge and I got off to a good start catching 5 carp in 20mins. Coming a little closer at 11m I kept catching for the remainder of the first hour, before the swim faded.

The second hour was difficult, trying the method towards the island for only a few fish and trying shallow proved fruitless.

Going back to the paste I started catching again and the during the 2^nd hour of the match concentrated on fishing at 5m and down the right margin. Although I did manage to mug one decent carp on 8mm pellet, most of the of carp I caught were mostly stockies, which were replaced by skimmers for a while over the 5m line.

The margin was a little hit and miss. Feeding 4s, corn and occasionally micros, I could see fish coming in and I would catch a couple of fish, but they wouldn’t stay in the shallow water due to the bright, flat conditions.

By the all-out I had plenty of bites, but too many stockies and skimmers. Had I caught the same stamp of carp as last week, I would have had about 115lb. So, a little disappointed to finish with 94lb, but an enjoyable day, nonetheless.

1.    183-  3 – Mick Lane – p7

2.    138-12 – Mitch Rowlands – p10

3.    131-  7 – Tim Hadland – p1

4.    130-10 – Harry Rowlands – p8

5.    112-11 – Alan Smith – p15

12/07/26 - Ivy House - Old Match Lake

Weight - 78lb 6oz 

Catch - 27 Carp, 4 F1s, 6 Skimmers

Weather - Sun & sunny

Match - Tackle Den (17 fished) - 4th overall, 2nd in section

With all 18 pegs in, it was always going to be a difficult match and I wanted to avoid drawing the middle of the far bank in the teens as the pegs here are a little tighter. So, I was disappointed to draw p15.

Also, due to the hot weather the match was cut to 5hrs and the net limit lowered to 40lb.

On the all-in I started at 14m fishing So Simple Kriller paste, just feeding a few 6mm fishery pellet, hoping for a couple of early bonus fish. After 25mins I had 3 fish for 10lb.

A switch to fishing the method loaded with fishery micros boosted with Kriller Sludge and Fluro Crush, fishing a 6mm yellow or pink wafter, produced some very small carp. I tried fishing the straight lead and 8mm pellet to hopefully target a better stamp fish. I never had a bite, but after immediately retrying the method caught a couple of better stamp fish.

Whilst fishing the method I prepped a shallow 14m line feeding 6mm pellet, trying a couple of different shallow rigs without success.

I had also been feeding pellet over a 5m line. Initially, fishing a 6mm pellet, catching a couple of carp. Switching to paste after resting the swim I had a good run of fish for 90mins, just feeding 6s after each fish.

With an hour remaining a few skimmers showed and the swim slowed, so I fed a ½ cup of micros and 4s to kick start the swim but only had 2 more fish over this line.

I also tried the method in the last hour without success and despite feeding micros and 4s down my right margin (more in hope than expectation) I had no indications other than from silvers, which wasn’t a surprise.

Andy Dixey won the match next to me thanks to a late run down his margin as Terry on the other side of him wasn’t feeling well after taking a tumble in the car park and packed up early. Hopefully you’re ok.

To be fair I was quite happy to claim 4^th overall from where I was, it was just a shame the last hour just died on me.

1.    114-10 – Andy Dixey – p16

2.      90-  7 – John Brady – p6

3.      85-  1 – Cliff Dutton – p5

4.      78-  6 – Ken Rayner – p15

5.      77-10 – Darren Lawrence – p13

 

11/06/26 - Harescombe - Doughnut

Weight - 160lb 6oz

Catch - 47 Carp

Weather - Hot & sunny.

Match - Summer Series rd 3 (12 fished) - 3rd overall, 3rd in section

The 3^rd round of the Summer Series and the rotation meant we were on Doughnut Lake. When I arrived at the café I saw Chris Cameron, who was subbing for Steve Brown, so I really wanted to avoid drawing in the same section as him. Well, I failed and ended up next to him, which meant collecting a section win just got a little bit harder.

Plumbing up was a concern, as any flat areas were either 8ins or over 3ft, sloping away to 5ft. This meant, following the recent hot weather fishing shallow was likely to be the main tactic.

I did try catching on paste in the shallow water, tight to the island catching a couple of carp, but it wasn’t as good as I expected. I also kept feeding pellet over a top kit line in 5ft of water fishing paste for 1 foul hooker and a swim fed with meat in 3ft off to my right never produced a bite.

90% of my fish came shallow on 6mm baninion or kriller pellet, either mugging or catching in the feed at 6m or 14m. At the halfway point I only had 15 fish, probably because I was rotating methods trying to work out what was working best. Fortunately, the second half was much better and frustrating at the same time, as I had a really good run particularly over the short line, before struggling forcing a switch to the far bank.

In the end 160lb was just shy of my personal best for the lake, however I got well beaten by Chris and Andy Jane who also caught shallow. To be honest shallow pellet fishing isn’t my strongest discipline, and it showed today.

1.   308-  5 – Chris Cameron – p15

2.    201-  9 – Andy Jane – p20

3.    160-  6 – Ken Rayner – p17

4.    131-13 – Gary Townsend – p5

5.    106-  9 – Steve Partington – p3

02/07/26 - Lavington - Ellis

Weight - 64lb 15oz (15lb 9oz - silvers)

Catch - 8 Carp, 10 Bream, 2 Hybrid, 2 Tench, 1 Perch, 1 Rudd, 1 Chub

Weather - Warm & sunny

Match - Club Evening (9 fished) - 3rd overall

I missed the first evening (3hr) match and last weeks match was cancelled due to the hot weather resulting in a temporary keepnet ban.

Due to the increasing number of silvers in the lake, I wasn’t sure whether meat would be as effective as in previous years and speaking to those that fish here more regularly confirmed that it was working as well.

P6 wouldn’t have been my first choice as the margins are 5ft deep due to the bank being rebuilt a few years ago, although I could fish to p7 pallet where it was much shallower.

On the all-in I cast the method as tight as I dare to the island avoid plenty of overhanging branches, whilst I finalised sorting out my pole rigs. A stockie carp was my reward after 15mins and 3 casts.

A switch to fishing down the right margin next to a small patch of lillies, fishing corn and feeding 4mm pellet and corn resulted in a run of small skimmers, plus a bream and a tench, but it wasn’t as productive as I hoped.

I had also been feeding 8mm meat at 2+2 at an angle to my left and the response was much better with a proper bream and a hybrid, plus a couple of carp.

So, after 90mins I was doing ok, but I was conscious that there seemed to be more carp being caught to my left and across on p21 where Brian was fishing the waggler and 6mm pellet. As such, I felt I needed to catch carp rather than silvers.

For 30mins or so the wheels fell off, as I upped the feed over my meat line and right-hand margin, which just resulted in lots of small fish!

As yet I hadn’t fed by the p7 pallet, so ½ a cup of micros and corn was deposited here which soon resulted in tails in the swim. The problem was catching them.

I tried fishing double corn and caught a bream straight away. I then hooked and lost the next 3 carp. A few rig adjustments helped resulting in a couple of carp, before losing a rig on a foul hooker (fortunately the rig pinged back into the tree next to me).

Rather than set up a similar rig I thought I would try paste (So Simple Kriller), which proved frustrating with so many fish in the shallow water, but when I hooked a fish, it was at least in the mouth, netting my final fish in the whistle.

To be honest, I didn’t feel I fished a good match, as I kept chopping and changing, so I was a little to surprised to come 3^rd only missing out on 2^nd by 2oz (much to Martin’s relief).

1.    77-  6 – Martin Shulter – p21

2.    65-  1 – Martin White – p10

3.    64-15 – Ken Rayner – p6

4.    57-14 – Steve Musitano – p8