Good Friday Icy Cottage

Gary Etheridge had a knock up today on Cottage at Withy. 8 of us racked up and fished two on each bank.  Mayo and me on pegs 3 and 2 respectively.  Kendal on 5 and Danny Jones on 7.  Our host Gary on 9 and gorgeous George on 11.  Finally Paul Hough on 13 and Mark Blake on 15.

Ice , quite thick ice, covered two thirds of the lake, with only Kendal and Danny with open water.  The start was delayed until 10.30 while we cracked ice and used the landing nets to hook it all out.  My Peg 2 was completely covered.  I chose to nibble away at it hoping the weak sunshine and rising wind would do the damage.  Blakey offered  an Ice breaker but peg two is shallow and I was certain it would push the fish away.  Blakey agreed and confirmed he hoped i would use it and push the fish his way.

Kind help from Mayo cleared a space to fish.  Cheers Mate.  As the match started the wind really got up and the ice rapidly disintegrated.  I cupped in a sweet mix ground bait x 4 with little pinkie, and dropped in some micro and expander 4 mill to the left.

Tried the pellet for 10 minutes with no luck and went back over the groundbait.  Using a Dino o.2 silvers float Kamasan size 20 crystal 510. Main line 0.10 hook length 0.8, and a number 4 elastic on a pullla.

Float dipped a little and then lifted slightly, and I lifted into a nice 4 oz skimmer. Straight back out and dropped in through the now pimpling water above the ground bait. Slid away and a 8 oz skimmer came in like  a paper bag.  Blotchy fish, not very good condition.  Then a dozen 2 oz roach and then another 12oz skimmer.  Blakey on 15 to my left was chuntering well as he could see Gary Etheridge landing Carp of peg 9.  He shouted I have the silver fish kid bagging to my right and the other Gary catching carp he says.  The much to his consternation the Hoffmeister on peg 13 to his left had hooked a monster battleship fishing down the edge to the corner!!! Hoffy landed the carp that was hooked above the eye. Followed it with two more, which left Blakey apoplectic.

The match progressed well I continued to catch small fish steadily. Mayo had a slower start but had bagged some fat goldfish of peg 3.  He was now fishing 18+ meters of pole to the island and starting to catch carp steadily.  The surprising preponderance of Carp had blown my plan for the match.  Clearly silvers were not going to win it today.

I dusted of my Browning 8 foot commercial king mixed some sticky pellet into the micro (no method mix), stuck on a hard 6 mill banded pellet and flicked the 15 gram method feeder against the island.  The tip wanged round straight away and I pulled in a carp scale about the size of a tangerine.  I must have landed right on the fish and spooked it.  In again and a 2lb Carp pulled the tip around.  Then that was it no more Carp.

Blakey fishing dead maggot over ground bait had several big skimmers, Mayo was a carp a chuck as was Gary etheridge.  Gorgeous George, had put on big bits a flake and was fishing an edge rig from peg 11 down to the corner.  George had two absolute monsters easily double figures each of them.

All out at 4pm.  Kendal and Danny had around 8lb of bits each and didn't bother  to weigh in.  I weighed in 11lb 4oz silvers and one two pound Carp.  Blakey beat me in our little battle of the silvers by weighing in 23lb that bigger stamp on dead maggot really making the difference.

Gary Etheridge finished first with 44lb mixed bag of peg 9 fishing waggler to the corner of the island.  Mayo a close second with 36lb of Carp and 4lb of silvers.  George picked up 30lb of carp for 3rd. Houghy 4th with 25lb carp and skimmers.

A cold but enjoyable day

Army shooting blanks.The day the float stood still

Army match 5 today.  Teams of three, and my team Orphans needing to keep our good run going. Last trip to a natural water this season, and the last to the canal at Bishops Cannings . Thank god!!  Another really cold day, saw Carl and me pegging in daylight for a change.  We made the decision to peg from the Bridge Inn up to the swing bridge.  Normally we have a section either side of the swing bridge, but there were too many boats to the east of the swing bridge.  Couple this with info from contacts at Devizes, who had hinted the better fishing was towards the Bridge Inn.

Same as the last Canal match I was pegged next to Craig Micalef; and in a section (swing bridge end)with John Dewberry, Brian Shuttler and Mike Poolman. Tough draw.  JD (Yoda) came down before the start to apply the normal mental pressure "end peg again, boys peg should win from there etc etc".  I agreed it was a good peg (last before the overhead power lines); that's right I said I am pleasure fishing here (false bravado).

The canal was a really weird dark tea colour as it appeared the local farm top soil and silt had washed in off the surrounding flat land.  My favourite mick craddock float for the punch (nearside) and two other lines - squat across with a Garbolino wire stem 0.2 float and kamasan crystal size 22. Track swim 16 meters left with choppy and etang mix.

Shouted the all in for the 5 hour match at 10.30, cupped in a crumb nugget on the nearside, and choppy down the track.  Looked at Craig on peg 2 to see, five sections of pole in the air and his no 3 elastic full out!!  Please tell me that's a snag.  The beaming smile and a 1lb and 3/4 bream sliding over the landing net proved it was no snag.

The longest 5 hours of my life followed apart from rotating my rigs through the different lines, the float never actually moved all day. Really nothing at all, till 3.15 and 15 minutes to go.  Two boats went through churning it up.  More out of temper than skill, I dumped in 30 pinkies over my nearside bread line and slipped a pinkie on a size 24.  As the float vortexes in the wake of the boat, it slid away.  I lifted thinking I had snagged and was surprised to see the 3 elastic stretch a little. Roach!! yes! I am not gonna blank. In again and again away, one more before the end saw me have three Roach in the last ten minutes. Relief.  Shouted the all out.

Weighed in 160 grammes, Yoda had four roach for 170 grammes, and said it should have , would have been more if I hadn't shaken the water of the weigh net.  Brian Shuttler, 80 grammes, Mike Poolman and Pete Coleman 10 grammes each and Nigel Gregory 200 grammes.  Craig won the section with his Bream and 7 x 10 Gramme fish for 870.

The Devizes lads were right all the best weights came from the Bridge Inn end and the turning bay.

Tough day and Midsection Blues again.  Dave Critcher (turning bay) won his section, and Carl placed in his so Orphans won the day - yippee.  Easter weekend to come and an Open on Barnmoor (withy farm) + a knock up on Cottage.

50 Shades of Grey!

It was a dark and stormy night and the  rain came down in torrents.  In fact it had been heavy rain since the start of the weekend.  As I opened the curtains at first light (6am) snow flakes the size of Tangerines were blocking my vision.  I let the chickens out, run the dogs out, and get back to find the flyer (van) was rapidly being covered with snow.

Started her up and went inside to get my hot foot wellies, and gortex etc.  Kit loaded I headed for Solstice park for some diesel.  Going over beacon hill the sky had turned ominously black, and the snow was falling so hard and fast visibility was around 75 yards.

Having filled up and grabbed a COSTA coffee to go, I headed down of Salisbury Plain to Witherington farm.  The ridiculously torrential rain had left floods all over the roads and driving was pretty slick in places as even with a loaded van, I aquaplaned quite a bit.

The closer I got to Withy the light improved from dark through many shades of grey to a reasonably brightish morning.  Went in for bait,breakfast and the draw.  Fingers crossed I dipped in the hand and pulled Cottage 10.  To say I was pleased is an understatement, a good peg on that lake. Decided to take the flyer round to my flyer (flyer see dictionary re great peg) round to the car park at the back save a bit of walking.



Blakey fishing into my empty peg 10
 on Cottage

That's when it all went badly wrong.  She wouldn't start, she would turnover but not fire!  Dilemma time.  Do I fish the match and then call out Britannia rescue?  Could do that but having experienced how long "rescue" can take.  I decided to call them in now. At least I could start,they wouldn't probably arrive till late.  Wrong.  Yes Sir we will be with you in 15 minutes! 20 Minutes later mechanic arrived tried for 40 minutes to get her going and then called the tow truck.  How long for the tow truck mate, I enquire.  Thought being, if its going to be hours I will still fish.  An hour sir!

Well that's torn it, better not fish.  I could have cried a decent draw and cant fish it.  I slip into a grey mood, and stomp off around to at least look at the peg.  Blakey is fishing 11, and says are you fishing mate or not.  I explain I am waiting for the tow truck and won't be fishing today.  He commiserates by doing a little dance and producing a big smile (yes Blakey smiling, wonders will never cease).  I plod round to Barnmoor accepting a selection of commiserations and open laughter / sheer enjoyment at my misfortune.  I find Mr Moody on Barnmoor 13.  Yet another good draw for him.  I am sure he would have preferred peg 12.  The old master was fishing the waggler and taking a few roach.

'The' Master Waggler Angler bar none.

 Dave suggests I wait in his shop as opposed to the cold.  I am just about to smile at his obvious concern when he mentions could I get hiss missus Christine to make him a hot Tea, and could I bring it out to him!!!  I do take his suggestion, and head for the warmth as the rain and sleet begin again.

Christine and James are in fact enjoying a brew after the morning rush; and very kindly offer me a cup. I accept, and do broach the subject of a hot brew for daddy bear on peg 13.  Cheeky git Christine responds, hes got a flask!!

After several false dawns including the original tow truck coming to get me breaking down en route, a second tow truck arrives arrives after three hours.  A final check confirms the fuel pump (big bucks me thinks) and takes me home.  Thanks to Christine and James for keeping me company, but I am cold fed up and in a very very Grey mood. Crap week at work topped off by no fishing.  If this keeps up you could find me swinging from a rope................. second thoughts with my weight problems and bad luck I would probably snap the rope. I swear if I set up in the funeral business people would stop dying!........  See you next time

Chocolate coloured revels

Get it.  The lake we are fishing in the Bait Tech is called Revels.  See how I tied in the confectionery of the same name. Born journalist eh! Perhaps not.

Visited Revels fishery today to get heads up on the home venue of Sturminster our opponents in the bait tech.  Looks a little bleak as the fishery has been under some work fixing and levelling banks etc.  Definitely got its winter coat and on a cold and raining / hailing day not to inviting.

Main Lake 1

Main Lake 2

The water in the main lake is a chocolate colour.  Not many anglers fishing.  I did have a chat with a few locals who have all confirmed it is a very peggy venue.  You are either right on em, or will scratch a few pounds.  The tackle shop is quite big and has full selection of kit and bait.  Jason the owner was not around, but his mate in the shop was very helpful and friendly.  Free with advice, and also confirming the place can be peggy at this time of the year.  I am convinced the home side are applying a little gamesmanship, some of the info given to me has been a little conservative if the tackle shop guy is to be believed.  As an example it was suggested one of the lakes we are using in the match is tough and as such is called Desperation!  The tackle owner explained the story behind the name.  Two boilie queens (carp anglers) used to fish the main lake quite a lot, and if they were getting no bites,(they would say, they are the point of desperation) and they used to go up the hill a little to the next lake; which is actually called "Woodland's"; where they were guaranteed to catch.

Main Lake 3

Desperation!
I don't think so if the shop owner is to
be believed.

 Woodlands is a funny crescent shaped snake type lake.  Very narrow in places.  Fish were topping every where on this lake and water had a better cleaner green tinge.  I would imagine in the summer when the lakes are in peak form you could fill your boots.  But at this time of the year it could be an iffy day.  Still I have a good squad to choose from, and I am sure we could put up a good show.  Without Jason there , I couldn't establish if we could book the lake.  So will have to ring on Monday.  Even if I cant book pegs I will be going down next Saturday to practise via a day ticket.  Had a quick butchers around the other lakes available and they all looked fish able.

 

Still must concentrate on tomorrows Eastleigh club match at Witherington Farm tomorrow. It will be fished on the three lakes Barnmoor,Selwood and Cottage.  I always seem to draw, Barnmoor, and generally when its fishing badly.  Fancy peg 7 Cottage.  Lets see what the gods bring me.............

Good start with Pewsey soured with controversial news

Its been a good a good and bad couple of days.

Good first.  Attended AGM of Pewsey club last night.  Joined Pewsey back in Oct last year, and although I had missed all the Lake Matches and two thirds of the Canal matches; I finished 13th in the Canal Championship with 41 points. And 20th in the combined Championship.


No I am not Dad Dancing, this me happy for a change

This has left me chomping at the bit to have another go at next years Championship.  I am also very encouraged with the friendliness of other members, and their kind invitations to me to fish as a part of a Pewsey team in the upcoming Summer league competitions.  One weird thing.  I was coerced despite vociferous objections into joining the committee.  God they must be desperate. I have agreed initially to a probationary period as, I don't like to commit to anything unless I can follow it through with actions.  So now I must have good think about, the season ahead - do I want to put all my eggs in one basket?

  

Normal pose

Now the not so good.  Sturminster AA Captain got in touch today, re the Angling Times Bait tech competition.  Three teams of 8 will compete at Revels lake in the Blackmore Vale.  Whats bad about that?  Well nothing really.  I know the host Captain he fished with Group 2 Army Angling (my team) until very recently so has insider knowledge of us.  I suppose what I have found disappointing is that one of our Group 2 superstars is fishing for Sturminster.  I have yet to iron out the details, but at first glance it appears he could have fished for us; but controversially some may say bravely has chose to fish with the opposition.  I wish him the best on the day (genuinely I do), but would have appreciated a courtesy call or a chance to persuade him back into our fold before the closing date for applications.

Politics or divided loyalty, we will probably never know.  I shall put it aside now and try and enjoy the unique experience and a chance to fish somewhere I have never fished before.   Bring it on...........C'mon Army group 2.

Toyota League torture........

After Picking Dave Moody up in Salisbury , we descended on Stoneham club water at Eastleigh.  A very cold day awaited us with a surprise that the top four had been promoted so I was up into Div 1 of the Toyota league.  Seven points and seven places behind third place Mr Moody.  The quiver tip is the method here with big Carp and Bream the target...........if you can get em.  That's not easy the water is very very very cold.  We all gather at the club hut for the draw and there is a mountain of kit and expectant anglers keen to get underway if only to move warm blood around the body.

 

Tea and a custard cream and the draw gets under way.I draw a good summer peg.  With Dave two to my left the first 30 minutes see my method almost ripped out of my hand by a ballistic carp which was on and off quicker than an easy girls knickers.  Left with just a large mirror scale covering the point of my hook.  One snapped hook link and a further reasonable fish lodged in a nearby sunken tree stump.  Leave me cursing my luck.  Two small Roach sees my tied with Dave M and leading the bank!!!!!!!!  Its going to be tough day.  The wind is biting and none of us have anything that will make the float move for the next 4 hours.

 

 

Rumours that end peg Rich Penney has 3 Carp (30+lb).Kev Downer has a tiny Tench and the guy to my right has 5 tiny fish for around 4oz.  Dave and I nothing more.  Then as all hope fades, and Dave asks me to go and warm the van up, he hooks a tiny Perch.  I go down to a size 24 hook 6oz bottom and a single pinkie.  Whack in some sloppy ground bait with pinkie in it.  Come three inches of the bottom, and pick up a roach to match Dave.  The guy to my right has a Perch of a pound.  Gerry illingworth between Dave and me, has a roach and a tiny Perch. and I get another one.  The match draws to and end much to all our delight. To Dave's left Dave Rickword has had a slab. Maurice has sat on the tip all day, had one slab first ten minutes, and two more in the last ten minutes - typical Maurice. In the five pegs around me we have probably caught 3lb and a third of that is a pound Perch to my right.

We finish and weigh in. Guy to my right(Perch man) has 1.5lb.  I have 7 fish 10 oz , Gerry has 2 fish 3oz, and Dave Moody 5 fish 4oz!!  I don't quite believe DMs weight one of his Roach was a good size and; I reckon he has at least 6oz and the scales were not zeroed.  DM is too bloody cold to contest it and philosophically trudges back to the van as the snow and sleet begins.

The top weights came fom the other (deeper end) of the lake.  Confirming my early thoughts.  I hope to get back in amongst the good pegs soon.

We decide not to wait for the results, as we are just glad to get back in the flyer (my van) and head for home.  Hope England won the Rugby, wonder what the wife has done for Tea?  See you all next week.  Eastleigh club match on the three lakes at Withy Farm.



Sick Note

Those of you that have been following my blog will know I have not been feeling great lately health wise.  Hence  comments like you look like s**t mate,and bloody hell your as white as a sheet.

Continued trips to the Docs and one to the hospital, have not found an answer; but clearly I am not right and early Friday evening proved as I passed out on the loo and finished up in hospital. Finally, escaped hospital Saturday lunch time having had many cables an pipes inserted in all areas; I walked to the taxi like John Wayne after a very long ride.

Desperate for my weekly fishing trip, I lost the war with her in doors and had to back out producing a sick note, via text for the match at Winnals in Winchester.   I wouldn't admit it to her, but this morning saw me no better she was right I was wrong.

Still look forward to next weekend the Toyota Super League, (an invitation league based with Eastleigh club). Invited to join last season, I missed a few events due to previous commitments; so had to start this year comp, at the bottom of league 2.  There are two leagues of ten anglers.  After two matches the top two go up from the bottom league and the two poorest performers drop down from div 1 to replace them.  This happens every two matches, until the eight match series is over.

The first match was at orchard lake in the new forest, where I managed 123 + lb for 3rd in my league. Second in my league was 162 lb and first (Mark Blake) was 228 lb I think. Round two was at Withy on the snake (much tougher), where I managed 7.5 lb for 4th in my league.  This has left me 4th on points so I wont go up to the top division but remain in a strong position.

Stonehams pond in Eastleigh for the next round this coming Sunday.  Not my favourite place.  I generally catch well but the place is stuffed with big fish and my normal hard worked bag of fish are left nowhere gazumped by two or three massive carp.

It is a weird place, an old estate type lake, depths vary between 3 (shallow end) and 12 feet on the dam wall.  The overflow then runs down hill to a smaller lake ( which I prefer) which is similar in depth range.  There is so much promise yet I cant put my finger on a winning method.  The long standing members always do well, I suppose if you have been fishing the same venue for 20+ years you will know every hole and feature to exploit. I haven't fished Stonehams much this year, as its a long round trip to fish your socks off only to be gazumped by specimen hunters.

 In short there are two approaches.

First mine - pole and waggler catch as many fish as you can hope for a few slabs.  This normally catches me 10 to 20 lbs.  Second the locals  favourite, chuck the method or a feeder into the distance and hope to land on Carp or Bream this can net 50+lb or bugger all.

I suppose I should bite the bullet and try it but, I find it difficult hair rigging a 5 to 10 mill boilie, or banding a ten mill pellet and sitting there waiting for the tip to go round.  I fidget and look around, its having the nerve to sit there waiting for the net buster, as opposed to my favoured way of trying to keep some thing going in the net.  Lets see what the day brings.........................will I go for the s**t or bust method ?

Oh PS. Army Federation (Group 2) has drawn Sturminster Hinton AA and Haines Angling AC (Westbury) for the first round of the Angling times Bait tech Cubman comp.  As Captain I await a call from Sturminster Hintons Captain to see where in the Blackmore Vale we will be fishing.